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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 30, 2021

Registration No. 333-259549

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Amendment No. 1 to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

 

 

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   2834   83-0712806
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

 

245 Main Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(857) 400-9491

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

 

 

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

245 Main Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(857) 400-9491

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

 

 

Copies to:

 

Marcia A. Hatch
Colin G. Conklin

Frederic G. Martin

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve

Franklin & Hachigian, LLP

550 Allerton Street
Redwood City, California 94063

(650) 321-2400

 

Bradford D. Dahms
Chief Financial Officer

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

245 Main Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(857) 400-9491

 

Lisa Firenze
Scott N. Lunin

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP

7 World Trade Center

250 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10007

(212) 230-8800

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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 EACH CLASS OF

SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

 

AMOUNT TO
BE REGISTERED(1)

   

PROPOSED
MAXIMUM

OFFERING PRICE
PER SHARE(2)

   

PROPOSED
MAXIMUM

AGGREGATE

OFFERING PRICE(2)

    AMOUNT OF
REGISTRATION
FEE(3)
 

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share

    9,583,525     $ 16.00     $ 153,336,400     $ 16,730  

 

 
(1)   Includes 1,250,025 shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase from the Registrant.
(2)   Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(3)   Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Registrant previously paid $10,910 in connection with the filing of its Registration Statement on Form S-1 on September 15, 2021.

 

 

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

 

 

 


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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion. Dated September 30, 2021

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

8,333,500 Shares

 

LOGO

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Common Stock

We are offering 8,333,500 shares of our common stock. This is our initial public offering of our common stock.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. We expect that the initial public offering price will be between $14.00 and $16.00 per share. We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “THRX.”

We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under the federal securities laws and, as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced reporting requirements for this prospectus and may elect to do so in future filings. See the section titled “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company.”

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission approved or disapproved of the securities that may be offered under this prospectus, nor have any of these organizations determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

     PER SHARE      TOTAL  

Initial public offering price

   $                        $                    

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

   $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $        $    

 

 

 

(1)    See the section titled “Underwriting” beginning on page 183 of this prospectus for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,250,025 shares of our common stock. If the underwriters exercise the option in full, the total underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us will be $                    , and the total proceeds to us, before expenses, will be $                    .

Delivery of the shares of common stock is expected to be made on or about                     , 2021.

 

  Joint Book-Running Managers  
Jefferies   SVB Leerink   Cantor
  Lead Manager  
  Wedbush PacGrow  

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2021.

 


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

     PAGE  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     11  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     74  

INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

     76  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     77  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     79  

CAPITALIZATION

     80  

DILUTION

     82  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     85  

BUSINESS

     101  

MANAGEMENT

     146  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     153  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     166  

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

     169  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     171  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     176  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

     179  

UNDERWRITING

     183  

LEGAL MATTERS

     191  

EXPERTS

     192  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     193  

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-1  

 

 

Neither we nor any of the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor any of the underwriters take responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of our common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should carefully read this prospectus in its entirety before investing in our common stock, including the sections titled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” and our financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. In this prospectus, unless context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Theseus,” or “the Company” refer to Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Overview

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. Our development programs are designed to address drug resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes, which are mutated genes that cause cancer. Resistance mutations limit the efficacy of existing targeted therapies by rendering tumor cells unresponsive to drugs, and therefore present a critical challenge in cancer treatment today. Our initial focus is on developing the next generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, and is rooted in the critical role that tyrosine kinases play in the development of cancer. Despite the commercial success of approved TKIs, the development of drug resistance is a persistent limitation, narrowing the number of effective treatment options available to patients as they progress through subsequent lines of therapy.

Our goal is to develop “pan-variant” kinase inhibitors—inhibitors that target all major cancer causing and drug resistance mutations in clinically significant protein kinases. We believe that truly pan-variant inhibitors are required to effectively inhibit the heterogeneous mix of resistance mutations found in patients, and may also suppress the emergence of new mutations when used in earlier lines of therapy. To develop such inhibitors, we deploy our novel predictive resistance assay, or PRA, a highly differentiated cell-based method for testing TKIs that we believe is predictive for “pan-ness.”

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a pan-variant inhibitor of all major classes of activating and resistance mutations of the KIT kinase, or a pan-KIT inhibitor, for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, a type of cancer characterized by oncogenic activation of KIT. THE-630 is derived from intellectual property exclusively licensed to us by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or ARIAD. We have recently submitted an Investigational New Drug, or IND, application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for the evaluation of THE-630 in patients with advanced GIST whose disease has developed resistance to prior KIT-targeting therapies, and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022.

Our second program is focused on next-generation inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, that are active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. We have developed a series of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors designed to inhibit the full range of single-, double- and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

Our differentiated approach to addressing drug resistance is built on three strategic pillars: (1) targeting clinically-validated oncogenic drivers that have a clear unmet need; (2) integrating structure-guided drug design with our predictive screening methodologies, including our PRA; and (3) pursuing translationally-driven, biomarker-guided clinical development strategies. We believe our research and development approach, honed over years of our management team’s experience in developing approved therapeutics at ARIAD positions us well to develop a pipeline of drugs to address the challenges posed by resistance mutations.


 

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Our Pipeline

Our current programs, targeting KIT (THE-630) and EGFR, focus on developing next-generation TKIs that address the key limitation of drug resistance. In addition, we are evaluating several potential targets and intend to select one or more as our next program(s) in 2022.

 

 

LOGO

 

*   We hold a worldwide exclusive license to THE-630 in our therapeutic area of focus through the ARIAD License Agreement, as defined and described in the section titled “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.”

Pan-KIT Program – THE-630

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a pan-KIT inhibitor for the treatment of patients with advanced GIST. The worldwide annual incidence of GIST is estimated to be between 11 and 19.6 cases per million people. Current estimates for the total number of GIST cases diagnosed each year in the United States range from approximately 4,000 to 6,000. Prevalence is estimated to be 13.5 to 15.5 cases per 100,000 people, and therefore approximately 48,000 patients are estimated to be living with GIST in the United States each year. We estimate that the annual addressable population for first- and second-line unresectable or metastatic GIST in the United States is approximately 3,200 and 2,200 patients, respectively. Front-line intervention is surgical removal of cancerous tissue when possible. In cases where the tumor has spread and/or surgery cannot be performed, the TKI imatinib is often used as first-line therapy. However, most patients receiving imatinib relapse and subsequent lines of therapy are less effective.

THE-630 is a novel small molecule inhibitor that has been designed to block activity of all major classes of activating and resistance mutations of KIT that drive GIST. Existing TKIs are limited by the emergence of resistance mutations, as clinical data have demonstrated their inability to inhibit disease progression as these mutations arise in tumor cell populations. THE-630 is a pan-KIT inhibitor for GIST, with potent activity demonstrated in cellular assays and strong anti-tumor activity in animal models against both activating and resistance mutations. We believe THE-630, if approved, has the potential to be a next-generation KIT inhibitor based on its promising inhibitory profile and favorable drug-like properties, as well as its ability to achieve predicted pan-KIT inhibitory blood concentrations at tolerable doses in preclinical safety studies.

We have recently submitted an IND for THE-630 with the FDA and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with previously-treated GIST between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022. Our initial registration strategy will focus on GIST patients who have already received four prior lines of therapy, or fifth-line GIST, where there is currently no available therapy and therefore a significant unmet medical need. Given its broad mutational coverage as a pan-KIT inhibitor, we also plan to evaluate THE-630 in GIST patients who have already received one prior line of therapy, or second-line GIST. Based on the preclinical profile, we believe THE-630 has the potential to deliver meaningful clinical benefit over the currently available standard of care.

Fourth-Generation EGFR Inhibitor Development Program

We are developing a next-generation EGFR inhibitor that is active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with NSCLC. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer with approximately 10% to 50% of NSCLC tumors driven by activating mutations in EGFR, depending on geographic region. Treatment of EGFR-mutant metastatic NSCLC patients with first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs, such as erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and dacomitinib,


 

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substantively improved outcomes for patients compared to chemotherapy. However, resistance eventually develops in most patients, leading to disease progression, with about half of patients’ tumors developing the T790M EGFR mutation. Osimertinib, a third-generation TKI, was initially developed to treat T790M positive disease in patients progressing on a first- or second-generation TKI. Subsequently, it was approved in the first-line setting where it improved progression-free and overall survival compared to earlier-generation inhibitors. However, most patients receiving treatment eventually progress. A subset of patients on osimertinib, either in first- or later-line therapy, will still progress due to further EGFR resistance mutations, with C797S being the most common of such mutations. A significant unmet medical need remains for patients with this subset of EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

To address this problem of on-target resistance, we have developed a series of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors, designed to inhibit the full range of single-, double- and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

Our History and Team

Our management and leadership are composed of individuals with extensive experience in the discovery, development and commercialization of cancer therapeutics and specifically in developing TKIs for activating and resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes. Many members of our leadership team worked together for over twenty years at ARIAD, a global commercial-stage oncology company that was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or Takeda, in 2017. At ARIAD, members of our management team discovered and developed five clinical-stage product candidates, including ICLUSIG (ponatinib), a TKI approved for patients with treatment-resistant Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias; ALUNBRIG (brigatinib), a TKI approved for ALK-positive NSCLC; and EXKIVITY (mobocertinib), a TKI approved for EGFR Exon 20 insertion-positive NSCLC.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Clackson, Ph.D., most recently served as President and Chief Technology Officer at Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. Previously, Dr. Clackson was President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at ARIAD. William Shakespeare, Ph.D., our President of Research and Development, was formerly Vice President of Drug Discovery at ARIAD. Victor Rivera, Ph.D., our Chief Scientific Officer, was formerly Vice President, Preclinical and Translational Research, at ARIAD. David Dalgarno, D. Phil., our Chief Technology Officer, was formerly Vice President of Research Technologies at ARIAD. Wei-Sheng Huang, Ph.D., our Vice President of Chemistry, was previously Director of Chemistry at ARIAD. David Kerstein, M.D., our Chief Medical Officer, was most recently the Chief Medical Officer at Anchiano Therapeutics Ltd. (now Chemomab Ltd.) and was previously the Senior Medical Director at ARIAD and Takeda. Our Chief Financial Officer, Bradford Dahms, was formerly the Chief Financial Officer at Selecta Biosciences Inc.

As of June 30, 2021, we have raised approximately $120 million, including the issuance of approximately $100 million of Series B preferred stock in February 2021. Our investors include OrbiMed and Foresite Capital, as well as other leading institutional investors.

Our Strategy

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. Our development programs are designed to address drug resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes, which are mutated genes that cause cancer. The key elements of our strategy to achieve our mission are:

 

   

Advance the development of our lead product candidate, THE-630, for GIST patients.

 

   

Advance our fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program for NSCLC patients.


 

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Leverage our differentiated research and discovery approach to expand our pipeline.

 

   

Build a leading, fully integrated precision oncology company to maximize the clinical impact and value of our pipeline.

Summary of Principal Risks Associated with Our Business

Investing in our common stock involves substantial risk. Our ability to execute our business strategy is subject to numerous risks, as more fully described in the section titled “Risk Factors” immediately following this prospectus summary. These risks include, among others:

 

   

We are very early in our development efforts, have a limited operating history, have not initiated or completed any clinical trials, have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue, which may make it difficult for investors to evaluate our current business and likelihood of success and viability.

 

   

We have incurred significant net losses in each period since our inception, and we expect to continue to incur significant net losses for the foreseeable future.

 

   

Our ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends significantly on our ability to achieve in a timely manner our objectives relating to the discovery, development and commercialization of our product candidate and development programs.

 

   

Even if this offering is successful, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding to complete the development and, if approved, any commercialization of product candidates. If we are unable to raise this capital when needed, we may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or other operations.

 

   

We are substantially dependent on our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs. If we are unable to advance any product candidates from our pan-KIT or EGFR inhibitor programs through preclinical and clinical development, obtain regulatory approval and ultimately commercialize such product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially harmed.

 

   

The FDA may not clear our recently submitted IND for THE-630 or we may not be able to submit INDs for our EGFR inhibitor and other programs to commence clinical trials on the timelines we expect, and even if we are able to submit an IND, the FDA may not permit us to initiate clinical trials.

 

   

Our preclinical studies and any clinical trials that we may commence may fail at any time, and because our only product candidate and our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs are in a very early stage of development, there is a high risk of failure, and we may never succeed in developing marketable products.

 

   

We have no experience as a company in conducting clinical trials.

 

   

We face substantial competition which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before or more successfully than we do.

 

   

We have never commercialized a product candidate as a company before and currently lack the necessary expertise, personnel and resources to successfully commercialize any products on our own or together with suitable collaborators.

 

   

We may be unable to obtain U.S. or foreign regulatory approval and, as a result, may be unable to commercialize product candidates.

 

   

We depend on intellectual property licensed from ARIAD, the termination of which could result in the loss of significant rights, which would harm our business.


 

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If we and our licensors and collaborators, if any, are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient patent and other intellectual property protection for product candidates and technology, our competitors could develop and commercialize products and technology similar or identical to ours, and we may not be able to compete effectively in our market or successfully commercialize any product candidates we may develop.

Channels for Disclosure of Information

Following the completion of this offering, we intend to announce material information to the public through filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, the investor relations page on our website, https://theseusrx.com/, press releases and public conference calls.

The information disclosed by the foregoing channels could be deemed to be material information. However, information disclosed through these channels does not constitute part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference herein.

Any updates to the list of disclosure channels through which we will announce information will be posted on the investor relations page on our website.

Corporate Information

We were initially formed in December 29, 2017 as Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 245 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, and our telephone number is (857) 400-9491. Our website address is https://theseusrx.com/. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus. Investors should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our common stock. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only.

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, the Theseus Pharmaceuticals logo and other registered or common law trade names, trademarks or service marks of Theseus Pharmaceuticals appearing in this prospectus are the property of Theseus Pharmaceuticals. This prospectus contains additional trade names, trademarks, and service marks of other companies. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us, by these other companies. Other trademarks appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective holders. Solely for convenience, our trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus appear without the ® and symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights to these trademarks and tradenames.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our most recently completed fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable, in general, to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include:

 

   

being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements with correspondingly reduced disclosure in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in registration statements, including this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions;

 

   

an exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirement on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;


 

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an exemption from compliance with any requirement that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board may adopt regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;

 

   

reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements;

 

   

exemptions from the requirements to obtain a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute arrangements; and

 

   

extended transition periods for complying with new or revised accounting standards.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue; (ii) the date we qualify as a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700.0 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates; (iii) the date on which we have issued, in any three-year period, more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (iv) the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering.

We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you might receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. Further, pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act, as an emerging growth company, we can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have elected to take advantage of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. As a result, our operating results and financial statements may not be comparable to the operating results and financial statements of other companies who have adopted the new or revised accounting standards.

We are also a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million, as measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million, as measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies.

As a result of the reduced disclosure and governance requirements applicable to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, our common stock may be less attractive to certain investors.


 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

8,333,500 shares.

 

Option to purchase additional shares of common stock

1,250,025 shares.

 

Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

35,863,960 shares (or 37,113,985 shares, if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock is exercised in full).

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $112.4 million (or approximately $129.8 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

  We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, to fund the continued development of THE-630 and our EGFR inhibitor program and the research and development of additional pan-variant kinase inhibitor programs and for general corporate purposes. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds” for additional information.

 

Risk factors

Investment in our common stock involves substantial risks. See the section titled “Risk Factors” and other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to purchase shares of our common stock.

 

Proposed Nasdaq Global Select Market trading symbol

“THRX”

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 27,530,460 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, assuming the conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering, and excludes the following:

 

   

4,090,315 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under our 2018 Stock Plan, or the 2018 Plan, as of June 30, 2021 (excluding options forfeited after such date), with a weighted-average exercise price of $2.35 per share;

 

   

608,688 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2018 Plan granted after June 30, 2021, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.63 per share;

 

   

4,395,080 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan (including 132,288 shares of common stock underlying options that will be granted to certain of our directors and an employee at the time of effectiveness of the 2021 Plan with an exercise price equal to the initial public offering price per share), which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans”; and


 

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400,000 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP, which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The ESPP also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans.”

Unless otherwise noted, the information in this prospectus reflects and assumes the following:

 

   

no exercise or cancellation of outstanding stock options described above subsequent to June 30, 2021;

 

   

no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in this offering;

 

   

the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our Series A preferred stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series A Preferred Stock, and Series B preferred stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series B Preferred Stock, into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering;

 

   

a one-for-1.32286 reverse stock split of our common stock and preferred stock effected on September 27, 2021; and

 

   

the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws in connection with the completion of this offering.


 

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SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

The following tables summarize our financial data as of, and for, the periods ended on the dates indicated. The summary statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 are derived from our audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The statement of operations data for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 and the balance sheet data as of June 30, 2021 have been derived from our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as our audited financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal, recurring adjustments that are necessary to state fairly the unaudited interim financial statements. You should read the following summary financial data in conjunction with the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in any future period, and the results for the six months ended June 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year or any other period.

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,     SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30,
 
     2019     2020     2020     2021  
     (in thousands, except share and per share data)  

Statement of Operations Data:

    

Operating expenses:

                                                                                            

Research and development

   $ 4,124     $ 5,958     $ 2,194     $ 8,310  

General administrative

     818       878       325       2,993  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     4,942       6,836       2,519       11,303  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     4,942       6,836       2,519       11,303  

Total other income (expense), net

     (2,241     (5,161     (5,159     23  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss and comprehensive loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted(1)

   $ (59.77   $ (21.10   $ (18.43   $ (11.81
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted(1)

     120,177       568,467       416,487       955,085  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Pro forma net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted(2)

     $ (1.01     $ (0.44
    

 

 

     

 

 

 

Pro forma weighted average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted(2)

       11,916,892         25,367,457  
    

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

(1)    See Note 12 to our audited financial statements and Note 12 to our unaudited interim financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an explanation of the method used to calculate the historical net loss per share, basic and diluted, and the number of shares used in the computation of the per share amounts.

 

(2)    Pro forma basic and diluted net loss per share is calculated to give effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into shares of our common stock as if such conversion occurred as of the beginning of the period presented or the date of issuance, if later.

 

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     AS OF JUNE 30, 2021  
     ACTUAL     PRO FORMA(1)     PRO FORMA
AS
ADJUSTED(2)
 
     (unaudited)  
     (in thousands)  

Balance Sheet Data:

                                                                     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 97,586     $ 97,586     $ 210,038  

Working capital(3)

     95,359       95,359       208,529  

Total assets

     102,070       102,070       213,704  

Total liabilities

     4,955       4,955       4,237  

Convertible preferred stock

     141,181              

Accumulated deficit

     (45,550     (45,550     (45,550

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

     (44,066     97,115       209,467  

 

 

(1)   The pro forma balance sheet data reflects (i) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of our common stock, as if such conversion occurred on June 30, 2021; and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation in Delaware that will become effective in connection with the completion of this offering.

 

(2)   The pro forma as adjusted balance sheet data reflects (i) all adjustments included in footnote (1) above; and (ii) the sale of 8,333,500 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The pro forma as adjusted information is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by approximately $7.8 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of one million shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by approximately $14.0 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

(3)    We define working capital as current assets less current liabilities.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our common stock, you should consider carefully the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus and the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations and the market price of our common stock. This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including the risks described below. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Risks Related to Our Limited Operating History, Financial Position and Capital Requirements

We are very early in our development efforts, have a limited operating history, have not initiated or completed any clinical trials, have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue, which may make it difficult for investors to evaluate our current business and likelihood of success and viability.

We are a biopharmaceutical company with a limited operating history upon which investors can evaluate our business and prospects. Since our inception in December 2017, our operations have focused on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, establishing our intellectual property portfolio and performing research and development activities, including with respect to our pan-KIT inhibitor and our epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, inhibitor development programs. We have not initiated or completed any clinical trials, have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue to date. Drug development is a highly uncertain undertaking that involves a substantial degree of risk.

We have not yet demonstrated our ability to successfully initiate and complete any clinical trials, obtain marketing approvals, manufacture the clinical or commercial supply of drug product or arrange for a third party to do so on our behalf, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for successful product commercialization. As a result, it may be more difficult for investors to accurately predict our likelihood of success and viability than if we had a longer operating history.

In addition, we may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other known and unknown factors and risks frequently experienced by preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies in rapidly evolving fields. We also expect that, as we advance our product candidate and development programs, we will need to transition from a company with a research and development focus to a company capable of supporting commercial activities. We have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully overcome such risks and difficulties, or to make such a transition. If we do not adequately address these risks and difficulties or successfully make such a transition, our business will suffer such that we may never generate revenues or achieve profitability.

We have incurred significant net losses in each period since our inception, and we expect to continue to incur significant net losses for the foreseeable future.

We have incurred significant net losses in each reporting period since our inception, have not generated any revenue to date and have financed our operations principally through private placements of our convertible preferred stock. Our net loss was $7.2 million and $12.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and $11.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. As of June 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $45.6 million. We are still in the very early stages of development of our product candidate and development programs and have not yet initiated or completed any clinical trials. As a result, we expect that it will be many years, if ever, before we have a commercialized product and generate revenue from product sales. Even if we succeed in receiving marketing approval for and commercializing one or more product candidates, we expect that we will continue to incur substantial research and development and other expenses in order to discover and develop additional potential products.

 

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We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for the foreseeable future. The net losses we incur may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter such that a period-to-period comparison of our results of operations may not be a good indication of our future performance. The size of our future net losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of our expenses, which we expect to increase as our development programs advance, and our ability to generate revenue. Our prior losses and expected future losses have had and will continue to have an adverse effect on our working capital, our ability to fund the development of our product candidate and development programs, our ability to achieve and maintain profitability and the performance of our common stock.

Our ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends significantly on our ability to achieve in a timely manner our objectives relating to the discovery, development and commercialization of our product candidate and development programs.

We have no products approved for commercial sale and do not anticipate generating any revenue from product sales for many years, if ever. We rely on our team’s expertise and experience in biology, chemistry, drug discovery and translational research to develop our product candidate and development programs. Identifying potential product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials is a time consuming, expensive and uncertain process that takes years to complete, and we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain marketing approval. In addition, any product candidates that we develop, if approved, may not achieve product sales or commercial success.

As such, our ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends significantly on our ability to achieve several objectives, including:

 

   

successful and timely completion of our ongoing and planned preclinical studies of our development candidates from our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and any other future programs;

 

   

timely submission and clearance of our investigational new drug, or IND, applications for any product candidate we develop, including timely clearance of the IND submitted for our only product candidate, THE-630, which remains subject to FDA review;

 

   

timely and satisfactory responses to any concerns or questions raised by the FDA in respect of any submitted INDs, including any concerns that could result in the imposition of any full or partial clinical holds;

 

   

establishing and maintaining relationships with contract research organizations, or CROs, and clinical trial sites for the clinical development of product candidates from our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and any other future programs both in the United States and internationally;

 

   

timely receipt of marketing approvals from regulatory authorities for product candidates for which we successfully complete clinical development;

 

   

developing an efficient and scalable manufacturing process for product candidates, including obtaining finished products that are appropriately packaged for sale, through manufacturing arrangements as necessary;

 

   

establishing and maintaining commercially viable supply and manufacturing relationships with third parties that can provide adequate, in both amount and quality, products and services to support clinical development and meet the market demand for product candidates, if approved;

 

   

successful commercial launch following any marketing approval, including the development of a commercial infrastructure, whether in-house or with one or more collaborators;

 

   

a continued acceptable safety profile following any marketing approval of product candidates;

 

   

acceptance of product candidates, if approved, by patients, the medical community and third-party payors;

 

   

satisfying any required post-marketing studies or other commitments to applicable regulatory authorities;

 

   

identifying, assessing and developing new product candidates;

 

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obtaining, maintaining and expanding patent protection, trade secret protection and regulatory exclusivity, both in the United States and internationally;

 

   

defending against third-party interference or infringement claims, if any;

 

   

entering into, on favorable terms, any collaboration, licensing or other arrangements that may be necessary or desirable to develop, manufacture or commercialize product candidates;

 

   

obtaining coverage and adequate reimbursement by third-party payors for product candidates, if approved;

 

   

addressing any competing therapies and technological and market developments; and

 

   

attracting, hiring and retaining qualified personnel.

See also “—Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates.”

We may never be successful in achieving our objectives and, even if we do, may never generate revenue that is significant or large enough to achieve profitability. In addition, as a young business, we may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other known and unknown challenges. If we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis, and we will continue to incur substantial research and development and other expenditures to develop and market additional product candidates. Our failure to become and remain profitable would significantly decrease the value of our company and could impair our ability to maintain or further our research and development efforts, raise additional necessary capital, grow our business and continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

Even if this offering is successful, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding to complete the development and, if approved, any commercialization of product candidates. If we are unable to raise this capital when needed, we may be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or other operations.

Since our inception, we have used substantial amounts of cash to fund our operations, and our expenses will increase substantially in the foreseeable future in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we continue the research and development of and initiate preclinical studies and clinical trials of product candidates. The development of product candidates, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, is a very time-consuming, capital intensive and uncertain process that takes years to complete. Even if our only product candidate, THE-630, or any additional product candidates that we may develop enter and advance through preclinical studies and clinical trials, we will need substantial additional funds to expand our clinical, regulatory, quality and manufacturing capabilities. In addition, if we obtain marketing approval for product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to marketing, sales, manufacturing and distribution. Our expenses could increase beyond expectations if we are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, or any comparable foreign regulatory authorities to perform clinical trials or preclinical studies in addition to those that we currently anticipate. Other unanticipated costs may also arise. Furthermore, upon the completion of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company.

As of June 30, 2021, we had $97.6 million in cash and cash equivalents. Based on our current operating plan, we believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenses into the second half of 2024.

Advancing the development of our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and other development programs will require a significant amount of capital. The net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will not be sufficient to fund our product candidate through regulatory approval, and we anticipate needing to raise additional capital to complete the development of and commercialize our product candidate and development programs. Our estimate as to how long we expect our existing cash and cash equivalents, together with the net proceeds from this offering, to fund our operations is based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could utilize our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect, particularly given that the design and outcome of our ongoing preclinical studies and anticipated preclinical studies and clinical trials are highly uncertain. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

 

   

the scope, rate of progress, success and costs of our drug discovery, preclinical development activities, laboratory testing and clinical trials for product candidates;

 

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the number and scope of clinical programs we decide to pursue;

 

   

the scope and costs of manufacturing development and commercial manufacturing activities for product candidates, if approved;

 

   

the extent to which we acquire or in-license other product candidates and technologies;

 

   

the timing and amount of any payments required to be made under the agreements governing acquired or in-licensed product candidates or technologies;

 

   

the cost, timing and outcome of regulatory review of product candidates;

 

   

the cost and timing of establishing sales and marketing capabilities, if any product candidate receives marketing approval;

 

   

the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims;

 

   

our ability to establish and maintain collaborations on favorable terms, if at all;

 

   

the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or other external disruptions on our business, results of operations and financial position;

 

   

our efforts to enhance operational systems and our ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel, including personnel to support the development of product candidates;

 

   

the costs associated with being a public company; and

 

   

the cost associated with commercializing product candidates, if they receive marketing approval.

Our failure to raise capital as and when needed or on acceptable terms would have a negative impact on our financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategy, and we may have to delay, reduce the scope of, suspend or eliminate one or more of our research or drug development programs, clinical trials or future commercialization efforts.

Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, including purchasers of common stock in this offering, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates.

We will need to obtain substantial additional funding to complete the development and any commercialization of our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop. Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenue, we will be required to obtain further funding through public or private equity financings, debt financings, collaborative agreements, licensing arrangements or other sources of financing, which may dilute our stockholders or restrict our operating activities. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current and future operating plans.

We do not have any committed external source of funds, and adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves. In addition, securing financing could require a substantial amount of time and attention from our management and may divert a disproportionate amount of their attention away from day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our management’s ability to oversee the development of product candidates.

To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interests will be diluted, and the terms may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a stockholder. Debt financing may result in imposition of debt covenants, increased fixed payment obligations or other restrictions that may affect our business. If we raise additional funds through upfront payments or milestone payments pursuant to strategic collaborations with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to product candidates or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us.

 

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Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates

We are very early in our development efforts and are substantially dependent on our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs. If we are unable to advance any product candidates from our pan-KIT or EGFR inhibitor programs through preclinical and clinical development, obtain regulatory approval and ultimately commercialize such product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially harmed.

We are very early in our development efforts. Although we have recently submitted an IND to the FDA with respect to our only product candidate, THE-630, the IND has not been cleared by the FDA, and THE-630 has never been tested in humans. We have not yet demonstrated our ability to successfully initiate or complete clinical trials, including large-scale, pivotal clinical trials, obtain regulatory approvals, manufacture a commercial scale product, or arrange for a third party to do so on our behalf, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for successful commercialization.

As such, our ability to generate product revenue, which we do not expect will occur for many years, if ever, will depend heavily on the successful preclinical and clinical development and eventual commercialization of one or more product candidates from our pan-KIT or EGFR inhibitor programs. The success of our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs will depend on several factors, including the following:

 

   

successful and timely completion of preclinical studies;

 

   

timely submission and clearance of INDs for our anticipated clinical trials;

 

   

successful initiation of clinical trials;

 

   

successful and timely study subject selection and enrollment in and completion of clinical trials;

 

   

maintaining and establishing relationships with CROs and clinical trial sites for the clinical development of product candidates both in the United States and internationally;

 

   

the frequency and severity of adverse events in clinical trials;

 

   

demonstrating efficacy, safety and tolerability profiles that are satisfactory to the FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authorities for marketing approval;

 

   

the timely receipt of marketing approvals from FDA and any comparable foreign regulatory authorities;

 

   

the timely identification, development and approval of companion diagnostic tests, if required;

 

   

the extent of any required post-marketing studies or other post-approval commitments to applicable regulatory authorities;

 

   

the establishment and maintenance of supply arrangements with third-party drug product suppliers and manufacturers for clinical development and, if approved, commercialization of product candidates;

 

   

obtaining and maintaining patent protection, trade secret protection and regulatory exclusivity, and the protection of our other intellectual property rights, both in the United States and internationally;

 

   

the availability of an approved product for evaluation as a combination therapy;

 

   

successful commercialization following the receipt of any marketing approval;

 

   

a continued acceptable safety profile following any marketing approval;

 

   

acceptance of our products, if approved, by patients, the medical community and third-party payors;

 

   

addressing any potential delays resulting from factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

 

   

our ability to compete with other therapies, including our ability to differentiate any product for which we receive marketing approval against other approved products within the same class of drugs.

We do not have complete control over many of these factors, including certain aspects of preclinical and clinical development and the regulatory submission process, potential threats to our intellectual property rights and the

 

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manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sales efforts of any collaborator. If we are not successful with respect to one or more of these factors in a timely manner or at all, we could experience significant delays or an inability to successfully commercialize any product candidates from our development programs, which would materially harm our business. If we do not receive marketing approvals for such product candidates, we may not be able to continue our operations.

The FDA may not clear our recently submitted IND for THE-630 or we may not be able to submit INDs for our EGFR inhibitor and other programs to commence clinical trials on the timelines we expect, and even if we are able to submit an IND, the FDA may not permit us to initiate clinical trials.

Before we can initiate clinical trials in the United States for product candidates, we must submit the results of preclinical testing to the FDA along with other information, including information about product candidate chemistry, manufacturing and controls and our proposed clinical trial protocol as part of an IND submission. We have recently submitted an IND with the FDA for our only product candidate, THE-630, and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with previously-treated gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022. We also intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies. However, we may not be able to submit such IND, or any INDs we may submit for any of our other programs, on the timelines we expect, or at all.

We cannot be sure that submitting an IND will result in the FDA allowing clinical trials to begin or of the timelines to begin any such trials, or that, once begun, issues will not arise that will require us to suspend or terminate clinical trials. In particular, there can be no guarantee that a clinical trial, including in respect of THE-630, will be commenced or commenced on the terms specified in an IND, or that the FDA will not require additional information or studies be provided. Although an IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, the FDA, within the 30-day time period, may raise concerns or questions about the conduct of the proposed clinical trial, including concerns that human research subjects will be exposed to unreasonable health risks, and may refuse to allow the IND to take effect until we address their concerns or questions or impose a full or partial clinical hold. The FDA must notify the sponsor of the grounds for the hold, and any identified deficiencies must be resolved before the clinical trial can begin. Successful completion of clinical trials is a prerequisite to submitting a new drug application, or NDA, to the FDA or other marketing applications to other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, for each product candidate and, consequently, the regulatory approval of each product candidate. We are not permitted to market or promote any product candidate before we receive marketing approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, and we may never receive such marketing approvals. The commencement and completion of clinical trials can be delayed for a number of reasons.

Any failure to submit INDs on the timelines we, our stockholders or securities analysts expect or to obtain regulatory approvals for our anticipated clinical trials may prevent us from initiating or completing our clinical trials or commercializing product candidates on a timely basis, if at all. Even if completed, any delays in commencing or completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, extend the time it takes to complete clinical development and jeopardize the commercial prospects of product candidates and our ability to commence product sales and generate revenue, if at all. Further, if we are unable to achieve our goals within the timeframes we announce, the price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose some or all of your investment.

In addition, many of the factors that cause, or lead to, termination or suspension of, or a delay in the commencement or completion of, clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of regulatory approval of a product candidate. For example, if we make manufacturing or formulation changes to a product candidate, we may need to conduct additional studies to bridge that modified product candidate to earlier versions we have evaluated. Further, if one or more clinical trials are delayed, our competitors may be able to bring products to market before we do, and the commercial viability of our product candidate or any product candidates that we may develop could be significantly reduced. Any of these occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly. Any termination of any clinical trial of product candidates will harm our commercial prospects and our ability to generate revenue.

In addition to our pan-KIT or EGFR inhibitor programs, our prospects depend in part upon discovering, developing and commercializing product candidates from other research programs, which may fail in development or suffer delays that adversely affect their commercial viability.

Our future operating results are dependent on our ability to successfully discover, develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize product candidates from our research programs, in addition to our pan-KIT and EGFR

 

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inhibitor programs. Research programs to identify new product candidates require substantial technical, financial and human resources.

Our approach to the discovery and design of small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or TKIs, relies on our PRA, a novel screening and characterization approach that incorporates two critical human serum proteins that can affect drug activity. Our PRA has not been clinically validated. While the results of preclinical studies have suggested that certain of our TKIs may have the ability to inhibit all major classes of activating and resistance mutations, we have not yet succeeded and may not succeed in demonstrating efficacy and safety of THE-630 or any of our development programs in clinical trials or in obtaining marketing approval thereafter. If our approach to the discovery and design of product candidates does not lead to the development of product candidates that prove to be effective and safe for the targeted indication, we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain marketing approval.

Even if identified, a development candidate can unexpectedly fail at any stage of development. The historical failure rate for development candidates is high due to risks relating to safety, efficacy, clinical execution, changing standards of medical care and other unpredictable variables. The success of other development candidates we may develop will depend on many factors, including those described throughout “—Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates.”

Even if we successfully advance any development candidates into preclinical and clinical development, their success will be subject to all of the preclinical, clinical, regulatory and commercial risks described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will ever be able to discover, develop, obtain regulatory approval of, commercialize or generate significant revenue from product candidates from any research programs outside of our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs.

Our preclinical studies and any clinical trials that we may commence may fail at any time, and because our only product candidate and our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs are in a very early stage of development, there is a high risk of failure, and we may never succeed in developing marketable products.

Before obtaining marketing approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities for the sale of product candidates, we must demonstrate through lengthy, complex and expensive preclinical studies and clinical trials that such product candidates are both safe and effective for use in each target indication. Preclinical and clinical testing is expensive, difficult to design and implement and can take many years to complete, and its ultimate outcome is uncertain. Failure can occur at any time during the preclinical study and clinical trial processes, and, because our only product candidate and our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs are in a very early stage of development, there is a high risk of failure and we may never succeed in developing products that receive marketing approval.

The commencement and completion of clinical trials can be delayed for a number of reasons, including delays related to:

 

   

failure of product candidates in preclinical studies or clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy;

 

   

delays with IND-enabling studies or in analyzing the data collected from any completed clinical trials;

 

   

negative or inconclusive clinical trial results that may require us to conduct additional clinical trials or abandon certain research and/or drug development programs;

 

   

the number of study subjects required for clinical trials being larger than anticipated, enrollment in these clinical trials being slower than anticipated or participants dropping out of these clinical trials at a higher rate than anticipated, including as a result of actions taken by governments and individuals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

subjects choosing an alternative treatment or other product candidates, or participating in competing clinical trials;

 

   

lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial;

 

   

subjects experiencing severe or unexpected drug-related adverse effects;

 

   

any interruptions or delays in the supply of product candidates for our clinical trials;

 

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a facility manufacturing product candidates or any of their components being ordered by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities to temporarily or permanently shut down due to violations of current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, regulations or other applicable requirements, or infections or cross-contaminations of product candidates in the manufacturing process;

 

   

any changes to the manufacturing process of product candidates that may be necessary or desired;

 

   

any failure or delay in reaching an agreement with CROs and clinical trial sites;

 

   

clinical investigators losing the licenses or permits necessary to perform our clinical trials, not performing our clinical trials on our anticipated schedule or consistent with the clinical trial protocol, good clinical practices, or GCP, or regulatory requirements or other third parties not performing data collection or analysis in a timely or accurate manner;

 

   

third-party contractors becoming debarred or suspended or otherwise penalized by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities for violations of applicable regulatory requirements, in which case we may need to find a substitute contractor, and we may not be able to use some or all of the data produced by such contractors in support of our marketing applications;

 

   

the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic;

 

   

one or more institutional review boards, or IRB, refusing to approve, suspending or terminating the trial at a clinical trial site, precluding enrollment of additional subjects, or withdrawing its approval of the trial; or

 

   

changes in regulatory requirements and policies, which may require us to amend clinical trial protocols to comply with these changes and resubmit our clinical trial protocols to IRBs for reexamination.

If we are required to conduct additional preclinical studies, clinical trials or other testing of product candidates beyond those that are contemplated, if we are unable to successfully complete preclinical studies or clinical trials of product candidates or other testing in a timely manner, if the results of these studies, trials or tests are not positive or are only modestly positive or if there are safety concerns, we may incur unplanned costs, be delayed in seeking and obtaining marketing approval, if we receive such approval at all, receive more limited or restrictive marketing approval, be subject to additional post-marketing testing requirements or have the drug removed from the market after obtaining marketing approval.

We have only conducted preclinical studies to date and the outcome of preclinical testing and early clinical trials may not be predictive of the success of subsequent clinical trials, including in respect of demonstrating consistent or adequate efficacy and safety.

We will be required to demonstrate with substantial evidence through well-controlled clinical trials that our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop are safe and effective for use in a defined population before we can seek marketing approvals for their commercial sale. There is typically an extremely high rate of attrition from the failure of product candidates proceeding through preclinical studies and clinical trials. We do not know whether any preclinical studies or clinical trials we may conduct will demonstrate consistent or adequate efficacy and safety sufficient to obtain approval to market any product candidates.

The results of preclinical studies may not be predictive of the results of clinical trials of product candidates. Although product candidates may demonstrate promising results in preclinical studies, they may not prove to be safe or effective in subsequent clinical trials. Favorable results from certain animal studies may not accurately predict the results of other animal studies or of human trials due to the inherent biologic differences in species, the differences between testing conditions in animal studies and human trials, and the particular goals, purposes and designs of the relevant studies and trials.

Moreover, the results of preclinical studies and any early clinical trials we complete may not be predictive of the results of later-stage clinical trials. A number of companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials, notwithstanding promising results in earlier trials. Clinical trial failure, including with respect to achieving the desired safety and efficacy profile, and the failure to obtain regulatory approval may result from a multitude of factors, including those described under “—Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates—The design or our execution of our clinical trials may

 

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not support marketing approval.” In particular, early, smaller-scale clinical trials may not be predictive of eventual safety or effectiveness in large-scale pivotal clinical trials. See “—Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates—Product candidates may cause significant adverse events, toxicities or other undesirable side effects when used alone or in combination with other approved products or investigational new drugs.”

The development and regulatory approval of product candidates and our stock price may also be impacted by inferences, whether correct or not, that are drawn between the success or failure of preclinical studies or clinical trials of our competitors or other companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in addition to our own preclinical studies and clinical trials.

If the results of our ongoing or future preclinical studies and any future clinical trials are inconclusive with respect to the safety and efficacy of product candidates, if we do not meet the clinical endpoints with statistical or clinically meaningful significance, or if there are safety concerns associated with product candidates or those of our competitors, we may be prevented or delayed in obtaining marketing approval for product candidates.

The design or our execution of our clinical trials may not support marketing approval.

The design or execution of a clinical trial can determine whether its results will support marketing approval, and flaws in the design or execution of a clinical trial may not become apparent until the clinical trial is well advanced and significant resources have been expended.

In some instances, there can be significant variability in safety and efficacy results between different clinical trials of the same product candidate due to numerous factors, including changes in trial protocols, differences in size and type of the patient populations, differences in and adherence to the dose and dosing regimen and other trial protocols and the rate of dropout among clinical trial participants. Assessments of safety and efficacy can therefore vary widely for a particular patient, and from patient to patient and site to site within a clinical trial. As a result, we do not know whether any clinical trials we conduct will demonstrate consistent or adequate efficacy and safety to obtain marketing approval to market our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop. See “—Risks Related to the Discovery, Research and Development of Product Candidates—Product candidates may cause significant adverse events, toxicities or other undesirable side effects when used alone or in combination with other approved products or investigational new drugs.”

Additionally, even if the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority agrees with the design and implementation of the clinical trials set forth in an IND or comparable foreign regulatory submission, there is no guarantee such regulatory authority will not change its requirements in the future. The FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities have substantial discretion in the product approval process and in determining when or whether to approve product candidates. For example, as more product candidates within a particular class of drugs proceed through clinical development to regulatory review and approval, the amount and type of clinical data that may be required by regulatory authorities may increase or change. Moreover, data obtained from clinical trials are susceptible to varying interpretations, and regulators may not interpret our data as favorably as we do. Regulators may require us to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies due to negative or inconclusive results. Any changes in requirements for the approval of product candidates made by these regulatory authorities may occur even after they have reviewed and provided comments or advice on a protocol for a planned clinical trial, including a registrational trial, and irrespective of whether product candidates achieve their primary endpoints in such trials.

Any of these regulatory authorities may also approve a product candidate for fewer or more limited indications than we request, or with other limitations, or may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly post-marketing clinical trials. The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not approve the labeling claims that we believe would be necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of product candidates, if approved.

We have no experience as a company in conducting clinical trials.

Although many of our personnel have experience in clinical development and manufacturing at other companies, we have no experience as a company in conducting clinical trials. Moreover, we do not currently operate our own laboratory facilities, and we rely completely on the services of independent contractors and consultants to conduct our preclinical studies. In part because of this lack of experience as a company and our limited infrastructure, we cannot be certain that our ongoing preclinical studies will be completed on time or that our planned or anticipated

 

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preclinical studies and clinical trials will begin or be completed on time, if at all. Human clinical trials require significant additional financial and management resources and reliance on third-party investigators and collaborators, such as medical institutions, CROs, clinical trial sites, contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, and potentially strategic collaborators. We may be unable to identify and contract with sufficient third-party investigators and collaborators on a timely basis or at all, or on terms that are acceptable to us. See “—Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties—We rely on third parties to conduct our preclinical studies, and plan to rely on third parties to conduct clinical trials, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to meet deadlines for the completion of such trials, research and studies.”

We may expend our limited resources to pursue a particular product candidate or indication and fail to capitalize on product candidates or indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.

Because we have limited financial, managerial and research and development resources, we must prioritize our research programs and will need to focus product candidates on the potential treatment of certain indications. As a result, we may forego or delay pursuit of opportunities with other product candidates or for other indications that later prove to have greater commercial potential. Our resource allocation decisions may cause us to fail to capitalize on viable commercial products or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future research and development programs and product candidates for specific indications may not yield any commercially viable products. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may also relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through collaboration, licensing or other royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights to such product candidate.

We face substantial competition which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before or more successfully than we do.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, particularly the field of oncology, are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary and novel products and product candidates. We have competitors both in the United States and internationally, including major multinational pharmaceutical companies, established biotechnology companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies, emerging and start-up companies, universities and other research institutions. For example, several biopharmaceutical companies, including Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc., Blueprint Medicines Corporation, or Blueprint, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Deciphera, Kinnate Biopharma Inc., Mirati Therapeutics, Inc., Nuvalent, Inc., Relay Therapeutics, Inc., Revolution Medicines, Inc., Scorpion Therapeutics, Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. and Tyra Biosciences, Inc., are also developing precision oncology medicines.

Our competitors have developed, are developing or may develop products, product candidates and processes competitive with our product candidate. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. There are several approved therapies for the treatment of conditions for which we are attempting or may attempt to develop product candidates. In addition, we believe that a significant number of product candidates are currently under development, and may become commercially available in the future. We also compete to recruit and retain qualified scientific and management personnel, which could negatively affect our level of expertise and our ability to execute our business plan. As a result, our potential commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects or are more convenient than any products that we may develop.

For example, with respect to our lead product candidate, THE-630, there are several large pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies marketing drugs for the treatment of GIST, including Blueprint, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Deciphera and Bayer AG. We are also aware of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing drugs for the treatment of GIST, including AB Sciences S.A., Arog Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group CO., LTD, or CTTP, Cogent Biosciences, Inc., or Cogent, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, or Daiichi, Deciphera, Exelixis, Inc., Immunicum AB, Jiangsu HengRui, Inc., Ningbo Tai Kang Medical Technology Co. Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Xencor, Inc. and Merck KGaA. In particular, Deciphera is conducting its ongoing INTRIGUE phase 3 clinical study evaluating ripretinib against sunitinib, the topline results of which are expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2021, and Cogent has disclosed its planned

 

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registrational trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib, each of which is being conducted in patients with second-line GIST. If successful, each of these may compete with THE-630 to the extent we are able to advance it into earlier lines of treatment for patients with GIST.

Additionally, with respect to our EGFR inhibitor program, we are aware of other pharmaceutical companies with approved drugs for treatment-resistant EGFR-mutant NSCLC, including AstraZeneca plc’s osimertinib, lazertinib, which is marketed by Yuhan Corp. in South Korea, and almonertinib, which is under collaboration between Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. and EQRX, Inc., which is approved in China. In addition, our EGFR inhibitor program may face competition from drug candidates in development for EGFR-mutated NSCLC, including those being developed by Alpha Biopharma Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Blueprint, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Bridge Biotherapeutics, Inc., C4 Therapeutics, Inc., CTTP, Daiichi, Genosco Inc., Genprex, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Our potential commercial opportunity could also be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop products that obtain marketing approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities for their products more rapidly than we do. Likewise, our competitors may commercialize products that have a broader label, are marketed more effectively, are more widely reimbursed or are less expensive than any products that we may develop. Any of these could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market or make our development and commercialization more complicated. For example, we will face competition in establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs, which may delay or prevent the development of product candidates. Further, our competitors may obtain patent protection or other intellectual property rights that limit our ability to develop or commercialize product candidates. Even if our current product candidate or any other product candidates we may develop achieves marketing approval, technological advances or products developed by our competitors may render our technologies or product candidates obsolete, less competitive or not economical. Our product candidate and any other product candidates we may develop may also be priced at a significant premium over competitive products if any have been approved by then, resulting in reduced competitiveness. The availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors will also significantly affect the pricing and competitiveness of our products.

Many of our competitors, either alone or with their collaborators, have significantly greater financial resources, established presence in the market and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical and clinical testing, obtaining regulatory approvals and reimbursement and marketing approved products than we do. Large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in particular, have extensive experience in clinical testing, obtaining regulatory approvals, recruiting patients and manufacturing biopharmaceutical product candidates. These companies also have significantly greater research and marketing capabilities than we do and may also have product candidates that have been approved or are in late stages of development, and collaborative arrangements in our target markets with leading companies and research institutions. Established pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies may also invest heavily to accelerate discovery and development of novel compounds or to in-license novel compounds that could make product candidates that we develop obsolete. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs. Moreover, our competitors may have an advantage over us in weathering the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in light of their greater financial resources and access to capital and more diversified product offerings and revenue sources.

We also face competition more broadly across the oncology market for cost-effective and reimbursable cancer treatments. There are a variety of available drug therapies marketed for cancer. In many cases, these drugs are administered in combination to enhance efficacy. While product candidates, if any are approved, may compete with these existing drugs and other therapies, to the extent they are ultimately used in combination with or as an adjunct to these therapies, product candidates may not be competitive with them. Some of these drugs are branded and subject to patent protection, and others are available on a generic basis. Insurers and other third-party payors may also encourage the use of generic products or other specific branded products. As a result, obtaining market acceptance of, and gaining significant share of the market for, any product candidates that we successfully introduce to the market may pose challenges. Additionally, product candidates may need to compete with drugs

 

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physicians use off-label to treat the indications for which we seek approval. This may make it difficult for us to replace existing therapies with our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop. Moreover, many companies are developing new oncology therapeutics, and we cannot predict what the standard of care will be as product candidates progress through clinical development.

If we are unable to compete effectively, our opportunity to generate revenue from the sale of any product candidates we may develop, if approved, could be adversely affected.

Interim, topline and preliminary data from our preclinical studies and clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.

From time to time, we may publicly disclose preliminary, interim or topline data from our preclinical studies and clinical trials. These updates are based on a preliminary analysis of then-available data. These data should be viewed with caution as they may differ from future results of the same studies or trials, or different conclusions or considerations may qualify such results, once additional data have been received and fully evaluated. For example, we may report responses in certain patients that are unconfirmed at the time and which do not ultimately result in confirmed responses to treatment after follow-up evaluations. We also make assumptions, estimations, calculations and conclusions as part of our analyses of data, and we may not have received or had the opportunity to fully and carefully evaluate all data. Certain data may also be subject to audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the preliminary data we previously published. A. In addition, we may report interim analyses of only certain endpoints rather than all endpoints. Interim data from clinical trials that we may complete are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues and more patient data become available.

Further, regulatory agencies and others, may not accept or agree with our assumptions, estimates, calculations, conclusions or analyses or may interpret or weigh the importance of data differently, which could adversely impact the potential of the particular program, the likelihood of obtaining regulatory approval of the particular product candidate, commercialization of any approved product and the business prospects of our company in general. In addition, the information we choose to publicly disclose regarding a particular study or trial is typically selected from a more extensive amount of available information. Investors may not agree with what we determine is the material or otherwise appropriate information to include in our disclosure, and any information we determine not to disclose may ultimately be deemed significant with respect to future decisions, conclusions, views, activities or otherwise regarding a particular product candidate or our business.

If the preliminary, interim or topline data that we report differ from late, final or actual results, or if others, including regulatory authorities, disagree with the conclusions reached, our ability to obtain approval for, and commercialize, any product candidates may be harmed. Adverse differences between preliminary, interim or topline data and final data, including that of our competitors, may also cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate or decline.

Product candidates may cause significant adverse events, toxicities or other undesirable side effects when used alone or in combination with other approved products or investigational new drugs.

We, the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities or an IRB may suspend or terminate clinical trials of a product candidate at any time for various reasons, including a belief that subjects in such trials are being exposed to unacceptable safety risks or adverse side effects. For example, some potential therapeutics that initially showed therapeutic promise in early-stage trials have later been found to cause side effects that prevented their further development.

While we have not yet initiated clinical trials for our only product candidate, it is likely that there will be side effects associated with its use and the use of any additional product candidates that we may develop, as is typically the case with oncology drugs. Results of our studies or trials could reveal a high and unacceptable severity and prevalence of these or other side effects or adverse events. In addition, product candidates may be studied in combination with other therapies, which may exacerbate adverse events associated with the therapy. Patients treated with product candidates may also be undergoing surgical, radiation and chemotherapy treatments, which can cause side effects or adverse events that are unrelated to product candidate but may still impact the success of our clinical

 

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trials. The inclusion of critically ill patients in our clinical trials may result in deaths or other adverse medical events due to other therapies or medications that such patients may be using or due to the gravity of such patients’ illnesses. For example, it is expected that some of the patients to be enrolled in our future clinical trials will die or experience major clinical events either during the course of our clinical trials or after participating in such trials for non-treatment related reasons. Moreover, product candidates may be used in populations for which safety concerns may be particularly scrutinized by regulatory agencies.

If product candidates are associated with undesirable side effects or have unexpected characteristics in preclinical studies or clinical trials when used alone or in combination with other approved products or investigational new drugs, we may need to interrupt, delay or abandon their development or limit development to more narrow uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective. Drug-related side effects could also result in potential product liability claims.

Even if the side effects do not preclude the product candidate from obtaining or maintaining marketing approval, undesirable side effects may inhibit market acceptance due to its tolerability versus other therapies. Further, if product candidates obtain marketing approval, toxicities associated with such product candidates previously not seen during clinical testing may also develop after such approval and lead to a requirement to conduct additional clinical safety trials, additional contraindications, warnings and precautions being added to the drug label, significant restrictions on the use of the product or the withdrawal of the product from the market. We cannot predict whether our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop will cause toxicities in humans that would preclude or lead to the revocation of regulatory approval based on preclinical studies or early-stage clinical trials.

Any of these occurrences may prevent us from obtaining or maintaining regulatory approvals or achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected product candidate and, accordingly, may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly.

If we encounter difficulties enrolling study subjects in our clinical trials, our clinical development activities could be delayed or otherwise be adversely affected.

Identifying and qualifying study subjects to participate in clinical trials of product candidates is critical to our success. The timing of initiation and completion of our clinical trials depends in part on the speed at which we can recruit study subjects to participate in testing product candidates. We may not be able to initiate or continue clinical trials for product candidates if we are unable to locate and enroll a sufficient number of eligible study subjects to participate in these clinical trials to their conclusion as required by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities. Study subjects enrollment for clinical trials and the ability to initiate or continue clinical trials for product candidates may be affected by many factors, including:

 

   

size and nature of the patient population;

 

   

severity of the disease under investigation;

 

   

availability and efficacy of approved drugs for the disease under investigation;

 

   

study subject eligibility criteria for the trial in question as defined in the clinical trial protocol;

 

   

clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the product candidate being studied in relation to other available therapies, including any new products that may be approved or other product candidates being investigated for the indications we are investigating;

 

   

invasive procedures required to enroll patients and to obtain evidence of the product candidate’s performance during the clinical trial;

 

   

study subject referral practices of physicians;

 

   

ability to monitor patients adequately during and after treatment, including through any follow-up periods;

 

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ability to recruit clinical trial investigators of appropriate competencies and experience;

 

   

negative results that we may report in clinical trials of product candidates, which may make it difficult or impossible to recruit and retain subjects in other clinical trials of that same product candidate;

 

   

ability to obtain and maintain study subject consents; and

 

   

risk that study subjects enrolled in clinical trials will drop out of the trials before completion or, because they may be late-stage cancer patients, will not survive the full terms of the clinical trials.

Our clinical trials will compete with other clinical trials for product candidates that are in the same therapeutic areas as our current and potential future product candidates. This competition will reduce the number and types of patients available to us because some patients who might have opted to enroll in our trials may instead opt to enroll in a trial conducted by one of our competitors. Since the number of qualified clinical investigators is limited, we expect to conduct some of our clinical trials at the same clinical trial sites that some of our competitors use, which will reduce the number of patients who are available for our clinical trials at such sites.

Our ability to enroll patients in certain jurisdictions may also be significantly delayed by the evolving COVID-19 pandemic due to prioritization of hospital resources toward the COVID-19 pandemic, travel or quarantine restrictions imposed by governments and the inability to access sites for initiation and patient monitoring and enrollment. In addition, patients may not be able or willing to visit clinical trial sites for dosing or data collection purposes due to limitations on travel and physical distancing imposed or recommended by federal or state governments or patients’ reluctance to visit the clinical trial sites during the pandemic.

Our inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients for our clinical trials would result in significant delays or may require us to abandon one or more clinical trials altogether. Enrollment delays in our clinical trials may result in increased development costs for product candidates or may affect the timing or outcome of our clinical trials, which could prevent completion of these trials and adversely affect our ability to advance the development of product candidates, if at all, thereby jeopardize our ability to obtain regulatory approval and the commercialization of product candidates.

Changes in methods of product candidate formulation may result in additional costs or delay.

As product candidates progress through preclinical and clinical trials to marketing approval and commercialization, it is common that various aspects of the development program are altered along the way in an effort to optimize yield and manufacturing batch size, minimize costs and achieve consistent quality and results. For example, we may introduce an alternative formulation of one or more product candidates during the course of our clinical trials. Such changes carry the risk that they will not achieve these intended objectives. Any of these changes could cause product candidates to perform differently and affect the results of clinical trials conducted with the altered materials. This could delay completion of clinical trials, require the conduct of bridging clinical trials or the repetition of one or more clinical trials, increase clinical trial costs, delay approval of product candidates and jeopardize our ability to commercialize product candidates, if approved.

Risks Related to the Manufacturing, Commercialization and Marketing of Product Candidates

The manufacture of drugs is complex, and our third-party manufacturers may encounter difficulties in production, which may delay or prevent our ability to provide adequate supply of product candidates for clinical trials or our products for patients, if approved.

Manufacturing drugs, especially in large quantities, is complex and may require the use of innovative technologies. Each lot of an approved drug product must undergo thorough testing for identity, strength, quality, purity and potency. Manufacturing drugs requires facilities specifically designed for and validated for this purpose, as well as sophisticated quality assurance and quality control procedures. Slight deviations anywhere in the manufacturing process, including filling, labeling, packaging, storage and shipping and quality control and testing, may result in lot failures, product recalls or spoilage. When changes are made to the manufacturing process, we may be required to provide preclinical and clinical data showing the comparable identity, strength, quality, purity or potency of the products before and after such changes. If microbial, viral or other contaminations are discovered at the facilities of

 

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our manufacturer, such facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of time to investigate and remedy the contamination, which could delay clinical trials and adversely harm our business. The use of biologically derived ingredients can also lead to allegations of harm, including infections or allergic reactions, or closure of product facilities due to possible contamination. If our third-party manufacturers are unable to produce sufficient quantities for clinical trials or for commercialization as a result of these challenges, or otherwise, our development and commercialization efforts would be impaired, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. See “—Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties—We contract with third parties for the manufacture of our only product candidate for preclinical studies and expect to continue to do so for additional preclinical studies, anticipated clinical trials and ultimately for commercialization. This reliance on third parties increases the risk that we will not have sufficient quality and quantities of product candidates or such quantities at an acceptable cost, which could delay, prevent or impair our development or commercialization efforts.”

We have never commercialized a product candidate as a company before and currently lack the necessary expertise, personnel and resources to successfully commercialize any products on our own or together with suitable collaborators.

We have never commercialized a product candidate as a company. For product candidates for which we retain commercialization rights and marketing approval, we will have to develop our own sales, marketing and supply organization or outsource these activities to a third party. We may also license certain rights with respect to product candidates to collaborators, and, if so, we will rely on the assistance and guidance of those collaborators.

Factors that may affect our ability to commercialize product candidates, if approved, on our own include recruiting and retaining adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing personnel, developing adequate educational and marketing programs to increase public acceptance of our approved product candidates, ensuring regulatory compliance of our company, employees and third parties under applicable healthcare laws, and other unforeseen costs associated with creating an independent sales and marketing organization.

Establishing an internal sales or marketing team with technical expertise and supporting distribution capabilities to commercialize product candidates will be expensive and time-consuming and will require significant attention of our executive officers to manage. Any failure or delay in the development of our internal sales, marketing and distribution capabilities could adversely impact the commercialization of any product candidates that we obtain approval to market if we do not have arrangements in place with third parties to provide such services on our behalf. Alternatively, if we choose to collaborate, either globally or on a territory-by-territory basis, with third parties that have direct sales forces and established distribution systems, either to augment our own sales force and distribution systems or in lieu of our own sales force and distribution systems, we will be required to negotiate and enter into arrangements with such third parties relating to the proposed collaboration and such arrangements may prove to be less profitable than commercializing the product on our own. If we are unable to enter into such arrangements when needed, on acceptable terms or at all, we may not be able to successfully commercialize any product candidates that receive regulatory approval, or any such commercialization may experience delays or limitations. If we are unable to successfully commercialize our approved product candidates, either on our own or through collaborations with one or more third parties, our future product revenue will suffer, and we may incur significant additional losses.

The market opportunities for any product candidates we develop, if approved, may be limited to certain smaller patient subsets and may be smaller than we estimate them to be.

When cancer is detected early (referred to as localized disease), conventional treatments, which include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, surgery and radiation therapy and/or selected targeted therapies, may be adequate to cure the patient in many cases. However, if cancer has spread to other areas (advanced or metastatic disease), initial cancer treatments may not be sufficient and other cancer therapies may be considered. Cancer therapies are sometimes characterized by line of therapy (for example, first-, second-, third-, fourth- or fifth-line). The FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory authorities often approve cancer therapies for a particular line of treatment. Typically, drug approvals are initially granted for use in later lines of treatment. With additional evidence of significant efficacy and safety from clinical trials, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can seek, and sometimes gain, approval for use in earlier lines of treatment.

 

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We plan to initially seek approval of our product candidate and, in most instances, any additional product candidates that we may develop where prior therapies have had limited clinical benefit or lost their effectiveness. For those product candidates that prove to be sufficiently safe and effective, if any, we would expect to seek approval as earlier lines of therapy. For example, our initial registration strategy with respect to THE-630 will focus on fifth-line GIST. Depending on the clinical data observed in the phase 1/2 trial, we intend to evaluate THE-630 in second-line GIST. There is no guarantee that THE-630 or any product candidates we may develop in the future, even if approved in later lines of therapy, would be approved for an earlier line of therapy, and prior to any such approvals we may have to conduct additional clinical trials that may be costly, time-consuming and subject to risk.

Our projections of both the number of people who have the cancers we are targeting, as well as the subset of people with these cancers in a position to receive a particular line of therapy and who have the potential to benefit from treatment with product candidates, are based on our beliefs and estimates. These estimates have been derived from a variety of sources, which could include scientific literature, surveys of clinics or market research, and may prove to be incorrect. Further, new studies may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of the cancers that we are targeting. The potentially addressable patient population for product candidates may be limited or may not be amenable to treatment with product candidates, particularly if product candidates are only approved for later lines of treatment. Consequently, even if product candidates are approved, the number of patients that may be eligible for treatment with product candidates may turn out to be much lower than expected. In addition, we have not conducted market research to determine how treating physicians would expect to prescribe a product that is approved for multiple tumor types if there are different lines of approved therapies for each such tumor type.

Product candidates, if approved, may not achieve adequate market acceptance among physicians, patients, healthcare payors and others in the medical community necessary for commercial success.

Even if product candidates ultimately receive regulatory approval, they may not gain adequate market acceptance among physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community. The degree of market acceptance of any product candidates that may be approved in the future will depend on a number of factors, including:

 

   

the efficacy and safety profile as demonstrated in clinical trials compared to alternative treatments;

 

   

the timing of market introduction of the product candidate, if approved, as well as competitive products;

 

   

the indications for which a product candidate is approved;

 

   

restrictions on the use of product candidates in the labeling approved by regulatory authorities, such as boxed warnings or contraindications in labeling, or a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, if any, which may not be required of alternative treatments and competitor products;

 

   

the potential and perceived advantages of product candidates over alternative treatments;

 

   

the cost of product candidates, if approved, in relation to alternative treatments;

 

   

the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement by third-party payors, including government authorities;

 

   

the availability of an approved product for evaluation as a combination therapy;

 

   

relative convenience and ease of administration;

 

   

the willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies and undergo required diagnostic screening to determine treatment eligibility and of physicians to prescribe these therapies and diagnostic tests;

 

   

the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts;

 

   

unfavorable publicity relating to product candidates; and

 

   

the approval of other new therapies for the same indications.

 

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If any product candidates are approved but do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by physicians, hospitals, healthcare payors and patients, we may not generate or derive sufficient revenue from that product candidate, and our financial results could be negatively impacted.

Any product candidates we develop may become subject to unfavorable third-party coverage and reimbursement practices.

The availability and extent of coverage and adequate reimbursement by third-party payors, including government health care programs, private health insurers, managed care organizations and other third-party payors is essential for most patients to be able to afford expensive treatments. Sales of any product candidates that receive marketing approval will depend substantially, both in the United States and internationally, on the extent to which the costs of such product candidates will be covered and reimbursed by third-party payors. If coverage is not available, or is available only in limited circumstances, we may not be able to successfully commercialize product candidates.

There is significant uncertainty related to third-party payor coverage and reimbursement of newly approved products. Reimbursement by a third-party payor may depend upon a number of factors, including the third-party payor’s determination that use of a product is (1) a covered benefit under its health plan; (2) safe, effective and medically necessary; (3) appropriate for the specific patient; (4) cost-effective; and (5) neither experimental nor investigational. For example, in order to obtain reimbursement, physicians may need to show that patients have superior treatment outcomes with our products compared to standard of care drugs, including lower-priced generic versions of standard of care drugs. Additionally, eligibility for coverage does not imply that any drug will be paid for in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research, development, manufacture, sale and distribution. Interim reimbursement levels for new drugs, if applicable, may also not be sufficient to cover our costs and may not be made permanent. Reimbursement rates may vary according to the use of the drug and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on reimbursement levels already set for lower cost drugs and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services.

Moreover, in the United States, principal decisions about Medicare reimbursement for new products are typically made by or on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS. CMS and regional contractors responsible for administering the Medicare program decide whether and to what extent a new product will be covered and reimbursed under Medicare, and private third-party payors often follow these decisions regarding coverage and reimbursement to a substantial degree. However, one third-party payor’s determination to provide coverage for a product candidate does not ensure that other payors will also provide coverage for the product candidate. No uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for products exists among third-party payors, and coverage and reimbursement levels for products can differ significantly from payor to payor. As a result, the coverage determination process is often time-consuming and costly. This process may require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each third-party payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be available consistently or obtained in the first instance. Reimbursement agencies in Europe may be more conservative than CMS. For example, a number of cancer drugs have been approved for reimbursement in the United States and have not been approved for reimbursement in certain European countries.

Third-party payors are increasingly examining the medical necessity and reviewing the cost effectiveness of medical product candidates. There may be especially significant delays in obtaining coverage and reimbursement for newly approved drugs. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific product candidates on an approved list, known as a formulary, which might not include all FDA-approved drugs for a particular indication. We may need to conduct expensive pharmaco-economic studies to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of our products. Notwithstanding the results of these studies, product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost effective. We cannot be sure that coverage and reimbursement will be available for any product that we commercialize and, if reimbursement is available, what the level of reimbursement will be.

In addition, companion diagnostic tests require coverage and reimbursement separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement for their companion pharmaceutical or biological products. Similar challenges to obtaining coverage and reimbursement, applicable to pharmaceutical or biological products, will apply to companion diagnostics. Further, if any companion diagnostic provider is unable to obtain reimbursement or is inadequately reimbursed, that may limit the availability of such companion diagnostic, which would negatively impact prescriptions for product candidates, if approved.

 

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If we are unable to establish or sustain coverage and adequate reimbursement for any product candidates from third-party payors, the adoption of those products and sales revenue will be adversely affected, which, in turn, could adversely affect the ability to market or sell those product candidates, if approved. Coverage policies and third-party payor reimbursement rates may change at any time. Any of these could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Downward pressure on healthcare costs may negatively affect the coverage and pricing of product candidates.

The downward pressure on healthcare costs in general, particularly prescription drugs and surgical procedures and other treatments, has become very intense. Legislative or regulatory requirements related to pricing and reimbursement may limit our ability to recoup our investment in one or more product candidates and therefore affect such product candidate’s commercial viability, if approved. Moreover, third-party payors are increasingly requiring that drug companies provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices and are challenging the prices charged for medical products. We expect to experience pricing pressures in connection with the commercialization of any product candidates, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

As federal and state governments implement additional health care cost containment measures, including measures related to prescription drug pricing or reimbursement, we cannot be sure that product candidates, if approved, will be covered by private or public payors, and if covered, whether the reimbursement will be adequate or competitive with other marketed products. Moreover, net prices for drugs may be reduced by mandatory discounts or rebates required by government healthcare programs or private payors or other changes such as relaxation of restrictions on imports of drugs from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the United States. These and other actions by federal and state governments and health plans may put additional downward pressure on pharmaceutical pricing and health care costs, which could negatively impact coverage and reimbursement for our products if approved, our revenue, and our ability to compete with other marketed products and to recoup the costs of our research and development. For further discussion, see “—We may face difficulties from changes to current regulations and future legislation. Healthcare legislative measures aimed at reducing healthcare costs may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.”

Outside the United States, the commercialization of therapeutics is generally subject to extensive governmental price controls as part of national health systems and other market regulations, and we believe the increasing emphasis on cost containment initiatives in Europe, Canada and other countries has and will continue to put pressure on the pricing and usage of therapeutics, such as our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop. For example, to obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product candidate to other available therapies. In general, product prices under such systems are substantially lower than in the United States. Prescription pharmaceutical pricing may also remain subject to continuing governmental control even after initial approval is granted. Some countries that allow companies to fix their own prices for products continue to monitor and control company profits. Additional foreign price controls or other changes in pricing regulation could restrict the amount that we are able to charge for product candidates. Additionally, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after a product receives marketing approval. As a result, we might obtain marketing approval for a product in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay our commercial launch of the product, possibly for lengthy time periods. Accordingly, in markets outside the United States, the pricing and reimbursement for our products may be reduced compared with the United States and may be insufficient to generate commercially reasonable revenue and profits.

A variety of risks associated with marketing product candidates internationally could materially adversely affect our business.

We may seek regulatory approval of product candidates outside of the United States and, accordingly, we expect that we will be subject to additional risks related to operating in foreign countries if we obtain the necessary approvals, including:

 

   

differing regulatory requirements and reimbursement regimes in foreign countries, such as the lack of pathways for accelerated drug approval, may result in foreign regulatory approvals taking longer and being more costly than obtaining approval in the United States;

 

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foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design, implementation or results of our clinical trials or our interpretation of data from nonclinical studies or clinical trials;

 

   

approval policies or regulations of foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering our clinical data insufficient for approval;

 

   

impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our ability to produce product candidates and conduct clinical trials in foreign countries;

 

   

unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers, price and exchange controls and other regulatory requirements;

 

   

economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;

 

   

compliance with legal requirements applicable to privacy, data protection, information security and other matters;

 

   

compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;

 

   

foreign taxes, including withholding of payroll taxes;

 

   

foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenue, and other obligations incident to doing business in another country;

 

   

difficulties staffing and managing foreign operations;

 

   

complexities associated with managing multiple payor reimbursement regimes and government payors in foreign countries;

 

   

workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;

 

   

potential liability under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or comparable foreign regulations;

 

   

challenges enforcing our contractual and intellectual property rights, especially in those foreign countries that do not respect and protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the United States;

 

   

production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and

 

   

business interruptions resulting from geo-political actions, including war and terrorism, trade policies, treaties and tariffs.

These and other risks associated with international operations may materially adversely affect our ability to attain or maintain profitable operations, our product development efforts or our potential clinical trials.

Risks Related to Regulatory Approval Process and Other Healthcare Compliance Matters

We may be unable to obtain U.S. or foreign regulatory approval and, as a result, may be unable to commercialize product candidates.

We have not submitted for, or obtained, regulatory approval for any product candidate, and it is possible that no product candidates will ever obtain regulatory approval.

Product candidates are and will continue to be subject to extensive governmental regulations relating to, among other things, research, testing, development, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, approval, recordkeeping, reporting, labeling, storage, packaging, advertising and promotion, pricing, marketing and distribution of drugs. Rigorous preclinical testing and clinical trials and an extensive regulatory approval process must be successfully completed in the United States and in many foreign jurisdictions before a new drug can be approved for marketing. Satisfaction of these and other regulatory requirements is costly, time consuming, uncertain and subject to unanticipated delays.

 

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Moreover, the standards that the FDA and its foreign counterparts use when evaluating clinical trial data can, and often do, change during drug development, which makes it difficult to predict with any certainty how they will be applied. We may also encounter unexpected delays or increased costs due to new government regulations, including future legislation or administrative action, or changes in applicable FDA or any other regulatory policy during the period of drug development, clinical trials and regulatory review and approval. Accordingly, the time required to obtain approvals from the FDA or any other regulatory authorities is unpredictable and will take many years, depending upon the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidate. We cannot provide any assurance that any product candidate we may develop will progress through required clinical testing and obtain the regulatory approvals necessary for us to begin selling them.

Regulatory authorities have substantial discretion in the approval process. Applications for product candidates could fail to receive regulatory approval for many reasons, including the following:

 

   

the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design, implementation or results of our clinical trials;

 

   

the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may determine that product candidates are not safe and effective or have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use;

 

   

the population studied in the clinical trial may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assure efficacy and safety in the full population for which we seek approval;

 

   

the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials or may decide that our data are insufficient for approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other data;

 

   

we may be unable to demonstrate to the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities that our product candidate’s risk-benefit ratio for its proposed indication is acceptable;

 

   

the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes, test procedures and specifications or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract for clinical and commercial supplies; and

 

   

the approval policies or regulations of the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering our clinical data insufficient for approval.

Any delay or failure in seeking or obtaining required approvals would have a material and adverse effect on our ability to generate revenue from any particular product candidates we are developing and for which we are seeking approval. Furthermore, any regulatory approval to market a drug may be approved for a narrower patient population than we originally requested or subject to significant limitations on the approved uses or indications for which we may market, promote and advertise the drug or the labeling or other restrictions. In addition, the FDA has the authority to require a REMS as part of approving an NDA, or after approval, which may impose further requirements or restrictions on the distribution or use of an approved drug. These requirements or restrictions might include limiting prescribing to certain physicians or medical centers that have undergone specialized training, limiting treatment to patients who meet certain safe-use criteria and requiring treated patients to enroll in a registry. These limitations and restrictions may significantly limit the size of the market for the drug and affect reimbursement by third-party payors.

There are also numerous foreign regulatory requirements governing, among other things, the conduct of clinical trials, manufacturing and marketing authorization, pricing and third-party reimbursement. The foreign regulatory approval process varies among countries, and generally includes all of the risks associated with FDA approval described above as well as risks attributable to the satisfaction of local regulations in foreign jurisdictions. Moreover, the time required to obtain approval may differ from that required to obtain FDA approval.

 

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We may develop our current or future product candidates in combination with other therapies, which would expose us to additional risks.

We may develop our current or future product candidates in combination with one or more currently approved cancer therapies or therapies in development. Even if any of our current or future product candidates were to receive marketing approval or be commercialized for use in combination with other existing therapies, we would continue to be subject to the risks that the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities could revoke approval of the therapy used in combination with any product candidates, or safety, efficacy, manufacturing or supply issues could arise with these existing therapies. In addition, it is possible that existing therapies with which product candidates are approved for use could themselves fall out of favor or be relegated to later lines of treatment. This could result in the need to identify other combination therapies for product candidates or our own products being removed from the market or being less successful commercially.

We may also evaluate our current or future product candidates in combination with one or more other cancer therapies that have not yet been approved for marketing by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities. We will not be able to market and sell any product candidate in combination with any such unapproved cancer therapies that do not ultimately obtain marketing approval.

If the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities do not approve or withdraw their approval of these other therapies, or if safety, efficacy, commercial adoption, manufacturing or supply issues arise with the therapies we choose to evaluate in combination with any of our current or future product candidates, we may be unable to obtain approval of or successfully market any one or all of the current or future product candidates we develop. Additionally, if the third-party providers of therapies or therapies in development used in combination with our current or future product candidates are unable to produce sufficient quantities for clinical trials or for commercialization of our current or future product candidates, or if the cost of combination therapies are prohibitive, our development and commercialization efforts would be impaired, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

The FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not accept data from trials conducted in locations outside of their jurisdiction.

We anticipate we will conduct clinical trials of our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop both in and outside the United States. The acceptance of study data by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority from clinical trials conducted outside of their respective jurisdictions may be subject to certain conditions. In cases where data from United States clinical trials are intended to serve as the basis for marketing approval in the foreign countries outside the United States, the standards for clinical trials and approval may be different. There can be no assurance that any United States or foreign regulatory authority would accept data from trials conducted outside of its applicable jurisdiction. If the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority does not accept such data, it would result in the need for additional trials, which would be costly and time-consuming and delay aspects of our business plan, and which may result in product candidates not receiving approval or clearance for commercialization in the applicable jurisdiction.

Obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval of product candidates in one jurisdiction does not mean that we will be successful in obtaining regulatory approval of product candidates in other jurisdictions.

Obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval of product candidates in one jurisdiction does not guarantee that we will be able to obtain or maintain regulatory approval in any other jurisdiction. For example, even if the FDA grants marketing approval of a product candidate, comparable regulatory authorities in foreign jurisdictions must also approve the manufacturing, marketing and promotion and reimbursement of the product candidate in those countries. However, a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one jurisdiction may have a negative effect on the regulatory approval process in others. Approval procedures vary among jurisdictions and can involve requirements and administrative review periods different from those in the United States, including additional preclinical studies or clinical trials as clinical trials conducted in one jurisdiction may not be accepted by regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions. In many jurisdictions outside the United States, a product candidate must be approved for reimbursement before it can be approved for sale in that jurisdiction. In some cases, the price that we intend to charge for our products is also subject to governmental approval.

 

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Obtaining foreign regulatory approvals and establishing and maintaining compliance with foreign regulatory requirements could result in significant delays, difficulties and costs for us and could delay or prevent the introduction of our products in certain countries. If we or any collaborator fails to comply with the regulatory requirements in international markets or fail to receive applicable marketing approvals, our target market will be reduced and our ability to realize the full market potential of our potential product candidates will be harmed.

Even if product candidates receive regulatory approval, they will be subject to significant post-marketing regulatory requirements and oversight.

Any regulatory approvals that we may receive for product candidates will require the submission of reports to regulatory authorities and on-going surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the product candidate, may contain significant limitations related to use restrictions for specified age groups, warnings, precautions or contraindications, and may include burdensome post-approval study or risk management requirements and regulatory inspection. In addition, if the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities approve product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion, import, export and recordkeeping for product candidates will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, as well as on-going compliance with cGMPs and GCPs for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval. In addition, manufacturers of drug products and their facilities are subject to continual review and periodic, unannounced inspections by the FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory authorities for compliance with cGMP regulations and standards. If we or a regulatory agency discover previously unknown problems with a product, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or problems with the facilities where the product is manufactured, a regulatory agency may impose restrictions on that product, the manufacturing facility or us, including requiring recall or withdrawal of the product from the market or suspension of manufacturing.

Later discovery of previously unknown problems with any approved candidate, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with our third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory requirements may subject our company to administrative or judicially imposed sanctions, including:

 

   

delays in or the rejection of product approvals;

 

   

restrictions on our ability to conduct clinical trials, including full or partial clinical holds on ongoing or planned trials;

 

   

restrictions on the products, manufacturers or manufacturing process;

 

   

warning or untitled letters;

 

   

civil and criminal penalties;

 

   

injunctions;

 

   

suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals;

 

   

product seizures, detentions or import bans;

 

   

voluntary or mandatory product recalls and publicity requirements;

 

   

total or partial suspension of production;

 

   

imposition of restrictions on operations, including costly new manufacturing requirements;

 

   

revisions to the labeling, including limitation on approved uses or the addition of additional warnings, contraindications or other safety information, including boxed warnings;

 

   

imposition of a REMS, which may include distribution or use restrictions; and

 

   

requirements to conduct additional post-market clinical trials to assess the safety of the product.

 

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The FDA and any other regulatory authorities’ policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of product candidates. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the United States or abroad. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability. The occurrence of any event or penalty described above may inhibit our ability to commercialize product candidates, if approved, and generate revenue.

The FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations governing advertising and promotion, including those prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses.

The FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory agencies strictly regulate the promotion and advertisement of prescription products, such as our products, if approved. In particular, a product may not be promoted in the United States for uses that are not approved by the FDA as reflected in the product’s approved labeling, or in other jurisdictions for uses that differ from the labeling or uses approved by the applicable regulatory agencies. While physicians may prescribe products for off-label uses, the FDA and any other regulatory agencies actively enforce laws and regulations that prohibit the promotion of off-label uses by manufacturers, including promotional communications made by companies’ sales force with respect to off-label uses that are not consistent with the approved labeling. If we are found to have promoted such off-label uses, we may become subject to significant liability. The U.S. federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against companies for alleged improper promotion of off-label use and has enjoined several companies from engaging in off-label promotion. The U.S. federal government and state governments have also required that drug manufacturers enter into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed. If we cannot successfully manage the promotion of product candidates, if approved, we could become subject to significant liability, which would materially adversely affect our business and financial condition.

If we are required by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority to obtain approval of a companion diagnostic test in connection with approval of any product candidates or a group of therapeutic products, and we do not obtain or we face delays in developing and obtaining approval of a diagnostic test, we will not be able to commercialize the product candidate and our ability to generate revenue will be materially impaired.

If we are required by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority to obtain approval of a companion diagnostic test in connection with approval of any product candidates, such companion diagnostic test would be used during our more advanced phase clinical trials as well as in connection with the commercialization of product candidates. Companion diagnostics are regulated as medical devices by FDA and, unless an exemption applies, require premarket clearance or approval by FDA. The two primary types of FDA marketing authorization applicable to a medical device are clearance of a premarket notification under section 510(k) of the FDCA, or 510(k), and approval of a premarket approval application, or PMA. According to FDA guidance, if the FDA determines that a companion diagnostic device is essential to the safe and effective use of a novel therapeutic product or indication, the FDA generally will not approve the therapeutic product or new therapeutic product indication if the companion diagnostic is not also approved or cleared at the same time the product candidate is approved. To date, the FDA has required PMA approval of all companion diagnostic tests for cancer therapies. Various foreign regulatory authorities, including the EMA in Europe, also regulate in vitro companion diagnostics as medical devices and, under those regulatory frameworks, will likely require the conduct of clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of our current diagnostics and any future diagnostics we may develop, which we expect will require separate regulatory clearance or approval prior to commercialization.

The approval of a companion diagnostic as part of the therapeutic product’s labeling limits the use of the therapeutic product to only those patients who express certain biomarkers or the specific genomic alteration that the companion diagnostic was developed to detect. If the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority requires approval of a companion diagnostic for any product candidates, whether before or concurrently with approval of the product candidate, we and our collaborators, may encounter difficulties in developing and obtaining approval for these companion diagnostics. Any delay or failure by us or third-party collaborators to develop or obtain regulatory approval of a companion diagnostic could cause or contribute to delayed enrollment of our clinical trials, may prevent us from initiating a pivotal trial or may delay or prevent approval or continued marketing of our related product candidates.

 

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Further, in April 2020, the FDA issued new guidance on developing and labeling companion diagnostics for a specific group of oncology therapeutic products, including recommendations to support a broader labeling claim rather than individual therapeutic products. We will continue to evaluate the impact of this guidance on our companion diagnostic development and strategy. This guidance and future issuances from the FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may impact our development of a companion diagnostic for product candidates and result in delays in regulatory approval. We may be required to conduct additional studies to support a broader labeling claim. Also, to the extent other approved diagnostics are able to broaden their labeling claims to include our approved drug products, we may be forced to abandon our companion diagnostic development plans or we may not be able to compete effectively upon approval, which could adversely impact our ability to generate revenue from the sale of our approved products and our business operations.

To be successful in developing, validating, obtaining approval of and commercializing a companion diagnostic, we or our collaborators will need to address a number of scientific, technical, regulatory and logistical challenges. We have no prior experience with medical device or diagnostic test development. If we choose to develop and seek FDA approval for companion diagnostic tests on our own, we will require additional personnel. Additionally, we may rely on third parties for the design, development and manufacture of companion diagnostic tests for product candidates that may require such tests. If we enter into such collaborative agreements, we will be dependent on the sustained cooperation and effort of our collaborators in developing and obtaining approval for these companion diagnostics. It may be necessary to resolve issues such as selectivity/specificity, analytical validation, reproducibility, or clinical validation of companion diagnostics during the development and regulatory approval processes. Moreover, even if data from preclinical studies and early clinical trials appear to support development of a companion diagnostic for a product candidate, data generated in later clinical trials may fail to support the analytical and clinical validation of the companion diagnostic. We and our collaborators may encounter difficulties in developing, obtaining regulatory approval for, manufacturing and commercializing companion diagnostics similar to those we face with respect to product candidates themselves, including issues with achieving regulatory clearance or approval, production of sufficient quantities at commercial scale and with appropriate quality standards, and in gaining market acceptance. In addition, a diagnostic company with whom we contract may decide to discontinue selling or manufacturing the companion diagnostic test that we anticipate using in connection with development and commercialization of product candidates or our relationship with such diagnostic company may otherwise terminate. We may not be able to enter into arrangements with another diagnostic company to obtain supplies of an alternative diagnostic test for use in connection with the development and commercialization of product candidates or do so on commercially reasonable terms, which could adversely affect and/or delay the development or commercialization of product candidates.

If we are unable to successfully develop companion diagnostics for product candidates, or experience delays in doing so, the development of product candidates may be adversely affected, product candidates may not obtain marketing approval, and we may not realize the full commercial potential of any product candidates that obtain marketing approval. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially harmed.

Where appropriate, we plan to seek approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities through the use of an accelerated approval pathway. If we are unable to obtain agreement from FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities to pursue accelerated approval, we may be required to conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials beyond those that we contemplate, which could increase the expense of obtaining, and delay the receipt of, necessary marketing approvals. Even if we receive accelerated approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, if our confirmatory trials do not verify clinical benefit, or if we do not comply with rigorous post-marketing requirements, the FDA or such other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may seek to withdraw accelerated approval.

Where possible, we plan to pursue accelerated development strategies in areas of high unmet need. We may seek an accelerated approval pathway for one or more product candidates from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities. Under the accelerated approval provisions in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the FDA’s implementing regulations, the FDA may grant accelerated approval to a product candidate designed to treat a serious or life-threatening condition that provides meaningful therapeutic benefit over available therapies upon a determination that the product candidate has an effect on a surrogate endpoint or intermediate clinical endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. The FDA considers a clinical benefit to be a positive therapeutic effect that is clinically meaningful in the context of a given disease, such as irreversible morbidity or mortality.

 

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For the purposes of accelerated approval, a surrogate endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign, or other measure that is thought to predict clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. An intermediate clinical endpoint is a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit. The accelerated approval pathway may be used in cases in which the advantage of a new drug over available therapy may not be a direct therapeutic advantage, but is a clinically important improvement from a patient and public health perspective. If granted, accelerated approval is usually contingent on the sponsor’s agreement to conduct, in a diligent manner, additional post-approval confirmatory studies to verify and describe the drug’s clinical benefit. If such post-approval studies fail to confirm the drug’s clinical benefit, the FDA may withdraw its approval of the drug.

Prior to seeking accelerated approval, we will seek feedback from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities and will otherwise evaluate our ability to seek and receive such accelerated approval. There can be no assurance that after our evaluation of the feedback and other factors we will decide to pursue or submit an NDA for accelerated approval or any other form of expedited development, review or approval. Similarly, there can be no assurance that after subsequent feedback from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, we will continue to pursue or apply for accelerated approval, even if we initially decide to do so. Furthermore, if we decide to submit an application for accelerated approval or under another expedited regulatory designation (for example, Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation), there can be no assurance that such submission or application will be accepted or that any expedited development, review or approval will be granted on a timely basis, or at all. The FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities could also require us to conduct further studies prior to considering our application or granting approval of any type. A failure to obtain accelerated approval or any other form of expedited development, review or approval for our product candidate would result in a longer time period to commercialization of such product candidate, could increase the cost of development of such product candidate and could harm our competitive position in the marketplace.

We may seek Fast Track designation from the FDA for one or more product candidates. Even if one or more product candidates receive Fast Track designation, we may be unable to obtain or maintain the benefits associated with the Fast Track designation.

Fast Track designation is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of therapies for serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. Programs with Fast Track designation may benefit from early and frequent communications with the FDA, potential priority review and the ability to submit a rolling application for regulatory review. Fast Track designation applies to both the product candidate and the specific indication for which it is being studied. If any product candidates receive Fast Track designation but do not continue to meet the criteria for Fast Track designation, or if our clinical trials are delayed, suspended or terminated, or put on clinical hold due to unexpected adverse events or issues with clinical supply, we will not receive the benefits associated with the Fast Track program. Furthermore, Fast Track designation does not change the standards for approval. Fast Track designation alone does not guarantee qualification for the FDA’s priority review procedures.

Fast Track designation is within the discretion of the FDA. Accordingly, even if we believe that a product candidate meets the criteria for this designation, the FDA may disagree and instead determine not to make such designation. Further, even if we receive a designation, the receipt of such designation for a product candidate may not result in a faster development or regulatory review or approval process compared to products considered for approval under conventional FDA procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA. In addition, even if any product candidate qualifies for Fast Track designation, the FDA may later decide that the product candidates no longer meet the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened.

 

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A Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA, even if granted for any product candidates, may not lead to a faster development or regulatory review or approval process and it does not increase the likelihood that product candidates will receive marketing approval.

We may seek Breakthrough Therapy designation for one or more of our current or future product candidates. A breakthrough therapy is defined as a drug or biologic that is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug or biologic may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development.

Designation as a Breakthrough Therapy is largely within the discretion of the FDA. Accordingly, even if we believe that a product candidate meets the criteria for designation as a Breakthrough Therapy, the FDA may disagree and instead determine not to make such designation. In any event, the receipt of a Breakthrough Therapy designation for a product candidate may not result in a faster development process, review or approval compared to candidate products considered for approval under non-expedited FDA review procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA. In addition, even if one or more product candidates qualify as breakthrough therapies, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification and revoke the designation.

We may not be able to obtain orphan drug designation or obtain or maintain orphan drug exclusivity for product candidates and, even if we do, that exclusivity may not prevent the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, from approving competing products.

Regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions, including the United States and the EU, may designate drugs for relatively small patient populations as orphan drugs. Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may designate a product candidate as an orphan drug if it is a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is generally defined as a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals annually in the United States, or a patient population greater than 200,000 in the United States where there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing the drug will be recovered from sales in the United States. Our target indications may include diseases with large patient populations or may include orphan indications.

In the United States, orphan drug designation entitles a party to financial incentives such as opportunities for grant funding towards clinical trial costs, tax advantages and user-fee exemptions. In addition, if a product candidate that has orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease for which it has such designation, the product candidate is entitled to orphan drug exclusivity. Orphan drug exclusivity in the United States provides that the FDA may not approve any other applications, including a full NDA, to market the same drug for the same indication for seven years, except in limited circumstances. The applicable exclusivity period is 10 years in Europe. The European exclusivity period can be reduced to six years if a drug no longer meets the criteria for orphan drug designation or if the drug is sufficiently profitable so that market exclusivity is no longer justified.

There can be no assurances that we will be able to obtain orphan designations for product candidates. Even if we obtain orphan drug designation for a product candidate, we may not be able to obtain or maintain orphan drug exclusivity for that product candidate. We may not be the first to obtain marketing approval of any product candidate for which we have obtained orphan drug designation for the orphan-designated indication due to the uncertainties associated with developing pharmaceutical products. In addition, exclusive marketing rights in the United States may be limited if we seek approval for an indication broader than the orphan-designated indication or may be lost if the FDA later determines that the request for designation was materially defective or if we are unable to ensure that we will be able to manufacture sufficient quantities of the product to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition. Further, even if we obtain orphan drug exclusivity for a product, that exclusivity may not effectively protect the product from competition because different drugs with different active moieties may be approved for the same condition. Even after an orphan drug is approved, the FDA can subsequently approve the same drug with the same active moiety for the same condition if the FDA concludes that the later drug is clinically superior in that it is shown to be safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care or the manufacturer of the product with orphan exclusivity is unable to maintain sufficient product quantity. Orphan drug designation neither shortens the development time or regulatory review time of a drug nor gives the product candidate any advantage in the regulatory review or approval process or entitles the product candidate to priority review.

 

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We may face difficulties from changes to current regulations and future legislation. Healthcare legislative measures aimed at reducing healthcare costs may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Existing regulatory policies may change, and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of product candidates. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the United States or abroad. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained, and we may not achieve or sustain profitability.

In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or, collectively, the ACA, was passed, which substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both the government and private insurers, and continues to significantly impact the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Certain provisions have been subject to judicial and Congressional challenges, as well as efforts by a past U.S. presidential administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the ACA. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or the TCJA, for example, included a provision repealing, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the ACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the “individual mandate.” The ACA has been challenged numerous times in various court cases, including challenges before the U.S. Supreme Court. In the most recent case (decided in June 2021) the Supreme Court held that the individual plaintiffs and states lacked standing to challenge the constitutionality of the ACA.

Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. These changes included reductions of Medicare payments to providers of up to 2%, effective April 1, 2013, which, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will stay in effect through 2030 unless additional congressional action is taken (including, for example, the temporary suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Additionally, in January 2013, President Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years. It is possible that new laws that would result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, may be enacted, which could have a material adverse effect on customers for our drugs, if approved, and accordingly, our financial operations.

Further, there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which drug manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in numerous Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. At the federal level, former President Trump used several means to propose or implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders, and policy initiatives. It is unclear whether the Biden administration will reverse those measures or pursue similar or other policy initiatives, for example related to an independent review board or other mechanisms that would impact drug pricing and reimbursement. On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law, which eliminates the statutory Medicaid drug rebate cap, currently set at 100% of a drug’s average manufacturer price, for single source and innovator multiple source drugs, beginning January 1, 2024. In addition, at the state level, individual states have increasingly proposed or adopted legislation and regulations related to pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.

We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future. Such reform measures may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. We are, however, unable to predict the future course of federal or state healthcare legislation in the United States directed at broadening the availability of healthcare and containing or lowering the cost of healthcare, particularly in light of the new presidential administration. These and any further changes in the law or regulatory framework that reduce our revenue or increase our costs could also have

 

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a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The continuing efforts of the government, insurance companies, managed care organizations and other payors of healthcare services to contain or reduce costs of healthcare and/or impose price controls may adversely affect:

 

   

the demand for product candidates, if we obtain regulatory approval;

 

   

our ability to set a price that we believe is fair for our products;

 

   

our ability to obtain coverage and reimbursement for a product;

 

   

our ability to generate revenue and achieve or maintain profitability;

 

   

the level of taxes that we are required to pay; and

 

   

the availability of capital.

Inadequate funding for the FDA and other U.S. government agencies or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities could hinder their ability to hire and retain key leadership and other personnel, prevent new products and services from being developed or commercialized in a timely manner or otherwise prevent those agencies from performing normal business functions on which the operation of our business may rely, which could negatively impact our business.

The ability of the FDA and other U.S. government agencies or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities to review and approve new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and statutory, regulatory, and policy changes. Average review times at the agency have fluctuated in recent years as a result.

In addition, government funding of government agencies on which our operations may rely, including those that fund research and development activities, is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. For example, in recent years, including in 2018 and 2019, the U.S. government shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, had to furlough critical employees and stop critical activities.

Separately, since March 2020 when foreign and domestic inspections were largely placed on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA has been working to resume routine surveillance, bioresearch monitoring and pre-approval inspections on a prioritized basis. The FDA has developed a rating system to assist in determining when and where it is safest to conduct prioritized domestic inspections and resumed inspections in China and India in early 2021. In April 2021, the FDA issued guidance for industry formally announcing plans to employ remote interactive evaluations, using risk management methods, to meet user fee commitments and goal dates, and in May 2021 announced plans to continue progress toward resuming standard operational levels. Should FDA determine that an inspection is necessary for approval and an inspection cannot be completed during the review cycle due to restrictions on travel, and the FDA does not determine a remote interactive evaluation to be appropriate, the agency has stated that it generally intends to issue a complete response letter. Further, if there is inadequate information to make a determination on the acceptability of a facility, FDA may defer action on the application until an inspection can be completed. In 2020, several companies announced receipt of complete response letters due to the FDA’s inability to complete required inspections for their applications. Regulatory authorities outside the U.S. may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and may experience delays in their regulatory activities.

Disruptions at the FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory authority may also slow the time necessary for new drugs to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, or if global health concerns continue to prevent the FDA or other regulatory authorities from conducting business as usual or conducting inspections, reviews or other regulatory activities, it could significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and process our regulatory submissions. Further, in our operations as a public company, future government shutdowns could impact our ability to access the public markets and obtain necessary capital in order to properly capitalize and continue our operations.

 

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Our relationships with healthcare professionals, clinical investigators, clinical trial sites, CROs and third-party payors in connection with our current and future business activities may be subject to federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, transparency laws, government price reporting, and health information privacy and security laws, which could expose us to significant losses, including, among other things, criminal sanctions, civil penalties, contractual damages, exclusion from governmental healthcare programs, reputational harm, administrative burdens and diminished profits and future earnings.

Healthcare providers and third-party payors play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Our current and future arrangements with healthcare professionals, clinical investigators, CROs, third-party payors and customers may expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we research, as well as market, sell and distribute product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval.

The laws that may affect our ability to operate include, but are not limited to: (i) the federal Anti-Kickback Statute; (ii) federal civil and criminal false claims law; (iii) the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, relating to schemes to defraud any healthcare benefit program; (iv) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information without appropriate authorization; (v) the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, created under the ACA and its implementing regulations, relating to reporting obligations to HHS in respect of information related to payments or other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals; (vi) federal consumer protection and unfair competition laws; and (vii) analogous state and foreign laws and regulations. See “Business—Government Regulation—Healthcare Laws.”

Federal and state enforcement bodies have recently increased their scrutiny of interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare industry. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available, it is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations, agency guidance or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. The scope and enforcement of each of these laws is uncertain and subject to rapid change in the current environment of healthcare reform, especially in light of the lack of applicable precedent and regulations. Ensuring that our business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare and data privacy laws and regulations, as well as responding to investigations by government authorities, can be time- and resource-consuming and can divert management’s attention from the business.

If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the federal and state healthcare laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including without limitation, civil, criminal and/or administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, injunctions, private actions brought by individual whistleblowers in the name of the government, exclusion, debarment or refusal to allow us to enter into government contracts, contractual damages, reputational harm, administrative burdens, diminished profits and future earnings, additional reporting requirements and/or oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. Defending against any such actions can be costly, time-consuming and may require significant financial and personnel resources. Therefore, even if we are successful in defending against any such actions that may be brought against us, our business may be impaired. Further, if any of the physicians or other healthcare providers or entities with whom we expect to do business is found to be not in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to significant criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

 

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Our employees, independent contractors, consultants, collaborators, principal investigators, CROs, suppliers and vendors may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including noncompliance with regulatory standards and requirements.

We are exposed to the risk that our employees, independent contractors, consultants, collaborators, principal investigators, CROs, suppliers and vendors may engage in misconduct or other improper activities. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violates: (1) the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, FDA regulations or those of comparable foreign regulatory authorities , (2) cGMP, (3) federal and state health and data privacy, security, fraud and abuse, government price reporting, transparency reporting requirements, and other healthcare laws and regulations in the United States and abroad, (4) sexual harassment and other workplace misconduct, or (5) laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. In particular, research, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the health care industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Misconduct by these parties could also involve the improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation.

Following this offering, we will have a code of conduct, but it is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by these parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant penalties, including civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, integrity oversight and reporting obligations, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.

Risks Related to Employee Matters, Managing Our Growth and Other Risks Related to Our Business

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of health epidemics, including the evolving effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, in regions where we or third parties on which we rely have significant manufacturing facilities, concentrations of potential clinical trial sites or other business operations.

Health epidemics in regions where we have concentrations of potential clinical trial sites or other business operations could adversely affect our business, including by causing significant disruption in the operations of third parties upon whom we rely. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a substantial public health and economic challenge around the world and is affecting employees, patients, communities and business operations, as well as the U.S. economy and financial markets. Several of our third-party suppliers and contractors are located in countries and regions that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. In March 2020, the U.S. government imposed bans and restrictions on travel between the United States, Asia and certain other continents and countries and other countries have restricted travel to and from the United States.

In addition, our preclinical studies and planned clinical trials may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including as a result of:

 

   

delays or difficulties in enrolling and retaining patients in our planned clinical trials;

 

   

delays or difficulties in clinical site initiation, including difficulties in recruiting clinical site investigators and clinical site staff;

 

   

delays in receiving authorizations from regulatory authorities to initiate our planned clinical trials;

 

   

diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials;

 

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the risk that participants enrolled in our clinical trials will contract COVID-19 while the clinical trial is ongoing, which could impact the results of the clinical trial, including by increasing the number of observed adverse events;

 

   

the risk that we are unable to enroll participants in our clinical trials in adequate numbers;

 

   

interruption or delays in the operations of the FDA or other regulatory authorities, which may impact review and approval timelines;

 

   

interruption of, or delays in receiving, supplies of product candidates from our contract manufacturing organizations due to staffing shortages, production slowdowns or stoppages and disruptions in delivery systems;

 

   

interruptions in preclinical studies due to restricted or limited operations at our contractors’ facilities;

 

   

delays in necessary interactions with local regulators, ethics committees and other important agencies and contractors due to limitations in employee resources or forced furlough of government employees;

 

   

changes in local regulations as part of a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may require us to change the ways in which our clinical trials are conducted, which may result in unexpected costs, or to discontinue such clinical trials altogether;

 

   

limitations on employee resources that would otherwise be focused on the conduct of our preclinical studies and clinical trials, including because of sickness of employees or their families or the desire of employees to avoid contact with large groups of people; and

 

   

interruption or delays to our sourced identification, discovery and clinical activities.

Furthermore, while the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, the COVID-19 pandemic may be difficult to assess or predict, the pandemic could continue to produce significant and prolonged disruption of or volatility in global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital, which could in the future negatively affect our liquidity. In addition, a recession or market correction resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of efficacy of vaccines or lack of vaccine availability could materially affect our business and the value of our common stock. In addition, to the extent the evolving effects of the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks and uncertainties described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section.

Our success is highly dependent on our ability to attract, hire and retain highly skilled executive officers and employees.

We currently have a small team focused on research and development of small molecule TKIs. To succeed, we must recruit, hire, retain, manage and motivate qualified clinical, scientific, technical and management personnel, and we face significant competition for experienced personnel. We are highly dependent on the principal members of our management and scientific and medical staff, including our founders. The loss of one or more of such persons could be detrimental to us if we cannot recruit suitable replacements in a timely manner. In particular, our research and development approach, including our PRA, was developed over years of our management team’s experience in developing approved therapeutics at ARIAD. The loss of any of these personnel could result in delays in our product development efforts and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Moreover, if we do not succeed in attracting and retaining qualified personnel, particularly at the management level, it could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and harm our operating results. We could in the future have difficulty attracting and retaining experienced personnel and may be required to expend significant financial resources in our employee recruitment and retention efforts. Many of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that we compete against for qualified personnel have greater financial and other resources, different risk profiles and a longer history in the industry than we do. They also may provide higher compensation, more diverse opportunities and better prospects for career advancement. Some of these characteristics may be more appealing to

 

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high-quality candidates than what we have to offer. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain high-quality personnel, the rate and success at which we can discover, develop and commercialize product candidates will be limited and the potential for successfully growing our business will be harmed.

We will need to grow the size and capabilities of our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this growth.

As of September 15, 2021, we had 14 full-time employees, including eight employees engaged in research and development. In order to successfully implement our development and clinical trial plans and strategies, and as we transition into operating as a public company, we expect to need significant additional managerial, operational, sales, marketing, financial and other personnel. Future growth will impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including:

 

   

identifying, recruiting, integrating, maintaining, retaining and motivating our current and additional employees;

 

   

managing our internal development efforts effectively, including the preclinical, clinical, FDA and other comparable foreign regulatory agencies’ review process for our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and any other programs, while complying with any contractual obligations to contractors and other third parties;

 

   

managing increasing operational and managerial complexity; and

 

   

improving our operational, financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures.

Our future financial performance and our ability to successfully develop and, if approved, commercialize product candidates developed from our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and any other programs will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage any future growth, and our management may also have to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from day-to-day activities in order to devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth activities.

We currently rely, and for the foreseeable future will continue to rely, in substantial part on certain independent organizations, advisors and consultants to provide certain services, including key aspects of research, clinical development, manufacturing and regulatory approval. In particular, we do not currently operate our own laboratory facilities, and we rely completely on the services of independent contractors and consultants for the conduct of preclinical studies. There can be no assurance that the services of independent organizations, advisors and consultants will continue to be available to us on a timely basis when needed, or that we can find qualified replacements. In addition, if we are unable to effectively manage our outsourced activities or if the quality or accuracy of the services provided by third-party service providers is compromised for any reason, our preclinical studies and clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated, and we may not be able to obtain marketing approval for any product candidates or otherwise advance our business. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage our existing third-party service providers or find other competent outside contractors and consultants on economically reasonable terms, or at all.

If we are not able to effectively expand our organization by hiring new employees and/or engaging additional third-party service providers, we may not be able to successfully implement the tasks necessary to further develop and commercialize our pan-KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs and any of our other product candidates and, accordingly, may not achieve our research, development and commercialization goals.

 

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Our internal computer systems, or those of any of our CROs, manufacturers, other contractors or consultants or collaborators, may fail or suffer actual or suspected security or data privacy breaches or other unauthorized or improper access to, use of, or destruction of our proprietary or confidential data, employee data, or personal data, which could result in additional costs, loss of revenue, significant liabilities, harm to our brand and material disruption of our operations, and potentially significant delays in our delivery to market.

We are increasingly dependent upon information technology systems, infrastructure and data to operate our business. In the ordinary course of business, we collect, store and transmit confidential information (including but not limited to intellectual property, proprietary business information and personal information). It is critical that we do so in a secure manner to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of such confidential information. We also have outsourced elements of our operations to third parties, and as a result we manage a number of third-party CROs, other contractors (including sites performing our anticipated clinical trials) and consultants who have access to our confidential information. Our internal information technology systems and infrastructure are also vulnerable to damage from natural disasters, terrorism, war, telecommunication and electrical failures. System failures or outages, including any potential disruptions due to significantly increased global demand on certain cloud-based systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, could compromise our ability to perform these functions in a timely manner, which could harm our ability to conduct business or delay our financial reporting. Such failures could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Despite the implementation of security measures in an effort to protect systems that store our information, given their size and complexity and the increasing amounts of information maintained on our internal information technology systems and external processing and storage systems (for example, cloud), and those of our third-party CROs, other contractors and consultants, these systems are potentially vulnerable to breakdown or other damage or interruption from service interruptions, system malfunction, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures, as well as security breaches from inadvertent or intentional actions by our employees, contractors, consultants, business partners, and/or other third parties, or from cyber-attacks by malicious third parties (including the deployment of harmful malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, social engineering and other means to affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information), which may compromise our system infrastructure or lead to the loss, destruction, alteration or dissemination of, or damage to, our data. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attacks or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. The COVID-19 pandemic is generally increasing the attack surface available for exploitation, as more companies and individuals work online and work remotely, and as such, the risk of a cybersecurity incident potentially occurring, and our investment in risk mitigations against such an incident, is increasing. For example, there has been an increase in phishing and spam emails as well as social engineering attempts from “hackers” hoping to use the recent COVID-19 pandemic to their advantage.

We may not be able to anticipate all types of security threats, nor may we be able to implement preventive measures effective against all such security threats. The techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently, may not be recognized until launched and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized crime affiliates, terrorist organizations or hostile foreign governments or agencies. While we have not experienced any such system failure, accident or security breach to date, we cannot assure you that our data protection efforts and our investment in information technology will prevent significant breakdowns, data leakages, breaches in our systems, or those of our third-party CROs, other contractors and consultants, or other cyber incidents that could have a material adverse effect upon our reputation, business, operations or financial condition.

For example, if such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, or those of our third-party CROs, other contractors and consultants, it could result in a material disruption of our programs and the development of product candidates could be delayed. In addition, the loss of data from preclinical studies or clinical trial data could result in delays in our marketing approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. Furthermore, significant disruptions of our internal information technology systems or those of our third-party CROs, other contractors and consultants, or security breaches could result in the loss, misappropriation, and/or unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of, or the prevention of access to, data (including trade secrets or other confidential information, intellectual property, proprietary business information, and personal

 

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information). Any such event that leads to unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of personal information, including personal information regarding our clinical trial subjects or employees, could harm our reputation directly, compel us to comply with federal and/or state breach notification laws and foreign law equivalents, subject us to financial exposure related to investigation of the incident (including cost of forensic examinations), subject us to mandatory corrective action, and otherwise subject us to liability under laws and regulations that protect the privacy and security of personal information (including under HIPAA), which could result in significant legal and financial exposure and reputational damages that could potentially have an adverse effect on our business. Moreover, if the information technology systems of our third-party CROs, other contractors and consultants become subject to disruptions or security breaches, we may have insufficient recourse against such third parties and we may have to expend significant resources to mitigate the impact of such an event, and to develop and implement protections to prevent future events of this nature from occurring.

Our insurance policies may not be adequate to compensate us for the potential losses arising from any such disruption in or, failure or security breach of our systems or third-party systems where information important to our business operations or commercial development is stored. In addition, such insurance may not be available to us in the future on economically reasonable terms, or at all. Further, our insurance may not cover all claims made against us and could have high deductibles in any event, and defending a suit, regardless of its merit, could be costly and divert management attention.

Accordingly, significant breakdowns or breaches in systems or other cyber incidents that cause loss, destruction, unavailability, alteration or dissemination of, or damage to, our data could have a material adverse effect upon our reputation, business, operations or financial condition.

Our business entails a significant risk of product liability and if we are unable to obtain sufficient insurance coverage such inability could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

Our business exposes us to significant product liability risks inherent in the development, testing, manufacturing and marketing of therapeutic treatments. Product liability claims could delay or prevent completion of our development programs. If we succeed in marketing products, such claims could result in an investigation by the FDA or any other regulatory authority of the safety and effectiveness of our products, our manufacturing processes and facilities or our marketing programs. FDA or any other regulatory authority investigations could potentially lead to a recall of our products or more serious enforcement action, limitations on the approved indications for which they may be used or suspension or withdrawal of approvals. Regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may also result in decreased demand for our products, injury to our reputation, costs to defend the related litigation, a diversion of management’s time and our resources and substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients. We currently have product liability insurance that we believe is appropriate for our stage of development and may need to obtain higher levels prior to advancing product candidates into clinical trials or marketing any product candidates, if approved. Any insurance we have or may obtain may not provide sufficient coverage against potential liabilities. Furthermore, clinical trial and product liability insurance is becoming increasingly expensive. As a result, we may be unable to obtain sufficient insurance at a reasonable cost to protect us against losses caused by product liability claims that could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

We may not be able to utilize a significant portion of our net operating loss carryforwards.

We have generated, and expect to continue to generate in the future, significant federal and state net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards. As of December 31, 2020, we had $12.8 million in federal and state NOL carryforwards. We do not anticipate generating revenue from sales of product candidates for the foreseeable future, if ever, and we may never achieve profitability. These NOL carryforwards could expire unused and be unavailable to offset future income tax liabilities because of their limited duration or because of restrictions under U.S. tax law. The state NOL carryforwards will begin to expire in 2037. Additionally, under the TCJA, as modified by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, although federal NOL carryforwards incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and in future taxable years may be carried forward indefinitely, the deductibility of such federal NOL carryforwards incurred in the taxable year beginning after December 31, 2020 is limited. In particular, the deductibility of such federal NOL carryforwards may be limited to 80% of current year taxable income for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020. In addition, at the state level, there may be periods during which

 

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the use of NOL carryforwards is suspended or otherwise limited, which could accelerate or permanently increase state taxes owed. It is uncertain how various states will respond to the TCJA and CARES Act.

In addition, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, and corresponding provisions of state law, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” which is generally defined as a greater than 50% change, by value, in its equity ownership over a three-year period, the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOL carryforwards and other pre-change tax attributes to offset its post-change income or taxes may be limited. The amount of the annual limitation is determined based on the value of a company immediately prior to the ownership change. Subsequent ownership changes may further affect the limitation in future years. The completion of this offering, together with private placements and other transactions that have occurred since our inception, may trigger such an ownership change pursuant to Section 382 of the Code. We have not yet completed a Section 382 analysis. We may experience ownership changes as a result of subsequent shifts in our stock ownership, some of which may be outside of our control. If an ownership change occurs or our ability to use our NOL carryforwards is otherwise materially limited, it would harm our future operating results by effectively increasing our future tax obligations. We have a full valuation allowance for deferred tax assets including NOLs.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property

We depend on intellectual property licensed from ARIAD, the termination of which could result in the loss of significant rights, which would harm our business.

We are dependent on technology, patents, know-how and proprietary materials, both our own and licensed from ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or ARIAD. We entered into the ARIAD License Agreement in June 2018 pursuant to which we acquired an exclusive, transferable (subject to certain restrictions), sublicensable (subject to certain conditions), worldwide license, under certain of ARIAD’s patent rights, know-how and compounds and a certain ARIAD chemical library, to develop, use, manufacture, market and commercialize certain compounds, and products that contain such compounds, that are therapeutically useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans, including with respect to KIT, a type of receptor tyrosine kinase and tumor marker. See “Business—ARIAD License Agreement” for a description of the ARIAD License Agreement.

Any termination of this license will result in the loss of significant rights and will restrict our ability to develop and commercialize our pan-KIT inhibitor product candidates, including our lead product candidate, THE-630. For example, ARIAD may terminate the ARIAD License Agreement (1) for our uncured material breach of such agreement, (2) if we, or any of our affiliates or sublicensees, commence, and do not stop after receiving notice from ARIAD, any interference or opposition proceeding in relation to, challenges to the validity or enforceability of, or opposition to any extension of or the grant of a supplementary protection certificate with respect to, any ARIAD patent or patent application licensed under this agreement, or (3) in the event of our bankruptcy. Moreover, if we or ARIAD fails to adequately protect this intellectual property, our ability to commercialize our pan-KIT inhibitors, including THE-630, may be impaired. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Our rights to develop and commercialize our technology and product candidates may be subject, in part, to the terms and conditions of licenses granted to us by others” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—If we fail to comply with our obligations in the agreements under which we license intellectual property rights from third parties or otherwise experience disruptions to our business relationships with our licensors, we could lose license rights that are important to our business.”

If we and our licensors and collaborators, if any, are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient patent and other intellectual property protection for product candidates and technology, our competitors could develop and commercialize products and technology similar or identical to ours, and we may not be able to compete effectively in our market or successfully commercialize any product candidates we may develop.

Our commercial success depends in part on our ability and the ability of our licensors and collaborators, if any, to obtain, maintain, enforce and defend patents and other intellectual property rights with respect to product candidates and technology and to operate our business without infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating the intellectual property rights of others. If we and our licensors and our collaborators, if any, are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient intellectual property protection for our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop, or if the scope of the intellectual property protection obtained is not sufficiently

 

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broad, our competitors and other third parties could develop and commercialize product candidates similar or identical to ours, and our ability and the ability of our collaborators to successfully commercialize product candidates that we and our collaborators may pursue may be impaired.

To establish our proprietary position, we have filed patent applications in the United States related to our novel product candidates that are important to our business, and we have exclusively licensed certain patent applications from ARIAD; we may in the future also license or purchase issued patents or pending patent applications filed by others. Given the very early stage of development of our only product candidate and development programs, our patent portfolio is similarly at a very early stage. In particular, as of September 15, 2021, we had exclusively licensed one issued U.S. patent relating to THE-630, we owned one pending U.S. provisional patent application relating to THE-630, and we owned two pending U.S. provisional patent applications and one pending PCT patent application relating to our EGFR inhibitor program. Accordingly, our current patent rights provide us with limited legal right to prevent third parties from competing with us in any way. If we do not obtain additional meaningful patent coverage for product candidates, their respective components, formulations, combination therapies, methods used to manufacture them and methods of treatment, competitors may be able to erode or negate any competitive advantage we may have, which would likely harm our business and ability to achieve profitability. U.S. provisional patent applications are not eligible to become issued patents until, among other things, we file a non-provisional patent application within 12 months of filing of one or more of our related provisional patent applications. With regard to such U.S. provisional patent applications, if we do not timely file any non-provisional patent applications, we may lose our priority date with respect to our provisional patent applications and any patent protection on the inventions disclosed in our provisional patent applications. While we intend to timely file non-provisional patent applications relating to our provisional patent applications, we cannot predict whether any such patent applications will result in the issuance of patents that provide us with any competitive advantage. If we are unable to secure or maintain patent protection with respect to product candidates, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects could be materially harmed.

We cannot be certain that the claims in U.S. patent applications (including provisional and non-provisional), corresponding international patent applications and patent applications in certain foreign territories, or those of our licensors and collaborators, will be considered patentable by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO, courts in the United States or by the patent offices and courts in foreign countries, nor can we be certain that the claims in our future issued patents will not be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged. Moreover, the patent application process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that we, any licensors or any collaborators will be successful in protecting product candidates by obtaining and defending patents. These risks and uncertainties include the following:

 

   

the USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other provisions during the patent process, the noncompliance with which can result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application, and partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction;

 

   

patent applications may not result in any patents being issued;

 

   

patents may be challenged, invalidated, modified, revoked, circumvented, found to be unenforceable or otherwise may not provide any competitive advantage;

 

   

our competitors, many of whom have substantially greater resources than we do and many of whom have made significant investments in competing technologies, may seek or may have already obtained patents that will limit, interfere with or eliminate our ability to make, use and sell our potential product candidates;

 

   

there may be significant pressure on the U.S. government and international governmental bodies to limit the scope of patent protection both inside and outside the United States for disease treatments that prove successful, as a matter of public policy regarding worldwide health concerns; and

 

   

countries other than the United States may have patent laws less favorable to patentees than those upheld by U.S. courts, allowing foreign competitors a better opportunity to create, develop and market competing product candidates.

 

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Pending patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless, and until, patents issue from such applications, and then only to the extent the issued claims cover the technology. There can be no assurance that our patent applications or the patent applications of our licensors and collaborators will result in patents being issued or that issued patents will afford sufficient protection against competitors with similar technology.

The patent prosecution process is also expensive and time-consuming, and we and our licensors and collaborators may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner or in all jurisdictions where protection may be commercially advantageous. It is possible that we or our licensors and collaborators will fail to identify important patentable aspects of our research and development efforts in time to obtain appropriate or any patent protection or fail to file patent applications covering inventions made in the course of development and commercialization activities before a competitor or another third party files a patent application covering, or publishes information disclosing, a similar, independently-developed invention. Such competitor’s or other third party’s patent application may pose obstacles to our ability to obtain patent protection or limit the scope of the patent protection we or our licensors and collaborators may obtain. In addition, although we enter into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to patentable aspects of our research and development output, such as our employees, outside scientific collaborators, CROs, third-party manufacturers, consultants, advisors and other third parties, any of these parties may breach such agreements and disclose such output before a patent application is filed, thereby jeopardizing our ability to seek patent protection.

Furthermore, our ability to obtain and maintain valid and enforceable patents depends on whether the differences between our technology and the prior art allow our technology to be patentable over the prior art. Since patent applications in the United States and most other countries are confidential for a period of time after filing or until issuance, we may not be certain that we or our licensors are the first to either (1) file any patent application related to product candidates or (2) invent any of the inventions claimed in the patents or patent applications. Similarly, publications of discoveries in the scientific and scholarly literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all. Consequently, we cannot be certain that we or our licensors and collaborators were the first to make the inventions claimed in our owned or in-licensed patent rights and patent applications or were the first to file for patent protection on the inventions claimed in our pending patent applications. Further, given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized.

The degree of future protection for our and our licensors’ proprietary rights is uncertain. Only limited protection may be available. Even issued patents may later be found invalid or unenforceable or may be modified or revoked in proceedings instituted by third parties before various patent offices or in courts, as described further throughout “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property.” As a result, our intellectual property may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours, and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. These uncertainties and/or limitations in our ability to properly protect the intellectual property rights relating to product candidates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

If the scope of any patent protection we obtain is not sufficiently broad, or if we lose any of our patent protection, our ability to prevent our competitors from commercializing similar or identical product candidates would be adversely affected.

The patent position of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions, and has been the subject of much litigation in recent years. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending and future patent applications and those of our licensors and collaborators may not result in patents being issued that protect product candidates or which effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive product candidates.

Moreover, the coverage claimed in a patent application can be significantly reduced before the patent is issued, and its scope can be reinterpreted after issuance. Even if patent applications we own or in-license in the future issue as patents, they may not issue in a form that will provide us with any meaningful protection, prevent competitors or other third parties from competing with us, or otherwise provide us with any competitive advantage. Any patents that

 

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we own or in-license may be challenged or circumvented by third parties or may be narrowed or invalidated as a result of challenges by third parties. Consequently, we do not know whether product candidates will be protectable or remain protected by valid and enforceable patents. Our competitors or other third parties may be able to circumvent our patents or the patents of our licensors and collaborators by developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability, and our patents or the patents of our licensors may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the United States and abroad. We may be subject to a third-party pre-issuance submission of prior art to the USPTO or third-party observations at the European Patent Office, or become involved in opposition, derivation, revocation, reexamination, post-grant review, or PGR, and inter partes review, or IPR, or other similar proceedings challenging our owned patent rights. An adverse determination in any such submission, proceeding or litigation could reduce the scope of, or invalidate or render unenforceable, our patent rights, allow third parties to commercialize product candidates and compete directly with us, without payment to us, or result in our inability to manufacture or commercialize products without infringing third-party patent rights. Moreover, our patents or the patents of our licensors may become subject to post-grant challenge proceedings, such as oppositions in a foreign patent office, that challenge our priority of invention or other features of patentability with respect to our patents and patent applications and those of our licensors. Such challenges may result in loss of patent rights, loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and products, or limit the duration of the patent protection of product candidates. Such proceedings also may result in substantial cost and require significant time from our scientists and management, even if the eventual outcome is favorable to us. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications or the patents and patent applications of our licensors is threatened, regardless of the outcome, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates.

Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.

The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may not adequately protect our business or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. For example:

 

   

others may be able to make products that are similar to any product candidates we may develop or utilize similar technology but that are not covered by the claims of our patents or the patents that we license or may own in the future;

 

   

we or our licensors might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by an issued patent or pending patent application that we license or may own in the future;

 

   

we or our licensors or collaborators might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our inventions;

 

   

others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing our intellectual property rights;

 

   

it is possible that our pending owned or licensed patent applications or those that we may own or license in the future will not lead to issued patents;

 

   

issued patents that we own or license may be held invalid or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors;

 

   

our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;

 

   

we may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable;

 

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the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business; and

 

   

we may choose not to file a patent in order to maintain certain trade secrets or know-how, and a third party may subsequently file a patent covering such intellectual property.

Should any of these events occur, it could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.

Our commercial success depends significantly on our ability to operate without infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third parties. Claims by third parties that we infringe their proprietary rights may result in liability for damages or prevent or delay our developmental and commercialization efforts.

Our commercial success depends significantly on avoiding infringement of the patents and proprietary rights of third parties. Numerous third-party U.S. and foreign issued patents and pending patent applications exist in the fields in which we are developing product candidates. There may be third-party patents or patent applications with claims to materials, formulations, methods of manufacture or methods for treatment related to the use or manufacture of product candidates. There is a substantial amount of litigation, both within and outside the United States, involving patent and other intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including patent infringement lawsuits, oppositions, reexaminations, IPR proceedings and PGR proceedings before the USPTO and/or corresponding foreign patent offices. Accordingly, our research, development and commercialization activities may be subject to claims that we infringe or otherwise violate patents or other intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties.

As the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries expand and more patents are issued, the risk increases that product candidates may be subject to claims of infringement of the patent rights of third parties. Patent applications are maintained as confidential for a certain period of time, until the relevant application is published. Moreover, because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently-pending patent applications that may later result in issued patents that product candidates may infringe. In addition, identification of third-party patent rights that may be relevant to our technology is difficult because patent searching is imperfect due to differences in terminology among patents, incomplete databases and the difficulty in assessing the meaning of patent claims. There is also no assurance that there is not prior art of which we are aware, but which we do not believe is relevant to our business, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to limit our ability to make, use, sell, offer for sale or import our products that may be approved in the future, or impair our competitive position. In addition, third parties may obtain patents in the future and claim that use of our technologies infringes upon these patents. Thus, we may be unaware of third-party patents that may be infringed by commercialization of any product candidates, and we cannot be certain that we were the first to file a patent application related to a product candidate or technology.

Any claims of patent infringement asserted by third parties would be time consuming and could:

 

   

result in costly litigation that may cause negative publicity;

 

   

divert the time and attention of our technical personnel and management;

 

   

cause development delays;

 

   

prevent us from commercializing any product candidates until the asserted patent expires or is held finally invalid or not infringed in a court of law;

 

   

require us to develop non-infringing technology, which may not be possible on a cost-effective basis;

 

   

subject us to significant liability to third parties; or

 

   

require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or which might be non-exclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same technology.

Although no third party has asserted a claim of patent infringement against us as of the date of this prospectus, it is possible that a third party may assert a claim of patent infringement directed at any product candidates in the future. Any patent-related legal action against us claiming damages and seeking to enjoin commercial activities

 

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relating to product candidates, treatment indications, or processes could subject us to significant liability for damages, including treble damages if we were determined to willfully infringe, and require us to obtain a license to manufacture or market product candidates. Defense of these claims, regardless of their merit, would involve substantial litigation expense and would be a substantial diversion of employee resources from our business. We cannot predict whether we would prevail in any such actions or that any license required under any of these patents would be made available on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. Moreover, even if we or our strategic partners or collaborators were able to obtain a license, the rights may be nonexclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual property. In addition, we cannot be certain that we could redesign product candidates, treatment indications, or processes to avoid infringement, if necessary. Accordingly, an adverse determination in a judicial or administrative proceeding, or the failure to obtain necessary licenses, could prevent us from developing and commercializing product candidates, which could harm our business, financial condition and operating results. In addition, intellectual property litigation, regardless of its outcome, may cause negative publicity and could prohibit us from marketing or otherwise commercializing product candidates and technology.

Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to incur significant expenses, distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, delay development of product candidates, subject us to significant uncertainties and harm our reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.”

Our rights to develop and commercialize our technology and product candidates are subject, in part, to the terms and conditions of licenses granted to us by others.

We have licensed, and may in the future license, patent and other intellectual property rights from other parties. We may enter into additional license agreements in the future with others to advance our existing or future research or allow commercialization of our existing or future product candidates. These licenses may not provide exclusive rights to use such intellectual property and technology in all relevant fields of use and in all territories in which we may wish to develop or commercialize our technology and products in the future. We may also need to devote substantial time and attention to ensuring that we successfully integrate these transactions into our existing operations and are compliant with our obligations under these agreements, which may divert management’s time and attention away from our research and development programs or other day-to-day activities.

In addition, subject to the terms of any such license agreements, we may not have the right to control the preparation, filing, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement, and defense of patents and patent applications covering the technology that we license from third parties. Accordingly, we cannot be certain that these patents and patent applications will be prepared, filed, prosecuted, maintained, enforced, and defended in a manner consistent with the best interests of our business. If our licensors fail to prosecute, maintain, enforce, and defend such patents or patent applications, or lose rights to those patents or patent applications, the rights we have licensed may be reduced or eliminated, and our right to develop and commercialize any of our future product candidates that are subject of such licensed rights could be adversely affected. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—The patent protection and patent prosecution for some of product candidates may be dependent on third parties. We have the first right to control the prosecution and bring enforcement actions for infringement by third parties with respect to the licensed patents for the programs licensed to us under the ARIAD License Agreement, specifically our pan-KIT inhibitor program, for at least a period of time, with input from ARIAD.

Our licensors may rely on third-party consultants or collaborators or on funds from third parties such that our licensors are not the sole and exclusive owners of the patents we in-license. If other third parties have ownership rights to our future in-licensed patents, they may be able to license such patents to our competitors, and our competitors could market competing products and technology. This could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations, and prospects.

It is possible that we may be unable to obtain licenses at a reasonable cost or on reasonable terms, if at all. Even if we are able to obtain a license, it may be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. In that event, we may be required to expend significant time and resources to redesign

 

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our technology, product candidates, or the methods for manufacturing them or to develop or license replacement technology, all of which may not be feasible on a technical or commercial basis. If we are unable to do so, we may be unable to develop or commercialize the affected product candidates, which could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects significantly.

If we fail to comply with our obligations in the agreements under which we license intellectual property rights from third parties or otherwise experience disruptions to our business relationships with our licensors, we could lose license rights that are important to our business.

Disputes may arise between us and our licensors regarding intellectual property subject to a license agreement, including:

 

   

the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;

 

   

whether and the extent to which our technology and processes infringe on intellectual property of the licensor that is not subject to the licensing agreement;

 

   

our right to sublicense patents and other rights to third parties;

 

   

our diligence obligations under the license agreement and what activities satisfy those diligence obligations;

 

   

our right to transfer or assign the license;

 

   

the inventorship and ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by our licensors and us and our partners; and

 

   

the priority of invention of patented technology.

In addition, the agreements under which we license intellectual property or technology from third parties are complex, and certain provisions in such agreements may be susceptible to multiple interpretations. In the event of any disagreement about the interpretation of these provisions, our management may need to devote a disproportionate amount of its attention to resolving these disagreements. Such disruptions may cause delays in our research and development programs and other business objectives. Additionally, the resolution of any contract interpretation disagreement that may arise could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or technology, or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. Moreover, if disputes over intellectual property that we license in the future prevent or impair our ability to maintain our licensing arrangements on commercially acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product candidates, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations, and prospects.

In spite of our best efforts, our licensors might conclude that we materially breached our license agreements and might therefore terminate the license agreements, thereby removing our ability to develop and commercialize products and technology covered by these license agreements. If these in-licenses are terminated, or if the underlying patents fail to provide the intended exclusivity, competitors would have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and to market, products identical to ours. This could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations, and prospects.

We may not be successful in obtaining or maintaining necessary rights to product candidates through acquisitions and in-licenses.

Because our development programs may in the future require the use of proprietary rights held by third parties, the growth of our business may depend in part on our ability to acquire, in-license, or use these third-party proprietary rights. We may be unable to acquire or in-license any compositions, methods of use, processes or other third-party intellectual property rights from third parties that we identify as necessary for product candidates. The licensing and acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights is a competitive area, and a number of more established companies may pursue strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that we may consider attractive or necessary. These established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their size,

 

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capital resources and greater clinical development and commercialization capabilities. In addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. We also may be unable to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights on terms that would allow us to make an appropriate return on our investment or at all. Even if we are able to obtain a license, it may be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. If we are unable to successfully obtain rights to required third-party intellectual property rights or maintain the existing intellectual property rights we have, we may have to abandon development of the relevant program or product candidate, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

We may be involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or our licensors’ patents, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful. Further, our issued patents or our licensors’ patents could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in court.

Competitors and other third parties may infringe or otherwise violate our patents or other intellectual property or the patents or other intellectual property of our licensors. In addition, our patents or the patents of our licensors may become involved in inventorship or priority disputes. Our pending patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless and until a patent issues from such applications. To counter infringement or other unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Our ability to enforce patent rights also depends on our ability to detect infringement. It may be difficult to detect infringers who do not advertise the components or methods that are used in connection with their products and services. Moreover, it may be difficult or impossible to obtain evidence of infringement in a competitor’s or potential competitor’s product or service. Any claims we assert against perceived infringers could provoke these parties to assert counterclaims against us alleging that we infringe their patents or that our patents are invalid or unenforceable. In a patent infringement proceeding, a court may decide that a patent of ours is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, construe the patent’s claims narrowly or refuse to stop the other party from using the technology at issue on the grounds that our patents do not cover the technology. An adverse result in any litigation proceeding could put one or more of our owned or licensed patents at risk of being invalidated, held unenforceable or interpreted narrowly. We may find it impractical or undesirable to enforce our intellectual property against some third parties.

If we or licensors were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent directed to our product candidate or any additional product candidates that we may develop, the defendant could counterclaim that our patent or that of our licensor is invalid or unenforceable. In patent litigation in the United States, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, non-enablement or insufficient written description. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO or made a misleading statement during prosecution.

Third parties may also raise similar claims before the USPTO or an equivalent foreign body, even outside the context of litigation. Potential proceedings include re-examination, PGR, IPR, interference proceedings, derivation proceedings and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (for example, opposition proceedings). Such proceedings could result in the revocation of, cancellation of, or amendment to our patents in such a way that they no longer cover our technology or any product candidates that we may develop. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. With respect to the validity question, for example, we cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on the applicable product candidates or technology covered by the patent rendered invalid or unenforceable.

Some of our competitors are larger than we are and have substantially greater resources. They are, therefore, likely to be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources and more mature and developed intellectual property portfolios. Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may not be able to prevent third parties from infringing upon, misappropriating or otherwise violating our intellectual property.

 

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Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to incur significant expenses, distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, delay development of product candidates, subject us to significant uncertainties and harm our reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.”

Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources, distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities and subject us to significant uncertainties.

Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses, and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing or distribution activities. Moreover, some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources.

In addition, the uncertainties associated with litigation could compromise our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our preclinical studies or initiate clinical trials, continue our internal research programs, in-license needed technology or other product candidates or enter into development collaborations that would help us commercialize product candidates, if approved. If the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications or the patents and patent applications of our licensors is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates. Accordingly, these uncertainties could compromise our ability to compete in the marketplace. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation or other legal proceedings relating to our intellectual property rights, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation or other proceedings. These uncertainties could cause the price of shares of our common stock to decline, as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.

During the course of any intellectual property litigation, there could be public announcements of the initiation of the litigation as well as results of hearings, rulings on motions, and other interim proceedings or developments in the litigation. If securities analysts or investors regard these announcements as negative, the perceived value of our existing product candidates, approved products, programs or intellectual property could be diminished. Accordingly, the market price of shares of our common stock may decline. Such announcements could also harm our reputation or the market for our future products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Derivation proceedings may be necessary to determine priority of inventions, and an unfavorable outcome may require us to cease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights from the prevailing party.

Derivation proceedings provoked by third parties or brought by us or declared by the USPTO may be necessary to determine the priority of inventions with respect to our patents or patent applications or those of our licensors. An unfavorable outcome could require us to cease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights to it from the prevailing party. Our business could be harmed if the prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms. Our defense of derivation proceedings may fail and, even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our management and other employees. In addition, the uncertainties associated with such proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our clinical trials, continue our development programs, license necessary technology from third parties or enter into development or manufacturing partnerships that would help us bring product candidates to market.

 

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Changes in patent law could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect product candidates.

Obtaining and enforcing patents in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries is inherently uncertain, due in part to ongoing changes in the patent laws. Changes in either the patent laws or in the interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property and may increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. In the United States, depending on decisions by Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents, and interpretation thereof, could change in unpredictable ways that could weaken our and our licensors’ or collaborators’ ability to obtain new patents or to enforce existing or future patents. Moreover, we cannot predict the breadth of claims that may be allowed or enforced in our patents or in third-party patents. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. Therefore, there is increased uncertainty with regard to our and our licensors’ or collaborators’ ability to obtain patents in the future, as well as uncertainty with respect to the value of patents once obtained.

In addition, Congress or other foreign legislative bodies may pass patent reform legislation that is unfavorable to us. Patent reform legislation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our and our licensors’ or collaborators’ patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our or our licensors’ or collaborators’ issued patents. For example, in the United States, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or the Leahy-Smith Act, which was signed into law in September 2011, includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications will be prosecuted and may also affect patent litigation. In particular, under the Leahy-Smith Act, the United States transitioned in March 2013 to a “first inventor to file” system in which, assuming that other requirements of patentability are met, the first inventor to file a patent application will be entitled to the patent regardless of whether a third party was first to invent the claimed invention. A third party that files a patent application in the USPTO after March 2013 but before us could therefore be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we had made the invention before it was made by such third party. This will require us to be cognizant going forward of the time from invention to filing of a patent application.

The Leahy-Smith Act also includes a number of significant changes that affect the way patent applications will be prosecuted and also may affect patent litigation. These include allowing third-party submission of prior art to the USPTO during patent prosecution and additional procedures to attack the validity of a patent by USPTO administered post-grant proceedings, including PGR, IPR, and derivation proceedings. An adverse determination in any such submission or proceeding could reduce the scope or enforceability of, or invalidate, our patent rights, which could adversely affect our competitive position. Because of a lower evidentiary standard in USPTO proceedings compared to the evidentiary standard in United States federal courts necessary to invalidate a patent claim, a third party could potentially provide evidence in a USPTO proceeding sufficient for the USPTO to hold a claim invalid even though the same evidence would be insufficient to invalidate the claim if first presented in a district court action. Accordingly, a third party may attempt to use the USPTO procedures to invalidate our patent claims that would not have been invalidated if first challenged by the third party as a defendant in a district court action.

The USPTO has developed regulations and procedures to govern administration of the Leahy-Smith Act, and many of the substantive changes to patent law associated with the Leahy-Smith Act, particularly the first inventor-to-file provisions. Accordingly, it is not clear what, if any, impact the Leahy-Smith Act will have on the operation of our business. However, the Leahy-Smith Act and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our or our licensors’ patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our or our licensors’ issued patents, including for the reasons described above. Similarly, statutory or judicial changes to the patent laws of other countries may increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. Any of these could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects

 

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We may be subject to claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our patents and other intellectual property.

We or our licensors may be subject to claims that former employees, collaborators or other third parties have an interest in our owned or in-licensed patents, trade secrets, or other intellectual property as an inventor or co-inventor. For example, we or our licensors may have inventorship disputes arise from conflicting obligations of employees, consultants or others who are involved in developing product candidates. While it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be involved in the development of intellectual property to execute agreements assigning this intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who in fact develops intellectual property that we regard as our own. Our and their assignment agreements may not be self-executing or may be breached, and litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging inventorship or our or our licensors’ ownership of our owned or in-licensed patents, trade secrets or other intellectual property. If we or our licensors fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, intellectual property that is important to product candidates. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to incur significant expenses, distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, delay development of product candidates, subject us to significant uncertainties and harm our reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.”

Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on product candidates for an adequate amount of time.

Patents have a limited lifespan. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive products. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. In addition, the issuance of a patent does not give us the right to practice the patented invention. Third parties may have blocking patents that could prevent us from marketing our own patented product and practicing our own patented technology. As a result, our owned and licensed patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours.

If we or our licensors do not obtain patent term extension for product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.

Depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of FDA marketing approval of product candidates, one or more of our U.S. patents or those of our licensors may be eligible for limited patent term restoration under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, or the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent restoration term of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. A maximum of one patent may be extended per FDA approved product as compensation for the patent term lost during the FDA regulatory review process. A patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval and only those claims covering such approved drug product, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. Patent term extension may also be available in certain foreign countries upon regulatory approval of product candidates. However, we may not be granted an extension because of, for example, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the applicable time period or the scope of patent protection afforded could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or restoration or the term of any such extension is less than we request, our competitors may obtain approval of competing products following our patent expiration, and our revenue could be reduced, possibly materially. Further, if this occurs, our competitors may take advantage of our investment in development and trials by referencing our clinical and preclinical data and launch their product earlier than might otherwise be the case.

 

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We and our licensors may not be able to protect intellectual property rights throughout the world.

Although we or our licensors have pending patent applications in the United States and other countries, filing, prosecuting and defending patents in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights and those of our licensors in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our intellectual property in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop, and our patents, the patents of our licensors, or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.

Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of many foreign countries do not favor the enforcement of patents and other intellectual property protection, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents or our licensors’ patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents or the patents of our licensors at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications or the patent applications of our licensors at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.

Many countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In those countries, we may have limited remedies if patents are infringed or if we are compelled to grant a license to a third party, which could materially diminish the value of the applicable patents. This could limit our potential revenue opportunities. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.

Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, documentary, fee payment and other requirements imposed by regulations and governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.

Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other governmental fees on patents and/or applications will be due to the USPTO and various foreign patent offices at various points over the lifetime of our patents and/or applications and those of our licensors. Additionally, the USPTO and various foreign patent offices require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. Non-compliance events that could result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application include failure to respond to official communications within prescribed time limits, non-payment of fees and failure to properly legalize and submit formal documents. While an inadvertent lapse can in some cases be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules, there are situations in which non-compliance can result in irrevocable abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. If we or our licensors or collaborators fail to maintain the patents and patent applications covering product candidates, our competitors might be able to enter the market with similar or identical products or technology, which would harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

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If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, then we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and our business may be adversely affected.

We use and intend to use registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names to brand and market ourselves and our products. Our trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition among potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. At times, competitors may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively, and our business may be adversely affected. Our efforts to enforce or protect our proprietary rights related to trademarks, trade secrets, domain names, copyrights or other intellectual property may be ineffective and could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.

We rely on the protection of our trade secrets, including unpatented know-how, technology and other proprietary information to maintain our competitive position. Although we have taken steps to protect our trade secrets and unpatented know-how, including entering into confidentiality agreements with third parties, and confidential information and inventions agreements with employees, consultants and advisors, we cannot provide any assurances that all such agreements have been duly executed, and any of these parties may breach the agreements and disclose our proprietary information, including our trade secrets, and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets.

Moreover, third parties may still obtain this information or may come upon this or similar information independently, and we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of these events occurs or if we otherwise lose protection for our trade secrets, the value of this information may be greatly reduced, and our competitive position would be harmed. If we do not apply for patent protection prior to such publication or if we cannot otherwise maintain the confidentiality of our proprietary technology and other confidential information, then our ability to obtain patent protection or to protect our trade secret information may be jeopardized.

We may be subject to claims that we or our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged confidential information or trade secrets.

We have entered into and may in the future enter into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements to protect the proprietary positions of third parties, such as outside scientific collaborators, CROs, third-party manufacturers, consultants, advisors, potential partners, and other third parties. We may become subject to litigation where a third party asserts that we or our employees inadvertently or otherwise breached the agreements and used or disclosed trade secrets or other information proprietary to the third parties. Failure to successfully defend against any such claim could subject us to significant liability for monetary damages or prevent or delay our developmental and commercialization efforts, which could adversely affect our business. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to incur significant expenses, distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, delay development of product candidates, subject us to significant uncertainties and harm our reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.”

 

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We may be subject to claims that we have wrongfully hired an employee from a competitor or that we or our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged confidential information or trade secrets of their former employers.

Many of our employees were previously employed at other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies and our consultants and advisors may work for other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies in addition to us. Although we try to ensure that our employees, consultants and advisors do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that we or these individuals have used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of any of these individuals’ former or concurrent employers or clients. We may also be subject to claims that patents and applications we have filed to protect inventions of our employees, consultants and advisors, even those related to one or more product candidates, are rightfully owned by their former or concurrent employer. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims.

If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to incur significant expenses, distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, delay development of product candidates, subject us to significant uncertainties and harm our reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. See “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities” and “—Risks Related to Intellectual Property—Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.”

The patent protection and patent prosecution for some product candidates may be dependent on third parties.

While we normally seek to obtain the right to control prosecution, maintenance and enforcement of the patents relating to product candidates, there may be times when the filing and prosecution activities for patents and patent applications relating to product candidates are controlled by our licensors or collaboration partners. If any of our licensors or collaboration partners fail to prosecute, maintain and enforce such patents and patent applications in a manner consistent with the best interests of our business, including by payment of all applicable fees for patents covering product candidates, we could lose our rights to the intellectual property or our exclusivity with respect to those rights, our ability to develop and commercialize those product candidates may be adversely affected and we may not be able to prevent competitors from making, using and selling competing products. In addition, even where we have the right to control patent prosecution of patents and patent applications we have licensed from third parties, we may still be adversely affected or prejudiced by actions or inactions of our licensors and their counsel that took place prior to the date upon which we assumed control over patent prosecution.

Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties

We rely on third parties to conduct our preclinical studies, and plan to rely on third parties to conduct clinical trials, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to meet deadlines for the completion of such trials, research and studies.

We do not have the ability to independently conduct all aspects of our preclinical studies or clinical trials ourselves. We utilize and depend upon third-party investigators and collaborators, such as medical institutions, CROs, clinical trial sites and CMOs, to conduct and support our preclinical studies under agreements with us and plan to continue to do so for our anticipated clinical trials. These third parties have had and will continue to have a significant role in the conduct of our preclinical studies and anticipated clinical trials and the subsequent collection and analysis of data.

These third parties are not our employees, and except for remedies available to us under our agreements with such third parties, we have limited ability to control the amount or timing of resources that any such third party will devote to our preclinical studies or our clinical trials. The third parties we rely on for these services may also have relationships with other entities, some of which may be our competitors, for whom they may also be conducting preclinical studies, clinical trials or other drug development activities, which could affect their performance on our

 

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behalf. Some of these third parties may terminate their engagements with us at any time. We also expect to have to negotiate budgets and contracts with CROs, clinical trial sites and CMOs and we may not be able to do so on favorable terms, which may result in delays to our development timelines and increased costs. If we need to enter into alternative arrangements with, or replace or add any third parties, it would involve substantial cost and require extensive management time and focus, or involve a transition period, and may delay our drug development activities, as well as materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development timelines.

Our heavy reliance on these third parties for such drug development activities will reduce our control over these activities. As a result, we will have less direct control over the conduct, timing and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials and the management of data developed through preclinical studies and clinical trials than would be the case if we were relying entirely upon our own staff. Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our studies and trials is conducted in accordance with applicable protocol, legal and regulatory requirements and scientific standards, and our reliance on third parties does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities. For example, we will remain responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the general investigational plan and protocols for the trial. Moreover, the FDA requires us to comply with GCP standards, regulations for conducting, recording and reporting the results of clinical trials to assure that data and reported results are reliable and accurate and that the rights, integrity and confidentiality of trial participants are protected. Regulatory authorities enforce these GCP requirements through periodic inspections of trial sponsors, principal investigators and trial sites. If we or any of our CROs or any clinical trial sites fail to comply with applicable GCP requirements, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. There can be no assurance that upon inspection by a given regulatory authority, such regulatory authority will determine that any of our clinical trials substantially comply with GCP regulations. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under current cGMP regulations and will require a large number of test patients. Our failure or any failure by these third parties to comply with these regulations or to recruit a sufficient number of study subject, may require us to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process. Moreover, our business may be implicated if any of these third parties violates federal or state fraud and abuse or false claims laws and regulations or healthcare privacy and security laws.

There is no guarantee that any CROs, clinical trial investigators or other third parties on which we rely will devote adequate time and resources to our development activities or perform as contractually required. If any of these third parties fail to meet expected deadlines, adhere to our clinical protocols or meet regulatory requirements, otherwise perform in a substandard manner, or terminate their engagements with us, the timelines for our development programs may be extended or delayed or our development activities may be suspended or terminated. If our clinical trial site terminates for any reason, we may experience the loss of follow-up information on subjects enrolled in such clinical trial unless we are able to transfer those subjects to another qualified clinical trial site, which may be difficult or impossible.

Accordingly, if these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, meet expected deadlines or conduct our clinical trials in accordance with regulatory requirements or our stated protocols, or if these third parties need to be replaced, we will not be able to obtain, or may be delayed in obtaining, marketing approvals for product candidates and will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to, successfully commercialize product candidates. As a result, our financial results and the commercial prospects for product candidates would be harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenue could be delayed.

We contract with third parties for the manufacture of our only product candidate for preclinical studies and expect to continue to do so for additional preclinical studies, anticipated clinical trials and ultimately for commercialization. This reliance on third parties increases the risk that we will not have sufficient quality and quantities of product candidates or such quantities at an acceptable cost, which could delay, prevent or impair our development or commercialization efforts.

We do not currently have the infrastructure or internal capability to manufacture supplies of product candidates for use in development and commercialization.

 

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We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third-party manufacturers for the production of product candidates for preclinical studies and anticipated clinical trials under the guidance of members of our organization. We do not have long-term supply agreements, and we purchase our required drug product on a purchase order basis, which means that aside from any binding purchase orders we have from time to time, our supplier could cease supplying to us or change the terms on which it is willing to continue supplying to us at any time. Even if we are able to replace any raw materials or other materials with an alternative, such alternatives may cost more, result in lower yields or not be as suitable for our purposes. In addition, some of the materials that we use to manufacture product candidates are complex materials, which may be more difficult to substitute. In addition, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may result in disruptions to the operations or an extended shutdown of certain businesses, which could include certain of our third-party manufacturers. If we were to experience an unexpected loss of supply of any product candidates for any reason, whether as a result of manufacturing, supply or storage issues or otherwise, we could experience delays, disruptions, suspensions or terminations of, or be required to restart or repeat, any pending or ongoing preclinical studies or anticipated clinical trials, which could result in delays and additional regulatory submissions.

If we obtain marketing approval for any product candidates, given that our limited existing supply arrangements do not extend to commercial supply, we will need to establish one or more agreements with third parties to develop and scale up the drug manufacturing process. We may be unable to maintain or establish required agreements with third-party manufacturers or to do so on acceptable terms. Our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop may compete with other product candidates and products for access to manufacturing facilities. As a result, we may not obtain access to these facilities on a priority basis or at all. There are a limited number of manufacturers that operate under cGMP regulations and that might be capable of manufacturing for us.

Even if we are able to establish agreements with third-party manufacturers, they may be unable to successfully increase the manufacturing capacity for any product candidates in a timely or cost-effective manner, or at all. In addition, quality issues may arise during scale-up or commercial activities. Reliance on third-party manufacturers also entails additional risks, including:

 

   

the failure of the third party to manufacture product candidates according to our schedule and specifications, or at all, including if our third-party contractors give greater priority to the supply of other products over product candidates or otherwise do not satisfactorily perform according to the terms of the agreements between us and them;

 

   

the reduction or termination of production or deliveries by suppliers, or the raising or prices or renegotiation of terms;

 

   

the termination or nonrenewal of arrangements or agreements by our third-party contractors at a time that is costly or inconvenient for us;

 

   

the breach by the third-party contractors of our agreements with them;

 

   

the failure of third-party contractors to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, including cGMPs;

 

   

the breach by the third-party contractors of our agreements with them;

 

   

the failure of the third party to manufacture product candidates according to our specifications;

 

   

the mislabeling of clinical supplies, potentially resulting in the wrong dose amounts being supplied or active drug or placebo not being properly identified;

 

   

clinical supplies not being delivered to clinical sites on time, leading to clinical trial interruptions, or of drug supplies not being distributed to commercial vendors in a timely manner, resulting in lost sales; and

 

   

the misappropriation of our proprietary information, including our trade secrets and know-how.

Our current and anticipated future dependence upon others for the manufacture of product candidates may adversely affect our future profit margins and our ability to commercialize any product candidates that receive marketing approval on a timely and competitive basis.

 

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Our manufacturing process needs to comply with FDA regulations relating to the quality and reliability of such processes. Any failure to comply with relevant regulations could result in delays in or termination of our clinical programs and suspension or withdrawal of any regulatory approvals.

Third-party manufacturers may not be able to comply with cGMP regulations or similar regulatory requirements outside of the United States. If our contract manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture material that conforms to our specifications and the strict regulatory requirements of the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, they will not be able to secure and/or maintain marketing approval for their manufacturing facilities. In addition, we do not have control over the ability of our contract manufacturers to maintain adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. If the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority does not approve these facilities for the manufacture of product candidates or if it withdraws any such approval in the future, we will need to find alternative manufacturing facilities, and those new facilities would need to be inspected and approved by FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority prior to commencing manufacturing, which would significantly impact our ability to develop, obtain marketing approval for or market product candidates, if approved. Our failure, or the failure of our third-party manufacturers, to comply with applicable regulations could result in sanctions being imposed on us, including fines, injunctions, civil penalties, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, license revocation, seizures or recalls of product candidates or drugs, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions, any of which could significantly and adversely affect supplies of product candidates or drugs and harm our business and results of operations.

If our third-party manufacturers use hazardous materials in a manner that causes injury or violates applicable law, we may be liable for damages.

Our research and development activities involve the controlled use of potentially hazardous substances, including chemical materials, by our third-party manufacturers. Our manufacturers are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations in the United States governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of medical and hazardous materials. Although we believe that our manufacturers’ procedures for using, handling, storing and disposing of these materials comply with legally prescribed standards, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of contamination or injury resulting from medical or hazardous materials. As a result of any such contamination or injury, we may incur liability or local, city, state or federal authorities may curtail the use of these materials and interrupt our business operations. In the event of an accident, we could be held liable for damages or penalized with fines, and the liability could exceed our resources. Compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations is expensive, and current or future environmental regulations may impair our research, development and production efforts, which could harm our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations.

If we decide to establish collaborations, but are not able to establish those collaborations on commercially reasonable terms, we may have to alter our development and commercialization plans.

Our drug development programs and the potential commercialization of product candidates will require substantial additional cash to fund expenses. Although we have not entered into any collaborations to date, we may seek to selectively form collaborations to expand our capabilities, potentially accelerate research and development activities and provide for commercialization activities by third parties. Any of these relationships may require us to incur non-recurring and other charges, increase our near- and long-term expenditures, issue securities that dilute our existing stockholders, or disrupt our management and business.

We face significant competition in seeking appropriate collaborators and the negotiation process is time-consuming and complex. Whether we reach a definitive agreement for a collaboration depends, among other things, upon our assessment of the collaborator’s resources and expertise, the terms and conditions of the proposed collaboration and the proposed collaborator’s evaluation of a number of factors. Those factors may include the design or results of preclinical studies or clinical trials, the likelihood of approval by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, the potential market for the subject product candidate, the costs and complexities of manufacturing and delivering such product candidate to patients, the potential of competing drugs, the existence of uncertainty with respect to our ownership of intellectual property and industry and market conditions generally. The potential collaborator may also consider alternative product candidates or technologies for similar indications that may be available to collaborate on and whether such collaboration could be more attractive than the one with us for our product candidate. Further, we may not be successful in our efforts to establish a collaboration or other alternative

 

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arrangements for product candidates because they may be deemed to be at too early of a stage of development for collaborative effort and third parties may not view them as having the requisite potential to demonstrate safety and efficacy.

In addition, there have been a significant number of recent business combinations among large pharmaceutical companies that have resulted in a reduced number of potential collaborators. Even if we are successful in entering into a collaboration, the terms and conditions of that collaboration may restrict us from entering into future agreements on certain terms with potential collaborators.

If and when we seek to enter into collaborations, we may not be able to negotiate collaborations on a timely basis, on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to do so, we may have to curtail the development of a product candidate, reduce or delay its development program or one or more of our other research programs, delay its potential commercialization or reduce the scope of any sales or marketing activities, or increase our expenditures and undertake development or commercialization activities at our own expense. If we elect to increase our expenditures to fund development or commercialization activities on our own, we may need to obtain additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we do not have sufficient funds, we may not be able to further develop product candidates or bring them to market and generate product revenue.

If conflicts arise between us and our collaborators or strategic partners, these parties may act in a manner adverse to us and could limit our ability to implement our strategies.

If conflicts arise between any corporate or academic collaborators or strategic partners and us, the other party may act in a manner adverse to us and could limit our ability to implement our strategies. Collaborators or strategic partners may develop, either alone or with others, products in related fields that are competitive with the products or potential products that are the subject of these collaborations. Competing products, either developed by the collaborators or strategic partners or to which the collaborators or strategic partners have rights, may result in the withdrawal of partner support for product candidates. Our collaborators or strategic partners may preclude us from entering into collaborations with their competitors, fail to obtain timely regulatory approvals, terminate their agreements with us prematurely, or fail to devote sufficient resources to the development and commercialization of products. Any of these developments could harm our product development efforts.

We may not realize the benefits of any acquisitions, in-license or other collaborations or strategic alliances that we enter into.

We have entered into the ARIAD License Agreement, and in the future we may seek and form strategic alliances, create joint ventures or collaborations, or enter into acquisitions or additional licensing arrangements with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our development and commercialization efforts with respect to our product candidate and any additional product candidates that we may develop.

These transactions can entail numerous operational and financial risks, including exposure to unknown liabilities, disruption of our business and diversion of our management’s time and attention in order to manage a collaboration or develop acquired products, product candidates or technologies, incurrence of substantial debt or dilutive issuances of equity securities to pay transaction consideration or costs, higher than expected collaboration, acquisition or integration costs, write-downs of assets or goodwill or impairment charges, increased amortization expenses, difficulty and cost in facilitating the collaboration or combining the operations and personnel of any acquired business, impairment of relationships with key suppliers, manufacturers or customers of any acquired business due to changes in management and ownership and the inability to retain key employees of any acquired business. We may agree to and be bound by negative covenants which may limit our development and commercial opportunities. As a result, if we enter into collaboration agreements, strategic partnerships or license our products, we may not be able to realize the benefit of such transactions if we are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture, which could delay our timelines or otherwise adversely affect our business.

We also cannot be certain that, following a strategic transaction or license, we will achieve the revenue or specific net income that justifies such transaction or such other benefits that led us to enter into the arrangement. Failure to realize the benefits of any collaborations or strategic alliances may further cause us to curtail the development of a

 

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product candidate, reduce or delay its development program or one or more of our other development programs, delay its potential commercialization or reduce the scope of any planned sales or marketing activities, or increase our expenditures and undertake development or commercialization activities at our own expense. If we elect to fund and undertake development or commercialization activities on our own, we will need to obtain additional expertise and additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we fail to enter into collaborations and do not have sufficient funds or expertise to undertake the necessary development and commercialization activities, we may not be able to further develop product candidates or bring them to market and generate product sales revenue, which would harm our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering

Prior to this offering, there has been no prior public market for our common stock, the stock price of our common stock may be volatile and may fluctuate substantially or may decline regardless of our operating performance and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.

There has been no public market for our common stock prior to this offering. The initial public offering price for our common stock will be determined through negotiations between the underwriters and us and may vary from the market price of our common stock following this offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

 

   

overall performance of the equity markets;

 

   

our operating performance and the performance of other similar companies;

 

   

results from any clinical trials with our current and future product candidates or those of our competitors;

 

   

changes in recommendations by securities analysts that elect to follow our common stock;

 

   

regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries;

 

   

the level of expenses related to future product candidates or clinical development programs;

 

   

our failure to achieve product development goals in the timeframe we announce;

 

   

announcements of acquisitions, strategic alliances or significant agreements by us or by our competitors;

 

   

recruitment or departure of key personnel;

 

   

the economy as a whole and market conditions in our industry, including conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

trading activity by a limited number of stockholders who together beneficially own a significant amount of our outstanding common stock;

 

   

the expiration of market standoff or contractual lock-up agreements;

 

   

the size of our market float; and

 

   

any other factors discussed in this prospectus.

In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many biotechnology companies. Stock prices of many biotechnology companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies.

 

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Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could cause our stock price to fall.

The price of our common stock could decline if there are substantial sales of our common stock, particularly sales by our directors, executive officers and significant stockholders, or if there is a large number of shares of our common stock available for sale and the market perceives that sales will occur.

Upon the completion of this offering, based on the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, we will have outstanding 35,863,960 shares of our common stock, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock upon the completion of this offering.

All of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be available for sale in the public market unless purchased by our affiliates or existing stockholders. Substantially all of our outstanding shares of common stock are currently restricted from resale as a result of securities laws or market standoff and lock-up agreements, as more fully described in “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.” Shares subject to market standoff and lock-up agreements will become available to be sold after the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus. Shares held by directors, executive officers and other affiliates will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and various vesting agreements. Jefferies LLC and SVB Leerink LLC may, in their discretion and with or without notice, permit our stockholders to sell shares prior to the expiration of the restrictive provisions contained in those lock-up agreements. Sales of a substantial number of such shares upon expiration of the lock-up agreements, the perception that such sales may occur, or early release of these agreements, could cause our market price to fall or make it more difficult for you to sell your common stock at a time and price that you deem appropriate.

After our initial public offering, certain of our stockholders (including certain of our affiliates) will have rights, subject to certain conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering approximately 25,475,905 shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or our stockholders, subject to market standoff and lockup agreements. Once we register these shares, they will be able to be sold freely in the public market upon issuance, subject to existing market standoff or lock-up agreements (including the lock-up agreements described above).

Following this offering, we also intend to register shares of common stock that we have issued and may issue under our employee equity plans. As of September 15, 2021, there were 4,699,003 shares of common stock that were subject to outstanding options under our equity incentive plan, and 4,795,080 shares reserved for future issuance under equity plans that will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Accordingly, these will be available for sale in the open market, subject to Rule 144 volume limitations applicable to affiliates, and subject to any vesting restrictions and lock-up agreements applicable to these shares.

The market price of the shares of our common stock could decline as a result of the sale of a substantial number of shares in the public market or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell their shares.

If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution and may experience additional dilution in the future.

The initial public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering. Therefore, if you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution. Based on an assumed initial public offering price of our common stock of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, you will experience immediate dilution of $9.16 per share, representing the difference between the assumed initial public offering price and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of the common stock that you acquire in this offering. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares of our capital stock. You will experience additional dilution upon exercise of options to purchase common stock under our equity incentive plans, upon vesting of options to purchase common stock under our equity incentive plans, if we issue restricted stock to our employees under our equity incentive plans or if we otherwise issue additional shares of our common stock.

 

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An active and liquid market for our common stock may not be sustained. As a result, you may not be able to resell your shares of common stock at or above the public offering price.

Prior to this offering, no market for shares of our common stock existed and an active trading market for our shares may never develop or be sustained following this offering. We will determine the initial public offering price for our common stock through negotiations with the underwriters, and the negotiated price may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock after this offering. The market value of our common stock may decrease from the initial public offering price due to the lack of an active market. The lack of an active market may impair investors’ ability to sell their shares at the time they wish to sell them or at a price that they consider reasonable, including at a price at or above the initial public offering price. The lack of an active market may also reduce the fair market value of investors’ shares. Furthermore, an inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of our common stock and may impair our ability to enter into strategic collaborations or acquire companies, technologies or other assets by using our shares of common stock as consideration.

We will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds of this offering and may not use them effectively or in ways that increase the value of our share price.

We cannot specify with any certainty the particular uses of the net proceeds that we will receive from this offering, but we currently expect such uses will include funding the continued development of THE-630 and our EGFR inhibitor program and the research and development of additional pan-variant kinase inhibitor programs and for general corporate purposes. We will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this offering, including working capital and other general corporate purposes, and you and other stockholders may disagree with how we spend or invest these proceeds. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could adversely affect our business and financial condition. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from our initial public offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our investors.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of the material weakness is not effective, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired, which could result in sanctions or other penalties that would harm our business and the trading price of our common stock may decline.

In connection with the audit of our financial statements as of and for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness related to a lack of appropriately designed and implemented controls over the financial reporting relating to the accounting for the timing of the recognition of purchases.

We have taken and are taking steps to remediate this material weakness through the hiring of additional qualified accounting and finance personnel to provide needed levels of expertise in our internal accounting function and to implement appropriate controls over the recognition of invoices. However, we are still in the process of implementing these steps and cannot assure you that these measures will significantly improve or remediate the material weakness described above. We have identified other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that have not risen to the level of a material weakness, which we are in the process of remediating. We expect to incur additional costs to remediate these control deficiencies, though there can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or avoid potential future material weaknesses.

We, and our independent registered public accounting firm, were not required to perform an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we have identified all, or that we will not in the future have additional, material weaknesses. A material weakness may still exist when we report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for purposes of our attestation when required by reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act after this offering.

 

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If we are unable to successfully remediate our existing or any future material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or if we identify any additional material weaknesses, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected, we may be unable to maintain compliance with securities law requirements regarding timely filing of periodic reports in addition to applicable stock exchange listing requirements, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting, and our stock price may decline as a result. We also could become subject to investigations by the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired, which could result in sanctions or other penalties that would harm our business and the trading price of our common stock may decline.

After the completion of this offering, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of Nasdaq. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting. Commencing with our fiscal year ending the year after this offering is completed, we must perform system and process design evaluation and testing of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting in our Form 10-K filing for that year, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. To achieve compliance with Section 404 within the prescribed period, we will be engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, including through hiring additional financial and accounting personnel, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. This will require that we incur substantial additional professional fees and internal costs to expand our accounting and finance functions and that we expend significant management efforts. Prior to this offering, we have never been required to test our internal controls within a specified period and, as a result, we may experience difficulty in meeting these reporting requirements in a timely manner.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, and we may in the future discover additional weaknesses in our system of internal financial and accounting controls and procedures that could result in a material misstatement of our financial statements. Our internal control over financial reporting will not prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud will be detected.

If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner, or if we are unable to maintain proper and effective internal controls over financial reporting, we may not be able to produce timely and accurate financial statements. If that were to happen, our investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, including equivalent foreign authorities.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act and a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Exchange Act, and we cannot be certain if the reduced reporting requirements applicable to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended, or the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of some of the exemptions from reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including:

 

   

being permitted to provide only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;

 

   

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting;

 

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not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;

 

   

reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and

 

   

not being required to hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation or obtain stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

In addition, as an emerging growth company, the JOBS Act allows us to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective dates for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies, which may make comparison of our financials to those of other public companies more difficult.

We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means, among other things, the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of the prior June 30th and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.

Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we may still qualify as a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in the Exchange Act, which would allow us to continue to take advantage of many of the same exemptions from disclosure requirements, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and our periodic reports and proxy statements.

We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We have never declared nor paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Consequently, stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.

The concentration of our stock ownership will likely limit your ability to influence corporate matters, including the ability to influence the outcome of director elections and other matters requiring stockholder approval.

Based upon the number of shares outstanding as of August 31, 2021, prior to this offering, our executive officers, directors and the holders of more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock (including shares of our preferred stock that will convert into shares of common stock immediately prior to the completion of this offering), in the aggregate, beneficially owned approximately 83% of our common stock, and upon the completion of this offering, that same group, in the aggregate, will beneficially own approximately 64% of our common stock, assuming no purchases of shares in this offering by any members of this group, no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares, no exercise of outstanding options and after giving effect to the issuance of shares in this offering. As a result, these stockholders, acting together, will have significant influence over all matters that require approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. Corporate actions might be taken even if other stockholders, including those who purchase shares in this offering, oppose them. This concentration of ownership might also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of our

 

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company that other stockholders may view as beneficial. In addition, if OrbiMed Advisors LLC or its affiliated funds, which currently beneficially own securities representing approximately 59% of the voting power of our capital stock, purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, we may be a “controlled company” (within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules) upon the closing of this offering, depending on the amount of any such purchases. Under these rules, a controlled company may affirmatively elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements so long as it continues to be a controlled company. Although we intend to rely on Nasdaq’s corporate governance phase-in rules related to board and committee independence, we do not currently intend to take advantage of any controlled company exemptions, irrespective of whether we are eligible to do so at the completion of this offering. See “Management—Director Independence” and “Management—Committees of the Board of Directors.”

Delaware law and provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect at the completion of this offering could make a merger, tender offer or proxy contest difficult, thereby depressing the trading price of our common stock.

Following the completion of this offering, our status as a Delaware corporation and the anti-takeover provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control by prohibiting us from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years after the person becomes an interested stockholder, even if a change of control would be beneficial to our existing stockholders. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect at the completion of this offering will contain provisions that may make the acquisition of our company more difficult, including the following:

 

   

a classified board of directors with three-year staggered terms, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our board of directors;

 

   

the ability of our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock and to determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership of a hostile acquiror;

 

   

the exclusive right of our board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of our board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors;

 

   

a prohibition on stockholder action by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders;

 

   

the requirement that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by a majority vote of our entire board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or our chief executive officer, which could delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors;

 

   

the requirement for the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the voting stock, voting together as a single class, to amend the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation relating to the management of our business or our amended and restated bylaws, which may inhibit the ability of an acquiror to effect such amendments to facilitate an unsolicited takeover attempt; and

 

   

advance notice procedures with which stockholders must comply to nominate candidates to our board of directors or to propose matters to be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquiror’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

In addition, as a Delaware corporation, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. These provisions may prohibit large stockholders, in particular those owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock, from merging or combining with us for a certain period of time. A Delaware corporation may opt out of this provision by express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or by amendment to its certificate of incorporation or bylaws approved by its stockholders. However, we have not opted out of this provision.

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directors or initiate actions that are opposed by our then-current board of directors, including delay or impede a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our company. The existence of these provisions could negatively affect the price of our common stock and limit opportunities for you to realize value in a corporate transaction.

For information regarding these and other provisions, see “Description of Capital Stock.”

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be in effect after this offering designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and federal court within the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that our stockholders may initiate, which could limit a stockholder’s ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be in effect after this offering provides that, subject to limited exceptions, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and federal court within the State of Delaware will be exclusive forums for any:

 

   

derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;

 

   

action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders;

 

   

action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or

 

   

other action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

This choice of forum provision does not apply to actions brought to enforce a duty or liability created under the Exchange Act. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that the federal district courts of the United States are the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. We intend for this provision to apply to any complaints asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act despite the fact that Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for the federal and state courts over all actions brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such a provision with respect to claims under the Securities Act, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation described above.

These choice of forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

General Risks

We could be subject to securities class action litigation.

In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. This risk is especially relevant for us because biotechnology companies have experienced significant stock price volatility in recent years. If we face such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could harm our business.

The amount of our future losses is uncertain and our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly, which will make our future results difficult to predict and may cause our results to fall below the expectations of investors or securities analysts, each of which may cause our stock price to fluctuate or decline.

Our quarterly and annual operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control and may be difficult to predict, including the following:

 

   

the timing and success or failure of preclinical studies and clinical trials for product candidates or competing product candidates, or any other change in the competitive landscape of our industry, including consolidation among our competitors or partners;

 

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our ability to successfully recruit and retain subjects for clinical trials, and any delays caused by difficulties in such efforts;

 

   

our ability to obtain marketing approval for product candidates, and the timing and scope of any such approvals we may receive;

 

   

the timing and cost of, and level of investment in, research and development activities relating to product candidates, which may change from time to time;

 

   

the cost of manufacturing product candidates, which may vary depending on the quantity of production and the terms of our agreements with manufacturers;

 

   

our ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel;

 

   

expenditures that we will or may incur to develop additional product candidates;

 

   

the level of demand for product candidates should they receive approval, which may vary significantly;

 

   

the risk/benefit profile, cost and reimbursement policies with respect to product candidates, if approved, and existing and potential future therapeutics that compete with product candidates;

 

   

the changing and volatile U.S. and global economic environments, including impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

 

   

future accounting pronouncements or changes in our accounting policies.

The cumulative effects of these factors could result in large fluctuations and unpredictability in our quarterly and annual operating results. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. This variability and unpredictability could also result in our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial analysts or investors for any period. If our revenue or operating results fall below the expectations of analysts or investors or below any forecasts we may provide to the market, or if the forecasts we provide to the market are below the expectations of analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially. Such a stock price decline could occur even when we have met any previously publicly stated guidance we may provide.

Requirements associated with being a public company will increase our costs significantly, as well as divert significant company resources and management attention.

After the completion of this offering, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the other rules and regulations of the SEC relating to public companies and the rules of Nasdaq. Compliance with the various reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies requires considerable time and attention of management. We cannot assure you that we will satisfy our obligations as a public company on a timely basis.

In addition, as a public company, it may be more difficult or more costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. The impact of these events could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified personnel to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research on our company. If no or only very few securities analysts commence coverage of us, or if industry analysts cease coverage of us, the trading price for our common stock would be negatively affected. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our common stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which might cause our common stock price and trading volume to decline.

 

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Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will become subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We designed our disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably assure that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. For example, our directors or executive officers could inadvertently fail to disclose a new relationship or arrangement causing us to fail to make any related party transaction disclosures. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

Data collection is governed by restrictive regulations governing the use, processing and cross-border transfer of personal information.

We are, and may increasingly become, subject to various laws and regulations, as well as contractual obligations and mandatory industry standards relating to privacy and security in the jurisdictions in which we operate. The regulatory environment related to data privacy and security is increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. These laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied differently over time and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it is possible that they will be interpreted and applied in ways that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In the United States, various federal and state regulators, including governmental agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, have adopted, or are considering adopting, laws and regulations concerning personal information and data security. Certain state laws may be more stringent or broader in scope, or offer greater individual rights, with respect to personal information than federal, international or other state laws, and such laws may differ from each other, all of which may complicate compliance efforts. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, or the CCPA, which increases privacy rights for California residents and imposes obligations on companies that process their personal information and meet certain revenue or volume processing thresholds, came into effect on January 1, 2020, and was further amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, or the CPRA, on November 3, 2020. Among other things, the CCPA requires covered companies to provide new disclosures to California residents and provide such residents new data protection and privacy rights, including the ability to opt-out of certain sales of personal information. The CPRA significantly modifies the CCPA by expanding residents’ rights with respect to certain personal information and creates a new state agency to oversee implementation and enforcement efforts. Many of the CPRA’s provisions will become effective on January 1, 2023. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for certain data breaches. This private right of action may increase the likelihood of, and risks associated with, data breach litigation, including class action litigation. In addition, laws in all 50 U.S. states require businesses to provide notice to individuals if certain of their personal information has been disclosed as a result of a qualifying data breach.

Moreover, the CCPA has prompted a number of proposals for new federal and state-level privacy legislation. State laws and regulations are not necessarily preempted by federal laws and regulations, such as HIPAA, particularly if a state affords greater protection to individuals than federal law. Where state laws are more protective, we have to comply with the stricter provisions. In addition to fines and penalties imposed upon violators, some of these state laws also afford private rights of action to individuals who believe their personal information has been misused. The interplay of federal and state laws may be subject to varying interpretations by courts and government agencies, creating complex compliance issues for us and data we receive, use and share, potentially exposing us to additional expense, adverse publicity and liability. Legal requirements relating to the collection, storage, handling, and transfer of personal information and personal data continue to evolve and may result in increased public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement, sanctions and increased costs of compliance. This legislation may add additional complexity, variation in requirements, restrictions and potential legal risk, require additional investment of resources

 

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in compliance programs, impact strategies and the availability of previously useful data and could result in increased compliance costs and/or changes in business practices and policies.

Internationally, laws, regulations and standards in many jurisdictions apply broadly to the collection, use, retention, security, disclosure, transfer, marketing or other processing of personal data. For example, the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which became effective on May 25, 2018, is wide-ranging in scope and imposes numerous requirements on companies that process personal data. Specifically, the GDPR greatly increased the European’s Commission’s jurisdictional reach of its data privacy and security laws and introduced a broad array of requirements for handling personal data, including, for example, requirements to establish a legal basis for processing, higher standards for obtaining consent from individuals to process their personal data, more robust disclosures to individuals, a strengthened individual data rights regime, requirements to implement safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of personal data that requires the adoption of administrative, physical and technical safeguards, shortened timelines for data breach notifications to appropriate data protection authorities or data subjects, limitations on retention and secondary use of information, increased requirements pertaining to health data and obligations to take certain measures when engaging third party processors in connection with the processing of personal data. EU member states are tasked under the GDPR to enact, and have enacted, certain implementing legislation that adds to and/or further interprets the GDPR requirements and potentially extends our obligations and potential liability for failing to meet such obligations. The GDPR, together with national legislation, regulations and guidelines of the EU member states governing the processing of personal data, impose strict obligations and restrictions on the ability to collect, use, retain, disclose, transfer and otherwise process personal data. In particular, the GDPR also imposes strict obligations, restrictions and rules concerning the rights of individuals to whom the personal data relates, the transfer of personal data to countries outside the European Economic Area, including the United States, security breach notifications and the security and confidentiality of personal data. The GDPR permits data protection authorities to impose large penalties for violations of the GDPR, including potential fines of up to 20 million or 4% of annual global revenues, whichever is greater, and other administrative penalties. The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. Compliance with the GDPR will be a rigorous and time-intensive process that may increase our cost of doing business or require us to change our business practices, and despite those efforts, there is a risk that we may be subject to fines and penalties, litigation, and reputational harm in connection with our European activities. Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, data privacy and security laws that are substantially similar to the GDPR are in effect in the United Kingdom, which carry similar risks and authorize similar fines for certain violations.

Certain legal regimes outside of the United States, including in the United Kingdom and under the GDPR, prohibit the transfer of personal data to the United States unless certain measures are in place, including, for example, executing Standard Contractual Clauses, or historically, relying on the receiving entity’s certification under the EU-US and/or Swiss-US Privacy Shield Frameworks, or, collectively, the Privacy Shield Frameworks. The Privacy Shield Frameworks were invalidated, and the adequacy of Standard Contractual Clauses is now in question, following the Court of Justice of the European Union’s July 2020 decision in the so-called Schrems II case (Data Protection Commissioner v. Facebook Ireland Limited, Maximillian Schrems (Case C-311/18)). There is no guarantee that any transfer mechanism upon which we rely will be deemed to be valid by the relevant legal authorities, or that mechanisms that are currently deemed to be valid will remain valid in the future. This uncertainty, and its eventual resolution, may increase our costs of compliance, impede our ability to transfer data and conduct our business and harm our business or results of operations.

Compliance with U.S. and international data protection laws and regulations could require us to take on more onerous obligations in our contracts, restrict our ability to collect, use and disclose data, or in some cases, impact our ability to operate in certain jurisdictions. Any actual or alleged failure to comply with U.S. or international laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, and data security could result in governmental investigations, proceedings and enforcement actions (which could include civil or criminal penalties), private litigation or adverse publicity, harm to our reputation, and could negatively affect our operating results and business. Moreover, clinical trial subjects about whom we or our potential collaborators obtain information, as well as the providers who share this information with us, may contractually limit our ability to use and disclose the information or impose other

 

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obligations or restrictions in connection with our use, retention and other processing of information, and we may otherwise face contractual restrictions applicable to our use, retention, and other processing of information. Claims that we have violated individuals’ privacy rights, failed to comply with data protection laws, or breached our contractual obligations, even if we are not found liable, could be expensive and time-consuming to defend and could result in adverse publicity that could harm our business.

Comprehensive tax reform legislation could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

The rules dealing with United States federal, state and local income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, and the United States Treasury Department. Changes to tax laws (which changes may have retroactive application) could adversely affect us or holders of our common stock. In recent years, many such changes have been made and changes are likely to continue to occur in the future. For example, the TCJA was enacted in 2017 and made significant changes to corporate taxation, including the reduction of the corporate tax rate from a top marginal rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21%, the limitation of the tax deduction for net interest expense to 30% of adjusted taxable income (except for certain small businesses), the limitation of the deduction for net operating losses from taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 to 80% of current year taxable income and the elimination of net operating loss carrybacks generated in taxable years ending after December 31, 2017 (though any such net operating losses may be carried forward indefinitely), and the modification or repeal of many business deductions and credits, including a reduction of the business tax credit for certain clinical testing expenses incurred in the testing of certain drugs for rare diseases or conditions generally referred to as “orphan drugs.”

Additionally, on March 27, 2020, former President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, which, among other things, suspends the 80% limitation on the deduction for net operating losses in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021, permits a 5-year carryback of net operating losses arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2021, and generally caps the limitation on the deduction for net interest expense at 50% of adjusted taxable income for taxable years beginning in 2019 and 2020.

The recent presidential and congressional elections in the United States could also result in significant changes in, and uncertainty with respect to, tax legislation, regulation and government policy directly affecting us and our business. For example, the United States government may enact significant changes to the taxation of business entities including, among others, a permanent increase in the corporate income tax rate, an increase in the tax rate applicable to the global intangible low-taxed income and elimination of certain exemptions, and the imposition of minimum taxes or surtaxes on certain types of income. The likelihood of these changes being enacted or implemented is unclear.

It cannot be predicted whether, when, in what form, or with what effective dates, new tax laws may be enacted, or regulations and rulings may be promulgated or issued under existing or new tax laws, which could result in an increase in our or our stockholders’ tax liability or require changes in the manner in which we operate in order to minimize or mitigate any adverse effects of changes in tax law or in the interpretation thereof.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this prospectus other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

   

the ability of our preclinical studies and future clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy of product candidates and other positive results;

 

   

the initiation, timing, progress, results and cost of our research and development programs and our current and future preclinical studies and planned clinical trials for current product candidate and other product candidates we may develop, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, the period during which the results of the studies or trials will become available, and our research and development programs;

 

   

the timing, scope and likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, including timing of INDs and final FDA approval of our current product candidate and any future product candidates we may develop;

 

   

our ability to develop and advance our current product candidate and development programs into, and successfully complete, clinical trials;

 

   

our manufacturing, commercialization, and marketing capabilities and strategy;

 

   

our plans relating to commercializing product candidates, if approved, including the geographic areas of focus and sales strategy;

 

   

the need to hire additional personnel and our ability to attract and retain such personnel;

 

   

the size of the market opportunity for our product candidate and development programs, including our estimates of the number of patients who suffer from the diseases we are targeting;

 

   

our competitive position and the success of competing therapies that are or may become available;

 

   

the beneficial characteristics, and the potential safety, efficacy and therapeutic effects of product candidates;

 

   

the potential advantages of our integrated research and development approach;

 

   

our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of product candidates;

 

   

our plans relating to the further development of product candidates, including additional indications we may pursue;

 

   

existing regulations and regulatory developments in the United States, Europe and other jurisdictions;

 

   

our expectations regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business;

 

   

our intellectual property position, including the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our current product candidates and other product candidates we may develop, including the extensions of existing patent terms where available, the validity of intellectual property rights held by third parties, and our ability not to infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any third-party intellectual property rights;

 

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our continued reliance on third parties to conduct additional preclinical studies and planned clinical trials of product candidates, and for the manufacture of product candidates for preclinical studies and clinical trials;

 

   

our ability to obtain, and negotiate favorable terms of, any collaboration, licensing or other arrangements that may be necessary or desirable to develop, manufacture or commercialize product candidates;

 

   

the pricing and reimbursement of current product candidates and other product candidates we may develop, if approved;

 

   

the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of current product candidates and other product candidates we may develop;

 

   

our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;

 

   

our financial performance;

 

   

the period over which we estimate our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our future operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements;

 

   

the impact of laws and regulations;

 

   

our expectations regarding the period during which we will remain an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act;

 

   

our anticipated use of our existing cash resources and the net proceeds from this offering;

 

   

developments relating to our competitors and our industry; and

 

   

other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under the caption “Risk Factors.”

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this prospectus.

These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. We undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this prospectus or to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as required by law.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part with the understanding that our actual future results, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect.

 

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INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

This prospectus contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business and the markets for our product candidate and development programs, including data regarding the estimated size of such markets and the incidence of certain medical conditions. We obtained the industry, market and similar data set forth in this prospectus from our internal estimates and research and from academic and industry research, publications, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, including governmental agencies. The content of third-party sources, except to the extent specifically set forth in this prospectus, does not constitute a portion of this prospectus and is not incorporated herein. In some cases, we do not expressly refer to the sources from which this data is derived. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances that are assumed in this information. Investors are cautioned not to give undue weight to any such information, projections and estimates. In particular, projections, assumptions, and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the industry in which we operate is necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $112.4 million, or approximately $129.8 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $7.8 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of one million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $14.0 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, as follows:

 

   

approximately $85 million to $90 million to fund the continued development of THE-630, including the completion of our planned phase 1/2 clinical trial and the potential commencement of a registrational trial;

 

   

approximately $45 million to $50 million to fund the continued development of our EGFR inhibitor program, including the nomination of a development candidate, IND submission and potential commencement of a clinical trial;

 

   

approximately $25 million to $30 million to fund the research and development of additional pan-variant kinase inhibitor programs; and

 

   

the remaining proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include the hiring of additional personnel, capital expenditures and the costs of operating as a public company.

Based on our current operating plan, we believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenses into the second half of 2024.

In particular, we expect the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash of equivalents, will not be sufficient to fund any product candidates through regulatory approval, and we anticipate needing to raise additional capital to complete the development of and commercialize any product candidates. It is difficult to predict the cost and timing required to complete development and obtain regulatory approval of, and commercialize, product candidates due to, among other factors, our lack of experience as a company with initiating, conducting and completing preclinical studies and clinical trials, and uncertainty regarding the scope and design of clinical trials required to obtain regulatory approval, the rate of subject enrollment in our planned clinical trials, filing requirements with various regulatory agencies, clinical trial results, and the actual costs of manufacturing, supplying and commercializing product candidates and other factors outside of our control. The amounts and timing of our expenditures will depend upon numerous factors including the cost and results of our research and development efforts, the timing, cost and success of preclinical studies and any clinical trials we may commence in the future, the timing of regulatory submissions, our ability to obtain additional financing, the amount of cash obtained through future collaborations, if any, and any unforeseen cash needs.

The expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures and the extent of our preclinical, clinical and future development activities

 

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may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the factors listed above. As a result, we will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering.

Pending our use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation instruments, including short-term and long-term interest-bearing instruments, investment-grade securities and direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, general business conditions, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents, as well as our capitalization, as of June 30, 2021, on:

 

   

an actual basis;

 

   

a pro forma basis, which reflects (i) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of our common stock, as if such conversion occurred on June 30, 2021; and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation in Delaware that will become effective in connection with the completion of this offering; and

 

   

a pro forma as adjusted basis, which reflects (i) all adjustments included in the pro forma column and (ii) the sale of 8,333,500 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The pro forma as adjusted information presented is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this table together with our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

 

 

     AS OF JUNE 30, 2021  
     ACTUAL     PRO FORMA     PRO FORMA
AS
ADJUSTED(1)
 
     (in thousands, except share and per
share data)
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 97,586     $ 97,586     $ 210,038  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Preferred stock (Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock), $0.0001 par value per share: 33,701,081 shares authorized; 25,475,905 shares issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued, and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

   $ 141,181     $     $  

Stockholders’ (deficit) equity:

      

Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; 50,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

                  

Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share: 41,083,993 shares authorized, 2,054,555 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 27,530,460 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 35,863,960 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma as adjusted

           3       4  

Additional paid-in capital

     1,484       142,662       255,013  

Accumulated deficit

     (45,550     (45,550     (45,550
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

     (44,066     97,115       209,467  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 97,115     $ 97,115     $ 209,467  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(1)   Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by approximately $7.8 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of one million shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization by approximately $14.0 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The number of shares of our common stock, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted in the table above, is based on 27,530,460 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, assuming the conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering, and excludes the following:

 

   

4,090,315 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2018 Plan, as of June 30, 2021 (excluding options forfeited after such date), with a weighted-average exercise price of $2.35 per share;

 

   

608,688 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2018 Plan granted after June 30, 2021, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.63 per share;

 

   

4,395,080 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan (including 132,288 shares of common stock underlying options that will be granted to certain of our directors and an employee at the time of effectiveness of the 2021 Plan with an exercise price equal to the initial public offering price per share), which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans”; and

 

   

400,000 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The ESPP also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans.”

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

As of June 30, 2021, our historical net tangible book value (deficit) was $(44.9) million, or $(21.85) per share of common stock. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) represents our total tangible assets reduced by the amount of our total liabilities and preferred stock, which is not included within our stockholders’ equity (deficit). Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents historical net tangible book value (deficit) divided by 2,054,555 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021.

Our pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021, was $96.3 million, or $3.50 per share of common stock. Our pro forma net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets reduced by the amount of our total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, after giving effect to (i) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of our common stock, as if such conversion occurred on June 30, 2021; and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation in Delaware that will become effective in connection with the completion of this offering.

After giving further effect to our sale of 8,333,500 shares of common stock in this offering, at an assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2021 would have been $209.5 million, or $5.84 per share. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share of $2.34 to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution per share of $9.16 to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price. Dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering is determined by subtracting pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the assumed initial public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis to new investors:

 

 

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

     $ 15.00  

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of June 30, 2021

   $ (21.85  

Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to the pro forma adjustments described above

     25.35    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2021

     3.50    

Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to investor participating in this offering

     2.34    
  

 

 

   

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

       5.84  
    

 

 

 

Dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering

                              $ 9.16  
    

 

 

 

 

 

The pro forma as adjusted dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and will depend on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.22, and the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.78 per share, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase of one million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.22 and decrease the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.22, assuming the assumed initial public offering

 

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price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of one million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would decrease our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.23 and increase the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $0.23, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full at the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering would be $6.11 per share, and the dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering would be $8.89 per share, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis described above, as of June 30, 2021, (i) the number of shares of common stock purchased, or to be purchased, from us, (ii) the total consideration paid, or to be paid, to us, and (iii) the weighted-average price per share paid, or to be paid, in each case by our existing stockholders and by investors purchasing shares in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same, and before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us:

 

 

 

     SHARES PURCHASED     TOTAL CONSIDERATION     WEIGHTED-
AVERAGE
PRICE
PER SHARE
 
     NUMBER      PERCENT     AMOUNT      PERCENT  

Existing stockholders

     27,530,460        76.8   $ 121,497,949        49.3   $ 4.41  

Investors purchasing shares in this offering

     8,333,500        23.2       125,002,500        50.7       15.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

     35,863,960        100.0   $ 246,500,449        100.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

The table above assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock in this offering. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, the number of shares held by existing stockholders will be reduced to 74.2% of the total number of shares of common stock to be outstanding upon completion of this offering, and the number of shares of common stock held by investors participating in this offering will be increased to 25.8% of the total number of shares of common stock to be outstanding upon completion of the offering

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $15.00 per share would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $8.3 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase (decrease) of one million shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the total consideration paid by investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering by $15.0 million, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price, and before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The foregoing tables and calculations (other than the historical net tangible book value calculation), is based on 27,530,460 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2021, assuming the conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering, and excludes the following:

 

   

4,090,315 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2018 Plan, as of June 30, 2021 (excluding options forfeited after such date), with a weighted-average exercise price of $2.35 per share;

 

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608,688 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2018 Plan granted after June 30, 2021, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.63 per share;

 

   

4,395,080 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan (including 132,288 shares of common stock underlying options that will be granted to certain of our directors and an employee at the time of effectiveness of the 2021 Plan with an exercise price equal to the initial public offering price per share), which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The 2021 Plan also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans”; and

 

   

400,000 shares of common stock that will become available for future issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The ESPP also provides for automatic annual increases in the number of shares reserved thereunder, as more fully described in the section titled “Executive Compensation—Equity Plans.”

To the extent that any outstanding options are exercised or new options are issued under our equity benefit plans, or we issue additional shares of common stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our capital stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” for a discussion of forward-looking statements and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. Our development programs are designed to address drug resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes, which are mutated genes that cause cancer. Resistance mutations limit the efficacy of existing targeted therapies by rendering tumor cells unresponsive to drugs, and therefore present a critical challenge in cancer treatment today. Our initial focus is on developing the next generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, and is rooted in the critical role that tyrosine kinases play in the development of cancer. Despite the commercial success of approved TKIs, the development of drug resistance is a persistent limitation, narrowing the number of effective treatment options available to patients as they progress through subsequent lines of therapy.

Our goal is to develop “pan-variant” kinase inhibitors—inhibitors that target all major cancer causing and drug resistance mutations in clinically significant protein kinases. We believe that truly pan-variant inhibitors are required to effectively inhibit the heterogeneous mix of resistance mutations found in patients, and may also suppress the emergence of new mutations when used in earlier lines of therapy. To develop such inhibitors, we deploy our novel predictive resistance assay, or PRA, a highly differentiated cell-based method for testing TKIs that we believe is predictive for “pan-ness.”

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a pan-variant inhibitor of all major classes of activating and resistance mutations of the KIT kinase, or a pan-KIT inhibitor, for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, a type of cancer characterized by oncogenic activation of KIT. THE-630 is derived from intellectual property exclusively licensed to us by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or ARIAD. We have recently submitted an Investigational New Drug, or IND, application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for the evaluation of THE-630 in patients with advanced GIST whose disease has developed resistance to prior KIT-targeting therapies and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022.

Our second program is focused on next-generation inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, that are active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. We have developed a series of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors designed to inhibit the full range of single-, double- and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

Since our inception in December 2017, our operations have focused on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, establishing our intellectual property portfolio and performing research and development activities, including with respect to our pan-KIT and fourth generation EGFR inhibitor programs. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales. To date, we have financed our operations primarily with proceeds from sales of shares of our Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series A Preferred Stock, and Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series B

 

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Preferred Stock, which we refer to collectively as our Preferred Stock. From inception through June 30, 2021, we have raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $120 million through the sale and issuance of our Preferred Stock.

We have incurred significant operating losses since inception. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will depend heavily on the successful development and eventual commercialization of one or more product candidates. Our net losses for years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 were $7.2 million and $12.0 million, respectively. Our net losses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2021 were $7.7 million and $11.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $34.3 million and $45.6 million, respectively. We expect to continue to incur significant and increasing losses for the foreseeable future. We expect that our expenses and capital requirements will increase substantially in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly if and as we:

 

   

initiate clinical development of THE-630;

 

   

advance our fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program and other compounds we may develop in the future from discovery through preclinical development and clinical trials;

 

   

seek marketing approvals for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;

 

   

obtain, expand, maintain, defend and enforce our intellectual property portfolio;

 

   

hire additional clinical, regulatory and scientific personnel;

 

   

ultimately establish a sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any products for which we may obtain marketing approval;

 

   

establish agreements with contract research organizations, or CROs, and contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs; and

 

   

add operational, legal, compliance, financial and management information systems and personnel to support our research, product development and future commercialization efforts, as well as to support our operations as a public company.

Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from period to period, depending on the timing of expenditures related to our research and development activities.

We will not generate revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate. In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate and do not enter into a third-party commercialization partnership, we expect to incur significant expenses related to developing our commercialization capability to support product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution activities.

As a result, we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations and pursue our growth strategy. Until such time as we can generate significant revenue from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, which could include collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such arrangements when needed, on favorable terms, or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such agreements as, and when, needed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition, including requiring us to have to delay, reduce or eliminate product development or future commercialization efforts.

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with development of targeted oncology therapies, we are unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when or if we will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if we are able to generate product sales, we may not become profitable. We will need to generate significant revenue to achieve profitability, and we may never do so. If we fail to become profitable or are unable to sustain profitability on a continuing basis, then we may be unable to continue our operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or terminate our operations.

 

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As of June 30, 2021, we had $97.6 million in cash and cash equivalents. Based on our current operating plan, we believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenses into the second half of 2024. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could exhaust our available capital resources sooner than we expect. See section titled “—Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

Impact of COVID-19 on Our Business

The global coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, pandemic continues to evolve, and we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation. The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, operations and development timelines and plans remains uncertain, and will depend on certain developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak and its impact on our CMOs, CROs, and other third parties with whom we do business, as well as its impact on regulatory authorities and our key scientific and management personnel. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or a similar health epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. To the extent possible, we are conducting business as usual. We will continue to actively monitor the rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 and may take further actions that alter our operations, including those that may be required by federal, state or local authorities, or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees and other third parties with whom we do business. At this point, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may affect our business, operations and development timelines and plans, including the resulting impact on our expenditures and capital needs, remains uncertain and is subject to change.

Components of Our Results of Operations

Revenue

We have not generated any revenue since our inception and do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of products or from other sources in the near future, if at all. If our development efforts for our current product candidate, THE-630, or additional product candidates that we may develop in the future are successful and result in marketing approval or if we enter into collaboration or license agreements with third parties, we may generate revenue in the future from a combination of product sales or payments from such collaboration or license agreements.

Operating Expenses

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses account for a significant portion of our operating expenses and consist primarily of costs incurred in connection with the discovery and preclinical development of our potential development candidates, and include:

 

   

salaries, benefits, stock-based compensation and other related costs for individuals involved in research and development activities;

 

   

external research and development expenses incurred under agreements with CROs and consultants that conduct our preclinical studies and other scientific development services;

 

   

costs incurred under agreements with CMOs for manufacturing material for our preclinical studies and planned clinical trials; and

 

   

costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements.

We expense research and development costs as incurred. We recognize external development costs based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using information provided to us by our vendors or our estimate of the level of service that has been performed at each reporting date. Payments for these external development activities are based on the terms of the individual agreements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and are reflected in our financial statements as prepaid expenses or accrued expenses. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are deferred and capitalized, even when there is no alternative future use for the research and development. The capitalized amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed.

 

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A significant portion of our research and development costs have been external costs, which we track after a clinical product candidate has been identified. We utilize third party contractors for our research and development activities and CMOs for our manufacturing activities and we do not have our own laboratory or manufacturing facilities. Therefore, we have no material facilities expenses attributed to research and development. Our internal research and development costs are primarily personnel-related costs and other indirect costs.

Research and development activities are central to our business model. We expect that our research and development expenses will continue to increase for the foreseeable future as we initiate a clinical trial for our product candidate, THE-630, and continue to discover and develop additional product candidates, expand our headcount and maintain, expand and enforce our intellectual property portfolio. If any product candidates enter into later stages of clinical development, they will generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical trials. There are numerous factors associated with the successful development and commercialization of any product candidates we may develop in the future, including future trial design and various regulatory requirements, many of which cannot be determined with accuracy at this time based on our stage of development. Additionally, future commercial and regulatory factors beyond our control will impact our clinical development program and plans.

The successful development of our current product candidate, THE-630, or any product candidates we may develop in the future is highly uncertain. Therefore, we cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing and estimated costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete the development and commercialization of THE-630 and any other product candidates we may develop. We are also unable to predict when, if ever, material net cash inflows will commence from the sale of any current or future product candidate, if approved. This is due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development, including the uncertainty of:

 

   

the timing and progress of preclinical and clinical development activities;

 

   

the number and scope of preclinical and clinical programs we decide to pursue;

 

   

our ability to maintain our current research and development programs and to establish new programs;

 

   

successful patient enrollment in, and the initiation and completion of, clinical trials;

 

   

the successful completion of clinical trials with safety, tolerability and efficacy profiles that are satisfactory to the FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authority;

 

   

the timing, receipt and terms of any marketing approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;

 

   

our ability to establish new licensing or collaboration arrangements;

 

   

the performance of our future collaborators, if any;

 

   

our ability to establish arrangements with third-party manufacturers for the commercial supply of products that receive marketing approval, if any;

 

   

development and timely delivery of commercial-grade drug formulations that can be used in our planned clinical trials and for commercialization;

 

   

obtaining, maintaining, defending and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights;

 

   

commercializing product candidates, if approved, whether alone or in collaboration with others; and

 

   

maintaining a continued acceptable safety profile of the product candidates following approval.

Any changes in the outcome of any of these variables with respect to the development of THE-630 or any future product candidates in preclinical and clinical development could mean a significant change in the costs and timing associated with the development of these product candidates. For example, if the FDA or another regulatory authority were to delay our planned start of clinical trials or require us to conduct clinical trials or other testing beyond those that we currently expect, or if we experience significant delays in enrollment in any clinical trials following the FDA’s

 

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acceptance and clearance of an IND application, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time to complete clinical development than we currently expect. We may never obtain regulatory approval for any product candidates that we develop.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation expenses for personnel in executive, finance, accounting, human resources and other administrative functions. Other significant general and administrative expenses include legal fees relating to patent, intellectual property and corporate matters, and fees paid for accounting, consulting and other professional services, and expenses for rent, insurance and other operating costs.

We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as our business expands to support our continued research and development activities, including any future clinical trials. These increases will likely include increased costs related to the hiring of additional personnel and fees to outside consultants, among other expenses. We also anticipate increased expenses associated with being a public company, including costs for audit, legal, regulatory and tax-related services related to compliance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, listing standards applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange, director and officer insurance premiums and investor relations costs. In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for our current product candidate or any product candidates we may develop in the future and do not enter into a third-party commercialization collaboration, we expect to incur significant expenses related to building a sales and marketing team to support product sales, marketing and distribution activities.

Total Other Income (Expense), Net

Change in Fair Value of Preferred Stock Tranche Rights and Anti-dilution Right

Total other income (expense), net consists of fluctuations in the fair value of our Preferred Stock tranche rights and our anti-dilution right. The Preferred Stock tranche rights, or the Tranche Rights, relate to our obligation to issue, and investors’ obligation to purchase in three subsequent tranches, additional shares of our Series A Preferred Stock following the initial closing of our Series A Preferred Stock financing in June 2018. We issued shares of our Series A Preferred Stock in January 2020 and July 2020 pursuant to these rights. The final tranche was cancelled in December 2020 upon termination of the purchase agreement entered into in connection with the purchase and sale of the Series A Preferred Stock (as amended and restated), or the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. The Tranche Rights were classified as a liability on our balance sheet and initially recorded at fair value. The Tranche Rights were subsequently revalued until the tranches were settled, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other expense, net. Upon the purchase of the Tranche Right shares, the fair value of the related Tranche Right was recognized as Series A Preferred Stock. This obligation was fully satisfied in December 2020 when the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement was terminated.

The anti-dilution right, or Anti-dilution Right, relates to our obligation to issue additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock to ARIAD for no consideration upon the achievement of certain milestones set forth in the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. In accordance with the Anti-dilution Right, we issued ARIAD additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock in January 2020 and July 2020. We determined that the Anti-dilution Right was a freestanding financial instrument, and it was classified as an asset or liability on our balance sheets and initially recorded at fair value. The Anti-dilution Right was subsequently revalued until anti-dilution shares were issued or the Anti-dilution Right was terminated, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other expense, net. Upon issuance of the Anti-dilution shares, the fair value of the Anti-dilution Right was recognized as Series A Preferred Stock. This Anti-dilution Right was fully satisfied as of the termination of the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement in December 2020.

Other Income (Expense)

Other income (expense) primarily consists of interest income, which is earned on cash equivalents that generate interest on a monthly basis, and state and franchise taxes.

 

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Results of Operations

Comparison of the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2021

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,        
         2020             2021             CHANGE      

Operating expenses:

      

Research and development

   $ 2,194     $ 8,310     $ 6,116  

General and administrative

     325       2,993       2,668  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,519       11,303       8,784  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     2,519       11,303       8,784  

Other income (expense), net:

      

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

     (3,969           3,969  

Change in fair value of anti-dilution right

     (1,190           1,190  

Other income, net

           23       23  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (5,159     23       5,182  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280   $ 3,602  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Research and Development Expenses

The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,         
         2020              2021              CHANGE      

Pan-KIT inhibitor program (THE-630)

   $ 608      $ 5,033      $ 4,425  

Fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program

     649        450        (199

Salaries and other unallocated

     937        2,827        1,890  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 2,194      $ 8,310      $ 6,116  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development expenses increased by approximately $6.1 million from $2.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 to $8.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to the following:

 

   

a $4.4 million increase in costs related to the preclinical development of THE-630 as it progressed into the GLP toxicology phase;

 

   

a $1.9 million increase in salaries and other unallocated expenses, including stock-based compensation expense of $0.9 million and salary expense of $1.0 million, primarily due to an increase in headcount; and

 

   

a $0.2 million decrease in costs related to our fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program, primarily due to a decrease in CMO expenses.

 

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General and Administrative Expenses

The following table summarizes our general and administrative expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,         
         2020              2021              CHANGE      

Personnel-related expenses (including stock-based compensation)

   $ 58      $ 1,327      $ 1,269  

Facilities and supplies

     54        36        (18

Legal and professional fees

     203        1,408        1,205  

Other expenses

     10        222        212  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 325      $ 2,993      $ 2,668  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

General and administrative expenses increased by approximately $2.7 million from $0.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 to $3.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to the following:

 

   

a $1.3 million increase in personnel costs, including stock-based compensation expense of $0.6 million, recruiting expense of $0.4 million, and salary expense of $0.2 million, primarily due to an increase in headcount; and

 

   

a $1.2 million increase in professional fees, including legal and audit expenses.

Total Other Expense, Net

The change in total other income (expense) from $5.2 million of expense for the six months ended June 30, 2020 to $23,000 of income for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was almost entirely due to the remeasurement of the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right prior to the settlement of the rights through the issuance of the related Series A Preferred Stock and the termination of the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. In the six months ended June 30, 2020, we recognized a total of $5.2 million of expense relating to the remeasurement of these freestanding financial instruments. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, we recognized a total of $23,000 of interest income.

Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,        
         2019             2020             CHANGE      

Operating expenses:

      

Research and development

   $ 4,124     $ 5,958     $ 1,834  

General and administrative

     818       878       60  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     4,942       6,836       1,894  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     4,942       6,836       1,894  

Other income (expense), net:

      

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

     (1,613     (3,968     2,355  

Change in fair value of anti-dilution right

     (623     (1,190     567  

Other income (expense), net

     (5     (3     (2
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (2,241     (5,161     2,920  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997   $ 4,814  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Research and Development Expenses

The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         
         2019              2020              CHANGE      

Pan-KIT inhibitor program (THE-630)

   $ 718      $ 1,848      $ 1,130  

Fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program

     1,468        1,666        198  

Other terminated programs

     214               (214

Salaries and other unallocated

     1,724        2,444        720  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 4,124      $ 5,958      $ 1,834  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development expenses increased by approximately $1.8 million from $4.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 to $6.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to the following:

 

   

a $1.1 million increase in costs related to the preclinical development of THE-630 as it progressed into the GLP toxicology phase;

 

   

a $0.2 million increase in expenses related to our fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program, as we conducted and further progressed this program through preclinical studies;

 

   

a $0.7 million increase in salaries and other unallocated expenses, including a $0.6 million increase in stock-based compensation expense related to the increase in headcount in 2020 to support the advancement of our preclinical studies; and was offset by

 

   

a $0.2 million decrease in costs related to the winding down in 2019 of a program we ultimately terminated in 2020.

General and Administrative Expenses

The following table summarizes our general and administrative expenses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         
         2019              2020              CHANGE      

Personnel-related expenses (including stock-based compensation)

   $ 261      $ 410      $ 149  

Facilities and supplies

     125        83        (42

Legal and professional fees

     379        356        (23

Other expenses

     53        29        (24
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 818      $ 878      $ 60  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

General and administrative expenses increased by approximately $0.1 million from $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 to $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to the increase in stock-based compensation expense during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Total Other Expense, Net

The increase in total other expense, net from $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 to $5.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was almost entirely due to the remeasurement of the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right prior to the settlement of the rights through the issuance of the related Series A Preferred Stock and the termination of the Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. In 2020, we recognized a total of $5.2 million of expense for the remeasurement of these freestanding financial instruments, compared to $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

Since our inception, we have incurred significant losses in each period and on an aggregate basis. We have not yet commercialized any product candidates, and we do not expect to generate revenue from sales of any product candidates or from other sources for several years, if at all. As of June 30, 2021, we had $97.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, and we had an accumulated deficit of $45.6 million. We have funded our operations primarily with gross proceeds of $120 million from sales of our Preferred Stock through June 30, 2021.

Cash Flows

The following table provides information regarding our cash flows for each of the periods presented (in thousands):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
           2020                 2021                 2019                 2020        

Net cash used in operating activities

   $ (2,379   $ (11,958   $ (4,807   $ (4,852

Net cash provided by financing activities

     2,997       101,087       2,993       11,992  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) increase in cash

   $ 618     $ 89,129     $ (1,814   $ 7,140  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $2.4 million, and was primarily due to our net loss of $7.7 million, partially offset by the $4.0 million increase in fair value of the Tranche Rights, the $1.2 million increase in fair value of Anti-dilution right, and stock-based compensation expense of $0.2 million.

Net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was $12.0 million, and was primarily due to our net loss of $11.3 million, uses of cash for prepaid expenses and other current assets of $1.6 million and other assets of $1.9 million, partially offset by $1.5 million of stock-based compensation expense and a $1.1 million decrease in accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $4.8 million, and was primarily due to our net loss of $7.2 million, partially offset by non-cash charges, including the increase in the value of Tranche Rights of $1.6 million, the increase in fair value of the Anti-dilution Right of $0.6 million and stock-based compensation expense of $0.3 million.

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $4.9 million, and was primarily due to our net loss of $12.0 million, partially offset by the $4.0 million increase in the fair value of the Tranche Rights, the $1.2 million increase in fair value of the Anti-dilution Right and stock-based compensation expense of $1.1 million.

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $3.0 million, resulting entirely from proceeds received from the issuance and sale of shares of our Series A Preferred Stock, net of issuance costs.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was $101.1 million, resulting from proceeds of $99.9 million received from the issuance and sale of shares of our Series B Preferred Stock, net of issuance costs, and $1.4 million in proceeds from the early exercise of stock options, partially offset by the use of $0.2 million of cash for the payment of expenses related to this offering.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 was $3.0 million and $12.0 million, respectively, resulting entirely from proceeds received from the issuance and sale of shares of our Series A Preferred Stock, net of issuance costs.

 

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Funding Requirements

We expect our expenses to increase substantially in connection with our ongoing research and development activities, particularly as we continue research and development and advance THE-630 into a clinical trial and advance the preclinical development of our other programs. In addition, upon the closing of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company. As a result, we expect to incur substantial operating losses and negative operating cash flows for the foreseeable future.

Based on our current operating plan, we believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenses into the second half of 2024. However, we have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could exhaust our capital resources sooner than we expect.

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with research, development and commercialization of product candidates, we are unable to estimate the exact amount of our working capital requirements. Our future funding requirements will depend on, and could increase significantly as a result of, many factors, including:

 

   

the scope, timing, progress, results and costs of preclinical and clinical development activities;

 

   

the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of product candidates;

 

   

the costs of future activities, including product sales, medical affairs, marketing, manufacturing and distribution, for any product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

 

   

the costs of establishing and maintaining arrangements with third party manufacturers for the commercial supply of products that receive marketing approval, if any;

 

   

the revenue, if any, received from commercial sale of our products, should any product candidates receive marketing approval;

 

   

the cash requirements of any future acquisitions or discovery of product candidates;

 

   

the cost and timing of attracting, hiring and retaining skilled personnel to support our operations and continued growth;

 

   

the cost of implementing operational, financial and management systems;

 

   

the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims;

 

   

our ability to establish and maintain collaborations, strategic partnerships or marketing, distribution, licensing or other strategic arrangements with third parties on favorable terms, if at all;

 

   

the timing, receipt and amount of sales of, or milestone payments related to or royalties on, current or future product candidates, if any; and

 

   

the costs associated with operating as a public company.

A change in the outcome of any of these or other variables with respect to the development of our pan-KIT or EGFR inhibitor programs or any product or development candidate we may develop in the future could significantly change the costs and timing associated with our development plans. Further, our operating plans may change in the future, and we may need additional funds to meet operational needs and capital requirements associated with such operating plans. Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, which could include collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements. We currently have no credit facility or committed sources of capital. Adequate additional funds may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interests of our existing stockholders may be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other

 

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preferences that could adversely affect the rights of such stockholders. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include restrictive covenants that limit our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends, that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business.

If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research program or product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined under applicable SEC rules.

Contractual Obligations

We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any material contractual obligations, other than as described below. Refer to Note 7 in our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

License Agreement

We may incur contingent royalty payments that we are required to make under our license agreement with ARIAD, pursuant to which we have in-licensed certain intellectual property used to develop THE-630. Due to the uncertainty of the achievement and timing of the events requiring payment under our license agreement with ARIAD, the amounts to be paid by us are not fixed or determinable at this time. We are required to pay ARIAD royalties on all sales of licensed products, with such royalty percentages in the low- to mid-single digits of sales. We have not paid any royalties to date as we have no products commercially approved for sale. For additional information regarding the license agreement and royalties payable to ARIAD, see the section titled “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.”

Lease

On September 16, 2021, we entered into an agreement to lease 7,351 square feet of office space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is expected to serve as our headquarters. The lease term is seven years, with a one-time option right to extend the term five additional years, and is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. The annual base rent under the lease is approximately $0.8 million for the first year of the lease and is subject to annual increases of 3% thereafter over the initial seven-year lease term. We provided a security deposit in the form of a letter of credit in the amount of approximately $0.4 million upon signing, pursuant to the terms of the lease.

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

In connection with the audit of our financial statements as of and for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness related to a lack of appropriately designed and implemented controls over the financial reporting relating to the accounting for the timing of the recognition of purchases.

We have taken and are taking steps to remediate this material weakness through the hiring of additional qualified accounting and finance personnel to provide needed levels of expertise in our internal accounting function and to implement appropriate controls over the recognition of invoices. However, we are still in the process of implementing these steps and cannot assure you that these measures will significantly improve or remediate the material weakness described above. We have identified other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that have not

 

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risen to the level of a material weakness, which we are in the process of remediating. We expect to incur additional costs to remediate these control deficiencies, though there can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or avoid potential future material weaknesses.

See the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering—We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of the material weakness is not effective, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired, which could result in sanctions or other penalties that would harm our business and the trading price of our common stock may decline.”

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

This management’s discussion and analysis is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reported periods. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events, and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our judgments and estimates in light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience. The effects of material revisions in estimates, if any, will be reflected in the financial statements prospectively from the date of change in estimates.

While our accounting policies are described in more detail in the notes to our financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, we believe the following accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements require the most significant judgments and estimates. See Note 2 to our audited financial statements and Note 2 to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for a description of our other significant accounting policies.

Accrued Expenses

As part of the process of preparing our financial statements, we are required to estimate our accrued third-party research and development expenses as of each balance sheet date. This process involves reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with our personnel to identify services that have been performed on our behalf, and estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for the service when we have not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of the actual cost. The majority of our service providers invoice us monthly in arrears for services performed or when contractual milestones are met. We make estimates of our accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date based on facts and circumstances known to us at that time. We periodically confirm the accuracy of our estimates with the service providers and make adjustments if necessary. The significant estimates in our accrued research and development expenses include the costs incurred for services performed by our vendors in connection with research and development activities for which we have not yet been invoiced.

We base our expenses related to research and development activities on our estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to quotes and contracts with vendors that conduct research and development activities on our behalf. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. There may be instances in which payments made to our vendors will exceed the level of services provided and result in a prepayment of the research and development expense. In accruing service fees, we estimate the time period over which services will be performed and the level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from our estimate, we adjust the accrual or prepaid balance accordingly. Non-refundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are expensed when the activity has been performed or when the goods have been received rather than when the payment is made.

Although we do not expect our estimates to be materially different from amounts incurred, if our estimates of the status and timing of services performed differ from the actual status and timing of services performed, it could result in us reporting amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period. To date, there have been no material differences between our estimates of such expenses and the amounts incurred.

 

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Tranche Rights and Anti-dilution Rights

The initial fair value of the Tranche Rights recognized in connection with our issuance of our Series A Preferred Stock in June 2018 and the Anti-dilution Rights issued to ARIAD in June 2018 were determined based on significant inputs not observable in the market, which represent Level 3 measurements within the fair value hierarchy. The initial fair values of the obligations were estimated based on the results of valuations performed in connection with the initial issuance of our Series A Preferred Stock. These obligations were remeasured prior to the issuance of subsequent tranches and anti-dilution shares and at each subsequent reporting period. See Note 8 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for additional information regarding our issuances of Preferred Stock.

Each Tranche Right and Anti-dilution Right was valued as a forward contract. The values were determined using a probability-weighted present value calculation. In determining the fair values, estimates and assumptions impacting fair value included the future value of our Series A Preferred Stock, risk free interest rates, estimated years to liquidity and probability of each milestone being achieved. We determined the per share future value of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock by back-solving to the initial proceeds of the Series A Preferred Stock financing. We remeasured each Tranche Right and Anti-dilution Right at each reporting period and prior to settlement. The purchase price of the Series A Preferred Stock at initial issuance, and all subsequent issuances, was higher than the fair value of our common stock.

Stock-Based Compensation

We measure stock-based compensation based on the grant date fair value of the stock-based awards and recognize stock-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. For non-employee awards, compensation expense is recognized as the services are provided, which is generally ratably over the vesting period. We account for forfeitures as they occur. On January 1, 2018, we adopted, using the modified retroactive approach, the guidance of Accounting Standard Update, or ASU, 2018-07, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718) — Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, and account for awards to non-employees using the grant date fair value without subsequent periodic remeasurement. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have a material effect on our financial statements.

We classify stock-based compensation expense in our statements of operations in the same manner in which the award recipient’s salary and related costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified. In future periods, we expect stock-based compensation expense to increase, due in part to our existing unrecognized stock-based compensation expense and as we grant additional stock-based awards to continue to attract and retain our employees.

We determine the fair value of restricted common stock awards granted based on the fair value of our common stock. We determine the fair value of the underlying common stock based on input from management and the board of directors, utilizing the valuation of our company’s enterprise value determined utilizing various methods including the back-solve method. The total enterprise value, determined from the back-solve method, was then allocated to the various outstanding equity instruments, including the underlying common stock, utilizing the OPM or a hybrid of the probability-weighted expected return method, or PWERM, and the OPM.

The fair value of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and our expected dividend yield. As there is currently no public market for our common stock, we determined the volatility for awards granted based on an analysis of reported data for a group of guideline companies that issued options with substantially similar terms. The expected volatility has been determined using a weighted-average of the historical volatility measures of this group of guideline companies. We expect to estimate expected volatility based on the group of guideline companies until we have adequate historical data regarding the volatility of our own traded stock price. The expected term of our stock options granted to employees and non-employees has been determined utilizing the “simplified” method for awards that qualify as “plain-vanilla” options. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods

 

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approximately equal to the expected term of the award. We have not paid, and do not anticipate paying, dividends on our common stock; therefore, the expected dividend yield is assumed to be zero.

As there has been no public market for our common stock to date, the estimated fair value of our common stock has been approved by our board of directors, with input from management, as of the date of each award grant, considering our most recently available independent third-party valuations of common stock and any additional objective and subjective factors that we believed were relevant and which may have changed from the date of the most recent valuation through the date of each award grant. The independent third-party valuations were performed in accordance with the guidance outlined in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Accounting and Valuation Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation. We estimated the value of our equity using the market approach and a precedent transaction method which “back-solves” the equity value that yields a specific value for our Series A Preferred Stock. We allocated the equity value to our common stock and shares of our preferred stock using either an OPM or a hybrid method, which is a hybrid between the OPM and the PWERM. The hybrid method we utilized estimates the probability-weighted value across multiple scenarios, but uses the OPM to estimate the allocation of value within at least one of the scenarios. In addition to the OPM, the hybrid method considers an IPO scenario in which the shares of convertible preferred stock are assumed to convert to common stock. The future value of the common stock in the IPO scenario is discounted back to the valuation date at an appropriate risk adjusted discount rate. In the hybrid method, the present value indicated for each scenario is probability weighted to arrive at an indication of value for the common stock.

In addition to considering the results of the valuations, management considered various objective and subjective factors to determine the fair value of our common stock as of each grant date, which may be a date later than the most recent third-party valuation date, including:

 

   

the prices of our preferred securities sold to or exchanged between outside investors in arm’s length transactions, if any, and the rights, preferences and privileges of our preferred securities as compared to those of our common stock, including the liquidation preferences of our preferred securities;

 

   

the progress of our research and development efforts, including the status of preclinical studies;

 

   

the lack of liquidity of our equity as a private company;

 

   

our stage of development and business strategy and the material risks related to our business and industry;

 

   

the achievement of enterprise milestones;

 

   

the valuation of publicly traded companies in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors, as well as recently completed mergers and acquisitions of peer companies;

 

   

any external market conditions affecting the biotechnology industry, and trends within the biotechnology industry;

 

   

the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event for the holders of our preferred shares and common stock, such as an IPO, or a sale of our company, given prevailing market conditions; and

 

   

the analysis of IPOs and the market performance of similar companies in the biopharmaceutical industry.

There are significant judgments and estimates inherent in these valuations. These judgments and estimates include assumptions regarding our future operating performance, the stage of development of our programs, the timing of a potential IPO or other liquidity event and the determination of the appropriate valuation methodology at each valuation date. The assumptions underlying these valuations represent management’s best estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management judgment. As a result, if factors or expected outcomes change and we use significantly different assumptions or estimates, our stock-based compensation expense could be materially different. Following the completion of this offering, the fair value of our common stock will be determined based on the quoted market price of our common stock.

 

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The following table sets forth by grant date, the number of shares underlying stock options granted and the per share exercise price of stock options granted between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. We did not grant any shares of restricted common stock during this period.

 

 

 

GRANT DATE

   NUMBER OF SHARES OF
COMMON STOCK
SUBJECT
TO OPTIONS GRANTED
    EXERCISE
PRICE PER
COMMON
SHARE
     FAIR VALUE PER
COMMON SHARE AT
GRANT DATE (1)
     ESTIMATED
PER-SHARE
FAIR VALUE  OF
OPTIONS(2)
 

December 24, 2020

     1,852,141     $ 0.32      $ 3.86      $ 3.68  

March 23, 2021

     182,812       4.03        5.68        4.13  

April 23, 2021

     1,395,745 (3)      4.03        5.68        4.28  

May 27, 2021

     909,052       4.03        5.68        4.23  

June 5, 2021

     99,634       4.03        5.68        4.15  

 

 

(1)   At the time of the option grants on December 24, 2020, our board of directors determined that the fair value of our common stock of $0.32 per share calculated in the contemporaneous valuation as of December 24, 2020 reasonably reflected the per share fair value of our common stock as of the grant date. At the time of each subsequent option grant from March 23, 2021 through June 30, 2021, our board of directors determined that the fair value of our common stock of $4.03 per share calculated in the valuation as of March 23, 2021 reasonably reflected the per share fair value of our common stock as of each grant date. However, as described below, the fair value of our common stock at the date of the option grants was adjusted to $3.86 and $5.68 at December 24, 2020 and at all subsequent grant dates through June 30, 2021, respectively, in conjunction with the retrospective fair value assessment for accounting purposes.
(2)   The per-share estimated fair value of options reflects the weighted average fair value of options granted on each grant date, determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.
(3)   Subsequent to the April 23, 2021 grant of 1,395,745 options, 345,930 options to purchase common stock were early exercised on June 4, 2021, and are treated as unvested restricted stock and 3,139 options to purchase common stock were forfeited.

In preparing for the issuance of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, we performed a retrospective fair value assessment and concluded that the fair value of our common stock underlying stock options that we granted on December 24, 2020, with an exercise price of $0.32 per share, was $3.86 per share for accounting purposes. That value of $3.86 per share, which we applied to determine the per share estimated fair value of the December 24, 2020 awards for accounting purposes, was based upon our board of directors’ determination of the fair value of our common stock as of December 24, 2020.

The retrospective fair value assessment was updated for subsequent grants, and we concluded that the fair value of our common stock underlying stock options that we granted from March 23, 2021 through June 30, 2021, with an exercise price of $4.03 per share, was $5.68 per share for accounting purposes. That value of $5.68 per share, which we applied to determine the per share estimated fair value of the awards for accounting purposes, was based upon our board of directors’ determination of the fair value of our common stock as of March 23, 2021. Such fair value was utilized for all subsequent option grants through June 30, 2021.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks

Our primary exposure to market risk is interest rate sensitivity, which is affected by changes in the general level of U.S. interest rates, particularly because our cash equivalents are in the form of money market funds that are invested in U.S. Treasury securities. As of December 31, 2020, we did not hold any cash equivalents. However, subsequent to December 31, 2020 we invested in money market funds and therefore hold cash equivalents as of June 30, 2021 of $96.3 million. Interest income is sensitive to changes in the general level of interest rates; however, due to the nature of these investments, an immediate 10% change in interest rates would not have a material effect on the fair market value of our investment portfolio.

Our expenses are generally denominated in U.S. dollars. We are not currently exposed to significant market risk related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates; however, we have contracted with and may continue to contract with certain foreign vendors that are located in Europe and Asia. We are subject to foreign currency transaction gains or losses on our contracts denominated in foreign currencies. To date these gains and losses have not been material to our financial statements. A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in exchange rates during any of the periods presented would not have had a material impact on our financial results. Our operations may be subject to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates in the future.

 

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Inflation generally affects us by increasing our cost of labor and research and development contracts. We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our financial results during the periods presented.

Emerging Growth Company Status

In April 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, was enacted. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” may take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Therefore, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected to avail ourselves of this extended transition period and, as a result, we will not be required to adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies.

In addition, as an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:

 

   

reduced disclosure about the compensation paid to our executive officers;

 

   

not being required to submit to our stockholders’ advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements;

 

   

an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; and

 

   

an exemption from compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requiring mandatory audit firm rotation.

We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company on the date that is the earliest of (1) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (2) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (3) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (4) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

We have reviewed all recently issued accounting pronouncements and have determined that, other than as disclosed in Note 2 to our audited financial statements and our unaudited condensed financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, such standards will not have a material impact on our financial statements or do not otherwise apply to our operations.

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. Our development programs are designed to address drug resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes, which are mutated genes that cause cancer. Resistance mutations limit the efficacy of existing targeted therapies by rendering tumor cells unresponsive to drugs, and therefore present a critical challenge in cancer treatment today. Our initial focus is on developing the next generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, and is rooted in the critical role that tyrosine kinases play in the development of cancer. Despite the commercial success of approved TKIs, the development of drug resistance is a persistent limitation, narrowing the number of effective treatment options available to patients as they progress through subsequent lines of therapy.

Our goal is to develop “pan-variant” kinase inhibitors—inhibitors that target all major cancer causing and drug resistance mutations in clinically significant protein kinases. We believe that truly pan-variant inhibitors are required to effectively inhibit the heterogeneous mix of resistance mutations found in patients, and may also suppress the emergence of new mutations when used in earlier lines of therapy. To develop such inhibitors, we deploy our novel predictive resistance assay, or PRA, a highly differentiated cell-based method for testing TKIs that we believe is predictive for “pan-ness.”

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a pan-variant inhibitor of all major classes of activating and resistance mutations of the KIT kinase, or a pan-KIT inhibitor, for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST, a type of cancer characterized by oncogenic activation of KIT. THE-630 is derived from intellectual property exclusively licensed to us by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or ARIAD. We have recently submitted an Investigational New Drug, or IND, application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for the evaluation of THE-630 in patients with advanced GIST whose disease has developed resistance to prior KIT-targeting therapies and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022.

Our second program is focused on next-generation inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, that are active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. We have developed a series of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors designed to inhibit the full range of single-, double- and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

Our differentiated approach to addressing drug resistance is built on three strategic pillars: (1) targeting clinically-validated oncogenic drivers that have a clear unmet need; (2) integrating structure-guided drug design with our predictive screening methodologies, including our PRA; and (3) pursuing translationally-driven, biomarker-guided clinical development strategies. We believe our research and development approach, honed over years of our management team’s experience in developing approved therapeutics at ARIAD positions us well to develop a pipeline of drugs to address the challenges posed by resistance mutations.

Our Pipeline

Our current programs, targeting KIT (THE-630) and EGFR, focus on developing next-generation TKIs that address the key limitation of drug resistance. In addition, we are evaluating several potential targets and intend to select one or more as our next program(s) in 2022.

 

LOGO

 

*

We hold a worldwide exclusive license to THE-630 in our therapeutic area of focus through the ARIAD License Agreement, as defined and described in the section titled “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.”

 

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Pan-KIT Inhibitor Program—THE-630

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a pan-KIT inhibitor for the treatment of patients with advanced GIST. The worldwide annual incidence of GIST is estimated to be between 11 and 19.6 cases per million people. Current estimates for the total number of GIST cases diagnosed each year in the United States range from approximately 4,000 to 6,000. Prevalence is estimated to be 13.5 to 15.5 cases per 100,000 people, and therefore approximately 48,000 patients are estimated to be living with GIST in the United States each year. Front-line intervention is surgical removal of cancerous tissue when possible. In cases where the tumor has spread and/or surgery cannot be performed, the TKI imatinib is often used as first-line therapy. However, most patients receiving imatinib relapse and subsequent lines of therapy are less effective.

THE-630 is a novel small molecule inhibitor that has been designed to block activity of all major classes of activating and resistance mutations of KIT that drive GIST. Existing TKIs are limited by the emergence of resistance mutations, as clinical data have demonstrated their inability to inhibit disease progression as these mutations arise in tumor cell populations. THE-630 is a pan-KIT inhibitor for GIST, with potent activity demonstrated in cellular assays and strong anti-tumor activity in animal models against both activating and resistance mutations. We believe THE-630, if approved, has the potential to be a next-generation KIT inhibitor based on its promising inhibitory profile and favorable drug-like properties, as well as its ability to achieve predicted pan-KIT inhibitory blood concentrations at tolerable doses in preclinical safety studies.

We have recently submitted an IND for THE-630 with the FDA and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with previously-treated GIST between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022. Our initial registration strategy will focus on GIST patients who have already received four prior lines of therapy, or fifth-line GIST, where there is currently no available therapy and therefore a significant unmet medical need. Given its broad mutational coverage as a pan-KIT inhibitor, we also plan to evaluate THE-630 in GIST patients who have already received one prior line of therapy, or second-line GIST. Based on the preclinical profile, we believe THE-630 has the potential to deliver meaningful clinical benefit over the currently available standard of care.

Fourth-Generation EGFR Inhibitor Development Program

We are developing a next-generation EGFR inhibitor that is active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with NSCLC. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer with approximately 10% to 50% of NSCLC tumors driven by activating mutations in EGFR, depending on geographic region. Treatment of EGFR-mutant metastatic NSCLC patients with first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs, such as erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and dacomitinib, substantively improved outcomes for patients compared to chemotherapy. However, resistance eventually develops in most patients, leading to disease progression, with about half of patients’ tumors developing the T790M EGFR mutation. Osimertinib, a third-generation TKI, was initially developed to treat T790M positive disease in patients progressing on a first- or second-generation TKI. Subsequently, it was approved in the first-line setting where it improved progression-free and overall survival compared to earlier-generation inhibitors. However, most patients receiving treatment eventually progress. A subset of patients on osimertinib, either in first- or later-line therapy, will still progress due to further EGFR resistance mutations, with C797S being the most common of such mutations. A significant unmet medical need remains for patients with this subset of EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

To address this problem of on-target resistance, we have developed a series of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors, designed to inhibit the full range of single-, double- and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

Our History and Team

Our management and leadership are composed of individuals with extensive experience in the discovery, development and commercialization of cancer therapeutics and specifically in developing TKIs for activating and resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes. Many members of our leadership team worked together for over twenty years at ARIAD, a global commercial-stage oncology company that was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or Takeda, in 2017. At ARIAD, members of our management team discovered and developed five clinical-

 

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stage product candidates, including ICLUSIG (ponatinib), a TKI approved for patients with treatment-resistant Philadelphia-positive leukemias; ALUNBRIG (brigatinib), a TKI approved for ALK-positive NSCLC; and EXKIVITY (mobocertinib), a TKI approved for EGFR Exon 20 insertion-positive NSCLC.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Clackson, Ph.D., most recently served as President and Chief Technology Officer at Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. Previously, Dr. Clackson was President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at ARIAD. William Shakespeare, Ph.D., our President of Research and Development, was formerly Vice President of Drug Discovery at ARIAD. Victor Rivera, Ph.D., our Chief Scientific Officer, was formerly Vice President, Preclinical and Translational Research, at ARIAD. David Dalgarno, D. Phil., our Chief Technology Officer, was formerly Vice President of Research Technologies at ARIAD. Wei-Sheng Huang, Ph.D., our Vice President of Chemistry, was previously Director of Chemistry at ARIAD. David Kerstein, M.D., our Chief Medical Officer, was most recently the Chief Medical Officer at Anchiano Therapeutics Ltd. (now Chemomab Ltd.) and was previously the Senior Medical Director at ARIAD and Takeda. Our Chief Financial Officer, Bradford Dahms, was formerly the Chief Financial Officer at Selecta Biosciences Inc.

As of June 30, 2021, we have raised approximately $120 million, including the issuance of approximately $100 million of our Series B Preferred Stock in February 2021. Our investors include OrbiMed and Foresite Capital, as well as other leading institutional investors.

Our Strategy

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. Our development programs are designed to address drug resistance mutations in key driver oncogenes, which are mutated genes that cause cancer. The key elements of our strategy to achieve our mission are:

 

   

Advance the development of our lead product candidate, THE-630, for GIST patients. We designed THE-630 as a differentiated TKI for the treatment of patients with previously-treated GIST. We believe that the broad inhibitory profile of THE-630 against all major classes of activating and resistance mutations in KIT has the potential to generate robust and durable responses for advanced GIST patients across the spectrum of previously-treated patient populations. We have recently submitted an IND with the FDA for THE-630 and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with previously-treated GIST between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022. Our initial registration strategy will focus on fifth-line GIST, where there is currently no available therapy and therefore a significant unmet medical need. Given its broad mutational coverage as a pan-KIT inhibitor, we also plan to evaluate THE-630 in second-line GIST. Based on the preclinical profile, we believe THE-630 has the potential to deliver meaningful clinical benefits over the currently available standard of care.

 

   

Advance our fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor program for NSCLC patients. We have developed a series of TKIs that inhibit the full range of single-, double-, and triple-mutant variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed resistance to osimertinib in first- or later-line therapy, including the C797S mutation. We believe that the broad EGFR mutation coverage and selectivity of these fourth-generation EGFR TKIs has the potential to improve patient outcomes in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, including those who have progressed on osimertinib. We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

 

   

Leverage our differentiated research and discovery approach to expand our pipeline. Mutational resistance has the potential to affect the therapeutic utility of a broad range of existing oncology therapies. Our structure-guided drug design approach, integrated with our PRA, allows us to efficiently design and validate novel inhibitors that target all major activating and resistance mutations. We are currently evaluating several potential targets and intend to select one or more as our next program(s) in 2022. We will initially focus on discovering additional kinase inhibitors, and we also plan to explore additional oncogenic driver targets. In addition to our in-house research, we may evaluate in-licensing opportunities that could be synergistic with our pipeline.

 

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Build a leading, fully integrated precision oncology company to maximize the clinical impact and value of our pipeline. We believe the targeted nature of our research and discovery approach allows for efficient and focused clinical development. We are building a lean, experienced team to rapidly advance product candidates in a capital-efficient manner. We intend to retain the commercialization rights to product candidates; however, we may opportunistically enter into strategic collaborations in certain geographic or clinical settings to maximize the value of our pipeline.

Our Research and Discovery Approach

Our approach to drug discovery is characterized by the identification of therapeutic solutions responsive to resistance mutations in certain cancers with clear unmet need. Our drug discovery approach is built on three pillars:

 

   

Clinically validated targets with clear unmet need. We are focused exclusively on well validated targets that are directly linked to the proliferation and survival of a tumor, known as driver oncogenes, for which the clinical activity of TKI therapies has already been established, and where there is a clear unmet need. We believe this approach can allow us to more reliably identify targets for our programs since data in patients have shown that successful inhibition of these targets will typically have the intended biological effect. We further focus on targets where there is documented observation of resistance mutations, no pan-variant TKI available to patients and lack of further treatment options for patients that have failed existing standard of care. These settings have a clear unmet need with a strong rationale for the development of a pan-variant inhibitor.

 

   

Structure-guided drug design integrated with predictive screening methodologies. We design small molecule inhibitors based on deep structural knowledge of our targets and candidate molecules at the molecular level. We acquire high-resolution, atom-level structural maps of activated and mutated target proteins using techniques such as X-ray crystallography, and we supplement these with computational modeling to understand the precise changes induced by mutations. We use these approaches to guide iterative rounds of synthesis and testing of molecules. This allows us to design novel small molecule inhibitors that target all major activating and resistance mutations. To test these molecules, we deploy our PRA, a novel screening and characterization approach that incorporates two critical human serum proteins that can affect drug activity. We believe our PRA is a highly differentiated cell-based method for testing small molecule TKIs under conditions that mimic the physiological setting and that it is predictive for “pan-ness,” the ability to inhibit all major classes of activating and resistance mutations. By comparing TKI inhibitory values in this assay to achievable human blood levels of TKIs, our approach allows us to select TKIs for clinical testing that we believe have the potential to perform best in cancer patients, irrespective of mutational status. As such, although to date our PRA has not been clinically validated, we believe it allows us to apply our drug discovery expertise in selecting small molecule inhibitors that have the optimal properties for further development and testing.

 

   

Translationally-driven, biomarker-guided clinical development. We design clinical development programs that are intended to supply rich biomarker datasets to provide us with an early assessment of activity against individual mutant variants. By monitoring mutational status of patients before and during treatment, we aim to validate the inhibition of individual mutant forms of the target protein, then correlate this with overall clinical response. We believe this will provide us with insights of potential clinical pan-inhibitory activity and inform our investment decisions given that the process of clinical development is inherently uncertain.

Background: The Power and the Limitations of Targeting Kinases in Cancer

Cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases that are associated with dysregulated cell replication, which is often driven by mutations in critical genes, such as those coding for kinases, that regulate cellular growth, survival and proliferation. Targeting protein kinases has proven effective for many patients with cancer because these enzymes play a powerful role in driving tumor growth and proliferation while remaining vulnerable to therapeutic inhibition. Kinases are enzymes that transfer a phosphate group, thereby activating proteins. When kinases acquire certain mutations they become activated, causing diverse cellular anomalies and potentially cancer initiation and growth.

In 2001, the FDA approved the first kinase inhibitor, imatinib, which was marketed initially by Novartis AG as Gleevec. Imatinib is an inhibitor of at least ten different kinases, including the KIT kinase, and was initially

 

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developed for the treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Subsequently its label expanded to solid tumor indications, including GIST. There are more than 50 TKIs approved in the United States for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases. The worldwide sales of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in oncology were reported to be approximately $23 billion in 2020 and are estimated to grow to more than $40 billion by 2026.

Protein kinases are important targets for drug development because of their pivotal role in causing cancer. The growth factor pathways driven by these kinases are a common source of tumor initiation and growth because growth factor signaling often drives cell proliferation while also triggering cell survival signals. One family of well-known growth factors signals through kinase domains located in the cytoplasmic domain of the protein. Receptor tyrosine kinases, or RTKs, normally signal when bound by a natural binding partner, usually another protein. For example, the soluble protein epidermal growth factor binds and signals through the epidermal growth factor receptor, a prototypical RTK that is targeted by multiple therapeutics.

The kinase domain of an RTK functions by passing along the growth signal by phosphorylating, that is adding a phosphate group to, a variety of downstream targets. Because activated RTKs stimulate cell growth, aberrant activation of RTKs, often through mutational acquisition, is a hallmark of many types of cancer. The activating mutations cause the kind of deleterious effects that are well-known in cancer cells: dysregulated, continuously active signaling to downstream targets leading to uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Many classes of approved drugs, including TKIs, have been designed to inhibit RTKs that have activating mutations.

Despite the broad success of approved TKIs, their therapeutic potential in cancer can be limited by two key factors: the development of drug resistance; and poor selectivity characteristics that cause off-target toxicities and poor tolerability, which often lead to dose limitation and incomplete target coverage. The development of resistance in particular is a hallmark of many targeted therapies. Frequently, mutations occur in the target itself that reduce the binding affinity of the drug. We believe this on-target resistance could be addressed by a new generation of TKIs that retain the ability to inhibit the mutated target more effectively.

Our Pan-KIT Inhibitor Program: THE-630

Summary Overview

Our lead product candidate, THE-630, is a next-generation KIT inhibitor for the treatment of patients with advanced GIST. The worldwide annual incidence of GIST is estimated to be between 11 and 19.6 cases per million people. Current estimates for the total number of GIST cases diagnosed each year in the United States range from approximately 4,000 to 6,000. Prevalence is estimated to be 13.5 to 15.5 cases per 100,000 people, and therefore approximately 48,000 patients are estimated to be living with GIST in the United States each year. Approximately 80% are driven by activating mutations in the KIT kinase. Front line intervention is surgical removal of cancerous tissue when possible. In cases where the tumor has spread and/or surgery cannot be performed, the TKI imatinib is often used as first-line therapy. Most patients receiving imatinib relapse, often with multiple KIT kinase resistance mutations, and subsequent lines of therapy are typically less effective, meaning that all patients who relapse are expected to ultimately succumb to their cancer. Therefore, a significant unmet need exists for GIST patients with KIT resistance mutations.

THE-630 is a novel small molecule inhibitor that blocks activity of all major classes of KIT activating and resistance mutations that drive GIST. Existing TKIs are limited by the emergence of resistance mutations, as clinical data have demonstrated their inability to inhibit disease progression as these mutations arise in tumor cell populations. THE-630 is a pan-KIT inhibitor for GIST, with potent activity demonstrated in cellular assays and strong anti-tumor activity in animal models against both activating and resistance mutations. We believe THE-630, if approved, has the potential to be a next-generation KIT inhibitor based on its promising inhibitory profile and favorable drug-like properties, as well as its ability to achieve predicted pan-KIT inhibitory blood concentrations at tolerable doses in preclinical safety studies.

We have recently submitted an IND with the FDA and, if cleared by the FDA, we plan to initiate a phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with previously-treated GIST between late fourth quarter 2021 and mid-first quarter 2022. Assuming positive clinical data and subject to discussions with the FDA, our initial focus will be on commencing a registrational trial in relapsed and refractory GIST patients where there are currently no treatment options, to be followed shortly thereafter by the commencement of a concurrent registrational trial for earlier lines of treatment.

 

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Overview of GIST and KIT Mutations

GIST is the most common tumor of the gastrointestinal tract and presents most often in the stomach or small intestine. In adult GIST patients, approximately 95% of tumors overexpress the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT, while approximately 80% have KIT gene mutations that activate the KIT receptor. In normal cells, KIT RTK activity is regulated by binding of the endogenous ligand for the receptor. Activation of the KIT kinase caused by mutations leads to uncontrolled cancer cell growth, leading to tumor formation. As shown in Figure 1 below, there are two major classes of activating mutations in KIT that occur in different exons of the gene:

 

   

KIT exon 11 activating mutations occur in approximately 70% of newly diagnosed GIST patients. These mutations are located in an intracellular domain of the receptor that usually has an inhibitory effect on kinase activation, thereby interfering with this normal inhibitory function.

 

   

KIT exon 9 activating mutations occur in approximately 10% of newly diagnosed GIST patients. These mutations affect an extracellular domain, which results in ligand-independent KIT activation.

Successful targeting of KIT activating mutations by existing KIT inhibitors almost always leads to the emergence of one or more additional mutations, at separate sites in the protein, that make the tumor resistant to the inhibitor. As shown in Figure 1 below, there are also two major classes of resistance mutations that occur in different exons of the gene:

 

   

KIT exon 13 and exon 14 resistance mutations are seen in approximately 40% of GIST patients who develop resistance to imatinib. These mutations occur in a region of the protein known as the ATP-binding pocket and block, or reduce, the ability of inhibitors to bind and impede kinase activity.

 

   

KIT exon 17 and exon 18 resistance mutations are also seen in approximately 40% of GIST patients who develop resistance to imatinib. These mutations occur in a region of the protein known as the activation loop and block, or reduce, the ability of inhibitors to bind and impede kinase activity.

 

LOGO

Figure 1. The major classes of activating mutations in the KIT gene in GIST patients are found in exons 9 and 11 and the major classes of resistance mutations in the KIT gene in GIST patients are found in exons 13/14 and 17/18.

 

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Market Opportunity in GIST

The worldwide annual incidence of GIST is estimated to be between 11 and 19.6 cases per million people. Current estimates for the total number of GIST cases diagnosed each year in the United States range from approximately 4,000 to 6,000. Prevalence is estimated to be 13.5 to 15.5 cases per 100,000 people, and therefore approximately 48,000 patients are estimated to be living with GIST in the United States each year. GIST is typically found in patients above the age of 50. We estimate that the annual addressable population for first- and second-line unresectable or metastatic GIST in the United States is approximately 3,200 and 2,200 patients, respectively. In the United States, the five-year survival rate is 83% for patients diagnosed with any stage of GIST and 55% for those patients diagnosed with distant metastases.

Current Treatment Paradigm in GIST

Patients diagnosed with localized GIST will typically undergo surgery to remove their tumor lesions, and those at high risk of recurrence may then receive post-operative imatinib as adjuvant therapy. Patients who present with metastatic disease at diagnosis or those who are not eligible to undergo surgical resection have several systemic treatment options at different lines of therapy. As summarized in Figure 2 below, the majority of patients receiving imatinib therapy will experience tumor progression and then progress relatively rapidly on second-, third-, and fourth-line treatments, successively. Patient outcomes are substantially worse following imatinib failure, with response rates of less than 10% for each successive line of therapy.

 

 

 

LINE

  

THERAPY

  

ORR

  

MEDIAN PFS

First-line

          lmatinib    51.4%    18.9 months

Second-line

         Sunitinib       6.8%      5.5 months

Third-line

   Regorafenib       4.5%      4.8 months

Fourth-line

        Ripretinib       9.4%      6.3 months

 

 

Figure 2. Response rate and progression-free survival, or PFS, in successive lines of KIT-targeting therapies. Overall response rate, or ORR, includes all patients who had a 30% or greater reduction in tumor size. PFS is the length of time after initiation of treatment that a patient lives with the cancer but it does not get worse.

Limitations of Current Treatment Options and Unmet Medical Need in GIST

Despite the availability of multiple TKIs as treatment options across various lines of disease, the five-year overall survival rate of patients with unresectable or metastatic GIST is less than 60%.

The clinical benefits of second-line sunitinib and third-line regorafenib are limited: reported median PFS is six months or less in each case, and dose reductions and dose interruptions due to toxicity are commonly reported. Ripretinib has a similarly low median PFS of approximately six months in patients who have relapsed following treatment with imatinib, sunitinib and regorafenib.

Disease progression is most often driven by mutations in KIT that create resistance to the currently approved KIT targeting therapies. Such resistance mutations are found in up to 90% of tumors after imatinib failure. The resistance mutations are mainly found in two regions of the kinase domain: the ATP-binding pocket encoded within exons 13 and 14 and the activation loop encoded within exons 17 and 18.

In addition, the heterogeneity of tumor cell populations complicates the treatment of resistant GIST. Patients frequently have multiple subclones of their cancer, each with a different resistance mutation in KIT. As a result, the treatment with a TKI that only inhibits some of the resistance mutations, and therefore growth of only some of the tumor cells, will likely result in rapid outgrowth of unaffected subclones and overall disease progression.

Imatinib and sunitinib have activity against the activating mutations in exons 9 and 11, although potency against exon 9 mutations is reported to be lower for imatinib. Imatinib has relatively weak activity against resistance mutations in both the ATP-binding pocket and the activation loop, located in exons 13, 14, 17 and 18. Sunitinib is active against imatinib-resistant GIST subclones with resistance mutations in exons 13 and 14 that encode the

 

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ATP-binding pocket, including the common V654A mutation. However, it has poor activity against subclones with KIT activation loop mutations encoded by exons 17 and 18. Compared to sunitinib, regorafenib has somewhat more potent activity against activation loop mutations, but is less potent against ATP-binding pocket mutations. In the fourth-line setting, ripretinib yielded a low response rate and clinical benefit was relatively limited, with half of ripretinib-treated patients in a phase 3 clinical trial experiencing progression within the first six months of treatment. Furthermore, in preclinical studies, ripretinib reportedly showed relatively low potency against ATP-binding-pocket mutations.

The toxicity profile of some of these therapies also significantly limits their utility in treating patients with advanced GIST. In particular, sunitinib and regorafenib are multi-kinase inhibitors that are associated with more toxicity than imatinib, with side effects including severe hand-foot syndrome, thrombocytopenia, thyroid dysfunction and liver enzyme elevation.

Our Solution: THE-630, a Pan-KIT Inhibitor

THE-630 is a pan-KIT inhibitor designed to address the limitations of previous generations of TKIs. We designed THE-630 to have potent activity against both major classes of activating KIT mutations (exons 9 and 11), and both major classes of KIT resistance mutations that arise in: (1) the ATP-binding pocket (exons 13 and 14) and (2) the activation loop (exons 17 and 18). In preclinical studies, THE-630 achieved the predicted pan-KIT inhibitory blood concentrations at tolerable doses and induced significant anti-tumor activity. Given the heterogeneity of the tumor cell populations in GIST patients whose tumors progress on imatinib, and the incomplete KIT mutational coverage provided by later lines of therapy, we believe developing a next-generation KIT compound that effectively inhibits all major classes of KIT activating and resistance mutations should improve response rates and increase PFS in GIST patients in both later and earlier lines of therapy.

Broad KIT Mutation Coverage Supported by In Vitro Data

To accurately measure the activity of product candidates, we developed our PRA, a novel screening and characterization approach that incorporates two critical human serum proteins that can affect drug activity. Using this approach, we believe we can accurately predict the clinical activity of current TKI therapies, including imatinib, sunitinib, regorafenib and ripretinib. In so doing, we believe that we can better understand the therapeutic strengths and weaknesses of each compound, thereby allowing us to design THE-630 with an improved product profile.

 

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To evaluate specific TKI activity, we engineered a panel of cell lines, derived from the commonly used murine Ba/F3 cell line, each of which is dependent on the activity of a different KIT variant for survival. These variants include combinations of different activating mutations and ten different resistance mutations known to arise after first and later lines of current TKI therapies in patients with GIST, as shown in Figure 3 below.

 

 

KIT MUTANT

ABBREVIATION

  

 

ACTIVATING MUTATION

 

 

RESISTANCE MUTATION

   LOCATION    GENOTYPE   LOCATION    GENOTYPE
Ex11Del   

Exon 11

(JM)

  

Del

557_558

    
Ex11Del + V654A   Exon 13 (ATP pocket)    V654A
Ex11Del + T670I   Exon 14 (ATP pocket)    T670I
Ex11Del + D816G   Exon 17 (A-loop)    D816G
Ex11Del + D816H    D816H
Ex11Del + D816Y    D816Y
Ex11Del + D820A    D820A
Ex11Del + D820G    D820G
Ex11Del + N822K    N822K
Ex11Del + Y823D    Y823D
Ex11Del + A829P   Exon 18 (A-loop)    A829P
V560D    V560D     
V560D + V654A   Exon 13 (ATP pocket)    V654A
V560D + D816H   Exon 17 (A-loop)    D816H
Ex9Ins   

Exon 9

(ECD)

   Ins 502AY     
Ex9Ins + V654A   Exon 13 (ATP pocket)    V654A
Ex9Ins + D816H   Exon 17 (A-loop)    D816H

Del (deletion); Ins (insertion); JM (juxtamembrane domain); ECD (extracellular domain); ATP pocket (ATP binding pocket); A-loop (activation loop)

Figure 3. List of clinically relevant activating and resistant KIT mutations in GIST incorporated into our engineered Ba/F3 cell lines.

To assess the cellular potency of TKIs against each KIT variant, we measure IC50 values, which is the TKI concentration that inhibits cell survival by 50%. To better mimic the functional effects of protein binding on drug activity in humans, we performed the cell survival assays in cell culture medium supplemented with physiologic concentrations of two critical human serum proteins. We then compared these IC50 values to TKI concentrations achieved in patients treated at the clinically utilized dose. TKI concentrations in patients are represented by the average concentration, or Cav, which is calculated as the Area Under the Curve, or AUC, over a 24-hour period and divided by 24. In the context of our PRA, we believe Cav to be a more reliable clinical predictor of therapeutic benefit than the maximum or minimum concentrations observed in patients. Using this measure, we calculated the Cav for imatinib, sunitinib, regorafenib and ripretinib in patients at the approved clinical doses as set forth in Figure 4 below.

 

 

 

BENCHMARK TKIS

 

Cav IN PATIENTS

Imatinib

 

3,385 nM

Sunitinib

 

136 nM

Regorafenib

 

5,027 nM

Ripretinib

 

2,126 nM

 

 

Figure 4. The table shows Cav values for approved TKI therapies for GIST, or benchmark TKIs, as calculated from the clinical literature. Ripretinib is known to have an active metabolite, and this was included in the analysis.

We used our PRA to predict the clinical activity of individual approved TKI therapies for GIST against specific KIT variants by comparing TKI potency, as assessed in Ba/F3 cells, to the Cav values in patients. We predicted that KIT

 

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variants inhibited by a TKI at a concentration substantially below the patient Cav would be highly sensitive to that TKI but that KIT variants inhibited at a concentration substantially above the Cav would be highly resistant. We further predicted that KIT variants inhibited with a TKI IC50 at a concentration that is within approximately two-fold of the Cav would initially be associated with a stable disease outcome but ultimately would confer tumor resistance and progression.

To illustrate how we use this methodology, we compared Cav levels of sunitinib in GIST patients, and sunitinib potency against several KIT resistance mutations as determined in our cellular assay. As shown in Figure 5 below, our in vitro PRA predicted that sunitinib would have activity against ATP-binding pocket mutations but not against activation loop mutations, consistent with the clinical data.

 

 

LOGO

Figure 5. Our in vitro PRA correctly recapitulated the clinical patterns of resistance of sunitinib. The prediction of resistance or sensitivity to sunitinib is shown relative to the Cav. The y-axis shows the IC50 values range using a log10 scale. PR/CR means partial/complete response; PD means progressive disease.

Next we expanded our analysis to include all four approved KIT TKIs against a broad panel of KIT variants. Figure 6 below shows the IC50 values for imatinib, sunitinib, regorafenib and ripretinib against all 17 KIT variants, as well as the Cav values for these TKIs in patients. The resulting predictions of TKI activity against each class of activating and resistance mutations, using the approach described above, are shown in Figure 7 below.

As was the case for sunitinib, the results of our PRA accurately recapitulated the known clinical patterns of resistance of imatinib and regorafenib, including overall insensitivity against ATP-binding pocket mutations and activation loop mutations. While insufficient clinical resistance data have been reported for ripretinib to date, our PRA predicts only modest clinical activity against activating mutations in exon 9 and against resistance mutations in the ATP-binding pocket.

We then evaluated the same panel of KIT mutations in our PRA against our lead TKI product candidate, THE-630, which demonstrated activity against all major classes of activating and resistance mutations.

 

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THE-630 showed a wide breadth of inhibitory activities, demonstrating potent activity against the most common activating mutation of exon 11 deletions as well as ten different known resistance mutations. THE-630 also demonstrated potent activity against an alternate exon 11 activating mutation at V560D plus two known resistance mutations. THE-630 also showed potent activity against an exon 9 activating mutation plus two resistance mutations.

Based on the activity profile, we believe that if a Cav of 100 nM is achieved in patients, THE-630 will be able to potently inhibit all major classes of activating and resistance mutations. While two mutational combinations of exon 11 deletion plus the exon 17 D816Y mutation, and of exon 9 insertion plus the exon 17 D816H mutation, were not as potently inhibited by THE-630, we note that these variants are very rarely seen in patients, despite being inhibited even less potently by imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib.

 

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Figure 6. Activity of THE-630 and benchmark TKIs in the PRA of cytotoxicity against KIT activation and resistance mutations showing a broad activity profile. The y-axis shows the IC50 value range using a log10 scale.

 

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Figure 7. Clinical activity profile predicted by our PRA for benchmark TKIs and THE-630 against all major classes of KIT activating and resistance mutations. PR/CR means partial/complete response; SD means stable disease; PD means progressive disease.

Tumor Regression in In Vivo Mouse Models Harboring KIT Activating and Resistance Mutations

We expanded upon the results generated using our PRA by examining the in vivo activity of THE-630 in seven tumor models expressing KIT variants containing both major classes of activating mutations and both major classes of resistance mutations. To do this, we implanted GIST-T1 cells, which express KIT with an activating mutation in exon 11, or Ba/F3 cells engineered with six different KIT variants, subcutaneously into the right flank of female immunocompromised mice, and orally administered THE-630 and other TKIs to groups of mice. Based on a pilot study in mice, which showed that once daily dosing, or QD, of THE-630 at 30 mg/kg exceeded the maximum tolerated dose, all subsequent preclinical efficacy studies used a top dose of either 20 mg/kg or 25 mg/kg of THE-630 QD. At these dose levels, there were no signs of overt toxicity associated with THE-630 treatment in the mice.

When sunitinib or ripretinib were included as comparators, mice were dosed orally using standard regimens reported in the literature. For sunitinib, this was 20 mg/kg QD and for ripretinib it was 50 mg/kg twice a day, or BID. Our pharmacokinetic analysis on the treated mice showed the drug exposure levels exceeded that achieved in patients by three-fold for sunitinib and two-fold for ripretinib.

Data from all seven models are shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 below. Also shown is the degree of anti-tumor activity for each TKI, which was calculated as the percent tumor growth inhibition, or TGI, relative to tumors in control mice, unless tumors regressed relative to the first day of treatment, in which case the percent tumor regression, or TR, was calculated. In each study, the control group of mice was dosed orally with the vehicle that each TKI was dissolved in, and on the same schedule.

THE-630 demonstrated anti-tumor activity in all seven models. As shown in Figure 8 below, THE-630 had strong anti-tumor activity in models containing an exon 11 activating mutation (85% TR) or an exon 9 activating mutation (58% TR). In contrast, ripretinib demonstrated weak anti-tumor activity in the exon 9 model (17% TGI). As shown in Figure 9 below, THE-630 had strong activity in a model containing a KIT exon 11 activating mutation plus the most common resistance mutation observed in the ATP-binding pocket, V654A (86% TGI), and moderate activity in a model containing the T670I mutant (39% TGI). In contrast, ripretinib had modest or weak activity in both models (26% TGI and 8% TGI). Finally, as shown in Figure 10 below, THE-630 had strong activity in three models containing a KIT exon 11 activating mutation and a resistance mutation in the activation loop, with 83% TR, 59% TR, and 90% TGI seen in models containing N822K, D820A, and A829P, respectively. In contrast, sunitinib had weak or no activity against N822K (25% TGI) and A829P (0% TGI).

 

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Therefore, consistent with the results of our in vitro PRA, sunitinib and ripretinib showed in vivo activity only against a subset of activating and resistance mutations. In contrast, THE-630 demonstrated in vivo activity against all major classes of activating and resistance mutations observed in KIT-mutant GIST, consistent with the profile of a pan-variant inhibitor.

 

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Figure 8. In vivo activity of THE-630 and benchmark TKIs in tumor models with both classes of KIT activating mutations.

 

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Figure 9. In vivo activity of THE-630 and benchmark TKIs in tumor models containing resistance mutations in the KIT ATP-binding pocket.

 

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Figure 10. In vivo activity of THE-630 and benchmark TKIs in tumor models containing resistance mutations in the KIT activation loop.

To evaluate the kinase selectivity of THE-630, we conducted a single point screen against 330 kinases at 100 nM, using a commercially available screening panel. For the purpose of comparison, we included ripretinib. Against this panel, THE-630 inhibited the activity of 50 out of 330 kinases by more than 50%. Similarly, ripretinib inhibited the activity of 43 out of 330 kinases by more than 50%.

Next, we tested THE-630 in a series of standard in vitro pharmacology screens with targets including receptors, transporters and enzymes, with no liabilities identified. In addition, THE-630 was screened for potential drug-drug interactions and cardiac toxicity with standard in vitro safety pharmacology assays and no liabilities were identified.

Preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Tolerability Profile of THE-630

Pharmacokinetic, or PK, studies of THE-630 were performed in rats and non-human primates, or NHPs, to evaluate bioavailability and compound half-life in vivo. Single doses were given at 3 mg/kg intravenously and 8 to 10 mg/kg orally. THE-630 demonstrated favorable oral PK in both species, with NHPs showing higher bioavailability (approximately 60%, compared to approximately 36% in rats) and longer half-life (t1/2) (13.1 hours, compared to 5.8 hours in rats), as shown in Figure 11 below.

 

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Figure 11. Rats or NHPs were dosed intravenously, or IV, and orally, or PO, with THE-630 in order to evaluate bioavailability and half-life. The concentration of THE-630 in plasma was measured and plotted against time elapsed after administration of THE-630.

We have also completed a 28-day good laboratory practice, or GLP, toxicology study of THE-630 in rats and a 28-day GLP toxicology study of THE-630 in NHPs. The no observed adverse effect level, or NOAEL, in our NHP toxicology study was used to derive our proposed first-in-human dose. The exposure levels achieved in NHPs at the NOAEL met or exceeded the in vitro IC50 values, measured in the presence of human serum proteins, for all KIT mutants evaluated. No adverse effects were seen in standard GLP safety in vivo pharmacology studies. Taken together, we believe these preclinical studies support the advancement of THE-630 into clinical trials in patients with GIST.

Clinical Development Plan for THE-630 in GIST

We believe the pharmacologic, PK and toxicology data we have collected supported our submission of an IND for THE-630 and support the initiation of clinical trials. We have designed our proposed initial first-in-human phase 1/2 clinical trial with the goal of evaluating monotherapy THE-630 in patients with advanced GIST across the spectrum of previously-treated populations. The proposed clinical trial will consist of two phases:

 

   

Phase 1—Dose Escalation: patients with previously-treated, unresectable or metastatic GIST will be enrolled in order to evaluate the safety profile (including determination of the recommended phase 2 dose, or RP2D), PK and preliminary anti-tumor activity of THE-630.

 

   

Phase 2—Dose Expansion: patients with unresectable or metastatic GIST will be enrolled at the RP2D into four cohorts defined by prior therapy, including: (1) patients with fifth-or later-line GIST; (2) patients with third- or fourth-line GIST who have not had prior ripretinib therapy; (3) patients with third- or fourth-line GIST who have had prior ripretinib therapy; and (4) patients with second-line GIST who have had prior imatinib therapy. The phase 2 portion of the clinical trial will further characterize the anti-tumor activity, PK and safety profile of THE-630 in these defined populations.

In our clinical trials of THE-630, we plan to monitor mutational status of patients before and during treatment, with the aim of validating the inhibition of individual mutant forms of KIT and correlating mutation status with observed clinical activity.

 

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Figure 12. Outline of the design of our proposed first-in-human clinical trial of THE-630. Our dose escalation and expansion cohorts are designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of THE-630 in advanced GIST patients in second- through fifth- or later-lines of therapy.

Our initial registration strategy for THE-630 will focus on fifth-line GIST, where there is currently no available therapy and therefore a significant unmet medical need. The data from the proposed phase 1/2 clinical trial and feedback from regulatory authorities will inform the design of a potential initial registration trial in fifth-line GIST. We also plan to prioritize the evaluation of THE-630 in second-line GIST, where we believe our pan-KIT inhibitor, with activity against all major classes of activating and resistance mutations, has the potential to deliver meaningful clinical benefit over the current standard of care.

Our Fourth-Generation EGFR Inhibitor Development Program

Summary Overview

Our second program is focused on next-generation inhibitors of EGFR that are active against C797S, the most common EGFR mutation that causes resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment in patients with NSCLC. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer with approximately 10% to 50% of NSCLC tumors driven by activating mutations in EGFR, depending on geographic region. Treatment of EGFR-mutant metastatic NSCLC patients with first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs, such as erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and dacomitinib, substantively improved outcomes for patients compared to chemotherapy. However, resistance eventually develops in most patients, leading to disease progression, with about half of patients’ tumors developing the T790M EGFR mutation. Osimertinib, a third-generation TKI, was initially developed to treat T790M positive disease in patients progressing on a first- or second-generation TKI. Subsequently, it was approved in the first-line setting where it improved PFS and overall survival compared to earlier-generation inhibitors. However, most patients receiving treatment eventually progress. A subset of patients on osimertinib, either in first- or later-line therapy, will progress with EGFR-mediated resistance, primarily with the C797S mutation. A significant unmet medical need remains for patients with this subset of EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Our program goal is to identify a novel TKI with all of the following attributes:

 

   

potent activity against all major classes of mutated EGFR that could contribute to disease progression in osimertinib-resistant patients:

 

   

the common activating mutations (deletions in exon 19 or the L858R substitution in exon 21);

 

   

double mutations (activating mutation with either T790M or C797S); and

 

   

triple mutations (activating mutation with T790M and C797S);

 

   

selectivity over wild-type EGFR; and

 

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ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, or BBB, with activity against central nervous system, or CNS, metastases.

We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies.

The Market Opportunity in NSCLC for EGFR Inhibitors

Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and its incidence continues to grow. In 2020, an estimated 2.2 million new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed globally, accounting for approximately 11.4% of the global cancer burden. An estimated 1.8 million lung cancer deaths occurred in 2020. Among all cancers, lung cancer is currently the most common cause of cancer deaths in most countries, with North America and Europe having the highest rates. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all lung cancers. Approximately 10% to 50% of NSCLC tumors are driven by activating mutations in EGFR, depending on geographic region. Approximately 90% of these mutations are in exon 19 or 21 of the gene that encodes EGFR. In patients whose tumors progress on osimertinib, C797S and other resistance mutations in EGFR have been observed at a frequency of up to approximately 12% after first-line osimertinib and approximately 20% after second-line osimertinib.

Current Treatment Paradigm in EGFR-mutant NSCLC and Limitations

EGFR biology and means of inhibiting EGFR. EGFR, a member of the RTK family, plays a critical role in maintaining normal cell physiology in many organs and tissues. Since EGFR signaling is implicated in the genesis and progression of many cancers, it has led to the development of several classes of EGFR inhibitors. For example, the discovery of ligand-independent EGFR signaling in cancers led to the development and clinical characterization of EGFR TKIs, particularly in NSCLC. In particular, activating mutations within the EGFR kinase domain were found in approximately 10% to 15% of caucasian NSCLC patients and up to 50% of East-Asian NSCLC patients, and it was in these patients where strong response to first-generation EGFR TKIs, such as gefitinib and erlotinib, was observed.

The mutations targeted by marketed EGFR inhibitors and the resulting levels of efficacy. The major EGFR genetic alterations observed in NSCLC, the exon 19 deletions and the exon 21 L858R substitution, are mutations that cause ligand-independent activation of EGFR. The activation causes downstream signaling that promotes cancer cell survival and proliferation. First- and second-generation EGFR TKIs bind to the EGFR kinase domain’s ATP-binding pocket to inhibit activity and signal transduction. These first- and second-generation TKIs, which include gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib and dacomitinib, induce a high response rate of approximately 70% to 75% and provide a median PFS of approximately 10 months to 14 months. These clinical results are superior to the previous standard of care front-line treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy in EGFR-mutant metastatic NSCLC.

Resistance and unmet need in EGFR-driven lung cancer. Despite these advances, resistance to first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs has been observed, resulting in patient relapse, disease progression and death. The most common resistance mutation that arises in response to first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs is the T790M mutation, a gatekeeper mutation in exon 20 that blocks TKI access to the ATP-binding pocket. Osimertinib was developed initially to counter this resistance mutation. Osimertinib was first approved in the United States and globally for the treatment of patients with metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC whose disease has progressed on or after EGFR TKI therapy. In this setting, osimertinib yielded a high response rate (approximately 65%) and improved PFS compared to chemotherapy. Subsequently, osimertinib was approved in the first-line metastatic setting for EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution NSCLC after showing improved efficacy compared to earlier-generation TKIs, with a median PFS of 19 months and median overall survival, or OS, of over three years. More recently, osimertinib was approved as an adjuvant treatment after tumor resection for patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution NSCLC. Lazertinib and almonertinib are two additional third-generation TKIs approved for EGFR-mutant NSCLC, both with similar mechanisms of action to osimertinib. Lazertinib monotherapy is approved in South Korea for patients with EGFR T790M mutation positive disease who have previously been treated with an EGFR TKI, and the drug is also being evaluated in combination with a MET/EGFR bispecific antibody, amivantamab, in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Almonertinib is approved in China for patients with EGFR T790M mutation positive disease who have previously been treated with an EGFR TKI.

 

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Resistance to osimertinib and other third-generation TKIs is an emerging limitation to the success of current EGFR TKI therapy, as shown in Figure 13 below. Several of the resistance mechanisms that have been seen to arise in response to osimertinib are EGFR-independent, involving amplification or oncogenic changes in other signaling pathways. However, in both treatment-naïve patients and patients with EGFR T790M-positive disease who progress on osimertinib, EGFR resistance mutations have also been observed. The C797S mutation results in the conversion of the targeted cysteine, or C, at position 797 of EGFR, into serine, or S. In addition, several other EGFR mutations are found in osimertinib-resistant patients. C797S and other resistance mutations in EGFR have been observed at a frequency of up to approximately 12% after first-line osimertinib and approximately 20% after second-line osimertinib. Therefore, we believe that there is a critical need for a fourth-generation EGFR TKI that can block the array of resistance mutations in EGFR that arise across the first- through third-generation EGFR TKI therapeutic landscape. A summary of the major classes of activating and resistance mutations that must be inhibited by a fourth-generation EGFR TKI is shown in Figure 14 below.

 

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Figure 13. Schematic of activating EGFR mutations and resistance mutations that arise following treatment with first-, second- and third-generation EGFR inhibitors. Activating deletions in exon 19 are referred to as Del19 mutations.

 

CLASS   SPECIFIC MUTATION(S)   ABBREVIATION   DESCRIPTION
Single mutant   L858R   L   Activating mutation only
  Del19   D

Double mutant

  L858R + T790M   LT  

Activating mutation plus

T790M or C797S

  Del19 + T790M   DT
  L858R + C797S   LC
  Del19 + C797S   DC
Triple mutant   L858R + T790M + C797S   LTC  

Activating mutation plus

T790M and C797S

  Del19 + T790M + C797S   DTC

Figure 14. Nomenclature used to describe the major classes of EGFR activating and resistance mutations.

An important element in the development of EGFR inhibitors is ensuring selectivity for mutant EGFR compared to the wild-type, or non-mutated, EGFR that is normally expressed in human tissues. Inhibition of wild-type EGFR leads to gastrointestinal and skin toxicities that can be serious and dose-limiting. First- and second-generation EGFR inhibitors are limited by this toxicity, although third-generation EGFR inhibitors, such as osimertinib, have improved selectivity for mutant, activated EGFR and therefore improved tolerability.

 

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Our Solution—Fourth-Generation EGFR Inhibitor Development Program

Using our structure-guided approach, we have developed intricate computer models of the EGFR binding site that have provided a map of potential residues to target for increased molecular interaction. We have leveraged these detailed maps in the design of fourth-generation EGFR compounds that inhibit activating forms of EGFR and mutant forms with C797S and T790M resistance mutations, with selectivity over wild-type EGFR. Our iterative, structure-guided approach has yielded several distinct molecular series and more than 250 novel compounds. Many compounds demonstrate robust kinase inhibitory activity in biochemical screens, and are active in cellular assays against single-, double- and triple-mutant EGFR variants. Using the triple-mutant Del19/T790M/C797S, or DTC mutant, as an in vivo screen, we have identified compounds that are orally bioavailable and show strong tumor growth inhibition in vivo. For example, one of our EGFR inhibitor compounds, which we refer to as Compound B, was profiled against a series of mutant EGFR variants in vivo, including the single-mutant variant L858R, or L mutant, the double-mutant variant L858R/T790M, or LT mutant, and the triple-mutant variant L858R/T790M/C797S, or LTC mutant, and was shown to have strong anti-tumor activity against all three. In addition, we designed several of our compounds to avoid P-glycoprotein, an important efflux protein located on endothelial cells of the blood brain barrier suggesting that they may have the potential to be active against NSCLC patients whose disease has metastasized into the brain.

Broad EGFR Mutation Coverage and Wild-type Selectivity Supported by In Vitro Data

To determine the ability of our compounds to broadly inhibit single-, double- and triple-mutant EGFR variants, we first evaluated them in a kinase inhibition assay. We assayed our compounds against EGFR kinases engineered to harbor the single-mutant L variant, the double-mutant LT variant and the triple-mutant LTC variant. Activity in these assays is reported as IC50 values, which is the TKI concentration that inhibits kinase activity by 50%. Erlotinib and osimertinib, two approved EGFR inhibitors known to be weakly active against the triple-mutant LTC variant, were included as controls. Representative compounds from our EGFR inhibitor program and their IC50 values have been tabulated and are shown below in Figure 15. All three Compounds (Compounds A, B and C) demonstrated low nanomolar IC50 values against single-, double- and triple-mutant EGFR variants.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                   

Compound

   EGFR Kinase (IC50 nM)
     L    LT    LTC

Erlotinib

   <0.1      207    345

Osimertinib

     0.4      0.2    360

Compound A

     6.2      0.1      0.5

Compound B

     0.2    <0.1      0.1

Compound C

     1.0    <0.1      0.1

 

 

Figure 15. Summary of kinase inhibitory data (IC50 values) against single- (L), double- (LT) and triple- (LTC) mutant EGFR variants.

To evaluate TKI activity in a cellular context, we engineered a panel of Ba/F3 cell lines so their survival is dependent on different mutant EGFR variants. We then used these cell lines to assess cellular potency as represented by the IC50 value. We also measured the potency of each TKI against wild-type EGFR, also represented by the IC50 value, by determining the concentration required to inhibit phosphorylation of wild-type EGFR by 50% in A431 cells. We had previously observed that clinical efficacy of first-, second-, and third-generation TKIs against specific mutant EGFR variants is associated with a substantially lower IC50 value against the mutant variant than against wild-type EGFR as measured using these assays.

Figure 16 below shows the potency of erlotinib and osimertinib against wild-type EGFR, as well as against five EGFR variants representing all major classes of activating and resistance mutations. These include: (1) a Del19 activating mutation alone, or D mutant; (2) two double-mutant variants, Del19/T790M, or DT mutant, and Del19/C797S, or DC mutant; and (3) two triple-mutant variants, Del19/T790M/C797S, or DTC mutant, and the LTC mutant. As expected, based on its clinical profile, erlotinib had potent activity against the D and DC mutant variants, but not against any of the three variants that contain a T790M mutation. In contrast, osimertinib had potent activity against D and DT mutant variants, but not against any of the three variants that contained a C797S mutation.

 

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In contrast to erlotinib and osimertinib, as shown in Figure 16 below, all three Compounds A, B and C demonstrated potent activity against all five mutant variants. That is, Compounds A, B and C potently inhibited EGFR with a common activating mutation and maintain potency in the presence of a T790M mutation, or a C797S mutation, or both T790M and C797S mutations in the same protein. In addition, in all cases, all five mutant EGFR variants are inhibited with potency at least ten-fold greater than that against wild-type EGFR, suggesting the potential for on target EGFR-driven efficacy without the toxicities associated with wild-type inhibition.

 

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Figure 16. Summary of cellular IC50 values including control (erlotinib and osimertinib) and Compounds (A, B and C) against wild-type (WT) EGFR and a panel of single- (D), double- (DT, DC) and triple- (DTC, LTC) mutant EGFR variants.

Tumor Regression in In Vivo Mouse Models Harboring EGFR Activating and Resistance Mutations

We evaluated the activity of our compounds in mouse tumor models to determine whether they have the necessary pharmacologic activity in vivo. To do this, we subcutaneously implanted Ba/F3 cells engineered with EGFR-mutant variants into immunocompromised mice, then administered compounds orally to groups of mice. When osimertinib was included as a comparator, mice were dosed orally using a standard regimen reported in the literature, 25 mg/kg QD. The degree of anti-tumor activity for each TKI was calculated as the percent tumor growth inhibition, or TGI, relative to tumors in control mice, unless tumors regressed relative to the first day of treatment, in which case the percent tumor regression, or TR, was calculated. We did not observe any signs of overt toxicity associated with these treatments.

We used an EGFR DTC triple-mutant model to screen compounds based on the results of an initial study that confirmed that this model was resistant to osimertinib treatment, with only 15% TGI observed. Using this model, we have identified multiple compounds that are orally bioavailable and show strong anti-tumor activity. Figure 17 below shows the strong anti-tumor activity of three of these Compounds, with Compounds A, B and C all inducing between 89% and 97% TGI.

 

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Figure 17. In vivo activity of Compounds A, B and C against EGFR DTC triple mutant.

 

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We next evaluated Compound B in three additional models. As shown in Figure 18 below, Compound B had strong anti-tumor activity in all three models. In a second triple-mutant model expressing an EGFR triple-mutant LTC variant, Compound B induced 61% TR, while osimertinib had only modest anti-tumor activity. In models expressing an EGFR single-mutant L variant or an EGFR double-mutant LT variant, both Compound B and osimertinib demonstrated strong anti-tumor activity.

Compound B, in agreement with our panel of in vitro data, suggests that it is possible to design compounds that are orally bioavailable, selective over wild-type EGFR, and which have activity against single-, double- and triple-mutant EGFR variants.

 

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Figure 18. In vivo activity, including osimertinib as a control, of Compound B against single- (L), double- (LT) and triple- (LTC) mutant EGFR variants.

Evaluation of CNS Activity

Metastasis to the CNS is an important issue in the treatment of NSCLC and other cancers. Drugs that fail to cross the BBB expose patients to the risk of CNS metastatic disease. To assess the potential of our compounds to cross the BBB, we measured the effects on P-glycoprotein, an important efflux protein located on endothelial cells of the blood brain barrier. Several compounds within our series were shown not to be P-glycoprotein substrates, suggesting that they may have the potential to be active in NSCLC patients whose disease has relapsed into the brain. We plan to assess the CNS activity of our compounds in mouse models where tumors are implanted intracranially.

Clinical Development Plan

We intend to nominate a development candidate from our EGFR inhibitor program in the first half of 2022, and thereafter initiate IND-enabling studies. Initial clinical development and registration approach will focus on treatment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients who have developed resistance to a third-generation TKI.

 

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Our Predictive Resistance Assay is Driving Development of Additional Novel Therapeutics

Based on the use of our PRA for multiple TKI families, including our current programs, we believe the novel PRA approach we used to evaluate KIT and EGFR TKI therapies is suitable for the prosecution of diverse kinase targets, as well as targets from other oncogenic protein families. As we apply our PRA more widely, we are guided by the clear principles of our research and discovery approach. We will focus on clinically validated targets with clearly defined patient populations and significant unmet medical needs. We will leverage our core competencies in structure-guided design for novel small molecule development and use our PRA to identify candidates that demonstrate on-target pan-mutant activity against known activation and resistance mutations. We believe our insights into small molecule drug design allow us to design and develop small molecule inhibitors that address on-target mechanisms of resistance to prior generation inhibitors while maintaining selectivity and offering the potential for superior tolerability.

We are currently evaluating several potential targets and intend to select one or more as our next program(s) in 2022.

Competition

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, particularly the field of oncology, are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary and novel products and product candidates. We believe that our pipeline, knowledge, experience and scientific resources provide us with differentiated competitive advantages. However, we have competitors both in the United States and internationally, which include major multinational pharmaceutical companies, established biotechnology companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies, emerging and start-up companies, universities and other research institutions. For example, several biopharmaceutical companies, including Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc., Blueprint Medicines Corporation, or Blueprint, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Deciphera, Kinnate Biopharma Inc., Mirati Therapeutics, Inc., Nuvalent, Inc., Relay Therapeutics, Inc., Revolution Medicines, Inc., Scorpion Therapeutics, Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. and Tyra Biosciences, Inc., are also developing precision oncology medicines.

The key competitive factors that will affect the success of product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their efficacy, safety, convenience, price, the level of generic competition and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors. We also compete with these organizations to recruit and retain qualified scientific and management personnel. We will also face competition in establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

Our competitors have developed, are developing, or may develop products, product candidates and processes competitive with ours. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. Many of our competitors, either alone or with their collaborators, have significantly greater financial resources, established presences in markets, expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical and clinical testing, obtaining regulatory approvals, gaining reimbursement and marketing approved products than we do. Our competitors may succeed in obtaining approval from the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities or in discovering, developing and commercializing product candidates in our field before we do.

There are several approved therapies for the treatment of conditions for which we are attempting or may attempt to develop product candidates. In addition, we believe that a significant number of product candidates are currently under development, and may become commercially available in the future.

 

   

With respect to our lead product candidate, THE-630, there are several large pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies marketing drugs for the treatment of GIST, including Blueprint, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Deciphera and Bayer AG. We are also aware of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing drugs for the treatment of GIST, including AB Sciences S.A., Arog Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group CO., LTD, or CTTP, Cogent Biosciences, Inc., including its disclosed planned registrational trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib in patients with second-line GIST, Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, or Daiichi, Deciphera, including its ongoing INTRIGUE phase 3 clinical study evaluating ripretinib against sunitinib in patients with second-line GIST, the topline results

 

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of which are expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2021, Exelixis, Inc., Immunicum AB, Jiangsu HengRui, Inc., Ningbo Tai Kang Medical Technology Co. Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Xencor, Inc. and Merck KGaA.

 

   

With respect to our EGFR inhibitor program, we are aware of other pharmaceutical companies with approved drugs for treatment-resistant EGFR-mutant NSCLC, including AstraZeneca plc’s osimertinib, lazertinib, which is marketed by Yuhan Corp. in South Korea, and almonertinib, which is under collaboration between Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. and EQRX, Inc., which is approved in China. In addition, our EGFR inhibitor program may face competition from drug candidates in development for EGFR-mutated NSCLC, including those being developed by Alpha Biopharma Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Blueprint, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Bridge Biotherapeutics, Inc., C4 Therapeutics, Inc., CTTP, Daiichi, Genosco Inc., Genprex, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

We also face competition broadly across the oncology market for cost-effective and reimbursable cancer treatments. There are a variety of available drug therapies marketed for cancer. In many cases, these drugs are administered in combination to enhance efficacy. While product candidates, if any are approved, may compete with these existing drugs and other therapies, to the extent they are ultimately used in combination with or as an adjunct to these therapies, product candidates may not be competitive with them. Additionally, product candidates may need to compete with drugs that physicians use off-label to treat the indications for which we seek approval. Moreover, many companies are developing new oncology therapeutics, and we cannot predict what the standard of care will be as product candidates progress through clinical development.

ARIAD License Agreement

In June 2018, we entered into a license agreement, or the ARIAD License Agreement, with ARIAD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takeda, for an exclusive, transferable (subject to certain restrictions), sublicensable (subject to certain conditions), worldwide license, under certain of ARIAD’s patent rights, know-how and compounds and a certain ARIAD chemical library, to develop, use, manufacture, market and commercialize certain compounds, and products that contain such compounds, that are therapeutically useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans, including with respect to C-KIT (as that term is defined in the ARIAD License Agreement), a type of receptor tyrosine kinase and tumor marker (also known as CD117 and stem cell factor receptor). THE-630 is derived from intellectual property licensed to us under the ARIAD License Agreement and is therefore subject to the ARIAD License Agreement.

Pursuant to the terms of the ARIAD License Agreement and related stock purchase agreements, we issued an aggregate of 1,615,427 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock to ARIAD. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Sale of Securities—Series A Preferred Stock Financing.” We are obligated to make tiered royalty payments to ARIAD that are low- to mid-single digits of our future net sales and those of our sublicensees of each product comprising a licensed ARIAD compound in each country, beginning on the first commercial sale of such product in such country and ending on the later of (1) ten years following such first commercial sale and (2) the expiry of all patents that cover the product in such country, or the royalty term. Our royalty payment obligations are subject to reductions in certain circumstances.

During the term of the ARIAD License Agreement, we agreed not to use any intellectual property licensed to us, or any biological materials provided to us, thereunder to develop, use, manufacture, market or commercialize the same with respect to EGFR or any compounds or products that are potentially therapeutically useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans with respect to EGFR (also known as ErbB1, ERbB and HER1). We did not use any intellectual property licensed to us, or any biological materials provided to us, under the ARIAD License Agreement to develop our EGFR inhibitor program.

ARIAD may terminate the ARIAD License Agreement (1) for our uncured material breach of such agreement, (2) if we, or any of our affiliates or sublicensees, commence, and do not stop after receiving notice from ARIAD, any interference or opposition proceeding in relation to, challenges to the validity or enforceability of, or opposition to any extension of or the grant of a supplementary protection certificate with respect to, any ARIAD patent or patent application licensed under the ARIAD License Agreement, or (3) in the event of our bankruptcy.

 

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We have the first right to control the prosecution of, and to bring enforcement actions for infringement by third parties with respect to, the patents licensed to us under the ARIAD License Agreement, with input from ARIAD. If we determine not to prosecute or enforce an ARIAD-licensed patent then ARIAD has the right to do so under certain conditions.

The ARIAD License Agreement terminates, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, on expiration of the royalty term for such product for the applicable country. Thereafter, the licenses from ARIAD to us with respect to such product for such country will convert to a fully paid, royalty-free, irrevocable and perpetual license.

Intellectual Property

We seek to protect the intellectual property and proprietary technology that we consider important to our business, including by pursuing patent applications that cover our product candidate and any additional product candidates we may develop, and methods of using the same, as well as any other relevant inventions and improvements that we believe to be commercially important to the development of our business. Our policy is to seek to protect our proprietary position by, among other methods, filing patent applications in the United States and in jurisdictions outside of the United States directed to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements and product candidates (including compositions, methods of use, dosing and formulations) that are important to the development and implementation of our business. We may also pursue patent protection with respect to manufacturing and drug development processes and technologies. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our proprietary and intellectual property position. We also plan to rely on data exclusivity, market exclusivity and patent term extensions when available. Our commercial success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain, maintain, enforce and protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights for the technology, inventions and improvements we consider important to our business, and to defend any patents we may own or in-license in the future, prevent others from infringing any patents we may own or in-license in the future, preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets, and operate without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the valid and enforceable patents and proprietary rights of third parties.

As of September 15, 2021, our patent portfolio consisted of two issued patents and 34 pending patent applications that we own or license related to our KIT and EGFR inhibitor programs. In total, as of that date, we owned or licensed two issued U.S. patents, two pending U.S. non-provisional patent applications, three pending U.S. provisional patent applications, one pending PCT patent application and 28 pending foreign patent applications.

More specifically, with respect to our KIT inhibitor program, we own one pending U.S. provisional patent application and we license two issued U.S. patents, two pending U.S. non-provisional patent applications and 28 pending foreign patent applications, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Eurasia, Europe, Israel, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and South Korea. Any patents that may issue from our pending patent applications are expected to have nominal expiration dates ranging from 2037 to 2042, absent any patent term adjustments or patent term extensions for regulatory delay. The KIT portfolio includes filings covering compositions of matter and methods of using our lead product candidate, THE-630, including one licensed patent with issued claims directed to composition of matter that encompass THE-630.

With respect to our EGFR inhibitor program, we own two pending U.S. provisional patent applications and one pending PCT patent application. Any patents that may issue from our pending patent applications are expected to have nominal expiration dates ranging from 2041 to 2042, absent any patent term adjustments or patent term extensions for regulatory delay.

Issued patents can provide protection for varying periods of time, depending upon the date of filing of the patent application, the date of patent issuance and the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. In addition, in certain instances, the term of an issued U.S. patent that covers or claims an FDA approved product can be extended to recapture a portion of the term effectively lost as a result of the FDA regulatory review period, which is called patent term extension. The restoration period cannot be longer than five years and the total patent term, including the restoration period, must not exceed 14 years following FDA approval. The term of patents outside of the United States varies in accordance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction, but typically is also 20 years from the earliest effective filing date. However, the actual protection

 

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afforded by a patent varies on a product-by-product basis, from country-to-country and depends upon many factors, including the type of patent, the scope of its coverage, the availability of regulatory-related extensions, the availability of legal remedies in a particular country and the validity and enforceability of the patent.

The patent position of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions, and has been the subject of much litigation in recent years. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending and future patent applications and those of our licensors and collaborators may not result in patents being issued which protect product candidates or which effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive product candidates. Moreover, obtaining and enforcing patents in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries is inherently uncertain, due in part to ongoing changes in the patent laws. Changes in either the patent laws or in the interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property and may increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses, and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities.

Commercial Strategy

We intend to retain significant development and commercial rights to product candidates and, if marketing approval is obtained, to commercialize product candidates on our own, or potentially with a partner, in the United States and other regions. We currently have no sales, marketing or commercial product distribution capabilities. However, we intend to build a focused sales and marketing organization and the necessary infrastructure and capabilities over time in the United States, and potentially other regions, following further advancement of product candidates. We believe that such an organization will be able to address the community of oncologists who are the key specialists in treating the patient populations for which product candidates and programs are being developed. The responsibilities of the marketing organization would include developing educational initiatives with respect to approved products and establishing relationships with researchers and practitioners in relevant fields of medicine. Clinical data, the size of the addressable patient population, the size of the commercial infrastructure and manufacturing needs may all influence or alter our commercialization plans.

Manufacturing

We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities. We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacture of our small molecule product candidate, as well as any other product candidates we may develop through our programs, for preclinical and clinical testing. We also expect to rely on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidate and any other product candidates we may develop through our programs for commercial supply, if any product candidates obtain marketing approval. We also rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to package, label, store and distribute our product candidate and any other product candidates we may develop through our programs and, if marketing approval is obtained, our commercial products.

For our initial clinical trials, we plan to rely on sole source suppliers. However, as we progress towards commercialization of product candidates, we anticipate expanding the supply chain to include multiple contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs. We believe this strategy allows us to maintain a more efficient infrastructure by eliminating the need for us to invest in our own manufacturing facilities and equipment, while also enabling us to focus our expertise and resources on the development of product candidates.

Manufacturing is subject to extensive regulations that impose procedural and documentation requirements. These regulations govern record keeping, manufacturing processes and controls, personnel, quality control and quality assurance. Our CMOs are required to comply with these regulations and are assessed through regular monitoring and formal audits. Our third-party manufacturers are required to manufacture any product candidates we develop under current Good Manufacturing Practice, or cGMP, requirements and other applicable laws and regulations.

We generally expect to rely on third parties for the manufacture of companion diagnostics, which are assays or tests that identify an appropriate patient population, if needed for any product candidates that receive marketing approval.

 

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Government Regulation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and other regulatory authorities at federal, state and local levels, as well as outside the United States, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, import, export, safety, effectiveness, labeling, packaging, storage, distribution, recordkeeping, approval, advertising, promotion, marketing, post-approval monitoring and post-approval reporting of drugs and biologics. We, along with our vendors, CROs clinical investigators, clinical trial sites and CMOs, will be required to navigate the various preclinical, clinical, manufacturing and commercial approval requirements of the governing regulatory agencies of the countries in which we wish to conduct studies or seek marketing approval of product candidates. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals of drugs and biologics and ensuring subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

In the United States where we are initially focusing our drug commercialization, we believe product candidates, as small molecule drugs, would be regulated as new drugs rather than biologics. The FDA regulates new drug products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended, the FDCA, and its implementing regulations. New drug products are also subject to other federal, state and local statutes and regulations. If we fail to comply with applicable FDA or other requirements at any time with respect to product development, clinical testing, approval or any other regulatory requirements relating to product manufacture, processing, handling, storage, quality control, safety, marketing, advertising, promotion, packaging, labeling, export, import, distribution, or sale, we may become subject to administrative or judicial sanctions or other legal consequences. These sanctions or consequences could include, among other things, the FDA’s refusal to approve pending applications, issuance of clinical holds for proposed or ongoing studies, suspension or revocation of approvals, warning or untitled letters, product withdrawals or recalls, product seizures, relabeling or repackaging, total or partial suspensions of manufacturing or distribution, injunctions, fines, civil penalties or criminal prosecution.

Product candidates must be approved for therapeutic indications by the FDA before they may be marketed in the United States. For new drug products regulated under the FDCA such as our lead product candidate, a sponsor must submit a New Drug Application, or NDA, to FDA for review and approval. The NDA review and approval process may take multiple years and involves the following steps:

 

   

completion of extensive preclinical studies in accordance with applicable regulations, including studies conducted in accordance with GLP requirements;

 

   

completion of the manufacture, under cGMP conditions of the drug substance, drug product, and labeling and packaging that the sponsor intends to use in human clinical trials along with required analytical and stability testing;

 

   

submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before clinical trials may begin and must be updated annually and amended when certain changes are made;

 

   

approval by an institutional review board, or IRB, or independent ethics committee, or IEC, at each clinical trial site before each trial may be initiated;

 

   

performance of adequate and well-controlled clinical trials in accordance with applicable IND regulations, good clinical practice, or GCP, requirements, including informed consent, financial disclosure by investigators and other clinical trial-related regulations, to establish the safety and efficacy of the investigational product for each proposed indication and other condition of use;

 

   

preparation and submission to the FDA of an NDA;

 

   

a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of an NDA to file the application for review;

 

   

satisfactory completion of one or more FDA pre-approval inspections of the manufacturing facility or facilities where the drug will be produced to assess compliance with cGMP requirements to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drug product’s identity, strength, quality and purity;

 

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satisfactory completion of FDA inspection of select clinical trial sites involved in conducting pivotal studies that generated the data in support of the NDA;

 

   

payment of user fees for FDA review of the NDA; and

 

   

FDA review and approval of the NDA, including of the proposed prescribing information and, where applicable, consideration of the views of any FDA advisory committee, prior to any commercial marketing or sale of the drug in the United States.

Preclinical Studies and Clinical Trials for Drugs

Before testing any drug in humans, the product candidate must undergo rigorous preclinical testing. Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluations of product chemistry, formulation and stability, as well as in vitro and animal studies to assess safety and in some cases to establish the rationale for therapeutic use. The conduct of preclinical studies is subject to federal and state regulation and requirements, including GLP requirements under 21 C.F.R. Part 58 and animal testing requirements under the Animal Welfare Act Amendments of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.). The results of the preclinical studies, together with manufacturing information and analytical data, must be submitted to the FDA as part of an IND.

An IND is a submission to the FDA under which a sponsor proposes to administer an investigational product to humans. An IND must become effective before the proposed clinical trials may begin. The central focus of an IND submission is on the general investigational plan and the protocol(s) for clinical studies. The IND also includes the results of animal and in vitro studies assessing the toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the product; chemistry, manufacturing, and controls information; and any available human data or literature to support the use of the investigational product. Some long-term preclinical testing may continue after the IND is submitted. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA, within the 30-day time period, raises concerns or questions about the conduct of the proposed clinical trial, including concerns that human research subjects will be exposed to unreasonable health risks, refuses to allow the IND to take effect until the FDA’s concerns and questions have been addressed and/or imposes a full or partial clinical hold. The FDA must notify the sponsor of the grounds for the hold, and any identified deficiencies must be resolved before the clinical trial can begin. Submission of an IND may result in the FDA not allowing clinical trials to commence or not allowing clinical trials to commence on the terms originally specified in the IND. A clinical hold can also be imposed once a trial has already begun, thereby halting the trial until the deficiencies articulated by FDA are corrected.

The clinical stage of development involves the administration of the product candidate to healthy volunteers or patients under the supervision of qualified investigators, who generally are physicians not employed by or under the trial sponsor’s control, in accordance with GCP requirements, which include the requirements that all research subjects provide their informed consent for their participation in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the clinical trial, dosing procedures, subject selection and exclusion criteria, and the parameters and criteria to be used in monitoring safety and evaluating effectiveness. Each protocol, and any subsequent amendments to the protocol, must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND.

Furthermore, each clinical trial must be reviewed and approved by an IRB or IEC for each institution at which the clinical trial will be conducted to ensure that the risks to individuals participating in the clinical trials are minimized and are reasonable compared to the anticipated benefits. The IRB or IEC also approves the informed consent form that must be provided to each clinical trial subject or his or her legal representative and must monitor the clinical trial until completed. The FDA, the IRB or IEC, or the sponsor may suspend or discontinue a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. There also are requirements governing the reporting of ongoing clinical trials and completed clinical trials to public registries. Information about clinical trials, including results for clinical trials other than phase 1 investigations, must be submitted within specific timeframes for publication on www.ClinicalTrials.gov, a clinical trials database maintained by the National Institutes of Health.

A sponsor who wishes to conduct a clinical trial outside of the United States are subject to the requirements of the applicable jurisdiction and may, but need not, obtain FDA authorization to conduct the clinical trial under an IND. If a foreign clinical trial is not conducted under an IND, the FDA will nevertheless accept the results of the study in

 

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support of an NDA if the study was conducted in accordance with GCP requirements, and the FDA is able to validate the data through an onsite inspection if deemed necessary.

Clinical trials to evaluate therapeutic indications to support NDAs for marketing approval are typically conducted in three sequential phases, which may overlap.

 

   

Phase 1—Phase 1 clinical trials involve initial introduction of the investigational product in a limited population of healthy human volunteers or patients with the target disease or condition. These studies are typically designed to test the safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism and distribution of the investigational product in humans, evaluate the side effects associated with increasing doses, and, if possible, to gain early evidence of effectiveness.

 

   

Phase 2—Phase 2 clinical trials typically involve administration of the investigational product to a limited patient population with a specified disease or condition to evaluate the drug’s potential efficacy, to determine the optimal dosages and dosing schedule, and to identify possible adverse side effects and safety risks.

 

   

Phase 3—Phase 3 clinical trials typically involve administration of the investigational product to an expanded patient population to further evaluate dosage, to provide statistically significant evidence of clinical efficacy, and to further test for safety, generally at multiple geographically dispersed clinical trial sites. These clinical trials are intended, with the other available evidence, to establish the overall risk/benefit ratio of the investigational product and to provide an adequate basis for product approval and physician labeling. Generally, two adequate and well-controlled phase 3 trials are required by the FDA for approval of an NDA. Under certain circumstances, FDA can conclude that one adequate and well-controlled clinical investigation plus confirmatory evidence is sufficient to establish effectiveness.

Post-approval trials, sometimes referred to as phase 4 clinical trials or post-marketing studies, may be conducted after initial marketing approval. These trials are used to gain additional evidence from the treatment of study subjects in the intended therapeutic indication and are commonly intended to generate additional safety data regarding use of the product in a clinical setting, or in some cases to confirm clinical benefit. In certain instances, the FDA may mandate the performance of phase 4 clinical trials as a condition of NDA approval.

Progress reports detailing the results of the clinical trials, among other information, must be submitted at least annually to the FDA. Written IND safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and the investigators fifteen days after the trial sponsor determines the information qualifies for reporting for serious and unexpected suspected adverse events, findings from other studies or animal or in vitro testing that suggest a significant risk for human volunteers, and any clinically important increase in the rate of a serious suspected adverse reaction over that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure. The sponsor must also notify the FDA of any unexpected fatal or life-threatening suspected adverse reaction as soon as possible but in no case later than seven calendar days after the sponsor’s initial receipt of the information.

Concurrent with clinical trials, companies usually complete additional animal studies and must also develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the product candidate and finalize a process for manufacturing the drug product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and manufacturers must develop, among other things, methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final drug product. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.

Expanded Access

Expanded access, sometimes called “compassionate use,” is the use of investigational products outside of controlled clinical trials to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases or conditions when there are no comparable or satisfactory alternative treatment options. FDA regulations allow access to investigational products under an IND by the sponsor or the treating physician for treatment purposes on a case-by-case basis for the following groups: individual patients (single-patient IND applications for treatment in emergency settings and non-emergency settings); intermediate-size patient populations; and larger populations for use of the investigational product under a treatment protocol or treatment IND.

 

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A clinical trial sponsor is not obligated under the law to provide expanded access to its investigational product. However, if a sponsor decides to make its investigational product available for expanded access, FDA reviews each request for expanded access and determines if treatment may proceed. Expanded access may be appropriate when all of the following criteria apply: the patient has a serious or immediately life-threatening disease or condition, and there is no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapy to diagnose, monitor, or treat the disease or condition; the potential patient benefit justifies the potential risks of the treatment and the potential risks are not unreasonable in the context of the disease or condition to be treated; and providing the investigational product for the requested use will not interfere with the initiation, conduct, or completion of clinical investigations that could support marketing approval of the expanded access use or otherwise compromise the potential development of the expanded access use.

In addition, on May 30, 2018, the Right to Try Act was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides an additional mechanism for patients with a life-threatening condition who have exhausted approved treatments and are unable to participate in clinical trials to access certain investigational products that have completed a phase 1 clinical trial, are the subject of an active IND, and are undergoing investigation in a clinical trial that is intended to form the primary basis of a claim of effectiveness in support of FDA approval. Unlike the expanded access framework described above, the Right to Try Act does not require FDA to review or approve requests for use of the investigational product, although the law requires sponsors to report annually to the FDA on use of the pathway and require the FDA to post certain annual summaries. There is no obligation for a sponsor to make its investigational products available to eligible patients under the Right to Try Act.

Under the 21st Century Cures Act, the manufacturer or distributor of one or more investigational products for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of a serious disease or condition must make publicly available their policy for evaluating and responding to requests for expanded access for individual patients. The manufacturer or distributor is required to make such policies publicly available upon the earlier of initiation of a phase 2 or phase 3 study, or as applicable, 15 days after the investigational drug receives designation as a breakthrough therapy, fast track product, or regenerative medicine advanced therapy. The posting of the expanded access policies by manufacturers and distributors does not serve as a guarantee of access to any specific investigational drug by any individual patient, but the sponsor must develop a policy and respond to patient requests according to that policy.

U.S. Marketing Approval for Drugs

Assuming successful completion of the required clinical testing, the results of the preclinical studies and clinical trials, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacture, controls and proposed labeling, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of an NDA package requesting approval to market the drug product for one or more indications. An NDA is an application to FDA for approval to market a new drug for one or more specified indications and must contain proof of the drug’s safety and efficacy for the requested indication(s). An NDA is required to include both negative and ambiguous results of preclinical studies and clinical trials, as well as positive findings, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacturing, controls, and proposed labeling, among other things. Data may come from company-sponsored clinical trials intended to test the safety and efficacy of a product’s use or from a number of alternative sources, including studies initiated by investigators. To support marketing approval, the data submitted must be sufficient in quality and quantity to establish the safety and efficacy of the investigational drug, to the satisfaction of the FDA. The FDA must approve an NDA before a drug may be marketed in the United States.

The FDA reviews all submitted NDAs to ensure they are sufficiently complete to permit substantive review before it accepts them for filing and may request additional information rather than accepting the NDA for filing. The FDA must make a decision on accepting an NDA for filing within 60 days of receipt, and such decision could include a “refuse-to-file” decision by the FDA. Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth substantive review of the NDA. The FDA reviews an NDA to determine, among other things, whether the product is safe and effective for the indications sought and whether the facility in which it is manufactured, processed, packaged or held meets standards designed, including cGMP requirements, designed to assure and preserve the product’s continued identity, strength, quality and purity. Under the goals and polices agreed to by the FDA under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, as amended, or the PDUFA, the FDA targets ten months, from the filing date, in which to complete its initial review of a new molecular entity NDA and respond to the applicant, and six months from the filing date of a new molecular entity NDA for priority review. The FDA does not always meet its PDUFA goal

 

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dates for standard or priority NDAs, and the review process is often extended by FDA requests for additional information or clarification.

Further, under PDUFA, each NDA must be accompanied by a substantial user fee. For fiscal year 2021, the application fee for each application containing clinical data is $2,875,842. PDUFA also imposes an annual program fee for each approved prescription drug, which has been set at $336,432 for fiscal year 2021. The FDA adjusts the PDUFA user fees on an annual basis. Fee waivers or reductions are available in certain circumstances, including a waiver of the application fee for the first application filed by a small business. Additionally, no user fees are assessed on applications for products designated as orphan drugs, unless the product also includes a non-orphan indication.

The FDA also may require submission of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, if it believes that a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy is necessary to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks. A REMS can include use of risk evaluation and mitigation strategies like medication guides, physician communication plans, assessment plans, and/or elements to assure safe use, or ETASU, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries, special monitoring or other risk-minimization tools.

The FDA may refer an application for a novel drug to an advisory committee. An advisory committee is a panel of independent experts, including clinicians and other scientific experts, which reviews, evaluates and provides advice and recommendations to FDA as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions.

Before approving an NDA, the FDA typically will inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and are adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving an NDA, the FDA may inspect one or more select clinical trial sites involved in conducting pivotal studies to assure compliance with GCP and other requirements and the integrity of the clinical data submitted to the FDA.

After evaluating the NDA and all related information, including the advisory committee recommendation, if any, and inspection reports regarding the manufacturing facilities and clinical trial sites, the FDA may issue an approval letter, or, in some cases, a Complete Response Letter. A Complete Response Letter indicates that the review cycle of the application is complete and the application is not ready for approval. A Complete Response Letter generally contains a statement of specific conditions that must be met in order to secure final approval of the NDA, except that where the FDA determines that the data supporting the application are inadequate to support approval, the FDA may issue the Complete Response Letter without first conducting required inspections, testing submitted product lots, and/or reviewing proposed labeling. In issuing the Complete Response Letter, the FDA may require additional clinical or preclinical testing or recommend other actions, such as requests for additional information or clarification, that the applicant might take in order for the FDA to reconsider the application. Even with submission of this additional information, the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval. If and when those conditions have been met to the FDA’s satisfaction, the FDA will typically issue an approval letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the product with specific prescribing information for specific indication(s).

Even if the FDA approves a product, depending on the specific risk(s) to be addressed it may limit the approved indications for use of the product, require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling, require that post-approval studies, including phase 4 clinical trials, be conducted to further assess a product’s safety and efficacy after approval, require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution and use restrictions or other risk management mechanisms under a REMS, which can materially affect the potential market and profitability of the product. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-marketing studies or surveillance programs. After approval, some types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes, and additional labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements and FDA review and approval.

 

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Orphan Drug Designation and Exclusivity

Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan drug designation to a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is a disease or condition with either a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, or a patient population greater than 200,000 individuals in the United States when there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing and making the product available in the United States for the disease or condition will be recovered from sales of the product. Orphan drug designation must be requested before submitting a marketing application. After the FDA grants orphan drug designation, the generic identity of the therapeutic agent and its designated orphan use are disclosed by the FDA on its website. Orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in or shorten the duration of the regulatory review and approval process, though companies developing orphan products are eligible for certain incentives, including tax credits for qualified clinical testing and waiver of application fees.

If a product that has orphan designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the use for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to a seven-year period of marketing exclusivity from the date of FDA approval during which the FDA may not approve any other applications to market the “same drug” for the same use, except in limited circumstances, such as a subsequent product’s showing of “clinical superiority” over the product with orphan exclusivity or where the original applicant cannot produce sufficient quantities of product. The FDA defines “same drug” with respect to small molecule drugs as a drug that contains the same active moiety as a previously approved drug and is intended for the same use as the previously approved drug. To demonstrate a drug is “clinically superior” to the previously approved orphan drug, a sponsor must show that the drug provides a significant therapeutic advantage over and above the previously already approved drug in terms of greater efficacy, greater safety, or by providing a major contribution to patient care. Since the enactment of the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017, the FDA publishes clinical superiority findings on its website for those drugs approved on or after August 18, 2017. Competitors, however, may receive approval of different therapeutic agents for the indication for which the orphan product has exclusivity or obtain approval for the same therapeutic agent for a different indication than that for which the orphan product has exclusivity. If an orphan designated product receives marketing approval for an indication broader than what is designated, it may not be entitled to orphan exclusivity. Further, orphan drug exclusive marketing rights in the United States may be lost if the FDA later determines that the request for designation was materially defective or the manufacturer of the approved product is unable to assure sufficient quantities of the product to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition, or if the manufacturer chooses to provide consent to approval of other applications.

Expedited Development and Review Programs for Drugs

The FDA maintains several programs intended to facilitate and expedite development and review of new drugs to address unmet medical needs in the treatment of serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions. These programs include Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, Priority Review and Accelerated Approval, and the purpose of these programs is to either expedite the development or review of important new drugs and biologics to get them to patients more quickly than standard FDA review timelines typically permit. We intend to apply for these programs for product candidates, as applicable.

A new drug is eligible for Fast Track designation if it is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for such disease or condition. Fast Track designation applies to the product candidate and the specific indication for which it is being studied. The sponsor of a new drug product may request the FDA to designate the drug as a Fast Track product at any time during the clinical development of the product, but ideally no later than the pre-NDA meeting because many of the features of Fast Track designation will not apply after that time. Fast Track designation provides increased opportunities for sponsor interactions with the FDA during preclinical and clinical development, in addition to the potential for rolling review once a marketing application is filed. Rolling review means that the FDA may review portions of the marketing application before the sponsor submits the complete application.

In addition, a new drug may be eligible for Breakthrough Therapy designation if it is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one

 

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or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. A sponsor may request that a drug product be designated as a Breakthrough Therapy at any time during the clinical development of the product and ideally before initiation of the pivotal clinical trial intended to serve as the primary basis for demonstration of efficacy to obtain the full benefits of the designation. Breakthrough Therapy designation provides all the features of Fast Track designation, in addition to intensive guidance on an efficient product development program beginning as early as phase 1 and FDA organizational commitment to expedited development, including involvement of senior managers and experienced review staff in a cross-disciplinary review, where appropriate.

Any product submitted to the FDA for approval, including a product with Fast Track or Breakthrough Therapy designation, may also be eligible for additional FDA programs intended to expedite the review and approval process, including Priority Review and Accelerated Approval. A product is eligible for Priority Review, once an NDA is submitted, if the product that is the subject of the marketing application has the potential to provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness in the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of a serious disease or condition. Significant improvement may be illustrated by the following examples: evidence of increased effectiveness in treatment, prevention, or diagnosis of a condition, elimination or substantial reduction of a treatment-limiting adverse reaction, documented enhancement of patient compliance that is expected to lead to an improvement in serious outcomes, and evidence of safety and effectiveness in a new subpopulation. Under Priority Review, the FDA’s goal date to take action on the marketing application is six months compared to ten months for a standard review.

The FDA may grant Accelerated Approval to a product for a serious or life-threatening condition that provides meaningful therapeutic advantage to patients over existing treatments based upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. The FDA may also grant Accelerated Approval for such a condition when the product has an effect on an intermediate clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality, or IMM, and that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. Products granted accelerated approval must meet the same statutory standards for safety and effectiveness as those granted traditional approval.

For the purposes of Accelerated Approval, a surrogate endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign or other measure that is thought to predict clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. Surrogate endpoints can often be measured more easily or more rapidly than clinical endpoints. An intermediate clinical endpoint is a measurement of a therapeutic effect that is considered reasonably likely to predict the clinical benefit of a drug, such as an effect on IMM. The FDA has limited experience with accelerated approvals based on intermediate clinical endpoints, but has indicated that such endpoints generally may support Accelerated Approval where the therapeutic effect measured by the endpoint is not itself a clinical benefit and basis for traditional approval, if there is a basis for concluding that the therapeutic effect is reasonably likely to predict the ultimate clinical benefit of a product.

The Accelerated Approval pathway is most often used in settings in which the course of a disease is long and an extended period of time is required to measure the intended clinical benefit of a product, even if the effect on the surrogate or intermediate clinical endpoint occurs rapidly. Thus, Accelerated Approval has been used extensively in the development and approval of products for treatment of a variety of cancers in which the goal of therapy is generally to improve survival or decrease morbidity and the duration of the typical disease course requires lengthy and sometimes large trials to demonstrate a clinical or survival benefit. Thus, the benefit of Accelerated Approval derives from the potential to receive approval based on surrogate endpoints sooner than possible for trials with clinical or survival endpoints, rather than deriving from any explicit shortening of the FDA approval timeline, as is the case with priority review.

The Accelerated Approval pathway is usually contingent on a sponsor’s agreement to conduct, in a diligent manner, additional post-approval confirmatory studies to verify and describe the product’s clinical benefit. As a result, a product candidate approved on this basis is subject to rigorous post-marketing compliance requirements, including the completion of phase 4 or post-approval clinical trials to confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint. Failure to conduct required post-approval studies, or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing studies, would allow the FDA to initiate expedited proceedings to withdraw approval of the product. All promotional materials for product

 

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candidates approved under accelerated regulations are subject to prior review by the FDA. In addition, the FDA generally requires, as a condition for Accelerated Approval, that all advertising and promotional materials intended for dissemination or publication within 120 days of marketing approval be submitted to the agency for review during the pre-approval review period. After the 120-day period has passed, all advertising and promotional materials must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the intended time of initial dissemination or publication.

Even if a product qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification or the time period for FDA review or approval may not be shortened. Furthermore, Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, Priority Review and Accelerated Approval do not change the scientific or medical standards for approval or the quality of evidence necessary to support approval, though they may expedite the development or review process.

Pediatric Study Plan and Pediatric Exclusivity

Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act, as amended, or the PREA, certain NDAs and certain NDA supplements must contain data that can be used to assess the safety and efficacy of the product candidate for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective. For a cancer drug directed at a molecular target, the pediatric testing requirement extends to pediatric cancers involving the molecular target even if different than the claimed adult cancer in the NDA. The FDA may grant deferrals for submission of pediatric data or full or partial waivers. The PREA requires that a sponsor who is planning to submit a marketing application for a product candidate that includes a new active ingredient, new indication, new dosage form, new dosing regimen or new route of administration submit an initial Pediatric Study Plan, or the PSP, within 60 days of an end-of-phase 2 meeting or, if there is no such meeting, as early as practicable before the initiation of the phase 3 or phase 2/3 study. The initial PSP must include an outline of the pediatric study or studies that the sponsor plans to conduct, including study objectives and design, age groups, relevant endpoints and statistical approach, or a justification for not including such detailed information, and any request for a deferral of pediatric assessments or a full or partial waiver of the requirement to provide data from pediatric studies along with supporting information. The FDA and the sponsor must reach an agreement on the PSP. A sponsor can submit amendments to an agreed-upon initial PSP at any time if changes to the pediatric plan need to be considered based on data collected from preclinical studies, early phase clinical trials and/or other clinical development programs. Unless otherwise required by regulation, the PREA does not apply to a drug for an indication for which orphan designation has been granted, except that the PREA will apply to an original NDA for a new active ingredient that is orphan-designated if the drug is a molecularly targeted cancer product intended for the treatment of an adult cancer and is directed at a molecular target that the FDA determines to be substantially relevant to the growth or progression of a pediatric cancer.

A drug can also obtain pediatric market exclusivity in the United States. Pediatric exclusivity, if granted, adds six months to existing exclusivity periods and patent terms. This six-month exclusivity, which runs from the end of other exclusivity protection or patent term, may be granted based on the voluntary completion of a pediatric study in accordance with an FDA-issued “Written Request” for such a study.

U.S. Post-Approval Requirements for Drugs

Drugs approved by FDA are subject to continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to manufacturing establishment registration and product listing, recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, reporting of adverse experiences with the product, field alerts regarding issues with distributed product, promotion and advertising compliance, which include restrictions on promoting products for unapproved uses or patient populations (known as “off-label use”) and limitations on industry-sponsored scientific and educational activities. Although physicians may prescribe approved products for off-label uses, manufacturers may not market or promote such uses. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, as well as other advertising and promotion requirements, including not only by company employees but also by agents of the company or those speaking on the company’s behalf, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted may be subject to significant liability, including investigation by federal and state authorities. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in, among other things, adverse publicity, warning letters, untitled letters, corrective advertising, and potential civil and criminal

 

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penalties, including liabilities under the False Claims Act where products are obtain reimbursement under federal health care programs. Promotional materials for approved drugs must be submitted to the FDA in conjunction with their first use or first publication, and for products approved under accelerated approval prior to their first use. Further, if there are any modifications to the drug, including changes in indications, labeling or manufacturing processes or facilities, the applicant may be required to submit and obtain FDA approval of a new NDA or NDA supplement, which may require the development of additional data or preclinical studies and clinical trials.

The FDA may withdraw approval of a product if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information, requirements for post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks, or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a REMS. Other potential consequences include, among other things:

 

   

restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;

 

   

the issuance of safety alerts, Dear Healthcare Provider letters, press releases or other communications containing warnings or other safety information about the product;

 

   

fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;

 

   

refusal of the FDA to approve applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of product approvals;

 

   

product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products;

 

   

injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties;

 

   

consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, debarment or exclusion from federal healthcare programs; or

 

   

mandated modification of promotional materials and labeling and issuance of corrective information.

Abbreviated New Drug Applications and 505(b)(2) Applications

In seeking approval for a drug through an NDA, applicants are required to list with the FDA each patent with claims that cover the applicant’s drug or an approved method of use of the drug. Upon approval of a drug, each of the patents listed in the application for the drug is then published in the FDA’s Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, commonly known as the “Orange Book.” Drugs listed in the Orange Book can, in turn, be cited by competitors in support of approval of an Abbreviated New Drug Application, or ANDA, or a 505(b)(2) application. In this case, the original NDA (the so-called pioneer drug) is known as the “listed” drug or “reference-listed” drug. An ANDA provides for marketing of a drug that has the same active ingredient and the same strength, route of administration and dosage form as the listed drug and has been shown through testing to be bioequivalent to the listed drug or receives a waiver from bioequivalence testing. ANDA applicants are generally not required to conduct or submit results of preclinical or clinical tests to prove the safety or effectiveness of their drug, other than the requirement for bioequivalence testing. Drugs approved in this way are considered therapeutically equivalent, and are commonly referred to as “generic equivalents” to the listed drug. These drugs then generally can be substituted by pharmacists under prescriptions written for the original listed drug.

A 505(b)(2) application is a type of NDA that relies, in part, upon data the applicant does not own and to which it does not have a right of reference. Such applications often are submitted for changes to previously approved drug products, and rely on the FDA’s prior findings of safety and effectiveness for a third party’s NDA to abbreviate the showings the sponsor of the 505(b)(2) application must make to establish that its product is safe and effective.

 

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The ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant is required to certify to FDA concerning any patents listed for the referenced approved drug in FDA’s Orange Book. Specifically, for each listed patent, the applicant must certify that: (1) the required patent information has not been filed; (2) the listed patent has expired; (3) the listed patent has not expired but will expire on a particular date and approval is sought after patent expiration; or (4) the listed patent is invalid, unenforceable or will not be infringed by the new drug. A certification that the new drug will not infringe the already approved drug’s listed patents or that such patents are invalid or unenforceable is called a Paragraph IV certification. If the ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant does not include a Paragraph IV certification, the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application will not be approved until all of the listed patents claiming the referenced drug have expired, except for any listed patents that only apply to uses of the drug not being sought by the ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant.

If the ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant has made a Paragraph IV certification, the applicant must also send notice of a Paragraph IV Notice Letter to the NDA and patent holders once the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application has been accepted for filing by FDA. The NDA and patent holders may then initiate a patent infringement lawsuit in response to the notice of the Paragraph IV Notice Letter. The filing of a patent infringement lawsuit within 45 days of the receipt of notice of a Paragraph IV Notice Letter automatically prevents FDA from approving the ANDA until the earlier of 30 months, expiration of the patent, settlement of the lawsuit, modification by a court or a decision in the infringement case that is favorable to the ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant.

As discussed in the next section, the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application also will not be approved until any applicable non-patent exclusivity, such as a new chemical entity exclusivity, listed in the Orange Book for the reference-listed drug has expired.

United States Patent Term Restoration and Marketing Exclusivity

Depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of FDA approval of our future product candidates, some of our United States patents may be eligible for limited patent term extension under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly referred to as the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit restoration of the patent term of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during the FDA regulatory review process for a drug that has not been previously approved for commercial marketing. Patent-term restoration, however, cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the product’s approval date and only those claims covering such approved drug product, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. The patent-term restoration period is generally one-half the time between the effective date of an IND and the submission date of an NDA plus the time between the submission date of an NDA and the approval of that application, except that the review period is reduced by any time during which the applicant failed to exercise due diligence. Only one patent applicable to an approved drug is eligible for the extension and the application for the extension must be submitted prior to the expiration of the patent. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in consultation with the FDA, reviews and approves the application for any patent term extension or restoration. In the future, we may apply for restoration of patent term for our currently owned or licensed patents to add patent life beyond its current expiration date, depending on the expected length of the clinical trials and other factors involved in the filing of the relevant NDA.

Regulatory exclusivity provisions under the FDCA also can delay the submission or the approval of certain applications. The FDCA provides a five-year period of non-patent marketing exclusivity within the United States to the first applicant to gain approval of an NDA for a new chemical entity. A drug is a new chemical entity if the FDA has not previously approved any other new drug containing the same active moiety, which is the molecule or ion responsible for the action of the drug substance. During the exclusivity period, the FDA may not accept for review an ANDA, or a 505(b)(2) NDA, submitted by another company for another version of such drug where the applicant does not own or have a legal right of reference to all the data required for approval. However, an application may be submitted after four years if it contains a certification of patent invalidity or non-infringement.

The FDCA also provides three years of exclusivity for an NDA, 505(b)(2) NDA, or supplement to an existing NDA, if new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability studies, that were conducted or sponsored by the applicant are deemed by the FDA to be essential to the approval of the application, for example, new indications, dosages or strengths of an existing drug. This three-year exclusivity covers only the conditions of use associated with the new clinical investigations, and prevents FDA approval of an ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA for such conditions of use, but

 

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does not prevent FDA acceptance for filing and review of an ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA. The three-year exclusivity does not prohibit the FDA from approving ANDAs or 505(b)(2) NDAs for drugs containing the original active agent for other conditions of use outside those protected by the exclusivity. Five-year and three-year exclusivity will not delay the submission or approval of a full NDA. However, an applicant submitting a full NDA would be required to conduct or obtain a right of reference to all of the preclinical studies and adequate and well-controlled clinical trials necessary to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.

Regulation of Companion Diagnostics

Companion diagnostics provide information that is essential for the safe and effective use of a corresponding therapeutic product and can identify patients who are most likely to benefit from a particular therapeutic product; identify patients likely to be at increased risk for serious side effects as a result of treatment with a particular therapeutic product; or monitor response to treatment with a particular therapeutic product for the purpose of adjusting treatment to achieve improved safety or effectiveness. Companion diagnostics are regulated as medical devices by the FDA. In the United States, the FDCA, and its implementing regulations, and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern, among other things, medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import, and post-market surveillance. Unless an exemption or FDA exercise of enforcement discretion applies, diagnostic tests generally require marketing clearance or approval from the FDA prior to commercialization. The two primary types of FDA marketing authorization applicable to a medical device are clearance of a premarket notification under section 510(k) of the FDCA, or 510(k), and approval of a premarket approval application, or PMA.

To obtain 510(k) clearance for a medical device, or for certain modifications to devices that have received 510(k) clearance, a manufacturer must submit a premarket notification demonstrating that the proposed device is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device, which may be a previously 510(k)-cleared device or a pre-amendment device that was in commercial distribution before May 28, 1976, or a device that was originally on the market as a class III device and later down-classified to class II or I. A proposed device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device if the subject device (1) has the same intended use as the predicate device and (2) either (a) has the same technological characteristics as the predicate device or (b) has different technological characteristics but does not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness than the predicate device and the submitted information demonstrates that the subject device is as safe and effective as the predicate device. If the FDA determines that the subject device is substantially equivalent to the predicate device, the subject device may be cleared for marketing. The 510(k) premarket notification pathway generally takes from three to twelve months from the date the application is completed, but can take significantly longer.

A PMA must be supported by valid scientific evidence, which typically requires extensive data, including technical, preclinical, clinical and manufacturing data, to demonstrate to the FDA’s satisfaction the safety and effectiveness of the device. For diagnostic tests, a PMA typically includes data regarding analytical and clinical validation studies. As part of its review of the PMA, the FDA will conduct a pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities to ensure compliance with the quality system regulation, or QSR, which requires manufacturers to follow design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures. FDA has committed to performance goals of reviewing original PMAs that are not referred to an Advisory Committee within 180 days and reviewing PMAs referred to an Advisory Committee within 320 days (excluding days when a request for additional information is pending with the applicant), although the process typically takes longer, and may require several years to complete. If the FDA evaluations of both the PMA and the manufacturing facilities are favorable, the FDA will either issue an approval order or an approvable letter, which usually contains a number of conditions that must be met in order to secure the final approval of the PMA. If the FDA’s evaluation of the PMA or manufacturing facilities is not favorable, the FDA will deny the approval of the PMA or issue a not approvable letter. A not approvable letter will outline the deficiencies in the application and, where practical, will identify what is necessary to make the PMA approvable. Once granted, PMA approval may be withdrawn by the FDA if compliance with post-approval requirements, conditions of approval or other regulatory standards is not maintained or the device is determined to be unsafe or ineffective following initial marketing.

On August 6, 2014, the FDA issued a final guidance document addressing the development and approval process for “In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices.” According to the guidance document, for novel therapeutic products that

 

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depend on the use of a diagnostic test and where the diagnostic device could be essential for the safe and effective use of the corresponding therapeutic product, the companion diagnostic device should be developed and approved or cleared contemporaneously with the therapeutic, although the FDA recognizes that there may be cases when contemporaneous development may not be possible. However, in cases where a drug cannot be used safely or effectively without the companion diagnostic, the FDA’s guidance indicates it will generally not approve the drug without the approval or clearance of the diagnostic device. The FDA also issued a draft guidance in July 2016 setting forth the principles for co-development of an in vitro companion diagnostic device with a therapeutic product. The draft guidance describes principles to guide the development and contemporaneous marketing authorization for the therapeutic product and its corresponding in vitro companion diagnostic.

Once cleared or approved, the companion diagnostic device must adhere to post-marketing requirements including the requirements of the FDA’s QSR, establishment registration and device listing, adverse event reporting, reporting of recalls and corrections, along with product marketing requirements and limitations. Like drug makers, companion diagnostic makers are subject to unannounced FDA inspections at any time during which the FDA will conduct an audit of the product(s) and the company’s facilities for compliance with its authorities.

Other Regulatory Matters

Manufacturing, sales, promotion and other activities of products following product approval, where applicable, or commercialization are also subject to regulation by numerous regulatory authorities in the United States in addition to the FDA, which may include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, other divisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, the Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and state and local governments and governmental agencies.

Healthcare Laws

Healthcare providers, physicians, and third-party payors will play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of any products for which we obtain marketing approval. Our business operations and any current or future arrangements with third-party payors, healthcare providers, and physicians may expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we develop, market, sell and distribute any drugs for which we obtain marketing approval. In the United States, these laws include federal and state anti-kickback, false claims, physician transparency, and patient data privacy and security laws and regulations, including those described below.

 

   

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, to induce, or in return for, either the referral of an individual, or the purchase, lease, order or recommendation of any good, facility, item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under a federal healthcare program, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. Violations are subject to civil and criminal fines and penalties for each violation, plus up to three times the remuneration involved, imprisonment, and exclusion from federal health care programs. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act, or the FCA. There are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from prosecution, but the exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly and require strict compliance in order to offer protection.

 

   

The federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the FCA, which can be enforced through civil “whistleblower” actions, and civil monetary penalty laws, impose criminal and civil penalties against individuals or entities for, among other things, knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment or approval from Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal health care programs that are false or fraudulent; knowingly making or causing a false statement material to a false or fraudulent claim or an obligation to pay money to the federal government; or knowingly concealing or knowingly and improperly

 

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avoiding or decreasing such an obligation. Manufacturers can be held liable under the FCA even when they do not submit claims directly to government payors if they are deemed to “cause” the submission of false or fraudulent claims. When an entity is determined to have violated the federal civil FCA, the government may impose civil fines and penalties for each false claim, plus treble damages, and exclude the entity from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.

 

   

The federal civil monetary penalties laws impose civil fines for, among other things, the offering or transfer or remuneration to a Medicare or state healthcare program beneficiary, if the person knows or should know it is likely to influence the beneficiary’s selection of a particular provider, practitioner, or supplier of services reimbursable by Medicare or a state health care program, unless an exception applies.

 

   

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any healthcare benefit program, regardless of the payor (including, public or private) and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up by any trick or device a material fact or making any materially false statements in connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare benefits, items or services relating to healthcare matters. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity can be found guilty of violating HIPAA without actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it.

 

   

HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and their respective implementing regulations, which impose requirements on certain covered healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses and their respective business associates that perform services for them that involve the use, or disclosure of, individually identifiable health information as well as their covered subcontractors, relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information without appropriate authorization. HITECH also created new tiers of civil monetary penalties, amended HIPAA to make civil and criminal penalties directly applicable to business associates, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.

 

   

The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or collectively, the ACA, imposed annual reporting requirements for certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics, and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, for certain payments and “transfers of value” provided to physicians (currently defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors) and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. Effective January 1, 2022, these reporting obligations will extend to include transfers of value made in the previous year to certain non-physician providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

 

   

Federal consumer protection and unfair competition laws broadly regulate marketplace activities and activities that potentially harm consumers.

 

   

Analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state and foreign anti-kickback, false claims, consumer protection and unfair competition laws which may apply to pharmaceutical business practices, including but not limited to, research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements as well as submitting claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including commercial insurers; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government that otherwise restricts payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws that require drug manufacturers to file reports with states regarding pricing and marketing information, such as the tracking and reporting of gifts, compensations and other remuneration and items of value provided to healthcare professionals and entities; state and local laws requiring the registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives; and state and foreign laws governing the privacy and

 

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security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts.

The scope and enforcement of each of these laws is uncertain and subject to rapid change in the current regulatory and healthcare environment, especially in light of the lack of applicable precedent and regulations. Federal and state enforcement bodies have recently increased their scrutiny of interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare industry.

Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement

In the United States and markets in other countries, patients who are prescribed treatments for their conditions and providers performing healthcare services generally rely on third-party payors to reimburse all or part of the associated healthcare costs. Thus, even if a product candidate is approved, sales of the product will depend, in part, on the extent to which third-party payors, including government healthcare programs in the United States such as Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurers, managed care organizations and other third-party payors, provide coverage, and establish adequate reimbursement levels for, the product. In the United States, principal decisions about Medicare reimbursement for new products are typically made by CMS and regional contractors responsible for administering the Medicare program. CMS and these contractors decide whether and to what extent a new product will be covered and reimbursed under Medicare, and private third-party payors often follow CMS’s decisions regarding coverage and reimbursement to a substantial degree.

Reimbursement by a third-party payor may depend upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the third-party payor’s determination that use of a product is (1) a covered benefit under its health plan; (2) safe, effective and medically necessary; (3) appropriate for the specific patient; (4) cost-effective; and (5) neither experimental nor investigational. Reimbursement rates may vary according to the use of the drug and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on reimbursement levels already set for lower cost drugs and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services. However, one third-party payor’s determination to provide coverage for a product candidate does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage for the product candidate. No uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for products exists among third-party payors, and coverage and reimbursement levels for products can differ significantly from payor to payor.

Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the prices charged, examining the medical necessity, reviewing the cost-effectiveness of medical products and services and imposing controls to manage costs. In order to secure coverage and reimbursement for any product that might be approved for sale, a company may need to conduct expensive pharmaco-economic studies in order to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of the product, which will require additional expenditure above and beyond the costs required to obtain FDA or other comparable regulatory approvals. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific products on an approved list, also known as a formulary, which might not include all of the FDA-approved products for a particular indication. Moreover, the containment of healthcare costs has become a priority of federal, state and foreign governments, and the prices of products have been a focus in this effort. Governments have shown significant interest in implementing cost-containment programs, including price controls or price increase penalties, restrictions on reimbursement and requirements for substitution of generic products.

In addition, companion diagnostic tests require coverage and reimbursement separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement for their companion pharmaceutical products. Similar challenges to obtaining coverage and reimbursement, applicable to pharmaceutical products, will apply to companion diagnostics.

 

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Current and Future Healthcare Reform Legislation

In the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and likely will continue to be, a number of proposed and adopted legislative and regulatory changes regarding the healthcare system directed at broadening the availability of healthcare, improving the quality of healthcare, and containing or lowering the cost of healthcare. For example, in March 2010, the United States Congress enacted the ACA, which, among other things, includes changes to the coverage and payment for products under government health care programs. The ACA includes provisions of importance to our potential product candidates that:

 

   

created an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports specified branded prescription drug products, apportioned among these entities according to their market share in certain government healthcare programs;

 

   

expanded eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs by, among other things, allowing states to offer Medicaid coverage to certain individuals with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level, thereby potentially increasing a manufacturer’s Medicaid rebate liability;

 

   

expanded manufacturers’ rebate liability under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program by increasing the minimum rebate for both branded and generic drugs and revising the definition of “average manufacturer price,” or AMP, for calculating and reporting Medicaid drug rebates on outpatient prescription drug prices;

 

   

addressed a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected;

 

   

expanded the types of entities eligible for the 340B drug discount program;

 

   

established the Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program by requiring manufacturers to provide point-of-sale-discounts off the negotiated price of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period as a condition for the manufacturers’ outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D; and

 

   

created a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research.

Since its enactment, there have been numerous judicial, administrative, executive, and legislative challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, and we expect there will be additional challenges and amendments to the ACA in the future. For example, various portions of the ACA have faced legal and constitutional challenges, including in the United States Supreme Court; the Trump administration issued various Executive Orders which eliminated cost sharing subsidies and various provisions that would impose a fiscal burden on states or a cost, fee, tax, penalty or regulatory burden on individuals, healthcare providers, health insurers, or manufacturers of pharmaceuticals or medical devices; and Congress introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at significantly revising or repealing the ACA. It is unclear whether the ACA will be overturned, repealed, replaced, or further amended in the future, and we cannot predict what effect further changes to the ACA would have on our business.

Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. For example, in August 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011, among other things, included reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2%, which went into effect in April 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2030 unless additional Congressional action is taken. The reductions have been suspended temporarily through December 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, imaging centers and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

Moreover, payment methodologies may be subject to changes in healthcare legislation and regulatory initiatives. For example, CMS may develop new payment and delivery models, including bundled payment models. In addition, recently there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for

 

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their commercial products, which has resulted in numerous Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted state and federal legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for pharmaceutical products. At the federal level, former President Trump used several means to propose or implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders, and policy initiatives. It is unclear whether the Biden administration will work to reverse those measures or pursue similar or other policy initiatives, for example related to an independent review board or other mechanisms that would impact drug pricing and reimbursement.

On November 20, 2020, CMS and the HHS Office of the Inspector General issued two final rules implementing changes to the Physician Self-Referral Law, or Stark Law, and the Anti-Kickback Statute. These new rules provide new value-based enterprise exceptions and safe harbors to the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute, as well as offer additional clarification in the form of updated definitions.

Compliance with Other Federal and State Laws or Requirements; Changing Legal Requirements

If any products that we may develop are made available to authorized users of the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration, additional laws and requirements apply. Products must meet applicable child-resistant packaging requirements under the U.S. Poison Prevention Packaging Act. Manufacturing, labeling, packaging, distribution, sales, promotion and other activities also are potentially subject to federal and state consumer protection and unfair competition laws, among other requirements to which we may be subject. The distribution of pharmaceutical products is subject to additional requirements and regulations, including extensive recordkeeping, licensing, storage and security requirements intended to prevent the unauthorized sale of pharmaceutical products, and state licensure.

The failure to comply with any of these laws or regulatory requirements may subject firms to legal or regulatory action. Depending on the circumstances, failure to meet applicable regulatory requirements can result in criminal prosecution, fines or other penalties, injunctions, exclusion from federal healthcare programs, requests for recall, seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production, denial or withdrawal of product approvals, relabeling or repackaging, or refusal to allow a firm to enter into supply contracts, including government contracts. Any claim or action against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business. Prohibitions or restrictions on marketing, sales or withdrawal of future products marketed by us could materially affect our business in an adverse way.

Changes in regulations, statutes or the interpretation of existing regulations could impact our business in the future by requiring, for example: (1) changes to our manufacturing arrangements; (2) additions or modifications to product labeling or packaging; (3) the recall or discontinuation of our products; or (4) additional recordkeeping requirements. If any such changes were to be imposed, they could adversely affect the operation of our business.

Government Regulation of Drugs Outside of the United States

To market any product outside of the United States, we would need to comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, marketing authorization, manufacturing, commercial sales and distribution of our products. These regulatory requirements may be similarly complex and even more stringent in certain regards than those described above. If we fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in the jurisdiction where we conduct clinical trials or seek regulatory approvals, we may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.

For instance, in the European Economic Area, or the EEA (comprising the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), medicinal products must be authorized for marketing by using either the centralized authorization procedure or national authorization procedures.

 

   

Centralized procedure—The centralized procedure provides for the grant of a single marketing authorization by the European Commission that is valid throughout the EEA. Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 726/2004, the centralized procedure is compulsory for specific products, including for medicines produced by certain

 

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biotechnological processes, products designated as orphan medicinal products, advanced therapy products (gene therapy, somatic cell therapy and tissue engineered products) and products with a new active substance indicated for the treatment of certain diseases, which includes products for the treatment of cancer. For medicines that do not fall within one of the mandatory categories, an applicant still has the option of submitting an application for a centralized marketing authorization to the European Medicines Agency, or the EMA, as long as the medicine concerned contains a new active substance not authorized in the EEA prior to May 20, 2004, is a significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovation, or if its authorization would be in the interest of public health in the EEA. If pursuing marketing authorization of a product candidate for a therapeutic indication under the centralized procedure, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or the CHMP, is responsible for conducting an initial assessment of whether a product meets the required quality, safety and efficacy requirements, and whether a product has a positive benefit/risk ratio. Under the centralized procedure the maximum timeframe for the evaluation of a marketing authorization application, or the MAA, by the EMA is 210 days, excluding clock stops, when additional written or oral information is to be provided by the applicant in response to questions asked by the CHMP. Clock stops may extend the timeframe of evaluation of a MAA considerably beyond 210 days. Where the CHMP gives a positive opinion, it provides the opinion together with supporting documentation to the European Commission, who make the final decision to grant a marketing authorization, which is issued within 67 days of receipt of the EMA’s recommendation. Accelerated assessment might be granted by the CHMP in exceptional cases, when a medicinal product is expected to be of major public health interest, particularly from the point of view of therapeutic innovation. The timeframe for the evaluation of a MAA under the accelerated assessment procedure is 150 days, excluding clock stops, but it is possible that the CHMP may revert to the standard time limit for the centralized procedure if it determines that the application is no longer appropriate to conduct an accelerated assessment.

 

   

National authorization procedures—There are also two other possible routes to authorize products for therapeutic indications in several countries, which are available for products that fall outside the scope of the centralized procedure:

 

   

Decentralized procedure—Using the decentralized procedure, an applicant may apply for simultaneous authorization in more than one EEA Member State for a medicinal product that has not yet been authorized in any EEA Member State and that does not fall within the mandatory scope of the centralized procedure.

 

   

Mutual recognition procedure—In the mutual recognition procedure, a medicine is first authorized in one EEA Member State, in accordance with the national procedures of that country. Following this, additional marketing authorizations can be sought from other EEA Member States in a procedure whereby the countries concerned recognize the validity of the original, national marketing authorization.

In both cases, as with the centralized procedure, the competent authorities of the EEA Member States assess the risk-benefit balance of the product on the basis of scientific criteria concerning its quality, safety and efficacy before granting the marketing authorization.

In the EEA, new products for therapeutic indications that are authorized for marketing (so called “references products”) qualify for eight years of data exclusivity and an additional two years of market exclusivity upon marketing authorization. The data exclusivity period prevents generic or biosimilar applicants from referencing the preclinical and clinical trial data contained in the dossier of the reference product when applying for a generic or biosimilar marketing authorization in the EEA during a period of eight years from the date on which the reference product was first authorized in the EEA. The additional two-year period of market exclusivity period prevents a successful generic or biosimilar applicant from commercializing its product in the EEA until ten years have elapsed from the initial authorization of the reference product in the EU. The overall ten-year period can be extended to a maximum of eleven years if, during the first eight years of those ten years, the marketing authorization holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic indications which, during the scientific evaluation prior to their authorization, are held to bring a significant clinical benefit in comparison with existing therapies. Even if a compound is considered to be a new active substance so that the innovator gains the prescribed period of data

 

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exclusivity, another company may market another version of the product if such company obtained marketing authorization based on a MAA with a complete independent data package of pharmaceutical tests, preclinical tests and clinical trials.

The criteria for designating an “orphan medicinal product” in the EEA are similar in principle to those in the United States. Under Article 3 of Regulation (EC) 141/2000, in the EEA a medicinal product may be designated as orphan if it meets the following criteria (1) it is intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a life-threatening or chronically debilitating condition; and (2) either (a) such condition affects no more than five in 10,000 persons in the EEA when the application is made, or (b) it is unlikely that the product, without the benefits derived from orphan status, would generate sufficient return in the EEA to justify the investment needed for its development; and (3) there exists no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such condition, or if such a method exists, the product will be of significant benefit to those affected by the condition. Orphan medicinal products are eligible for financial incentives such as reduction of fees or fee waivers and are, upon grant of a marketing authorization, entitled to ten years of market exclusivity for the approved therapeutic indication. During this ten-year orphan market exclusivity period, no marketing authorization application shall be accepted, and no marketing authorization shall be granted for a similar medicinal product for the same indication, although similar, is safer, more effective or otherwise clinically superior than the authorized product; (ii) the marketing authorization holder of the authorized product consents to a second orphan medicinal product application; or (iii) the marketing authorization holder of the authorized product cannot supply enough orphan medicinal product. An orphan product can also obtain an additional two years of market exclusivity in the EEA for pediatric studies. The ten-year market exclusivity may be reduced to six years if, at the end of the fifth year, it is established that the product no longer meets the criteria for orphan designation, for example, if the product is sufficiently profitable not to justify maintenance of market exclusivity. The application for orphan drug designation must be submitted before the application for marketing authorization. The applicant will receive a fee reduction for the MAA if the orphan drug designation has been granted, but not if the designation is still pending at the time the marketing authorization is submitted. Orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review and approval process.

Similar to the United States, the various phases of non-clinical and clinical research in the European Union are subject to significant regulatory controls.

The Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC, the Directive 2005/28/EC on GCP and the related national implementing provisions of the individual EU member states govern the system for the approval of clinical trials in the European Union. Under this system, an applicant must obtain prior approval from the national competent authority, or the NCA, of the EU member states in which the clinical trial is to be conducted. Furthermore, the applicant may only start a clinical trial at a specific study site after the competent ethics committee, or the EC, has issued a favorable opinion. The clinical trial application must be accompanied by, among other documents, an investigational medicinal product dossier (the Common Technical Document) with supporting information prescribed by Directive 2001/20/EC, Directive 2005/28/EC, and the provisions of the individual EU member states’ legislation implementing the Clinical Trials Directive. Under the current regime (the EU Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC and corresponding national laws) all suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions to the investigated drug that occur during the clinical trial have to be reported to the NCA and ECs of the Member State where they occurred.

In April 2014, the new Clinical Trials Regulation, (EU) No 536/2014, or the Clinical Trials Regulation, was adopted, which is expected to apply following confirmation of full functionality of the Clinical Trials Information System, the centralized European Union portal and database for clinical trials foreseen by the regulation, through an independent audit. The regulation becomes applicable six months after the European Commission publishes notice of this confirmation, which it has not yet done. The Clinical Trials Regulation will be directly applicable in all the EU member states, repealing the current Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC. Conduct of all clinical trials performed in the European Union will continue to be bound by the Clinical Trials Directive and the Member States’ national implementing legislation until the new Clinical Trials Regulation becomes applicable. The extent to which ongoing clinical trials will be governed by the Clinical Trials Regulation will depend on when the Clinical Trials Regulation becomes applicable and on the duration of the individual clinical trial. If a clinical trial continues for more than three years from the day on which the Clinical Trials Regulation becomes applicable the Clinical Trials Regulation will at that time begin to apply to the clinical trial. The new Clinical Trials Regulation aims to simplify and

 

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streamline the approval of clinical trials in the European Union. The main characteristics of the regulation include: a streamlined application procedure via a single-entry point, the “EU portal”; a single set of documents to be prepared and submitted for the application as well as simplified reporting procedures for clinical trial sponsors; and a harmonized procedure for the assessment of applications for clinical trials, which is divided in two parts. Part I is assessed by the competent authorities of all EU member states in which an application for authorization of a clinical trial has been submitted (Member States concerned). Part II is assessed separately by each Member State concerned. Strict deadlines have been established for the assessment of clinical trial applications. The role of the relevant ethics committees in the assessment procedure will continue to be governed by the national law of the concerned EU member state. However, overall related timelines will be defined by the Clinical Trials Regulation.

Outside the United States, ensuring coverage and adequate payment for a product also involves challenges. Pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to government control in many countries. Pricing negotiations with government authorities can extend well beyond the receipt of regulatory approval for a product and may require a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of a product to other available therapies. The conduct of such a clinical trial could be expensive and result in delays in commercialization. For example, in the European Union, pricing and reimbursement schemes vary widely from country to country. Some countries provide that products may be marketed only after a reimbursement price has been agreed upon. Some countries may require the completion of additional studies that compare the cost-effectiveness of a particular product candidate to currently available therapies or so-called health technology assessments, in order to obtain reimbursement or pricing approval. For example, the European Union provides options for its member states to restrict the range of products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal products for human use. European Union member states may approve a specific price for a product or may instead adopt a system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the product on the market. Other member states allow companies to fix their own prices for products, but monitor and control prescription volumes and issue guidance to physicians to limit prescriptions. Recently, many countries in the European Union have increased the amount of discounts required on pharmaceuticals and these efforts could continue as countries attempt to manage healthcare expenditures, especially in light of the severe fiscal and debt crises experienced by many countries in the European Union. The downward pressure on healthcare costs in general, particularly prescription products, has become intense. As a result, increasingly high barriers are being erected to the entry of new products. Political, economic and regulatory developments may further complicate pricing negotiations, and pricing negotiations may continue after reimbursement has been obtained. Reference pricing used by various European Union member states, and parallel trade, in other words, arbitrage between low-priced and high-priced member states, can further reduce prices. There can be no assurance that any country that has price controls or reimbursement limitations for pharmaceutical products will allow favorable reimbursement and pricing arrangements for any products, if approved in those countries.

Government Regulation of Data Collection outside of the United States

In the event we conduct clinical trials in the European Union, we will be subject to additional privacy restrictions. The collection and use of personal health data in the EEA is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation, or the GDPR, which became effective on May 25, 2018. The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data by any company established in the EEA and to companies established outside the EEA to the extent they process personal data in connection with the offering of goods or services to data subjects in the EEA or the monitoring of the behavior of data subjects in the EEA. The GDPR enhances data protection obligations for data controllers of personal data, including stringent requirements relating to the consent of data subjects, expanded disclosures about how personal data is used, enhanced requirements for securing personal data, requirements to conduct privacy impact assessments for “high risk” processing, limitations on retention of personal data, mandatory data breach notification and “privacy by design” requirements, and creates direct obligations on service providers acting as processors. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data outside of the EEA to countries that do not ensure an adequate level of protection, like the United States. Failure to comply with the requirements of the GDPR and the related national data protection laws of the EEA Member States, which may deviate slightly from the GDPR, may result in fines of up to 4% of a company’s global revenue for the preceding financial year, or 20 million, whichever is greater. Moreover, the GDPR grants data subjects the right to claim material and non-material damages resulting from infringement of the GDPR. Given the breadth and depth of changes in data protection obligations, maintaining compliance with the GDPR will require significant time, resources and expense, and we may be required to put in

 

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place additional controls and processes ensuring compliance with the new data protection rules. There has been limited enforcement of the GDPR to date, particularly in biopharmaceutical development, so we face uncertainty as to the exact interpretation of the new requirements on any future trials and we may be unsuccessful in implementing all measures required by data protection authorities or courts in interpretation of the new law. Further, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, means that it has in force its own legislation which is aligned with the GDPR, known as the Data Protection Act 2018. The requirements are similar except that the United Kingdom is now regarded as a “third country” for the purposes of transfers of personal data from the EEA. Transfers continue to flow freely from the UK to the EEA following an adequacy decision from the European Commission adopted on June 28, 2021 and valid for four years.

Data protection authority activity differs across the EU, with certain authorities applying their own agenda which shows there is uncertainty in the manner in which data protection authorities will seek to enforce compliance with GDPR. For example, it is not clear if the authorities will conduct random audits of companies doing business in the EU, or if the authorities will wait for complaints to be filed by individuals who claim their rights have been violated. Enforcement uncertainty and the costs associated with ensuring GDPR compliance are onerous and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Should we utilize third-party distributors, compliance with such foreign governmental regulations would generally be the responsibility of such distributors, who may be independent contractors over whom we have limited control.

Employees and Human Capital

As of September 15, 2021 we had 14 full-time employees, of which seven have M.D., D.Phil or Ph.D. degrees. Of our full-time employees, eight were engaged in research and development activities and six were engaged in business development, finance and general management and administration. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.

Our human capital resources objectives include, as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, motivating and integrating our existing and future employees. The principal purposes of our equity incentive plans are to attract, retain and motivate selected employees, consultants and directors through grants of stock-based compensation awards and payments of cash-based performance bonus awards, in order to increase stockholder value and the success of our company by motivating our employees to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives.

Facilities

Our corporate headquarters are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where we rent shared office space on a month-to-month basis. We have entered into a lease agreement in respect of 7,351 square feet of office space in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The lease is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. The initial term of the lease is seven years, with a one-time option right to extend the term five additional years, subject to an increase in rent in accordance with the terms of the lease agreement. We believe that this space will be sufficient for our needs for the foreseeable future.

To meet the future needs of our business, however, we may lease additional or alternate space, and we believe suitable additional or alternative space will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may become involved in litigation or other legal proceedings. We are not currently a party to any litigation or legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are probable to have a material adverse effect on our business. Regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table provides information regarding our executive officers and directors, including their ages as of September 15, 2021:

 

 

 

NAME

  

AGE

  

POSITION(S)

Executive Officers:

     

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

   56    President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

William C. Shakespeare, Ph.D.

   58    Co-Founder and President of Research and Development

David C. Dalgarno, D.Phil.

   63    Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer

Victor M. Rivera, Ph.D.

   57    Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer

Bradford D. Dahms

   33    Chief Financial Officer

David P. Kerstein, M.D.

   39    Chief Medical Officer

Non-Employee Directors:

     

Iain D. Dukes, MA, D.Phil.(2)(3)

   63    Co-Founder, Chairman and Director

Carl Gordon, CFA, Ph.D.(1)

   55    Director

Michael Rome, Ph.D.(1)

   37    Director

Kathy Yi, MBA(1)(2)(3)

   50    Director

 

 

(1)   Member of the audit committee.
(2)   Member of the compensation committee.
(3)   Member of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

Executive Officers

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D. has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our board of directors since May 2021. From May 2018 until April 2021, Dr. Clackson was President, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Xilio Therapeutics Inc. Prior to joining Xilio, Dr. Clackson served as President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in February 2017, from June 2010 to May 2017. Prior to that, Dr. Clackson served as ARIAD’s Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer from 2003, and in other roles from December 1994. From June 2016 to May 2017, Dr. Clackson served as a member of the board of directors of ARIAD Pharma Ltd., ARIAD’s UK subsidiary. Dr. Clackson has served as both a member of the board of directors of Elevation Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ELEV) since May 2020, and as a member of the board of directors of Forma Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMTX) since March 2018. Dr. Clackson has also served as a member of the board of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council since March 2015. Dr. Clackson served as a member of the board of directors of Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc., from March 2018 until the business combination with F-star Therapeutics Limited in November 2020 (formerly Nasdaq: SBPH). Dr. Clackson holds a Bachelor of Arts, with Honors, in Biochemistry from Oxford University and a Doctorate in Biology from the University of Cambridge. We believe that Dr. Clackson is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of the perspective and experience he provides as our President and Chief Executive Officer, in addition to his extensive leadership experience in our industry and his educational background in biology and biochemistry.

William C. Shakespeare, Ph.D. is a founding member of Theseus Pharmaceuticals and has served as our President of Research and Development since May 2018. From June 2018 to May 2021, Dr. Shakespeare served as a member of our board of directors. From 2009 to January 2017, Dr. Shakespeare was Vice President of Drug Discovery at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in February 2017. Dr. Shakespeare holds a Doctorate in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Gettysburg College.

David C. Dalgarno, D.Phil. is a founding member of Theseus Pharmaceuticals and has served as our Chief Technical Officer since June 2018. From March 1992 to February 2017, Dr. Dalgarno held several roles at ARIAD

 

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Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in February 2017, including most recently as Vice President of the Research Technologies Discovery Group. Dr. Dalgarno holds a Doctorate in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Oxford.

Victor M. Rivera, Ph.D. is a founding member of Theseus Pharmaceuticals and has served as our Chief Scientific Officer since June 2018. From February 1993 to February 2017, Dr. Rivera held several roles at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in February 2017, including most recently as Vice President, Preclinical and Translational Research. Dr. Rivera holds a Doctorate in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Harvard Medical School and a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology, magna cum laude, from Princeton University.

Bradford D. Dahms has served as our Chief Financial Officer since May 2021. From September 2019 to May 2021, Mr. Dahms served as Chief Financial Officer of Selecta Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: SELB). Prior to joining Selecta, Mr. Dahms served as Senior Vice President—Healthcare Investment Banking at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., an investment bank, from April 2014 to August 2019. He also served as an analyst at RBC Capital Markets from 2012 to 2014, and at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Dahms holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, with honors, from The Ohio State University.

David P. Kerstein, M.D. has served as our Chief Medical Officer since October 2020. From November 2018 to July 2020, Dr. Kerstein served as Chief Medical Officer of Achiano Therapeutics Ltd. Dr. Kerstein also served as Senior Medical Director of Oncology Clinical Research at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, from February 2017 to November 2018. From 2014 to 2017, Dr. Kerstein was Medical Director and then Senior Medical Director of Clinical Research at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (which was acquired by Takeda in February 2017). Prior to that, Dr. Kerstein was Director of Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs at Boston Biomedical, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. Ltd. Dr. Kerstein holds a Doctorate of Medicine from Tufts University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biology, summa cum laude, from Tufts University.

Non-Employee Directors

Iain D. Dukes, MA, D.Phil. is a founding member of Theseus Pharmaceuticals and has served as our Chairman since September 2021 and as a member of our board of directors since June 2018. From June 2018 until April 2021, Dr. Dukes served as our Chief Executive Officer, and from April 2021 until September 2021, served as our Executive Chairman. Dr. Dukes is a Venture Partner at OrbiMed Advisors LLC, an investment firm, which he joined in August 2016. Dr. Dukes has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Viriom Inc. since February 2019 and has also served as the Executive Chairman of Angiex Inc. since February 2020. In September 2017, Dr. Dukes co-founded Kartos Therapeutics, Inc. and currently serves as President. From October 2017 to July 2020, Dr. Dukes was a board member and Chairman of KaNDy Therapeutics Ltd., which was acquired by Bayer AG in September 2020. From January 2020 to June 2020, Dr. Dukes served as supervisory board member of Themis BioScience GmbH, until it was acquired by Merck & Co. Dr. Dukes also co-founded Telios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he serves as President. Dr. Dukes currently serves on the boards of directors of NeRRe Therapeutics Ltd., ReViral Limited and ENYO Pharma SA. Since November 2016, Dr. Dukes has served on the board of directors of Ikena Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: IKNA), and since September 2016, Dr. Dukes has served as chairman of the board of directors of Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: IOVA). Dr Dukes is co-founder and chairman of the Loch Group, comprising ten distinct companies focusing on targeted oncology, inflammation and neuroscience. Dr. Dukes previously served as Senior Vice President and Head of Business Development and Licensing for Merck Research Laboratories (Merck & Co) from August 2013 through May 2016. Prior to joining Merck, Dr. Dukes was Vice President of External Research & Development at Amgen, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) from August 2010 to August 2013. Dr. Dukes holds Master of Jurisprudence and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Oxford, a Master of Science degree in Cardiovascular Studies from the University of Leeds and a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacology from the University of Bath. We believe that Dr. Dukes is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his valuable and extensive experience gained from prior service as our Chief Executive Officer, as well as his extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including his service in senior management roles.

Carl Gordon, CFA, Ph.D. has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2018. Dr. Gordon is a founding member, Managing Partner, and Co-Head of Global Private Equity at OrbiMed Advisors LLC, an investment

 

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firm. Dr. Gordon currently serves on the boards of directors of Adicet Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACET), Compass Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX), Gemini Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: GMTX), Keros Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: KROS), Kinnate Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: KNTE), ORIC Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ORIC) and Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TERN), as well as several private companies. Dr. Gordon previously served on the boards of directors of several companies, including Alector Inc. (Nasdaq: ALEC), ARMO Biosciences, Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: ARMO), Arsanis, Inc. (which merged with X4 Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) (formerly Nasdaq: ASNS), Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTLA), Passage Bio Inc., Prevail Therapeutics Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: PRVL), Selecta Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SELB), SpringWorks Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX) and Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPTX). Dr. Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Harvard College, a Doctorate in Molecular Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a Fellow at The Rockefeller University. We believe that Dr. Gordon is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive business experience, and experience in venture capital and the life science industry.

Michael Rome, Ph.D. has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2021. Dr. Rome has served in various roles with Foresite Capital Management, an investment firm, since August 2016, including serving as Managing Director since May 2020. Prior to that, he served as an Analyst at DAFNA Capital Management LLC, a healthcare hedge fund, from September 2015 to July 2016. Dr. Rome also worked in early-stage drug development as a Senior Scientist for Vault Pharma, an academic start-up out of the California NanoSystems Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles from April 2014 to September 2015. Since December 2019, Dr. Rome has served on the board of directors of Kinnate Bioharma Inc. (Nasdaq: KNTE), and since August 2020 has served on the board of directors of FS Development Corp. II (FSII). Dr. Rome currently serves on the board of directors of a privately held company, Remix Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Rome has also held board observer roles (past and present) at Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPTX), Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NRIX) and several privately held companies, including Maze Therapeutics, Inc. and PACT Pharma, Inc. Dr. Rome holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Doctorate in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology from the California Institute of Technology. We believe Dr. Rome is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive experience in investing in diverse biotechnology companies and his depth of knowledge and substantial experience as a research scientist.

Kathy Yi, M.B.A. has served as a member of our board of directors since June 2021. Ms. Yi served as Chief Financial Officer of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERE) from June 2019 to September 2021. Previously, Ms. Yi served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO), from February 2017 to June 2019. Prior to Sangamo Therapeutics, Ms. Yi was Head of Finance at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NYSE: NVS) from February 2014 to February 2017. From 2007 to 2014, Ms. Yi held various financial management positions of increasing seniority at Life Technologies Corp., which was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2014, including Finance Leader, Corporate FP&A from 2012 to 2014, Director of Finance, M&A/Corporate Development, from 2010 to 2012, and Director of Finance, Global Manufacturing Operations, from 2007 to 2010. From 2001 to 2007, Ms. Yi held increasing roles of responsibilities in corporate finance at Intel Corporation. Ms. Yi holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School. We believe Ms. Yi is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her extensive business, financial and accounting experience as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry.

Board Composition

Our board of directors currently consists of five members, who were elected pursuant to the amended and restated voting agreement that we entered into with certain holders of our common stock and certain holders of our preferred stock and the related provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as currently in effect. The provisions of this voting agreement will terminate upon the completion of this offering, after which there will be no further contractual obligations regarding the election of our directors. Our directors hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified or appointed, or the earlier of their death, resignation or removal.

Effective upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors will have five members. In accordance with the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon the completion of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered

 

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three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be Dr. Dukes and Ms. Yi, and their terms will expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering;

 

   

the Class II directors will be Dr. Gordon and Dr. Rome, and their terms will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering; and

 

   

the Class III director will be Dr. Clackson, and his term will expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders to be held after the closing of this offering.

Directors in a particular class will be elected for three-year terms at the annual meeting of stockholders in the year in which their terms expire. As a result, only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms. Each director’s term continues until the election and qualification of his or her successor, or the earlier of his or her death, resignation or removal.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon the completion of this offering provide that only our board of directors can fill vacant directorships, including newly-created seats. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors would be distributed pro rata among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class would consist of one-third of the authorized number of directors.

The classification of our board of directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in our control or management. See the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Provisions—Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Director Independence

Upon the completion of this offering, we anticipate that our common stock will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or Nasdaq. Under the rules of Nasdaq, independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s board of directors within 12 months from the date of listing. In addition, the rules of Nasdaq require that, subject to specified exceptions, (i) a majority of the members of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees be independent within 90 days from the date of listing and (ii) each member of such committees must be independent within 12 months from the date of listing. Audit committee members must also satisfy the independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Although at the completion of this offering we may be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and therefore may be eligible to take advantage of exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements, we do not currently intend to do so, including the exemption from the requirement that a majority of our board of directors must consist of independent directors by the end of the phase-in period. Under the rules of Nasdaq, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of that company’s board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

To be considered to be independent for purposes of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and under the rules of Nasdaq, a member of an audit committee of a listed company may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the audit committee, the board of directors or any other board committee: (1) accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the listed company or any of its subsidiaries or (2) be an affiliated person of the listed company or any of its subsidiaries. Each of Dr. Rome and Ms. Yi qualifies as an independent director pursuant to Rule 10A-3.

In September 2021, our board of directors undertook a review of its composition, the composition of its committees and the independence of our directors and considered whether any director has a material relationship with us that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning their background, employment

 

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and affiliations, including family relationships, our board of directors has determined that each of Dr. Rome and Ms. Yi does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that each of these directors is “independent” as that term is defined under the applicable rules of Nasdaq. We intend to rely on a phase-in period under these rules applicable to newly public companies, which will permit fewer than a majority of our board of directors to be independent on the listing date of our common stock, provided we satisfy such requirement within one year of the date of listing. Accordingly, we intend to have a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors within one year of the date our common stock is listed on Nasdaq.

In making these determinations, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships that each non-employee director has with our company and all other facts and circumstances our board of directors deemed relevant in determining independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director, and the transactions involving them described in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” elsewhere in this prospectus. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

One of the key functions of our board of directors is informed oversight of our risk management process. In particular, our board of directors is responsible for monitoring and assessing strategic risk exposure. Our executive officers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the material risks we face. Our board of directors administers its oversight function directly as a whole. Our board of directors will also administer its oversight through various standing committees, which will be constituted prior to the completion of this offering, that address risks inherent in their respective areas of oversight. For example, our audit committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks associated with our financial reporting, accounting and auditing matters; our compensation committee will oversee the management of risks associated with our compensation policies and programs; and our nominating and corporate governance committee will oversee the management of risks associated with director independence, conflicts of interest, composition and organization of our board of directors and director succession planning.

Committees of the Board of Directors

Our board of directors has established an audit committee and will establish a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee prior to the completion of this offering. Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors may establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business. Our board of directors and its committees will set schedules for meeting throughout the year and can also hold special meetings and act by written consent from time to time, as appropriate. Members will serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors. Although at the completion of this offering we may be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and therefore may be eligible to take advantage of exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements, we do not currently intend to elect to do so, including exemptions relating to the independence requirements applicable to the committees of the board of directors at the end of the phase-in period.

Our board of directors expects to delegate various responsibilities and authority to committees as generally described below. The committees will regularly report on their activities and actions to the full board of directors. Each committee of our board of directors will have a written charter approved by our board of directors. Upon the completion of this offering, copies of each charter will be posted on our website at https://theseusrx.com/ under the Investor Relations section. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase shares of our common stock. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

Audit Committee

The members of our audit committee are Ms. Yi, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Rome. Ms. Yi is the chair of the audit committee. Each member of our audit committee can read and understand fundamental financial statements. Our

 

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board of directors has determined that Ms. Yi qualifies as an audit committee financial expert within the meaning of SEC regulations and meets the financial sophistication requirements of Nasdaq.

We intend to rely on the phase-in rules of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and the Nasdaq rules with respect to the requirement that the audit committee be composed entirely of members of our board of directors who satisfy the standards of independence established for independent directors under the Nasdaq rules and the additional independence standards applicable to audit committee members established pursuant to Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, as determined by our board of directors. We expect that by the first anniversary of our listing on Nasdaq, our audit committee will comply with the applicable independence requirements. Ms. Yi and Dr. Rome are independent under the rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of Nasdaq applicable to audit committee members.

Effective upon the closing of this offering, our audit committee will operate under a written charter that satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of Nasdaq. Our audit committee will assist our board of directors with its oversight of the integrity of our financial statements; our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the qualifications, independence and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm; the design, implementation and performance of any internal audit function, if and when implemented; and our risk assessment and risk management. Among other things, our audit committee is responsible for reviewing and discussing with our management the adequacy and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures. The audit committee also will discuss with our management and independent registered public accounting firm the annual audit plan and scope of audit activities, scope and timing of the annual audit of our financial statements, and the results of the audit, quarterly reviews of our financial statements and, as appropriate, initiate inquiries into certain aspects of our financial affairs. Our audit committee is responsible for establishing and overseeing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of any complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, as well as for the confidential and anonymous submissions by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters. In addition, our audit committee has direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of our independent registered public accounting firm. Our audit committee has sole authority to approve the hiring and discharging of our independent registered public accounting firm, all audit engagement terms and fees and all permissible non-audit engagements with the independent auditor. Our audit committee will review and oversee all related person transactions in accordance with our policies and procedures.

Compensation Committee

The members of our compensation committee are Dr. Dukes and Ms. Yi. Dr. Dukes is the chair of the compensation committee.

We intend to rely on the phase-in rules of Nasdaq with respect to the requirement that the compensation committee be composed entirely of members of our board of directors who satisfy the standards of independence established for independent directors under the Nasdaq rules, as determined by our board of directors. We expect that our compensation committee will comply with the applicable independence requirements during the phase-in period (including the requirement to have a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing on Nasdaq) and that all members of our compensation committee will satisfy the applicable independence standards by the first anniversary of our listing on Nasdaq. Ms. Yi is independent under the rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of Nasdaq applicable to compensation committee members.

Effective upon the closing of this offering, our compensation committee will operate under a written charter that satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of Nasdaq. Our compensation committee will assist our board of directors with its oversight of the forms and amount of compensation for our executive officers (including officers reporting under Section 16 of the Exchange Act), the administration of our equity and non-equity incentive plans for employees and other service providers and certain other matters related to our compensation programs. Our compensation committee, among other responsibilities, evaluates the performance of our chief executive officer and, in consultation with him, evaluates the performance of our other executive officers (including officers reporting under Section 16 of the Exchange Act).

 

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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The members of our nominating and corporate governance committee are Dr. Dukes and Ms. Yi. Ms. Yi is the chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

We intend to rely on the phase-in rules of Nasdaq with respect to the requirement that the nominating and corporate governance committee be composed entirely of members of our board of directors who satisfy the standards of independence established for independent directors under the Nasdaq rules, as determined by our board of directors. We expect that our nominating and corporate governance committee will comply with the applicable independence requirements during the phase-in period (including the requirement to have a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing on Nasdaq) and that all members of our nominating and corporate governance committee will satisfy the applicable independence standards by the first anniversary of our listing on Nasdaq. Ms. Yi is independent under the rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of Nasdaq applicable to nominating and corporate governance committee members.

Effective upon the closing of this offering, our nominating and corporate governance committee will assist our board of directors with its oversight of and identification of individuals qualified to become members of our board of directors, consistent with criteria approved by our board of directors, and select, or recommend that our board of directors select, director nominees, develops and recommends to our board of directors a set of corporate governance guidelines and oversees the evaluation of our board of directors.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, our board of directors did not have a compensation committee or a separate committee performing equivalent functions. During such period, all members of our board of directors, including Dr. Dukes, our former Chief Executive Officer and current Chairman, and Dr. Shakespeare, our former director and current President of Research and Development, participated in deliberations of our board of directors concerning executive officer compensation. None of our executive officers serves, or served during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any other entity that has or has had one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors. Each of Dr. Dukes, Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Rome may be deemed to have an interest in certain transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that are disclosed in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in this section.

Code of Conduct

Our board of directors has adopted a Code of Conduct, or the Conduct Code, effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The Conduct Code will apply to all of our employees, officers, directors, contractors, consultants, suppliers and agents. Upon the completion of this offering, the full text of the Conduct Code will be posted on our website at https://theseusrx.com/ under the Investor Relations section. We intend to disclose future amendments to, or waivers of, the Conduct Code, as and to the extent required by SEC regulations, at the same location on our website identified above or in public filings. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase shares of our common stock. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following discussion relates to the compensation of Iain Dukes, MA, D.Phil., our Co-Founder, Chairman, Director and former Chief Executive Officer, William Shakespeare, Ph.D., our Co-Founder and President of Research Development, David Dalgarno, Ph.D., our Co-Founder and Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, and Victor Rivera, Ph.D., our Co-Founder and Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Dr. Dukes, Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera are collectively referred to in this prospectus as our “named executive officers.”

Summary Compensation Table

The following table shows information regarding the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to each of our named executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

 

 

 

NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION

  YEAR     SALARY(1)
($)
    BONUS
($)
    OPTION
AWARDS(2)
($)
    NON-EQUITY
INCENTIVE PLAN
COMPENSATION
($)
    ALL OTHER
COMPENSATION
($)
    TOTAL ($)  

Iain D. Dukes, MA, D.Phil.(3)

    2020       183,000 (4)            1,266,346                   1,449,346  

Co-Founder, Chairman, Director and Former Chief Executive Officer

             

William C. Shakespeare, Ph.D.

    2020       323,237             1,266,346                   1,589,583  

Co-Founder, President of Research and Development and Former Director

             

David C. Dalgarno, D.Phil.

    2020       313,943             1,266,346                   1,580,289  

Co-Founder, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

             

Victor M. Rivera, Ph.D.

    2020       313,943             1,266,346                   1,580,289  

Co-Founder, Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer

             

 

 

(1)   The amounts in this column reflect salary earned by Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera but not paid until 2021, in the amounts of $23,237, $13,943 and $13,943, respectively, in connection with a retroactive salary increase made effective as of October 26, 2020.
(2)   The amounts in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards granted to our named executive officers in 2020 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 10 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of the assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair value of our equity awards.
(3)   Dr. Dukes transitioned out of his role as Chief Executive Officer as of April 23, 2021.
(4)   Consulting fees paid to Dr. Dukes.

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

During 2020, the compensation of our named executive officers consisted of base salary and equity compensation. In making executive compensation decisions, our board of directors considers such factors as it deems appropriate in its exercise of discretion and business judgment, including a subjective assessment of the named executive officer’s performance, the amount of vested and unvested equity held by the officer, amounts paid to our other executive officers and competitive market conditions. Although we did not have a formal bonus plan in place for fiscal year 2020, our named executive officers are eligible to participate in an annual cash incentive bonus plan for fiscal year 2021.

 

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2020 Salaries

Our named executive officers each receive a base salary to compensate them for services rendered to us. The base salary payable to each named executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role and responsibilities.

As of December 31, 2020, the annual salaries of Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera were $425,000, $375,000, and $375,000, respectively, pursuant to the terms of their initial offer letters. See the section titled “—Employment Arrangements with our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer and Certain Named Executive Officers—Offer Letters with Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera.” We were previously party to a consulting agreement with Dr. Dukes setting forth the initial terms of his services. Dr. Dukes earned an hourly fee of $600 for up to 20 hours per week of service during fiscal year 2020. The consulting agreement was terminated as of April 23, 2021 in connection with Dr. Dukes’ transition into his former role as Executive Chairman.

Our board of directors and compensation committee may adjust base salaries from time to time in their discretion.

Stock-Based Compensation

Historically, the equity compensation granted to our named executive officers has consisted of stock options. In December 2020, we granted each of Dr. Dukes, Dr. Dalgarno, Dr. Rivera and Dr. Shakespeare an option to purchase 344,344 shares of our common stock. Each option vests in 48 equal monthly installments over a four-year period, subject to the applicable named executive officer’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date. For further details regarding the stock options granted to our named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2020, see the table under the section titled “—Outstanding Equity Award.” Subsequently, during the six months ended June 30, 2021, we granted each of Dr. Dukes, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera options to purchase 97,615 shares of our common stock, and granted Dr. Shakespeare options to purchase 263,673 shares of our common stock. Such options are subject to the same vesting conditions as those granted in December 2020 and have an exercise price of $4.03 per share.

Although we do not have a formal policy with respect to equity compensation of our named executive officers, we believe that equity grants provide our executives with a strong link to our long-term performance, create an ownership culture and help to align the interests of our executives and our stockholders. In addition, we believe that equity grants promote executive retention because they incentivize our executive officers, including our named executive officers, to remain in our employment during the vesting period. Accordingly, our board of directors periodically reviews the equity compensation of our named executive officers and may grant equity incentive awards to them from time to time.

Health and Welfare Benefits

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in our health and welfare plans to the same extent as other full-time employees generally. We generally do not provide our named executive officers with perquisites or other personal benefits. However, we do reimburse our named executive officers for their necessary and reasonable business and travel expenses incurred in connection with their services to us.

Former Employment Arrangement with our Chairman

We were previously party to a consulting agreement with Dr. Dukes setting forth the initial terms of his services, as described under the section titled “—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—2020 Salaries.” In April 2021, the consulting agreement was terminated and we entered into an offer letter with Dr. Dukes in connection with his transition into his former role as Executive Chairman.

Pursuant to the terms of the offer letter, Dr. Dukes received a base salary at an annual rate of $250,000 and was eligible to receive an annual performance bonus with a target amount of 40% of base salary, subject to the achievement of performance metrics as determined by our board of directors. The offer letter was terminated in connection with Dr. Dukes’ transition into his current role of Chairman in September 2021, for which Dr. Dukes will receive $30,000 as compensation for his service as Executive Chairman to such date. As a member of our board of directors, Dr. Dukes will be eligible to receive compensation as provided for under our compensation program for our non-employee directors, as described under the section titled “—Non-Employee Director Compensation Program.”

 

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Employment Arrangements with our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer and Certain Named Executive Officers

Offer Letter with our Chief Executive Officer

We initially entered into an offer letter with our current Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Clackson, in April 2021 in connection with the commencement of his employment, which will be replaced by a new offer letter that will become effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Pursuant to the terms of the new offer letter, Dr. Clackson will receive a base salary at an annual rate of $540,000 and is eligible to receive an annual performance bonus of 55% of base salary, subject to the achievement of applicable performance metrics as determined by our board of directors.

The new offer letter provides Dr. Clackson with severance benefits if he undergoes an Involuntary Termination (as defined below), subject to his execution of a general release of claims with respect to us and our affiliates. If an Involuntary Termination occurs more than three months prior to, or more than 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control (as defined below), Dr. Clackson will be eligible to receive continued payments of base salary for 12 months following his termination date, a prorated annual target bonus, nine months of additional vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at active employee rates for 12 months following his termination date. If an Involuntary Termination occurs within three months prior to, or within 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control, Dr. Clackson will be eligible to receive a severance payment equal to 1.5 times the sum of his base salary and annual target bonus, a prorated annual target bonus, full vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at active employee rates for 18 months following his termination date. The offering is not expected to be considered a Change in Control for purposes of these severance provisions.

In connection with the commencement of his employment, Dr. Clackson received options to purchase 1,383,723 shares of our common stock under our 2018 Stock Plan. The options vest over four years of service.

Offer Letter with our Chief Financial Officer

We initially entered into an offer letter with our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Bradford Dahms, in March 2021 in connection with the commencement of his employment, which will be replaced by a new offer letter that will become effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Pursuant to the terms of the new offer letter, Mr. Dahms will receive a base salary at an annual rate of $420,000 and is eligible to receive an annual performance bonus of 40% of base salary, subject to the achievement of performance metrics as determined by our board of directors.

The new offer letter provides Mr. Dahms with severance benefits if he undergoes an Involuntary Termination, subject to his execution of a general release of claims with respect to us and our affiliates. If an Involuntary Termination occurs more than three months prior to, or more than 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control, Mr. Dahms will be eligible to receive continued payments of base salary for nine months following his termination date, a prorated annual target bonus, nine months of additional vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at active employee rates for nine months following his termination date. If an Involuntary Termination occurs within three months prior to, or within 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control, Mr. Dahms will be eligible to receive a severance payment equal to 1.0 times the sum of his base salary and annual target bonus, a prorated annual target bonus, full vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at active employee rates for 12 months following his termination date. The offering is not expected to be considered a Change in Control for purposes of these severance provisions.

In connection with the commencement of his employment, Mr. Dahms received options to purchase 332,114 shares of our common stock under our 2018 Stock Plan. The options vest over four years of service.

Offer Letters with Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera

We initially entered into an offer letter with each of Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera in May 2018 in connection with the commencement of their employments, which will be replaced by new offer letters that will become effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Pursuant to the terms of these new offer letters, Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera will receive a base salary at an annual rate of $440,000, $400,000, and $400,000, respectively, and are each eligible to receive an annual performance bonus of 40% of base salary, subject to the achievement of performance metrics as determined by our board of directors.

 

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The new offer letters provide each of Dr. Shakespeare, Dr. Dalgarno and Dr. Rivera with severance benefits if they undergo an Involuntary Termination, subject to their execution of a general release of claims with respect to us and our affiliates. If an Involuntary Termination occurs more than three months prior to, or more than 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control, the executive will be eligible to receive continued payments of base salary for nine months following his termination date, a prorated annual target bonus, nine months of additional vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at active employee rates for nine months following the executive’s termination date. If an Involuntary Termination occurs within three months prior to, or within 12 months after, the consummation of a Change in Control, the executive will be eligible to receive a severance payment equal to 1.0 times the sum of the executive’s base salary and annual target bonus, a prorated annual target bonus, full vesting on all outstanding equity awards, and payment by us of COBRA premiums at

active employee rates for 12 months following the executive’s termination date. The offering is not expected to be considered a Change in Control for purposes of these severance provisions.

Applicable Definitions under the Offer Letters

“Cause” generally means the executive’s material breach of an agreement (if not timely cured), gross negligence, willful misconduct or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information that causes material harm to us, material failure to comply with our policies, conviction of or plea of “guilty” to a felony, continuing failure to perform duties, or failure to cooperate with government or internal investigations.

“Change in Control” generally means a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, a merger following which holders of our stock do not hold at least 50% of the voting power of the surviving or acquiring entity in substantially the same proportions, or any person becoming the beneficial owner of more than 50% of the voting power of our voting securities.

“Good Reason” generally means a resignation by the executive within 12 months following a diminution of base salary, a material diminution of duties or responsibilities, a required relocation of more than 50 miles, or our material breach of any agreement with the executive.

“Involuntary Termination” shall mean the executive’s involuntary discharge by us for reasons other than Cause, or the executive’s resignation for Good Reason.

Outstanding Equity Awards

The following table sets forth information regarding each unexercised option and all unvested restricted shares held by each of our named executive officers as of December 31, 2020.

The vesting schedule applicable to each outstanding award is described in the footnotes to the table below. For information regarding the vesting acceleration provisions applicable to the options and restricted shares held by our named executive officers, see the sections titled “—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table—Severance and Change in Control Benefits” and “—Employment Arrangements with our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.”

All of the options granted to our named executive officers are immediately exercisable with respect to all of the option shares, subject to the continued vesting of the shares underlying any unvested options and to our repurchase right in the event the officer’s service terminates prior to vesting of such unvested shares.

 

 

 

    OPTION AWARDS(1)     STOCK AWARDS  
    GRANT
DATE
    VESTING
COMMENCEMENT
DATE
    NUMBER OF
SECURITIES
UNDERLYING
UNEXERCISED
OPTIONS
    OPTION
EXERCISE
PRICE

($)
    OPTION
EXPIRATION
DATE
    VESTING
COMMENCEMENT
DATE
    NUMBER
OF
SHARES
THAT
HAVE NOT
VESTED

(#)
    MARKET
VALUE OF
SHARES THAT
HAVE NOT
      VESTED      

($)(3)
 

NAME

   VESTED 
(#)
     UNVESTED 
(#)
 

Iain D. Dukes

    12/24/2020       11/18/2020       7,174 (2)      337,170     $ 0.32       12/23/2030       05/30/2018       187,690 (4)      2,815,350  

William C. Shakespeare 

    12/24/2020       11/18/2020       7,174 (2)      337,170     $ 0.32       12/23/2030       05/30/2018       187,690 (4)      2,815,350  

David C. Dalgarno

    12/24/2020       11/18/2020       7,174 (2)      337,170     $ 0.32       12/23/2030       05/30/2018       187,690 (4)      2,815,350  

Victor M. Rivera

    12/24/2020       11/18/2020       7,174 (2)      337,170     $ 0.32       12/23/2030       05/30/2018       187,690 (4)      2,815,350  

 

 

 

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(1)   All of the outstanding option awards, but not the stock awards, were granted under the 2018 Plan. The stock awards represent founders’ stock and were not granted under a stock plan.
(2)   Option vests in 48 equal monthly installments beginning with the vesting commencement date set forth above (i.e. over an aggregate of four years), subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date.
(3)   Market value is based on the fair market value of our common stock as of December 31, 2020. As there was no public market for our common stock on December 31, 2020, we have assumed that the fair market value on December 31, 2020 was $15.00, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
(4)   20% of the restricted shares vested on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date set forth above and 1/60th of the restricted shares vest per month thereafter (i.e., over an aggregate of five years), subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date.

Equity Plans

2018 Stock Plan

Our board of directors adopted and our stockholder approved our 2018 Stock Plan, or the 2018 Plan, in June 2018. No further awards will be made under the 2018 Plan after this offering; however, awards outstanding under the 2018 Plan will continue to be governed by their existing terms.

Share Reserve. As of September 15, 2021, we have reserved 6,026,908 shares of our common stock for issuance under the 2018 Plan, all of which may be issued as incentive stock options. As of September 15, 2021, options to purchase 4,699,003 shares of our common stock, at exercise prices ranging from $0.32 to $12.46 per share, or a weighted-average exercise price of $3.29 per share were outstanding under the 2018 Plan, and 981,975 shares of our common stock remained available for future issuance under the 2018 Plan. Unissued shares subject to awards that expire, are forfeited, or are cancelled, shares reacquired by us and shares withheld in payment of the purchase price or exercise price of an award or in satisfaction of withholding taxes will again become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan or, following consummation of this offering, under the 2021 Plan.

Administration. Our board of directors, or a committee thereof, has administered the 2018 Plan since its adoption; however, following this offering, the compensation committee of our board of directors will generally administer the 2018 Plan. The administrator has complete discretion to make all decisions relating to the 2018 Plan and outstanding awards.

Eligibility. Employees, non-employee members of our board of directors and consultants are eligible to participate in the 2018 Plan. However, only employees are eligible to receive incentive stock options.

Types of Awards. The 2018 Plan provides for the following types of awards granted with respect to shares of our common stock:

 

   

incentive and nonstatutory stock options to purchase shares of our common stock;

 

   

direct award or sale of shares of our common stock, including restricted shares; and

 

   

restricted stock units.

Options. The exercise price for options granted under the 2018 Plan is determined by our board of directors, but may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date. Optionees may pay the exercise price in cash or cash equivalents or by one, or any combination of, the following forms of payment, as permitted by the administrator in its sole discretion:

 

   

Surrender of shares of common stock that the optionee already owns;

 

   

Delivery of a full-recourse promissory note, with the option shares pledged as security against the principal and accrued interest on the note;

 

   

An immediate sale of the option shares through a company-approved broker, if the shares of our common stock are publicly traded;

 

   

Surrendering a number of vested shares subject to the option having an aggregate fair market value no greater than the aggregate exercise price, or the sum of such exercise price plus all or a portion of the minimum amount required to be withheld under applicable law; or

 

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Other methods permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended.

Options vest as determined by the administrator. In general, we have granted options that vest over a four-year period. Options expire at the time determined by the administrator, but in no event more than ten years after they are granted, and generally expire earlier if the optionee’s service terminates.

Restricted Shares. Restricted shares may be awarded or sold under the 2018 Plan in return for cash or cash equivalents or, as permitted by the administrator in its sole discretion, in exchange for services rendered to us, by delivery of a full-recourse promissory note or through any other means permitted by applicable law. Restricted shares vest as determined by the administrator.

Restricted Stock Units. Restricted stock units may be awarded or sold under the 2018 Plan. No cash consideration shall be required of the recipient in connection with the grant of restricted stock units. Settlement of vested restricted stock units may be made in the form of cash, shares of our common stock, or any combination of both, as determined by the administrator. Restricted stock units vest as determined by the administrator.

Corporate Transactions. In the event that we are a party to a merger or consolidation or in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of our stock or assets, awards granted under the 2018 Plan will be subject to the agreement governing such transaction or, in the absence of such agreement, in the manner determined by the administrator. Such treatment may include, without limitation, one or more of the following with respect to outstanding awards:

 

   

The continuation, assumption or substitution of an award by the surviving entity or its parent;

 

   

Cancellation of the vested portion of the award in exchange for a payment equal to the excess, if any, of the value of the shares subject to the award over any exercise price per share applicable to the award;

 

   

Cancellation of the award without payment of any consideration;

 

   

Suspension of the optionee’s right to exercise the option during a limited period of time preceding the completion of the transaction; or

 

   

Termination of any right the optionee has to exercise the option prior to vesting in the shares subject to the option.

The administrator is not obligated to treat all awards in the same manner. The administrator has the discretion, at any time, to provide that an award under the 2018 Plan will vest on an accelerated basis in connection with a corporate transaction or to amend or modify an award so long as such amendment or modification is not inconsistent with the terms of the 2018 Plan or would not result in the impairment of a participant’s rights without the participant’s consent.

Changes in Capitalization. In the event of certain specified changes in the capital structure of our common stock, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of stock effective without receipt of consideration by us, proportionate adjustments will automatically be made in (i) each of the number and kind of shares available for future grants under the 2018 Plan, (ii) the number and kind of shares covered by each outstanding award, (iii) the exercise price per share subject to each outstanding option and (iv) any repurchase price applicable to shares granted under the 2018 Plan. In the event of an extraordinary cash divided that has a material effect on the fair market value of our common stock, a recapitalization, spin-off or other similar occurrence, the administrator at its sole discretion may make appropriate adjustments to one or more of the items described above.

Amendments or Termination. The administrator may at any time amend, suspect or terminate the 2018 Plan, subject to stockholder approval in the case of an amendment if the amendment increases the number of shares available for issuance or materially changes the class of persons eligible to receive incentive stock options. The 2018 Plan will terminate automatically ten years after the later of the date when our board of directors adopted the plan or the date when our board of directors most recently approved an increase in the number of shares reserved thereunder which was also approved by our stockholders, provided, however, that in any event, it will terminate upon the completion of this offering, but as noted above, awards outstanding under the 2018 Plan will remain outstanding and will continue to be governed by their existing terms.

 

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2021 Equity Incentive Plan

Our board of directors adopted our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2021 Plan, and the 2021 Plan was approved by our stockholders, in September 2021. We expect that the 2021 Plan will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The 2021 Plan is intended to replace the 2018 Plan. However, awards outstanding under the 2018 Plan will continue to be governed by their existing terms.

Types of Awards. The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, which may be ISOs or nonstatutory stock options, or NSOs, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, restricted shares and restricted stock units, or RSUs, or collectively, awards.

Administration. The 2021 Plan will be administered by our board of directors or by one or more committees to which our board of directors delegates such administration, or the 2021 Plan Administrator, as applicable. Subject to the terms of the 2021 Plan, the 2021 Plan Administrator will have the complete discretion to determine the eligible individuals who are to receive awards under the plan, to determine the terms and conditions of awards granted under the 2021 Plan and to make all decisions related to the 2021 Plan and awards granted thereunder.

Share Reserve. The number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the 2021 Plan is equal to the sum of (x) 4,395,080 shares, plus (y) up to 4,699,003 shares subject to awards granted under the 2018 Plan that are outstanding on the date of this offering and that are subsequently forfeited, expire or lapse unexercised or unsettled or are reacquired by us, plus (z) the annual increase in shares described below. While a maximum of 4,699,003 shares may be added to the 2021 Plan from the 2018 Plan, since this assumes that all awards outstanding under the 2018 Plan on the date of this offering will be forfeited, we expect the actual number of shares added to the 2021 Plan to be less.

On the first day of each of our fiscal years during the term of the 2021 Plan, beginning on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2031, the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the 2021 Plan will increase by a number of shares equal to the lesser of (a) 5% of the outstanding shares on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year or (b) such lesser number of shares (including zero) that the 2021 Plan Administrator determines for purposes of the annual increase for that fiscal year.

If options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units or any other awards are forfeited, cancelled or expire, the shares subject to such awards will again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. If stock appreciation rights are exercised or restricted stock units are settled, only the number of shares actually issued upon exercise or settlement of such awards will reduce the number of shares available under the 2021 Plan. If restricted shares or shares issued upon exercise of an option are reacquired by us pursuant to a forfeiture provision, repurchase right or for any other reason, then such shares will again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. Shares applied to pay the exercise price of an option or satisfy withholding taxes related to any award will again become available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. To the extent an award is settled in cash, the cash settlement will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the 2021 Plan.

Shares issued under the 2021 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares. As of the date hereof, no awards have been granted under the 2021 Plan.

Incentive Stock Option Limit. No more than 30,000,000 shares of our common stock may be issued under the 2021 Plan upon the exercise of ISOs.

Eligibility. Employees (including officers), non-employee directors and consultants who render services to us or a parent, subsidiary or affiliate of us (whether now existing or subsequently established) are eligible to receive awards under the 2021 Plan. ISOs may only be granted to employees of us or a parent or subsidiary of us (whether now existing or subsequently established). As of September 15, 2021, approximately 19 persons (including six executive officers and four non-employee directors) would be eligible to participate in the 2021 Plan.

International Participation. The 2021 Plan Administrator has the authority to implement sub-plans (or otherwise modify applicable grant terms) for purposes of satisfying applicable foreign laws, conforming to applicable market

 

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practices or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable foreign laws, and the terms and conditions applicable to awards granted under any such sub-plan or modified award may differ from the terms of the 2021 Plan. Any shares issued in satisfaction of awards granted under a sub-plan will come from the 2021 Plan share reserve.

Repricing. The 2021 Plan Administrator has full authority, without specific shareholder approval, to reprice (reduce the exercise price of) options and stock appreciation rights or to approve programs in which options and stock appreciation rights are exchanged for cash or other equity awards on terms the 2021 Plan Administrator determines.

Stock Options. A stock option is the right to purchase a certain number of shares of stock at a fixed exercise price which, pursuant to the 2021 Plan, may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Subject to limited exceptions, an option may have a term of up to 10 years and will generally expire sooner if the optionee’s service terminates. Options will vest at the rate determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator. An optionee may pay the exercise price of an option in cash, or, with the administrator’s consent, with shares of common stock the optionee already owns, with proceeds from an immediate sale of the option shares through a broker approved by us, through a net exercise procedure or by any other method permitted by applicable law.

Stock Appreciation Rights. A stock appreciation right provides the recipient with the right to the appreciation in a specified number of shares of stock. The 2021 Plan Administrator determines the exercise price of stock appreciation rights granted under the 2021 Plan, which may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. Subject to limited exceptions, a stock appreciation right may have a term of up to 10 years and will generally expire sooner if the recipient’s service terminates. SARs will vest at the rate determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator. Upon exercise of a SAR, the recipient will receive an amount in cash, stock, or a combination of stock and cash determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator, equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares being exercised over their exercise price.

Tax Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. The aggregate fair market value, determined at the time of grant, of our common stock with respect to ISOs that are exercisable for the first time by an optionholder during any calendar year under all of our stock plans may not exceed $100,000. Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit will generally be treated as NSOs. No ISO may be granted to any person who, at the time of the grant, owns or is deemed to own stock possessing more than 10% of our total combined voting power or that of any of our affiliates unless the option exercise price is at least 110% of the fair market value of the stock subject to the option on the date of grant and the term of the ISO does not exceed five years from the date of grant.

Restricted Stock Awards. Shares of restricted stock may be issued under the 2021 Plan for such consideration as the 2021 Plan Administrator may determine, including cash, services rendered or to be rendered to us, promissory notes or such other forms of consideration permitted under applicable law. Restricted shares may be subject to vesting, as determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator. Recipients of restricted shares generally have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to those shares, including voting rights, however any dividends and other distributions on restricted shares will generally be subject to the same restrictions and conditions as the underlying shares.

Restricted Stock Units. A restricted stock unit is a right to receive a share, at no cost to the recipient, upon satisfaction of certain conditions, including vesting conditions, established by the 2021 Plan Administrator. RSUs vest at the rate determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator and any unvested RSUs will generally be forfeited upon termination of the recipient’s service. Settlement of restricted stock units may be made in the form of cash, common stock or a combination of cash and common stock, as determined by the 2021 Plan Administrator. Recipients of restricted stock units generally will have no voting or dividend rights prior to the time the vesting conditions are satisfied and the award is settled. At the 2021 Plan Administrator’s discretion and as set forth in the applicable restricted stock unit agreement, restricted stock units may provide for the right to dividend equivalents which will generally be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the restricted stock units to which they pertain.

Other Awards. The 2021 Plan Administrator may grant other awards based in whole or in part by reference to our common stock and may grant awards under other plans and programs that will be settled with shares issued under the 2021 Plan. The 2021 Plan Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of any such awards.

 

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Changes to Capital Structure. In the event of certain changes in capitalization, including a stock split, reverse stock split or stock dividend, proportionate adjustments will be made in the number and kind of shares available for issuance under the 2021 Plan, the number of shares that may be added to the 2021 Plan from the 2018 Plan, the limit on the number of shares that may be issued under the 2021 Plan as ISOs, the number and kind of shares subject to each outstanding award and/or the exercise or repurchase price applicable to each outstanding award.

Corporate Transactions. If we are party to a merger, consolidation or certain change in control transactions, each outstanding award will be treated as described in the definitive transaction agreement or as the 2021 Plan Administrator determines, which may include the continuation, assumption or substitution of an outstanding award, the cancellation of an outstanding award after an opportunity to exercise or the cancellation of an outstanding award in exchange for a payment equal to the value of the shares subject to such award less any applicable exercise price. In general, if an award held by a participant who remains in service at the effective time of a change in control transaction is not continued, assumed or substituted, then the award will vest in full.

Change of Control. The 2021 Plan Administrator may provide, in an individual award agreement or in any other written agreement with a participant, that the award will be subject to acceleration of vesting and exercisability in the event of a change of control or in connection with a termination of employment in connection with or following a change in control.

Transferability of Awards. Unless the 2021 Plan Administrator determines otherwise, an award generally will not be transferable other than by beneficiary designation, a will or the laws of descent and distribution. The 2021 Plan Administrator may permit transfer of an award in a manner consistent with applicable law.

Amendment and Termination. The 2021 Plan Administrator may amend or terminate the 2021 Plan at any time. Any such amendment or termination will not affect outstanding awards. If not sooner terminated, the 2021 Plan will terminate automatically in 2031, 10 years after its adoption by our board of directors. Shareholder approval is not required for any amendment of the 2021 Plan, unless required by applicable law or exchange listing standards.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Our board of directors adopted our 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP, and the ESPP was approved by our stockholders, in September 2021. The ESPP will become effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The ESPP is intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. The ESPP has the features described below.

General. The ESPP is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code; however, the ESPP also allows us to conduct offerings for non-U.S. employees that do not qualify under Section 423 of the Code as described in “International Participation” below. During regularly scheduled “offering periods” under the ESPP, participants will be able to request payroll deductions which will be applied periodically to purchase a number of shares of our common stock at a discount to the market price and in an amount determined in accordance with the ESPP’s terms.

Administration. The ESPP will be administered by our board of directors or by one or more committees to which our board of directors delegates such administration, or the ESPP Administrator, as applicable. Subject to the terms of the ESPP, the ESPP Administrator will have the complete discretion to establish the terms and conditions of offering periods under the ESPP, to interpret the ESPP and to make all decisions related to the operation of the ESPP.

Shares Available for Issuance. Up to a maximum of 400,000 shares of our common stock may be issued under the ESPP, plus an annual increase in shares described below.

On the first day of each of our fiscal years during the term of the ESPP, beginning on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2041, the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the ESPP will increase by a number of shares equal to the lesser of (a) 1% of the outstanding shares on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year, (b) such lesser number of shares (including zero) that the ESPP Administrator determines for purposes of the annual increase for that fiscal year.

Shares issued under the ESPP may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares. As of the date hereof, no rights to purchase shares have been granted under the ESPP.

 

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Eligibility and Participation. All employees (including officers and employee directors) who are employed by us or a designated subsidiary or, solely in the case of an offering period that is not intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code, a designated affiliate (whether currently existing or subsequently established) are eligible to participate in the ESPP, resulting in approximately 14 eligible participants, as of September 15, 2021. The ESPP Administrator may exclude certain categories of employees from participating in any offering period to the extent permitted by Section 423 of the Code, including part-time employees, seasonal employees, employees who have not completed a minimum period of service with the company and/or highly compensated employees. No employee will be allowed to participate in the ESPP if his or her participation in the ESPP is prohibited by local law or if complying with local law would cause the ESPP or an offering period that is intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. In the case of an offering period that is not intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code, the ESPP Administrator may exclude any individual(s) from participation if the ESPP Administrator determines that the participation of such individual(s) is not advisable or practicable. Also, in accordance with Section 423 of the Code, no employee may be granted an option under the ESPP, if immediately, after the grant such employee would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing more than 5% of the total combined voting power or value of all our classes of stock or any parent or subsidiary of us.

The ESPP will permit an eligible employee to purchase our common stock through payroll deductions, which may not exceed 15% of the employee’s eligible compensation (or such lower limit as may be determined by the ESPP Administrator for an offering period). Employees will be able to withdraw their accumulated payroll deductions prior to the end of the offering period in accordance with the terms of the offering period. Participation in the ESPP will end automatically upon termination of employment. In the event of withdrawal or termination of participation in the ESPP, a participant’s accumulated payroll contributions will be refunded without interest.

Certain limitations on the number of shares that a participant may purchase apply. For example, the option granted to an employee may not permit him or her to purchase stock under the ESPP at a rate which exceeds $25,000 in fair market value of such stock (determined as of the start of the applicable offering period) for each calendar year in which the option is outstanding. The ESPP Administrator may also establish one or more limits on the number of shares that may be purchased during any offering period and/or purchase period. Unless the ESPP Administrator provides otherwise with respect to an offering period, no participant may purchase more than 5,000 shares during any purchase period within an offering period.

International Participation. To provide us with greater flexibility in structuring its equity compensation programs for non-U.S. employees, the ESPP also permits us to grant employees of our non-U.S. subsidiaries and affiliates rights to purchase shares of our common stock pursuant to other offering periods and/or sub-plans adopted by the ESPP Administrator in order to achieve tax, securities law or other compliance objectives. While the ESPP is intended to be a qualified “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code, any such international sub-plans or offerings are not required to satisfy those U.S. tax code requirements and therefore may have terms that differ from the ESPP terms applicable in the United States

Offering Periods and Purchase Price. The ESPP will be implemented through a series of offerings periods of up to 27 months, which may consist of one or more purchase periods. During each purchase period, payroll contributions will accumulate without interest. On the last trading day of the purchase period, accumulated payroll deductions will be used to purchase our common stock.

The purchase price for each offering period will be established by the ESPP Administrator and may not be less than 85% of the fair market value per share of our common stock on either the first trading day in an offering period or on the purchase date, whichever is less.

Changes in Capital Structure. In the event that there is a specified type of change in our capital structure, such as a stock split, appropriate adjustments will be made to (a) the number of shares reserved under the ESPP and the maximum size of the annual increase in shares, (b) the individual participant share limitations described in the ESPP and (c) the purchase price per share and the number and class of stock covered by each outstanding option which has not yet been exercised.

Corporate Reorganization. In the event of certain corporate reorganizations, any offering period then in progress will terminate unless the ESPP is continued, assumed or substituted by the post-combination company or its parent. In

 

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the event an offering period is terminated, a new purchase date will be set for such offering period prior the effective time of the reorganization and each outstanding purchase right will be exercised on such date.

Amendment and Termination. The ESPP Administrator will have the right to amend, suspend or terminate the ESPP at any time. Any increase in the aggregate number of shares of stock to be issued under the ESPP is subject to stockholder approval. Any other amendment is subject to stockholder approval only to the extent required under applicable law or regulation. If not sooner terminated, the ESPP will terminate in 2041 on the twentieth anniversary of the date our board of directors adopted the ESPP.

401(k) Plan

We have established a 401(k) tax-deferred savings plan, which permits participants, including our named executive officers, to make contributions by salary deduction pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. We are responsible for administrative costs of the 401(k) plan. We may, at our discretion, make matching contributions to the 401(k) plan.

Rule 10b5-1 Plans

Our directors and executive officers may adopt written plans, known as Rule 10b5-1 plans, in which they will contract with a broker to buy or sell shares of our common stock on a periodic basis. Under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, a broker executes trades pursuant to parameters established by the director or officer when entering into the plan, without further direction from the director or officer. It also is possible that the director or officer could amend or terminate the plan when not in possession of material, nonpublic information. In addition, our directors and executive officers may buy or sell additional shares outside of a Rule 10b5-1 plan when they are not in possession of material, nonpublic information.

Incentive Bonus Plan

Our board of directors adopted our Incentive Bonus Plan, or the Bonus Plan, in August 2021, and it will be submitted to our stockholders for approval prior to this offering. We expect that the Bonus Plan will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The Bonus Plan is administered by our board of directors, compensation committee or certain other individuals delegated authority to administer the Bonus Plan under the limited circumstances described therein, or the Bonus Plan Administrator. Our employees, including our officers, and those of any other entity we control are eligible for awards under the Bonus Plan. The Bonus Plan provides for cash or equity-based awards (or a combination thereof) based upon the attainment of performance goals during a designated performance period, in each case as established by the Bonus Plan Administrator. To the extent an award is paid in whole or in part in the form of an equity-based award, such awards will be granted under the 2021 Plan. The performance goals will be related to financial and operational measures or objectives with respect to our company, or corporate performance goals, as well as individual performance objectives.

The Bonus Plan Administrator may select performance goals for each participant for a particular performance period. The performance goals may different from participant to participant and from award to award. In addition to such other objectives as may be established from time to time by the Bonus Plan Administrator in its discretion, the following performance objectives may be used as a basis of a performance goal: earnings (before or after taxes); earnings per share; earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; total stockholder return; return on equity or average stockholders’ equity; return on assets, investment or capital employed; operating income; gross margin; operating margin; net operating income; net operating income after tax; return on operating revenue; sales or revenue; expense or cost reduction; working capital; economic value added (or an equivalent metric); market share; cash flow or cash balance; operating cash flow; cash flow per share; share price; debt reduction; customer satisfaction; stockholders’ equity; employee survey results; development and launch of new products; individual or departmental performance goals; and other measures of performance selected by the Bonus Plan Administrator from time to time.

Each employee who is selected to participate in the Bonus Plan will have a target award opportunity set for each performance period, which shall be a fiscal year or such longer or shorter period as determined by the Bonus Plan Administrator. The payout formulas will be adopted in each performance period by the Bonus Plan Administrator. The Bonus Plan Administrator will determine the extent to which the performance goals applicable to each

 

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participant for the performance period were achieved or exceeded and then the actual payout of the award will be determined by applying the payout formula to the level of performance determined by the Bonus Plan Administrator. If the Bonus Plan Administrator determines that a participant is entitled to a payment pursuant to an award granted under the Bonus Plan, payments will be made as soon as administratively practicable after vesting of the award, but not later than required to ensure that no amount paid or to be paid shall be subject to the provisions of Section 409A(1)(B). Unless otherwise determined by the Bonus Plan Administrator, a participant must be employed by us on the bonus payment date to be eligible to receive a bonus payment. The Bonus Plan will also permit the Bonus Plan Administrator to adjust the size of the award that would otherwise be payable under the payout formulas, including to increase the award (subject to any maximum amount or value set by the Bonus Plan Administrator).

Director Compensation

We did not provide compensation to non-employee members of our board of directors in their capacity as such during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. We have historically reimbursed our non-employee directors for reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending board of director and committee meetings.

We have entered into a retainer agreement with Kathy Yi, a non-employee member of our board of directors, in May 2021 in connection with her appointment to our board of directors. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Ms. Yi receives a cash retainer at an annual rate of $50,000. In connection with the commencement of her service on our board of directors, Ms. Yi received options to purchase 99,634 shares of our common stock under our 2018 Stock Plan. The options vest over three years of service. The offer letter includes a provision whereby 100% of such options will vest upon a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, a merger following which holders of our stock do not hold at least 50% of the voting power of the surviving or acquiring entity, the acquisition by a person or group of 50% or more of our voting stock, or a liquidation or dissolution of us, in each case other than as part of a financing. This offering is not expected to constitute such a transaction for purposes of these acceleration provisions.

IPO Grants

Each of Dr. Dukes, Dr. Gordon, Dr. Rome and Ms. Yi will be granted an option to purchase 22,678 shares of our common stock at a per share exercise price equal to the per share price of our common stock that is included on the front of this prospectus. Such grants are effective as of the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Each grant is subject to the terms and conditions of the 2021 Plan and form of option agreement thereunder, has a maximum term to expiration of 10 years from the grant date, and will vest in equal installments as to 1/36th of the shares of our common stock subject to the award on a monthly basis following the award’s grant date, on the same day of the month as the grant date, subject to continued services to us through the applicable vesting dates, and further subject to the vesting acceleration on a change in control described under the section titled “—Equity Plans—2021 Equity Incentive Plan.”

Non-Employee Director Compensation Program

Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our board of directors adopted, and our stockholders approved, a compensation program for our non-employee directors that consists of annual retainer fees and long-term equity awards, or the Director Compensation Policy.

 

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The Director Compensation Policy provides for the compensation of our non-employee directors for their service as director. The cash and equity components of our compensation policy for non-employee directors are set forth below:

 

Position

   Annual Cash Retainer  

Base Director Fee

   $ 35,000

Additional Chairperson Fee

  

Chair of the Board

   $ 30,000

Chair of the Audit Committee

   $ 15,000

Chair of the Compensation Committee

   $ 10,000

Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

   $ 8,000

Additional Committee Member Fee (excluding chairpersons)

  

Audit Committee

   $ 7,500

Compensation Committee

   $ 5,000

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

   $ 4,000

Under our Director Compensation Policy, each non-employee director upon first becoming a non-employee director after the date of this offering automatically receives an initial award of stock options covering shares with a value of $369,590. The initial stock option award will vest monthly over 36 months, subject to continued service through the vesting date. Additionally, each non-employee director automatically receives an annual award of stock options covering shares with a value of $184,795, effective on the date of each annual meeting of stockholders. The annual stock option award will vest on the earlier of one year following the grant date or the day prior to the next annual meeting of stockholders, subject to continued service through the vesting date. All outstanding awards under the Director Compensation Policy accelerate and vest upon a change in control.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

We describe below transactions since January 1, 2018 to which we have been a party in which the amount involved exceeded the lesser of (i) $120,000 or (ii) one percent of the average of our total assets at year end for the last two completed fiscal years; and in which any of our executive officers, directors or beneficial holders of more than 5% of our capital stock (or any immediate family member of, or person sharing the household with, any of these individuals or entities), which we collectively refer to as a related person, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements which are described in the sections titled “Management—Director Compensation” and “Executive Compensation.” We believe that all of these transactions were on terms as favorable as could have been obtained from unrelated third parties.

Sale of Securities

Series A Preferred Stock Financing

Between June 2018 and December 2020, we issued and sold an aggregate of 16,734,179 shares of our Series A preferred stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series A Preferred Stock. 15,118,752 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock were sold at a cash purchase price of $1.32 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $20.0 million. The consideration for the remaining shares of our Series A Preferred Stock, which comprise all of the shares issued to ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or ARIAD, was in the form of rights granted to us pursuant to the ARIAD License Agreement. See “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.” Each share of our Series A Preferred Stock converts automatically into one share of our common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering.

The following table summarizes purchases of shares of our Series A Preferred Stock by related persons:

 

 

 

PURCHASER(1)

   SHARES OF
SERIES A
PREFERRED
STOCK
     TOTAL
PURCHASE
PRICE
 

OrbiMed Private Investments VII, LP(2)

     14,903,718      $ 19,715,537  

ARIAD

     1,615,427        (3) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     16,519,145      $ 19,715,537  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

(1)   See “Principal Stockholders” for additional information about shares held by these entities.
(2)   Carl Gordon, Ph.D. is a member of OrbiMed Advisors LLC, OrbiMed Advisors, and a member of our board of directors. Iain Dukes, MA, Ph.D. is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Advisors and a member of our board of directors.
(3)   Consideration for our Series A Preferred Stock issued to ARIAD was in the form of rights granted to us pursuant to the ARIAD License Agreement. See “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.”

Series B Preferred Stock Financing

In January and February 2021, we issued and sold an aggregate of 8,741,726 shares of our Series B preferred stock, par value $0.0001, or our Series B Preferred Stock, at a cash purchase price of $11.45 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $100.1 million. Each share of our Series B Preferred Stock converts automatically into one share of our common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering.

The following table summarizes the Series B Preferred Stock purchased by related persons:

 

 

 

PURCHASER(1)

   SHARES OF
SERIES B
PREFERRED
STOCK
     TOTAL
PURCHASE
PRICE
 

Entities affiliated with Foresite Capital(2)

     3,056,552      $ 34,999,997  

Entities affiliated with OrbiMed Advisors LLC(3)

     1,309,950        15,000,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     4,366,502      $ 49,999,997  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(1)   See “Principal Stockholders” for additional information about shares held by these entities.
(2)   Michael Rome, Ph.D., is a Managing Director of Foresite Capital and a member of our board directors.
(3)   Dr. Gordon is a member of OrbiMed Advisors and a member of our board of directors. Dr. Dukes is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Advisors and a member of our board of directors.

Agreements with Stockholders

Investors’ Rights Agreement

In connection with the sale of our Series B Preferred Stock, we entered into an amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, dated January 22, 2021 with certain holders of our preferred stock, including entities affiliated with OrbiMed Advisors, entities affiliated with Foresite Capital and ARIAD. These stockholders are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares following this offering under the Securities Act. For a description of these registration rights, see the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights.” Other than these registration rights, all other terms of the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement will terminate upon the completion of this offering. Dr. Gordon is a member of OrbiMed Advisors and Dr. Dukes is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Advisors. Dr. Rome is a Managing Director of Foresite Capital. Each of Dr. Gordon, Dr. Dukes and Dr. Rome are members of our board of directors.

Voting Agreement

In connection with the sale of our Series B Preferred Stock, we entered into an amended and restated voting agreement dated January 22, 2021 with certain holders of our preferred stock, including entities affiliated with OrbiMed Advisors, entities affiliated with Foresite Capital and ARIAD. Under our voting agreement, certain holders of our capital stock have agreed as to the manner in which they will vote their shares of our capital stock on certain matters, including with respect to the election of directors. The parties to the voting agreement have agreed, subject to certain conditions, to vote the shares of our capital stock held by them so as to elect the following individuals as directors: (i) one individual designated by OrbiMed Private Investments VII, LP, currently Dr. Gordon; (ii) one individual designated by Foresite Capital Fund V, L.P., currently Dr. Rome; (iii) our chief executive officer, currently Timothy Clackson, Ph.D.; and (iv) one individual designated by the holders a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock held by the parties to the voting agreement, currently Dr. Dukes. The voting agreement will terminate upon the completion of this offering, at which time there will be no further contractual obligations regarding the manner in which shares are voted with respect to the election of our directors. Dr. Gordon is a member of OrbiMed Advisors and Dr. Dukes is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Advisors. Dr. Rome is a Managing Director of Foresite Capital.

Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement

In connection with the sale of our Series B Preferred Stock, we entered into an amended and restated right of refusal and co-sale agreement, dated January 22, 2021 with certain holders of our preferred stock, including entities affiliated with OrbiMed Advisors, entities affiliated with Foresite Capital and ARIAD. Under our right of refusal and co-sale agreement, certain holders of our preferred stock have the right of first refusal and co-sale relating to the shares of our common stock held by the parties to the agreement. Upon the consummation of this offering, our right of refusal and co-sale agreement will terminate. Dr. Gordon is a member of OrbiMed Advisors and Dr. Dukes is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Advisors. Dr. Rome is a Managing Director of Foresite Capital. Each of Dr. Gordon, Dr. Dukes and Dr. Rome are members of our board of directors.

ARIAD License Agreement

We have entered into a license agreement with ARIAD, as more fully described in the section titled “Business—ARIAD License Agreement.”

Equity Grants to Executive Officers and Directors

We have agreements with and have granted stock options to certain of our executive officers and non-employee directors, including as described in the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

 

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Employment Arrangements and Consulting Agreement

We have entered into offer letters with our executive officers and were previously party to a consulting agreement and an offer letter with a named executive officer and member of our board of directors, Dr. Dukes. For more information regarding these agreements with our named executive officers and our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, see the section titled “Executive Compensation.”

Indemnification Agreements

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will be effective upon the completion of this offering, will contain provisions limiting the liability of directors, and our amended and restated bylaws, which will be effective upon the completion of this offering, will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will also provide our board of directors with discretion to indemnify our officers and employees when determined appropriate by our board of directors.

We have entered, and intend to continue to enter, into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors and executive officers against any and all expenses incurred by that director or executive officer because of their status as one of our directors or executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws. In addition, the indemnification agreements provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, we will advance all expenses incurred by our directors and executive officers in connection with a legal proceeding involving their status as a director or executive officer.

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

Effective upon the completion of this offering, we intend to adopt a formal written policy providing that we are not permitted to enter into any transaction that exceeds the lesser of (i) $120,000 or (ii) one percent of the average of our total assets at year end for the last two completed fiscal years, and in which any related person has a direct or indirect material interest without the consent of our audit committee. Our audit committee will have the primary responsibility for reviewing and approving or disapproving such “related party transactions.” The charter of our audit committee will provide that our audit committee shall review and approve in advance any related party transaction. In approving or rejecting any such transaction, our audit committee is to consider the relevant facts and circumstances available and deemed relevant to our audit committee, including whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction.

All of the transactions described in this section were entered into prior to the adoption of this policy. Although we have not had a written policy for the review and approval of transactions with related persons, our board of directors has historically reviewed and approved any transaction where a director or officer had a financial interest, including the transactions described above. Prior to approving such a transaction, the material facts as to the relationship or interest of the relevant related person in the agreement or transaction was disclosed to our board of directors. Our board of directors took this information into account when evaluating the transaction and in determining whether such transaction was fair to us and in the best interest of all our stockholders.

 

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our capital stock as of August 31, 2021 and as adjusted to reflect the sale of common stock offered by us in this offering, for:

 

   

each of the named executive officers;

 

   

each of our directors;

 

   

all of our current executive officers and directors as a group; and

 

   

each person, or group of affiliated persons, who is known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our capital stock.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated in the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.

Applicable percentage ownership is based on 27,530,460 shares of common stock outstanding as of August 31, 2021, after giving effect to the conversion of all outstanding shares of preferred stock as of that date into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of our common stock. For purposes of computing percentage ownership after this offering, we have assumed that (i) 8,333,500 shares of common stock will be issued by us in this offering; (ii) the underwriters will not exercise their option to purchase up to 1,250,025 additional shares of common stock and (iii) none of our named executive officers, current executive officers, directors or stockholders who beneficially own more than five percent of our common stock will participate in this offering. In computing the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person or entity and the percentage ownership of that person or entity, we deemed to be outstanding all shares of common stock subject to options held by that person or entity that are currently exercisable or that will become exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021. We did not deem these shares outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person or entity. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner in the table below is c/o Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 245 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142.

 

 

 

     NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
     PERCENT OF SHARES
BENEFICIALLY OWNED
 

NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER

   BEFORE THE
OFFERING
    AFTER THE
OFFERING
 

Named Executive Officers and Directors:

       

Iain D. Dukes, MA, D.Phil.(1)

     775,145        2.8     2.1

William C. Shakespeare, Ph.D.(2)

     792,443        2.8     2.2

David C. Dalgarno, Ph.D.(3)

     775,145        2.8     2.1

Victor M. Rivera, Ph.D.(4)

     775,145        2.8     2.1

Carl Gordon, Ph.D., CFA(5)

     16,213,668        58.9     45.2

Michael Rome, Ph.D.(6)

                   

Kathy Yi, MBA(7)

     11,070            *  

All executive officers and directors as a group (10 persons)(8)

     20,010,144        68.0 %     53.0

5% Stockholders:

       

Entities affiliated with OrbiMed Advisors LLC(9)

     16,213,668        58.9 %     45.2

Entities affiliated with Foresite Capital(10)

     3,056,552        11.1 %     8.5

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc.(11)

     1,615,427        5.9     4.5

 

 

*   Represents beneficial ownership of less than one percent.

 

(1)   Consists of (i) 252,411 shares of our common stock held by Dr. Dukes, (ii) 135,913 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting held by Dr. Dukes and (iii) 386,821 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options held by Dr. Dukes, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021, 309,084 of which are subject to an early exercise feature for which restricted stock subject to repurchase may be issued prior to the expiration of the time-based vesting period.

 

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(2)   Consists of (i) 252,411 shares of our common stock held by Dr. Shakespeare, (ii) 135,913 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting held by Dr. Shakespeare and (iii) 404,119 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options held by Dr. Shakespeare, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021, 309,084 of which are subject to an early exercise feature for which restricted stock subject to repurchase may be issued prior to the expiration of the time-based vesting period.

 

(3)   Consists of (i) 252,411 shares of our common stock held by Dr. Dalgarno, (ii) 135,913 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting held by Dr. Dalgarno and (iii) 386,821 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options held by Dr. Dalgarno, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021, 309,084 of which are subject to an early exercise feature for which restricted stock subject to repurchase may be issued prior to the expiration of the time-based vesting period.

 

(4)   Consists of (i) 252,411 shares of our common stock held by Dr. Rivera, (ii) 135,913 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting held by Dr. Rivera and (iii) 386,821 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options held by Dr. Rivera, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021, 309,084 of which are subject to an early exercise feature for which restricted stock subject to repurchase may be issued prior to the expiration of the time-based vesting period.

 

(5)   Consists of the shares of our common stock issuable upon the deemed conversion of shares of our preferred stock described in footnote (9) below. Dr. Gordon disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if any.

 

(6)   Dr. Rome has no voting or investment control over the shares held by entities affiliated with Foresite Capital that are included in footnote (10) below.

 

(7)   Consists of shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options held by Ms. Yi, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021.

 

(8)   Consists of (i) 1,009,644 shares of our common stock, (ii) 889,582 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting, (iii) 16,213,668 shares of our common stock issuable upon the deemed conversion of shares of our preferred stock described in footnote (9) below and (iv) 1,897,250 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options, which are exercisable within 60 days of August 31, 2021, 1,543,830 of which are subject to an early exercise feature for which restricted stock subject to repurchase may be issued prior to the expiration of the time-based vesting period, in each case held by our current directors and executive officers.

 

(9)   Consists of (i) 14,903,718 shares of our common stock issuable upon the conversion of our Series A Preferred Stock held directly by OrbiMed Private Investments VII, LP, or OPI VII, (ii) 873,300 shares of our common stock issuable upon the conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock held directly by OPI VII and (iii) 436,650 shares of our common stock issuable upon the conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock held directly by OrbiMed Genesis Master Fund L.P., or Genesis. Dr. Gordon is a member of OrbiMed Advisors LLC, or OrbiMed Advisors, and a member of our board of directors.

 

       OrbiMed Capital GP VII LLC, or OrbiMed GP VII, is the general partner of OPI VII and OrbiMed Advisors is the managing member of OrbiMed GP VII. By virtue of such relationships, OrbiMed GP VII and OrbiMed Advisors may be deemed to have voting power and investment power over the securities held by OPI VII and as a result, may be deemed to have beneficial ownership over such securities. OrbiMed Genesis GP LLC, or Genesis GP, is the general partner of Genesis and OrbiMed Advisors is the managing member of Genesis GP. By virtue of such relationships, Genesis GP and OrbiMed Advisors may be deemed to have voting power and investment power over the securities held by Genesis and as a result, may be deemed to have beneficial ownership over such securities. OrbiMed Advisors exercises voting and investment power through a management committee comprising Dr. Gordon, Sven H. Borho, and W. Carter Neild, each of whom disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by OPI VII and Genesis. The address for each of the entities and individuals identified in this footnote is c/o OrbiMed Advisors LLC, 601 Lexington Avenue 54th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

 

(10)   Consists of (i) 2,900,232 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock held by Foresite Capital V, L.P., or Fund V, and (ii) 156,320 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock held by Foresite Capital Opportunity Fund V, L.P., or Opportunity Fund V. Foresite Capital Management V, LLC, or FCM V, is the general partner of Fund V and may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Fund V; and Foresite Capital Opportunity Management V, LLC, or FCOM V, is the general partner of Opportunity Fund V and may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Opportunity Fund V. James Tananbaum, in his capacity as managing member of FCM V and FCOM V, may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power over all such shares. Dr. Tananbaum disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Fund V and Opportunity Fund V except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, if any. The address of Dr. Tananbaum and each of the entities listed above is 600 Montgomery Street, Suite 4500, San Francisco, CA 94111.

 

(11)   Consists of shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of our Series A Preferred Stock held by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. The address of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is 1-1, Nihonbashi-Honcho 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-8668, Japan.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following descriptions of our capital stock and certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon completion of this offering. A description of our capital stock and the material terms and provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon the completion of this offering and affecting the rights of holders of our capital stock is set forth below. The forms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws to be adopted in connection with this offering will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement relating to this prospectus.

Upon the completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize shares of undesignated preferred stock, the rights, preferences and privileges of which may be designated from time to time by our board of directors.

Upon the completion of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of 550,000,000 shares, all with a par value of $0.0001 per share, of which:

 

   

500,000,000 shares are designated common stock; and

 

   

50,000,000 shares are designated preferred stock.

As of June 30, 2021, we had issued and outstanding:

 

   

2,054,555 shares of our common stock held of record by seven stockholders (1,000,906 of which are shares of restricted common stock subject to repurchase pursuant to the terms of restricted stock purchase agreements entered into with such stockholders) (see Note 9 to our audited financial statements and Note 9 to our unaudited interim financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus);

 

   

16,734,179 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock held of record by three stockholders; and

 

   

8,741,726 shares of our Series B Preferred Stock held of record by 19 stockholders.

All outstanding shares of our preferred stock will convert into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering.

Common Stock

Dividend Rights

Subject to preferences that may apply to shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and only then at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine. See the section titled “Dividend Policy” for more information.

Voting Rights

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Stockholders do not have the ability to cumulate votes for the election of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect upon the completion of this offering will provide for a classified board of directors consisting of three classes of approximately equal size, each serving staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms.

No Preemptive or Similar Rights

Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.

 

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Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions

Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders are distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Preferred Stock

Upon the completion of this offering, no shares of preferred stock will be outstanding, but we will be authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any associated qualifications, limitations or restrictions. Our board of directors also can increase or decrease the number of shares of any series, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of the common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Stock Options

As of June 30, 2021, we had outstanding stock options to purchase an aggregate of 4,090,315 shares of our common stock (excluding options forfeited after such date), with a weighted-average exercise price of $2.35 per share. Subsequent to June 30, 2021, we granted stock options to purchase 608,688 shares of our common stock under the 2018 Plan, with a weighted-average exercise price of $9.63 per share, as well as stock options to purchase 132,288 shares of our common stock under the 2021 Plan, at a per share exercise price equal to the per share price of our common stock that is included on the cover page of this prospectus.

Registration Rights

Following the completion of this offering, the holders of 25,475,905 shares of our common stock issued upon the conversion of our preferred stock immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering will be entitled to contractual rights to require us to register those shares under the Securities Act. These registration rights are provided under the terms of an amended and restated investors’ rights agreement between us and the holders of these shares, which was entered into on January 22, 2021, and includes demand registration rights, short-form registration rights and piggyback registration rights.

We will pay all expenses relating to any demand, short-form or piggyback registration described below, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. The registration rights terminate upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering; (ii) with respect to the registration rights of an individual holder, such earlier time after this offering at which the holder (a) can sell all of its shares in compliance with Rule 144(b)(1)(i) or (b) holds one percent or less of our outstanding common stock (together with any affiliate of such holder with whom such holder must aggregate its sales under Rule 144) and all shares held by the holder can be sold in any three-month period without registration in compliance with Rule 144; or (iii) the consummation of a liquidation event.

Demand Registration Rights

The holders of the registrable securities are entitled to certain demand registration rights. At any time after the earlier of (a) January 22, 2026 or (b) six months after the effective date of the registration statement for this offering, the holders of 50% or more of the registrable securities then outstanding may make a written request that we file a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the registration of some or all of their registrable securities, subject to certain specified conditions and exceptions. We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration as soon as reasonably practicable and will pay all registration expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, related to any demand registration. Such request for registration must

 

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cover registrable securities with an anticipated aggregate offering price of at least $15,000,000. We are not obligated to effect a registration pursuant to such demand if we have effected two registrations and such registrations have been declared effective.

Piggyback Registration Rights

In connection with this offering, holders of our registrable securities were entitled to, and the necessary percentage of holders waived, their rights to notice of this offering and to include their registrable securities in this offering. If we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act either for our own account or for the account of other stockholders in another offering of such securities solely for cash, the holders of our registrable securities will, subject to certain exceptions, be entitled to include their registrable securities in our registration statement, and will be required to use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause such securities to be registered. If such offering is an underwritten public offering, the underwriters have the right to limit the number of securities included in the registration, including securities held by holders of our registrable securities. These registration rights are subject to specified other conditions and limitations as set forth in our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement.

Short-Form Registration Rights

At any time after we are qualified to file a short-form registration statement on Form S-3, and subject to limitations and conditions specified in the amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, the holders of 20% or more of the registrable securities then outstanding may make a written request that we prepare and file a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act covering their registrable securities, so long as the aggregate price to the public is at least $10,000,000, net of any underwriters’ discounts or commissions. We are obligated to cause such registration statement to be declared effective no later than 45 days following such written request. We are not obligated to effect more than two of these Form S-3 registrations in any 12-month period.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Delaware Law

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regulating corporate takeovers. This section prevents some Delaware corporations from engaging, under some circumstances, in a business combination, which includes a merger or sale of at least 10% of the corporation’s assets with any interested stockholder, meaning a stockholder who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, unless:

 

   

the transaction is approved by the board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder;

 

   

upon closing of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

subsequent to such time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of these provisions with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws resulting from a stockholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares. We have not opted out of these provisions. As a result, mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts of us may be discouraged or prevented.

 

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Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions

Upon the completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws will include a number of provisions that may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control of our management team, including the following:

 

   

Board of directors vacancies. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will authorize our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly-created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors will be set only by resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions will prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees.

 

   

Classified board. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors, each of which will hold office for a three-year term. In addition, directors may only be removed from the board of directors for cause and only by the approval of 66 2/3% of our then-outstanding shares of our common stock. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.

 

   

Stockholder action; special meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that stockholders will not be able to take action by written consent, and will only be able to take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. Stockholders will not be permitted to cumulate their votes for the election of directors. Our amended and restated bylaws will further provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority vote of our entire board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or our chief executive officer.

 

   

Advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and director nominations. Our amended and restated bylaws will provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at any meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws will also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our meetings of stockholders.

 

   

Issuance of undesignated preferred stock. Our board of directors will have, the authority, without further action by the holders of common stock, to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by the board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will enable our board of directors to render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise.

Choice of Forum

Upon the completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This provision would not apply to claims brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides further that the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. These choices of forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees and may discourage these types of lawsuits. Furthermore, the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal

 

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proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive-forum provisions, and there can be no assurance that such provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions. If a court were to find the exclusive-forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Upon the completion of this offering, the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent’s address is 150 Royall St, Canton MA 02021, and its telephone number is 800-736-3001.

Exchange Listing

We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “THRX.”

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Before this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock, and we cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of shares of our common stock or the availability of shares of our common stock for sale will have on the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time.

Nevertheless, sales of substantial amounts of our common stock, including shares issued upon exercise of 4,831,291 outstanding stock options, in the public market following this offering could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity securities in the future.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will have outstanding 35,863,960 shares of our common stock, based on the number of shares outstanding as of June 30, 2021, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into an aggregate of 25,475,905 shares of common stock issued immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering. This includes 8,333,500 shares of common stock that we are selling in this offering, which shares may be resold in the public market without restriction immediately unless purchased by our “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and assumes no additional exercise of outstanding options other than as described elsewhere in this prospectus or exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.

The remaining 27,530,460 shares of common stock that are not sold in this offering, will be “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration, such as under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below.

In addition, we, our executive officers and directors, and substantially all of our security holders have entered into market standoff agreements with us or lock-up agreements with the underwriters under which they have agreed, subject to specific exceptions, not to sell any of our capital stock during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, as described below. As a result of these agreements and the provisions of our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement disclosed in “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights,” subject to the provisions of Rule 144 or Rule 701, 35,863,960 shares will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

 

   

beginning on the date of this prospectus, the 8,333,500 shares sold in this offering will be immediately available for sale in the public market, unless purchased by our affiliates;

 

   

beginning after the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, 26,785,850 additional shares will become eligible for sale in the public market (which excludes 744,610 shares of restricted stock subject to repurchase and time-based vesting), of which approximately 20,461,080 shares are currently held by our affiliates and may be subject to the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144, as described below; and

 

   

the remainder of the shares will be eligible for sale in the public market from time to time thereafter, subject in some cases to the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144, as described below.

We cannot estimate the number of shares of our common stock that our existing stockholders will elect to sell under Rule 144.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, once we have been subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for at least 90 days before the sale, a person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, is entitled to sell those shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation, or notice provisions of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then that person would be entitled

 

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to sell an unlimited number of shares immediately upon the completion of this offering without regard to whether current public information about us is available. Persons who have beneficially owned shares of our restricted common stock for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the 90 days preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of either of the following:

 

   

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 358,640 shares immediately after this offering, assuming no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares; or

 

   

the average weekly trading volume of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale;

provided, in each case, that we have been subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Such sales both by affiliates and by non-affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale, current public information and notice provisions of Rule 144.

Rule 701

Any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants, advisors or service providers, other than a person who is deemed to have been one of our affiliates during the immediately preceding 90 days, who purchased shares under a written compensatory plan or contract prior to this offering may be entitled to rely on the resale provisions of Rule 701. Rule 701, as currently in effect, permits resales of shares, in reliance upon Rule 144 but without compliance with certain restrictions, including the holding period requirement, of Rule 144. Rule 701 further provides that non-affiliates may sell such shares in reliance on Rule 144 without having to comply with the public information, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares are required to wait until 90 days after the date of this prospectus before selling such shares if such resale is pursuant to Rule 701. All Rule 701 shares are, however, subject to lock-up agreements and will only become eligible for sale upon the expiration of these lock-up agreements.

Lock-Up/Market Standoff Agreements

We, all of our directors and executive officers, and the holders of substantially all of our capital stock and securities convertible into or exchangeable for our capital stock have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters and/or are subject to market standoff agreements with us, which prevents them from selling any of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC and SVB Leerink LLC, subject to certain exceptions. See the section titled “Underwriting” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.

Equity Plans

As soon as practicable after the completion of this offering, we intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act covering all of the shares of our common stock subject to outstanding options and the shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our equity incentive plans. In addition, we intend to file a registration statement on Form S-8 or such other form as may be required under the Securities Act for the resale of shares of our common stock issued upon the exercise of options that were not granted under Rule 701. We expect to file this registration statement as soon as permitted under the Securities Act. However, the shares registered on Form S-8 may be subject to the volume limitations and the manner of sale, notice and public information requirements of Rule 144 and will not be eligible for resale until expiration of the lock-up and market standoff agreements to which they are subject.

 

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Registration Rights

Under our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, after the completion of this offering, the holders of up to 25,475,905 shares of our common stock will, subject to the lock-up agreements referred to above, be entitled to certain rights, subject to certain conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. The registration of these shares of our common stock under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming eligible for sale in the public market without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of such registration, subject to the Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates. For a further description of these rights, see the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights.”

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

The following is a general discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) with respect to their ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering. For purposes of this discussion, a non-U.S. holder means a beneficial owner of our common stock (other than an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any of the following:

 

   

an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “U.S. persons,” as defined under the Code (as defined below), have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) such trust has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, existing, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial opinions, published positions of the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, and other applicable authorities, all of which are subject to change or to differing interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion assumes that a non-U.S. holder holds shares of our common stock as a capital asset (generally, property held for investment) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of that non-U.S. holder’s individual circumstances, nor does it address any aspects of the unearned income Medicare contribution tax pursuant to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, any U.S. gift taxes, any U.S. alternative minimum taxes or any state, local or non-U.S. taxes. This discussion may not apply, in whole or in part, to particular non-U.S. holders in light of their individual circumstances or to holders subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws (such as insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions, brokers or dealers in securities, “controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” non-U.S. holders that hold our common stock as part of a straddle, conversion transaction or other integrated investment, holders who own, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock, and certain U.S. expatriates).

If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner therein will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners of a partnership holding our common stock should consult their tax advisor as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to them.

THIS SUMMARY IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF ALL TAX CONSEQUENCES FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS RELATING TO THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF COMPANY CAPITAL STOCK. PROSPECTIVE HOLDERS OF COMPANY CAPITAL STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM (INCLUDING THE APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS) OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF COMPANY CAPITAL STOCK

Dividends

We do not expect to declare or make any distributions on our common stock in the foreseeable future. If we do pay dividends on shares of our common stock, however, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under

 

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U.S. federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that is applied against and reduces, but not below zero, a non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in shares of our common stock. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and such gain will be subject to the treatment described below under “—Gain on Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock.” Any such distributions will also be subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting” and “—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.”

Any dividend paid to a non-U.S. holder on our common stock that is not effectively connected with a non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate. The withholding tax might apply at a reduced rate, however, under the terms of an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding your entitlement to benefits under a relevant income tax treaty. Generally, in order for the applicable withholding agent to withhold tax at a lower treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must certify its entitlement to treaty benefits. A non-U.S. holder generally can meet this certification requirement by providing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or other appropriate IRS W-8 form (or any successor or substitute form thereof) to the applicable withholding agent. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the holder’s behalf, the holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the holder’s agent. The holder’s agent will then be required to provide certification to the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. If you are eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal withholding tax under an income tax treaty, you may generally obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by filing an appropriate claim for a refund with the IRS in a timely manner.

Dividends received by a non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder, and if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States, are not subject to U.S. withholding tax. To obtain this exemption, a non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with an IRS Form W-8ECI properly certifying such exemption. Such effectively connected dividends, although not subject to withholding tax, are taxed at the same U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition to being taxed at U.S. federal income tax rates, dividends received by a corporate non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the corporate non-U.S. holder may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable tax treaty.

Gain on Sale or Other Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting” and “—Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” non-U.S. holders will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gains realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock unless:

 

   

the gain (i) is effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a U.S. trade or business and (ii) if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (in which case the special rules described below apply);

 

   

the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock, and certain other requirements are met (in which case the gain would be subject to a flat 30% tax, or such reduced rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses, even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States); or

 

   

the rules of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, or FIRPTA, treat the gain as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business.

The FIRPTA rules may apply to a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock if we are, or were within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition and the non-U.S. holder’s holding period, a U.S. real

 

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property holding corporation, or USRPHC. In general, we would be a USRPHC if interests in U.S. real property comprised at least half of the value of our worldwide real property and our other assets held for use in a trade or business. Although there can be no assurances, we believe that we are not currently and will not become a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the remainder of this discussion so assumes. However, because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests relative to the fair market value of our U.S. and worldwide real property interests plus our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business, there can be no assurance that we will not become a USRPHC in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and such non-U.S. holder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less of our common stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period. No assurances can be provided that our common stock will be regularly traded on an established securities market for the purposes of the rule described above. If any gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock, (i) is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by a non-U.S. holder and (ii) if required by an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. holder’s country of residence, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed maintained by such non-U.S. holder in the United States, then the gain generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the same rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation, under certain circumstances, that portion of its earnings and profits that is effectively connected with its U.S. trade or business, subject to certain adjustments, generally would be subject also to a “branch profits tax” at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

The applicable withholding agent must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. holder the amount of dividends paid to, and the tax withheld with respect to, each non-U.S. holder. These reporting requirements apply regardless of whether withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty. Copies of this information reporting may also be made available under the provisions of a specific tax treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Dividends paid to non-U.S. holders subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax, as described above under the heading “—Dividends,” will generally be exempt from U.S. backup withholding.

A non-U.S. holder will generally be subject to backup withholding for dividends on our common stock paid to such holder unless such holder certifies under penalties of perjury that, among other things, it is a non-U.S. holder (and the payer does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a U.S. person), generally on a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable Form W-8), or otherwise establishes an exemption.

Information reporting and backup withholding generally are not required with respect to the amount of any proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock by a non-U.S. holder outside the United States through a foreign office of a foreign broker that does not have certain specified connections to the United States. However, if a non-U.S. holder sells or otherwise disposes of its shares of common stock through a U.S. broker or the U.S. offices of a foreign broker, the broker will generally be required to report the amount of proceeds paid to the non-U.S. holder to the IRS and impose backup withholding on that amount unless such non-U.S. holder provides appropriate certification to the broker of its status as a non-U.S. holder (and the payer does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a U.S. person) or otherwise establishes an exemption. Backup withholding is not an additional income tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a non-U.S. holder generally can be credited against the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, or refunded, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, withholding tax of 30% applies to certain payments to foreign financial institutions, investment funds and certain other non-U.S. persons that fail to comply with certain

 

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information reporting and certification requirements pertaining to their direct and indirect U.S. securityholders and/or U.S. accountholders and do not otherwise qualify for an exemption. Under applicable Treasury Regulations and IRS guidance, this withholding currently applies to payments of dividends, if any, on, and, subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below, gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph.

While, beginning on January 1, 2019, withholding under FATCA would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers (including applicable withholding agents) generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

If withholding under FATCA is required on any payment related to our common stock, investors not otherwise subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment may be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS.

Prospective investors are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

Federal Estate Tax

Common stock we have issued that is owned (or treated as owned) by an individual who is not a citizen or a resident of the United States (as defined for U.S. federal estate tax purposes) at the time of death will be included in the individual’s gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes unless an applicable estate or other tax treaty provides otherwise, and therefore may be subject to U.S. federal estate tax.

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF WITHHOLDING UNDER FATCA TO THEIR INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMON STOCK. THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, GIFT, ESTATE, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, dated                 , 2021, among us, Jefferies LLC, SVB Leerink LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as the representatives of the underwriters named below and the joint book-running managers of this offering, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the respective number of shares of common stock shown opposite its name below:

 

 

 

UNDERWRITER

   NUMBER
OF SHARES
 

Jefferies LLC

                   

SVB Leerink LLC

  

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

  

Wedbush Securities Inc.

  
  

 

 

 

Total

     8,333,500  
  

 

 

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions and approval of certain legal matters by their counsel. The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters will purchase all of the shares of common stock if any of them are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and certain of their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters have advised us that, following the completion of this offering, they currently intend to make a market in the common stock as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so, and the underwriters may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice in their sole discretion. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the common stock, that you will be able to sell any of the common stock held by you at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.

The underwriters are offering the shares of common stock subject to their acceptance of the shares of common stock from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part. In addition, the underwriters have advised us that they do not intend to confirm sales to any account over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Commission and Expenses

The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the shares of common stock to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers, which may include the underwriters, at that price less a concession not in excess of $         per share of common stock. The underwriters may allow, and certain dealers may reallow, a discount from the concession not in excess of $         per share of common stock to certain brokers and dealers. After the offering, the initial public offering price, concession and reallowance to dealers may be reduced by the representatives. No such reduction will change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

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The following table shows the public offering price, the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay the underwriters and the proceeds, before expenses, to us in connection with this offering. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

 

 

     PER SHARE      TOTAL  
     WITHOUT
OPTION TO
PURCHASE
ADDITIONAL
SHARES
     WITH
OPTION TO
PURCHASE
ADDITIONAL
SHARES
     WITHOUT
OPTION TO
PURCHASE
ADDITIONAL
SHARES
     WITH
OPTION TO
PURCHASE
ADDITIONAL
SHARES
 

Public offering price

   $                    $                    $                    $                

Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us

   $        $        $        $    

Proceeds to us, before expenses

   $        $        $        $    

 

 

We estimate expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions referred to above, will be approximately $3.9 million.

Determination of Offering Price

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our common stock. Consequently, the initial public offering price for our common stock will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in these negotiations will be prevailing market conditions, our financial information, market valuations of other companies that we and the underwriters believe to be comparable to us, estimates of our business potential, the present state of our development and other factors deemed relevant.

We offer no assurances that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which the common stock will trade in the public market subsequent to the offering or that an active trading market for the common stock will develop and continue after the offering.

Listing

We have applied to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “THRX.”

Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 1,250,025 shares from us at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters exercise this option, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to specified conditions, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment as indicated in the table above. This option may be exercised only if the underwriters sell more shares than the total number set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We, our officers, directors and holders of all or substantially all our outstanding capital stock and other securities have agreed, subject to specified exceptions, not to directly or indirectly:

 

   

sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including any short sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-l(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or

 

   

otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of common stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of common stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially, or

 

   

publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus without the prior written consent of Jefferies LLC and SVB Leerink LLC.

 

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This restriction terminates after the close of trading of the common stock on and including the 180th day after the date of this prospectus.

Jefferies LLC and SVB Leerink LLC may, in their sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the 180-day period release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements. There are no existing agreements between the underwriters and any of our shareholders who will execute a lock-up agreement, providing consent to the sale of shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up period.

Stabilization

The underwriters have advised us that they, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, may engage in short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids in connection with this offering. These activities may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the common stock at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Establishing short sales positions may involve either “covered” short sales or “naked” short sales.

“Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in this offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock or purchasing shares of our common stock in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares.

“Naked” short sales are sales in excess of the option to purchase additional shares of our common stock. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.

A stabilizing bid is a bid for the purchase of shares of common stock on behalf of the underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the common stock. A syndicate covering transaction is the bid for or the purchase of shares of common stock on behalf of the underwriters to reduce a short position incurred by the underwriters in connection with the offering. Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the common stock originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.

Neither we, nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. The underwriters are not obligated to engage in these activities and, if commenced, any of the activities may be discontinued at any time.

Electronic Distribution

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available by e-mail or on the web sites or through online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters or their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of shares of common stock for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters’ web sites and any information contained in any other web site maintained by any of the underwriters is not part of this prospectus, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

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Other Activities and Relationships

The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own accounts and for the accounts of their respective customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments issued by us and our affiliates. If the underwriters or their respective affiliates have a lending relationship with us, they routinely hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the common stock offered hereby. Any such short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the common stock offered hereby. The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Disclaimers About Non-U.S. Jurisdictions

Canada

Resale Restrictions

The distribution of shares of our common stock in Canada is being made only in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on a private placement basis exempt from the requirement that we prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each province where trades of these securities are made. Any resale of the shares of our common stock in Canada must be made under applicable securities laws which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made under available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. Purchasers are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of the shares of common stock.

Representations of Canadian Purchasers

By purchasing shares of our common stock in Canada and accepting delivery of a purchase confirmation, a purchaser is representing to us and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation is received that:

 

   

the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities laws to purchase the shares of common stock without the benefit of a prospectus qualified under those securities laws as it is an “accredited investor” as defined under National Instrument 45-106Prospectus Exemptions or Section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), as applicable,

 

   

the purchaser is a “permitted client” as defined in National Instrument 31-103—Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations,

 

   

where required by law, the purchaser is purchasing as principal and not as agent, and

 

   

the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale Restrictions.

Conflicts of Interest

Canadian purchasers are hereby notified that certain of the underwriters are relying on the exemption set out in section 3A.3 or 3A.4, if applicable, of National Instrument 33-105—Underwriting Conflicts from having to provide certain conflict of interest disclosure in this document.

 

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Statutory Rights of Action

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if the offering memorandum (including any amendment thereto) such as this document contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser of these securities in Canada should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Enforcement of Legal Rights

All of our directors and officers as well as the experts named herein may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or those persons. All or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of those persons may be located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside of Canada.

Taxation and Eligibility for Investment

Canadian purchasers of shares of our common stock should consult their own legal and tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the shares of our common stock in their particular circumstances and about the eligibility of the shares of our common stock for investment by the purchaser under relevant Canadian legislation.

Australia

This prospectus is not a disclosure document for the purposes of Australia’s Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia, or the Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and is only directed to the categories of exempt persons set out below. Accordingly, if you receive this prospectus in Australia:

You confirm and warrant that you are either:

 

   

a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act;

 

   

a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant’s certificate to the company which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made;

 

   

a person associated with the company under Section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or

 

   

a “professional investor” within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act.

To the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this prospectus is void and incapable of acceptance.

You warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the securities issued to you pursuant to this prospectus for resale in Australia within 12 months of those securities being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area, or a Relevant State, no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which have been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that the shares may be offered to the public in that Relevant State at any time:

 

   

to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation;

 

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to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of representatives for any such offer; or

 

   

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of the shares shall require us or any of the representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression “offer to the public” in relation to the shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

Hong Kong

No shares of our common stock have been offered or sold, and no shares of our common stock may be offered or sold, in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent; or to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong, or the SFO, and any rules made under that Ordinance; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong, or the CO, or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public for the purpose of the CO or the SFO. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the shares of our common stock has been issued or may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares of our common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made under that Ordinance.

This prospectus has not been registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, this prospectus may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong, and the shares of our common stock may not be offered for subscription to members of the public in Hong Kong. Each person acquiring the shares of our common stock will be required, and is deemed by the acquisition of the shares of our common stock, to confirm that he is aware of the restriction on offers of the shares of our common stock described in this prospectus and the relevant offering documents and that he is not acquiring, and has not been offered any shares of our common stock in circumstances that contravene any such restrictions.

Israel

This document does not constitute a prospectus under the Israeli Securities Law, 5728-1968, or the Israeli Securities Law, and has not been filed with or approved by the Israel Securities Authority. In Israel, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer of the shares of common stock is directed only at, (i) a limited number of persons in accordance with the Israeli Securities Law and (ii) investors listed in the first addendum, or the Addendum, to the Israeli Securities Law, consisting primarily of joint investment in trust funds, provident funds, insurance companies, banks, portfolio managers, investment advisors, members of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, underwriters, venture capital funds, entities with equity in excess of NIS 50 million and “qualified individuals,” each as defined in the Addendum (as it may be amended from time to time), collectively referred to as qualified investors (in each case, purchasing for their own account or, where permitted under the Addendum, for the accounts of their clients who are investors listed in the Addendum). Qualified investors are required to submit written confirmation that they fall within the scope of the Addendum, are aware of the meaning of same and agree to it.

Japan

The offering has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended), or the FIEL, and the underwriters will not offer or sell any shares of common stock, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used

 

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herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEL and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been and will not be lodged or registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares of our common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

   

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

   

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares of our common stock pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

   

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

   

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

   

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

   

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

   

as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

Switzerland

The shares of common stock may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the listing rules established by the SIX or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares of common stock or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, us or the shares of common stock have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of shares of common stock will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the offer of the shares of common stock has not been and will

 

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not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or the CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the shares of common stock.

United Kingdom

No shares of common stock have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares of common stock which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, except that the shares of common stock may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom at any time:

 

   

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

 

   

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

   

in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (UK), or the FSMA,

provided that no such offer of the shares of common stock shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares of common stock in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of our common stock offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, Redwood City, California. Certain investment partnerships comprised of partners of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP own an interest representing less than one percent of the shares of our common stock. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, New York, New York has acted as counsel for the underwriters in connection with this offering.

 

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EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020, and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2020, as set forth in their report. We have included our financial statements in the prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits filed therewith. For further information about us and the common stock offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and in each instance we refer you to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. We currently do not file periodic reports with the SEC. Upon completion of this offering, we will be required to file periodic reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy, information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the website is www.sec.gov. A copy of the registration statement and the exhibits filed therewith may be accessed at the SEC website.

We also maintain a website at https://theseusrx.com/. Upon completion of this offering, you may access these materials at our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020:

 

 

 

     PAGE  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Balance Sheets

     F-3  

Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

     F-4  

Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

     F-5  

Statements of Cash Flows

     F-6  

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-7  

 

 

Unaudited condensed financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021:

 

 

 

     PAGE  

Condensed Balance Sheets

     F-24  

Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

     F-25  

Condensed Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

     F-26  

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

     F-27  

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements

     F-28  

 

 

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the related statements of operations and comprehensive loss, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2019 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.

Boston, Massachusetts

July 20, 2021, except for Note 14(c), as to which the date is September 30, 2021

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019     2020  

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash

   $ 1,317     $ 8,457  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     64       113  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     1,381       8,570  

Property and equipment, net

     3       1  

Other assets

     43       43  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 1,427     $ 8,614  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 285     $ 1,132  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     330       463  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     615       1,595  

Preferred stock tranche rights

     2,220        

Anti-dilution right

     1,142        
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     3,977       1,595  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)

    

Redeemable convertible preferred stock:

    

Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 17,465,754 and 22,136,987 shares authorized as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively; 6,668,818 and 16,734,179 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively; preference in liquidation of $22,137 as of December 31, 2020

     6,857       41,289  

Stockholders’ deficit:

    

Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 25,000,000 and 29,054,797 shares authorized as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively; 1,708,625 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively

            

Additional paid-in capital

     813        

Accumulated deficit

     (10,220     (34,270
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

     (9,407     (34,270
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 1,427     $ 8,614  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
     2019     2020  

Operating expenses:

    

Research and development

   $         4,124     $         5,958  

General and administrative

     818       878  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     4,942       6,836  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     4,942       6,836  

Other expense, net:

    

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

     (1,613     (3,968

Change in fair value of anti-dilution right

     (623     (1,190

Other expense

     (5     (3
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense, net

     (2,241     (5,161
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted (Note 12)

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted

   $ (59.77   $ (21.10
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average common stock outstanding—basic and diluted

     120,177       568,467  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

(in thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

    REDEEMABLE
CONVERTIBLE
PREFERRED STOCK
                                        
    SERIES A
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
             COMMON STOCK
$0.0001 PAR
VALUE
    ADDITIONAL
PAID-IN
    ACCUMULATED     TOTAL
STOCKHOLDERS’
 
    SHARES     AMOUNT              SHARES     AMOUNT     CAPITAL     DEFICIT     DEFICIT  

Balance at January 1, 2019

    4,401,006     $ 4,284                 $     $ 76     $ (3,037   $ (2,961

Issuance of series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $7

    2,267,812       2,573                         420             420  

Vesting of restricted stock

                      288,568                          

Stock-based compensation

                                  317         317  

Net loss

                                        (7,183     (7,183
 

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

    6,668,818     $ 6,857             288,568     $     $ 813     $ (10,220   $ (9,407

Issuance of series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $8

    10,065,361       34,432                         (1,865     (12,053     (13,918

Vesting of restricted stock

                      594,221                          

Stock-based compensation

                                  1,052             1,052  

Net loss

                                        (11,997     (11,997
 

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2020

    16,734,179     $ 41,289             882,789     $     $     $ (34,270   $ (34,270
 

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
     2019     2020  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation expense

     2       2  

Stock-based compensation expense

     317       1,052  

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

               1,613                 3,968  

Change in fair value of anti-dilution rights

     623       1,190  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     1       (49

Accounts payable

     193       849  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     (330     133  

Other assets

     (43      
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (4,807     (4,852
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

            
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Proceeds from issuance of series A redeemable convertible preferred stock

     3,000       12,000  

Payment of series A redeemable convertible preferred stock issuance costs

     (7     (8
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     2,993       11,992  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) / increase in cash

     (1,814     7,140  

Cash at beginning of year

     3,131       1,317  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash at end of year

   $ 1,317     $ 8,457  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash activities:

    

Fair value of preferred stock tranche rights recognized as series A redeemable convertible preferred stock upon issuance of milestone shares

   $     $ (6,188
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Fair value of anti-dilution rights recognized as series A redeemable convertible preferred stock upon issuance of anti-dilution shares

   $     $ (2,332
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

1. Nature of the Business

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Theseus” or the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. The Company was incorporated in December 2017 under the laws of the State of Delaware, and its principal offices are in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry, including but not limited to, development by competitors of new technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations and ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. The Company’s development programs will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel and infrastructure and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development, the Company is unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when or if the Company will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if the Company is able to generate revenue from product sales, the Company may not become profitable. If the Company fails to become profitable or is unable to sustain profitability on a continuing basis, then the Company may be unable to continue its operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or terminate its operations. The Company expects to incur substantial operating losses and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future.

In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-40, Going Concern, the Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $34.3 million. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company incurred a loss of $12.0 million and utilized $4.9 million of cash in operations. The Company expects to continue to generate operating losses in the foreseeable future.

The Company expects that its cash of $8.5 million at December 31, 2020, together with the $100.0 million of net proceeds from the issuance of series B preferred stock during the three months ended March 31, 2021, will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12 months from issuance of the financial statements.

In addition, the Company expects that it will seek additional funding through public or private equity financings, debt financing or other capital sources, which could include collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements. The inability to obtain funding, as and when needed, could have a negative impact on the Company’s financial condition and ability to pursue its business strategies, which may include amending, delaying, limiting, reducing, or terminating planned activities related to its product candidates.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of presentation

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative U.S. GAAP as found in the ASC and as amended by Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. Estimates and judgments are based on historical information and other market-specific or various relevant assumptions, including in certain circumstances, future projections, that management believes to be reasonable

 

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under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from estimates. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but not limited to, the accruals for research and development expenses, stock-based compensation expense, the determination of fair value of equity instruments, and the fair value of the preferred stock tranche rights and the anti-dilution right. The Company utilized various valuation methodologies in accordance with the framework of the 2013 American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation (the “Practice Aid”), to estimate the fair value of its equity awards. The Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. All revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Periodically, the Company maintains deposits in accredited financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company deposits its cash in financial institutions that it believes have high credit quality and have not experienced any losses on such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any unusual credit risk beyond the normal credit risk associated with commercial banking relationships. Such deposits have and will continue to exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on its cash deposits.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company categorizes its assets and liabilities measured at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”), the authoritative accounting guidance that establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Fair value is defined as the exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, ASC 820 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

 

   

Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities;

 

   

Level 2—Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; or

 

   

Level 3—Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported by little or no market activity).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash includes cash in readily available checking accounts. Cash is carried at cost, which approximates its fair value. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at fair market value. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company had no cash equivalents.

Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Computer equipment and software are depreciated over three years. When an item is sold or retired, the costs and related accumulated depreciation are eliminated, and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is credited or charged to income in the statement of operations. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

 

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Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment. The Company reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets, including the related useful lives, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset might not be recoverable, based on undiscounted cash flows. If such assets are considered to be impaired, an impairment loss is recognized and is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceed their estimated fair value, which is measured based on the projected discounted future net cash flows arising from the assets. There were no impairments for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.

Accrued Research and Development Costs

The Company records accrued liabilities for estimated costs of research and development activities conducted by service providers for sponsored research, preclinical studies and contract manufacturing activities. The Company records the estimated costs of research and development activities based upon the estimated amount of services provided but not yet invoiced and includes these costs in accrued expenses in the accompanying balance sheets and within research and development expense in the accompanying statements of operations.

The Company accrues for these costs based on factors such as estimates of the work completed and in accordance with agreements established with service providers. The Company makes significant judgments and estimates in determining the accrued liabilities balance in each reporting period. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts its accrued liabilities. The Company has not experienced any material differences between accrued costs and actual costs incurred since its inception.

Deferred Issuance Costs

The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional accounting and other third-party fees that are directly associated with in-process equity financings as deferred issuance costs until such financings are consummated. After consummation of such an equity financing, these costs are recorded as a reduction of the proceeds generated as a result of the offering. Should the planned equity financing be abandoned, the deferred issuance costs, currently recorded within other assets, will be expensed immediately as a charge to operating expenses in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company did not record any deferred issuance costs as of December 31, 2019 and 2020.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs consist of direct and indirect internal costs related to specific projects as well as fees paid to other entities that conduct certain research and development activities on the Company’s behalf.

Patent Costs

The Company expenses all costs as incurred in connection with patent applications, including direct application fees, and the legal and consulting expenses related to making such applications, and such costs are included in general and administrative expenses within the Company’s statements of operations.

Stock-based Compensation

The Company’s stock-based compensation program grants awards that may include stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, and other stock-based awards. The fair values of stock option grants are estimated as of the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option valuation model. The fair values of restricted stock awards and restricted stock units are based on the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The estimated fair values of the awards are expensed over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the award. For service-based awards that are subject to graded vesting, the Company has elected to recognize compensation expense for these awards on a straight-line basis. The Company has performance-based vesting conditions in some of its awards, and all performance-based milestones have been met or waived as of December 31, 2020. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. The Company classifies stock-based compensation expense in its statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the same manner in which the

 

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award recipient’s salary and related costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified. The Company accounts for awards granted to non-employees using the same treatment as awards granted to employees.

Upon exercise of stock options, the Company issues the grantee the respective number of shares of common stock from the available common stock shares approved for issuance by the Board. Until the restricted stock awards vest, the Company has the ability to repurchase unvested awards for a period of up to 90 days following termination. The Company is also entitled to repurchase early exercised stock options that are unvested. The Company records a liability for any early exercised stock options awards. As of December 31, 2020, there had been no early exercises.

The Company utilizes significant estimates and assumptions in determining the fair value of its common stock. The Company has utilized various valuation methodologies in accordance with the framework of the Practice Aid, to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Each valuation methodology includes estimates and assumptions that require the Company’s judgment. These estimates and assumptions include a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the superior rights and preferences of securities senior to the Company’s common stock at the time of, and the likelihood of, achieving a liquidity event, such as an initial public offering or sale. Significant changes to the key assumptions used in the valuations could result in different fair values of common stock at each valuation date.

The Company’s expected stock price volatility assumption is based on volatilities of similar entities whose share or option prices are publicly available. The Company uses the simplified method to estimate the expected life assumption. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yield of U.S. Treasury securities consistent with the expected life of the option. No dividend yield was assumed as the Company does not intend to pay dividends on its common stock.

The Company’s equity incentive plan allows for the issuance of restricted stock awards to employees and non-employees that may be subject to vesting. The unvested shares of any restricted stock awards are held in escrow as the stock award vests or until award holder termination, whichever occurs first. In the event of a termination, the Company has the right of repurchase, at its option, the portion of unvested stock awards from the terminated award holder at their original issuance price. For all unvested stock option awards for which the award recipient has transferred cash to the Company prior to the vesting date, a liability is established related to the cash received for the unvested portion of the stock awards, which represents the Company’s obligation if all award holders were to be terminated. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, no early exercises have occurred and no liabilities have been established.

Net Loss Per Share

The Company follows the two-class method when computing net loss allocable to common securities per share as the Company has issued shares that meet the definition of participating securities, which include shares of series A convertible preferred stock (“Series A”). The two-class method requires a portion of net income to be allocated to the participating securities to determine net income allocable to the common securities. During periods of loss, there is no allocation required under the two-class method since the participating securities do not have a contractual obligation to fund the losses of the Company.

Basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the period determined using the treasury-stock and if-converted methods. For purposes of the diluted net loss per share calculation, diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding after giving consideration to the dilutive effect of convertible preferred stock, restricted common stock, restricted stock units and stock options that are outstanding during the period. The Company has generated a net loss in all periods presented, therefore the basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders are the same as the inclusion of the potentially dilutive securities would be anti-dilutive.

 

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Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

The Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock is classified as temporary equity in the accompanying balance sheets and excluded from stockholders’ deficit as the potential redemption of such stock is outside the Company’s control. The carrying value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock is not adjusted to the redemption value until the contingent redemption events are considered to be probable of occurring.

Income Taxes

Income taxes for the Company are recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”), which provides for deferred taxes using an asset and liability approach. Under this method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on future income tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amount of existing assets and liabilities, and their respective income tax basis. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of changes in income tax rates on deferred income tax assets and liabilities is recognized as income or expense in the period of the change provided that the future realization of any income tax benefits is more likely than not.

The Company provides reserves for potential payments of tax to various tax authorities related to uncertain tax positions. The tax benefits recorded are based on a determination of whether and how much of a tax benefit taken by the Company in its tax filings or positions is “more likely than not” to be realized following resolution of any uncertainty related to the tax benefit, assuming that the matter in question will be raised by the tax authorities. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any uncertain tax positions, if any, as a component of income tax expense in its statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss includes net loss as well as other changes in stockholders’ deficit that result from transactions and economic events other than those with stockholders. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, there were no differences between net loss and comprehensive loss.

Segments

Operating segments are defined as components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and that is regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to allocate resources to an individual segment and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is its chief executive officer. The Company has determined it operates in a single operating segment and has one reportable segment. All long-lived assets of the Company reside in the United States.

Emerging Growth Company Status

The Company is an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such a time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that the Company no longer is an emerging growth company or affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets for all

 

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leases and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This ASU was originally proposed to be effective for annual reporting periods after December 15, 2019, however, in July 2019, the FASB delayed the effective date to January 2021 and ASU 2020-05 delayed the effective date to January 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this standard will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326)—Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which has been subsequently amended (“ASU 2016-13”). The provisions of ASU 2016-13 modify the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the currently used incurred loss methodology and require a consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this standard will have on its financial statements but does not expect it to be material.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which modifies certain disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted ASU 2018-13 on January 1, 2020 and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial statements.

In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 815) Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments (“ASU 2019-04”). This update provides clarifications for three topics related to financial instruments accounting, some of which apply to the Company. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this standard will have on its financial statements but does not expect it to be material.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) (“ASU 2019-12”) as part of its initiative to reduce complexity in the accounting standards. The amendments in ASU 2019-12 eliminate certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the standard requires certain changes to be made prospectively and certain others to be made retrospectively. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 on January 1, 2020 and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial statements.

3. Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2019 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION

   DECEMBER 31,
2019
     LEVEL 1      LEVEL 2      LEVEL 3  

Liability

           

Preferred stock tranche rights

   $ 2,220      $      $  —      $ 2,220  

Anti-dilution right

     1,142                      1,142  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total financial liabilities

   $ 3,362      $  —      $  —      $ 3,362  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

There were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value as of December 31, 2020. There have been no transfers between fair value levels during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020. The carrying values of other current

 

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assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

Tranche Rights

The Company determined that its obligations to issue, and the Company’s investors’ obligation to purchase, additional shares of Series A at a fixed price (i.e. the issuance price) in three subsequent tranches following the initial closing of the Series A financing represented freestanding financial instruments (the “Tranche Rights”). The Company issued 2,267,813 and 3,779,688 shares in January 2020 and July 2020, respectively, pursuant to these rights, at a purchase price of $1.32 per share. The final tranche was cancelled upon termination of the Series A preferred stock purchase agreement (“Series A Agreement”) in December 2020.

The Tranche Rights were classified as a liability on the Company’s balance sheets and initially recorded at fair value. The Tranche Rights were subsequently revalued until the tranches were settled, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other expense, net in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Upon the purchase of the Tranche Right shares, the fair value of the related Tranche Right was recognized as Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock. The obligation was fully satisfied in December 2020 when the Series A Agreement was terminated, with the remaining value recognized in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss.

The fair value of Tranche Rights was based on significant inputs not observable in the market, which represents a Level 3 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. A change in the assumptions related to the valuation of the Tranche Rights could have a significant impact on the value of the obligation. Each tranche obligation was valued as a forward contract. The values were determined using a probability-weighted present value calculation. In determining the fair values of the tranche obligations, estimates and assumptions impacting fair value included the estimated future values of the Company’s Series A, discount rates, estimated time to tranche closing, and probability of each tranche closing. The Company determined the per share future value of the Series A preferred stock by back-solving to the initial proceeds of the Series A financing. The Company remeasured each tranche obligation at each reporting period and prior to settlement.

Anti-dilution Right

In accordance with a license agreement between the Company and ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“ARIAD”), the Company was obligated to issue to ARIAD additional Series A shares for no consideration upon the issuance of certain Milestone Shares (see Note 8) to certain investors (“Anti-dilution Right”).

The Company determined that the Anti-dilution Right is a freestanding financial instrument. The freestanding financial instrument was classified as an asset or liability on the Company’s balance sheets and initially recorded at fair value. The fair value of the Anti-dilution Right is based on significant inputs not observable in the market, which represents a Level 3 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. A change in the assumptions related to the valuation of the Anti-dilution Rights could have a significant impact on the value of the obligation.

The Anti-dilution Right was valued as a forward contract. The value was determined using a probability-weighted present value calculation. In determining the fair values of the obligation, estimates and assumptions impacting fair value included the estimated future values of the Company’s Series A, discount rates, estimated time to share issuance and probability of each share issuance. The Company determined the per share future value of the Series A by back-solving to the initial proceeds of the Series A financing.

The Anti-dilution Right was subsequently revalued until anti-dilution shares were issued or the Anti-dilution Right was terminated, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other income (expense), net in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Upon issuance of the Anti-dilution shares, the fair value of the Anti-dilution Right was recognized as Series A.

In accordance with the Anti-dilution Right, the Company issued ARIAD 372,791 and 621,318 additional Series A shares in January 2020 and July 2020, respectively, upon the issuance of Milestone Shares to its investors. The obligation was fully satisfied in December 2020 in conjunction with the termination of the Series A Agreement. ARIAD did not receive additional Series A shares upon the termination of the Series A Agreement.

 

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The Company remeasured the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right at each reporting period and prior to settlement. The following reflects the ranges of significant quantitative inputs used in the valuation of the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right during 2019 and 2020:

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,
     2019    2020

Stand-alone Series A Preferred Stock price (spot price)

   $1.14—$1.68    $1.84—$5.93

Risk-free rate

   1.5%—1.8%    1.6%

Discount factor

   0.9825—0.9988    0.9923—1.0

Time to milestone event (years)

   0.1 year—1.0 year    0.0 years—0.5 years

Probability of tranche closing

   0%—100%    0%—100%

 

 

The following table provides a rollforward of the aggregate fair value of the Company’s Tranche Rights and Anti-dilution Right (in thousands):

 

 

 

     PREFERRED STOCK
TRANCHE RIGHTS
    ANTI-DILUTION
RIGHT
 

Balance as of January 1, 2019

   $ 607     $ 519  

Change in fair value

     1,613       623  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2019

     2,220       1,142  

Change in fair value

     3,968       1,190  

Fair value recognized as Series A upon settlement of right

     (6,188     (2,332
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2020

   $     $  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

4. Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses consisted of the following as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019      2020  

Accrued research and development

   $ 84      $ 310  

Accrued legal

     55        143  

Accrued compensation and benefits

     184        2  

Accrued other

     7        8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities

   $ 330      $ 463  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

5. Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment, net consisted of the following as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019     2020  

Computer equipment

   $ 6     $ 6  

Less: accumulated depreciation

     (3     (5
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net

   $ 3     $ 1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020 was approximately $2,000. There were no impairments for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.

6. License Agreements

Agreement Description

In June 2018, the Company entered into a license agreement with ARIAD, for an exclusive, transferable (subject to certain restrictions), sublicensable (subject to certain conditions), worldwide license, under certain of ARIAD’s patent rights, know-how and compounds and a certain ARIAD chemical library, to develop, use, manufacture, market and commercialize certain compounds, and products that contain such compounds, that are therapeutically useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans, including with respect to c-KIT, a type of receptor tyrosine kinase and tumor marker (also known as CD117 and stem cell factor receptor).

Pursuant to the license agreement, in exchange for an exclusive license, a non-exclusive license, and certain laboratory equipment, the Company issued to ARIAD 621,318 shares of Series A and a non-exclusive license to certain intellectual property. In addition, the Company provided to ARIAD the Anti-dilution Right described in Note 3. The non-exclusive licenses were granted to the parties in order to administratively facilitate the flow of data between the parties without infringement on existing patents; all of the economic value of the agreement is concentrated in the exclusive license. The laboratory equipment the Company acquired was not material.

The Company accounted for the agreement as an asset acquisition. The transaction price was measured as the fair value of the 621,318 shares of Series A issued to ARIAD and the fair value of the Anti-Dilution right (as described in Note 3), or approximately $1.4 million. The Company determined that the licensed intellectual property represented in-process research and development assets with no alternative future use. As a result, the cost to license the intellectual property of $1.4 million was recognized as research and development expense on the Company’s statements of operations in the year-ended December 31, 2018.

The Company is required to pay ARIAD tiered royalty payments that are low- to mid-single digits of the Company’s future net sales and those of its sublicensees of each product comprising a licensed ARIAD compound in each country. The Company is also responsible for costs relating to the prosecution and maintenance of the licensed patents. The agreement contains anti-stacking and generic competition provisions on the royalties whereby the Company may deduct a percentage of the amounts due for royalties from its payments if the Company enters into a third-party license agreement, and may reduce the rates in the event a generic product is being marketed and sold by a third party and the average net sales as measured over a specified period of time are at least a certain percentage lower than the average net sales during the a specified period of time immediately prior to the launch of the generic product.

The term of the agreement commenced in June 2018 and unless earlier terminated as provided in the agreement for breach of terms by either party or for convenience by the Company with advanced written notice, shall continue in full force and effect, on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis until the date on which the royalty term in such country with respect to such product expires. The royalty term is the period from the first commercial sale of such product in such country until the later of (a) the expiry of all patents that cover the product in such country or (b) ten years after the first commercial sale.

The license agreement terminates, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, on expiration of the royalty term for such product for the applicable country. Thereafter, the licenses from ARIAD to the Company with respect to such product for such country will convert to a fully paid, royalty-free, irrevocable and perpetual license.

7. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

The Company may from time to time be party to litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company was not subject to any material legal proceedings during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, and no material legal proceedings are currently pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened.

 

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Indemnification Agreements

The Company enters into standard indemnification agreements in the ordinary course of business. Pursuant to the indemnification agreements, the Company agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and to reimburse the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party, generally the Company’s business partners, in connection with any U.S. patent or any copyright or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third-party with respect to the Company’s products. The term of these indemnification agreements is generally perpetual any time after execution of the agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is unlimited. The Company has never incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements.

8. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In June 2018, the Company entered into the Series A Agreement, under which it agreed to issue up to 13,203,025 shares of Series A in an initial closing and three subsequent milestone-based tranches, inclusive of the Anti-dilution Right. Under the Series A Agreement, the Company initially issued 3,779,688 shares to certain investors at a price of $1.32 per share for proceeds of $4.7 million, net of issuance costs of $0.3 million. The Series A Agreement provided for three additional tranche closings based on the achievement of three defined milestones (the “Tranche Rights”), pursuant to which certain investors were required to purchase, and the Company to sell, up to 7,559,376 additional shares of Series A at a price of $1.32 per share upon the achievement or waiver of the defined milestone. All Series A shares issued as a result of the achievement or waiver of a milestone are referred to as Milestone Shares. The Company concluded that the obligation and right to make future issuances of Series A under the Tranche Rights met the definition of a freestanding financial instrument, as the rights were legally detachable from the Series A (see Note 3). In January 2020 and July 2020, the Company sold 2,267,813 and 3,779,688 Milestone Shares, respectively, to certain investors at a price of $1.32 per share for proceeds of $8.0 million as a result of the achievement of two milestones. The requirement to purchase the remaining Milestone Shares was cancelled in December 2020 upon the determination by the Company that the program would be cancelled.

In conjunction with the Series A shares issued to certain investors, the Company issued shares to ARIAD pursuant to the ARIAD Agreement (Note 6). The Company issued 621,318 shares to ARIAD as part of the initial Series A closing in June 2018 in exchange for access to ARIAD’s intellectual property. Upon the issuance of Milestone Shares to certain investors in January 2020 and July 2020, the Company issued 372,791 and 621,318 Series A shares, respectively, to ARIAD as part of ARIAD’s Anti-dilution Right (see Note 3). The Company concluded that the Anti-dilution Right that represented the obligation to make future issuances of Series A to ARIAD met the definition of a freestanding financial instrument, as the rights were separately exercisable and legally detachable from the underlying license rights.

In August 2019, the Series A Agreement was amended to authorize the sale of 2,267,812 additional shares to a certain majority stockholder of the Company in the form of an operating cash closing. These shares were sold for $1.32 per share, for gross proceeds of $3.0 million and recognized at their fair value of $2.6 million. In December 2020, the Series A Agreement was further amended to authorize the sale of 3,023,751 additional shares of Series A to the same investor in the form of a second operating cash closing. These shares were sold for a purchase price of $1.32 per share, for gross proceeds of $4.0 million and recognized at their fair value of $17.9 million. Immediately after the second operating cash closing in December 2020, the Series A Agreement was terminated; as such, as of December 31, 2020, no additional Series A shares were authorized to be issued. No terms of the existing Series A shares were amended in conjunction with these transactions, and the operating cash closes were intended to provide for a certain investor to be able to purchase additional preferred stock shares outside of those issued in conjunction with milestone achievement and to provide the Company with cash to cover operating expenses.

 

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As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock (“preferred stock”) consisted of the following (in thousands, except share amounts):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31, 2019  
     PREFERRED
STOCK
AUTHORIZED
     PREFERRED STOCK
ISSUED AND
OUTSTANDING
     CARRYING
VALUE
     LIQUIDATION
VALUE
     COMMON STOCK
ISSUABLE UPON
CONVERSION
 

Series A

     17,465,754        6,668,818      $ 6,857      $ 8,822        6,668,818  
     DECEMBER 31, 2020  
     PREFERRED
STOCK
AUTHORIZED
     PREFERRED STOCK
ISSUED AND
OUTSTANDING
     CARRYING
VALUE
     LIQUIDATION
VALUE
     COMMON STOCK
ISSUABLE UPON
CONVERSION
 

Series A

     22,136,987        16,734,179      $ 41,289      $ 22,137        16,734,179  

 

 

The holders of Series A have the following rights and preferences:

Voting Rights

The holder of each share of preferred stock shall have the right to one vote for each share of common stock into which such preferred stock could then be converted, and with respect to such vote, such holder shall have full voting rights and powers equal to the voting rights and powers of the holders of common stock, and shall be entitled, notwithstanding any provision hereof, to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the bylaws of this corporation.

Dividends

The holders of shares of preferred stock are entitled to receive dividends, out of any assets legally available therefor, prior and in preference to any declaration or payment of any dividend on the common stock by the Company at a rate of 8.0% of the original issue price per annum, payable when, as and if declared by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Such dividends shall not be cumulative. After payment of such dividends, any additional dividends or distributions shall be distributed among all holders of common stock and preferred stock in proportion to the number of shares of common stock that would be held by each such holder if all shares of preferred stock were converted to common stock at the then effective conversion rate.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, asset transfer, merger or acquisition (a “Liquidation Event”), the holders of preferred stock shall be entitled to receive out of the proceeds or assets of this corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, prior and in preference to any distribution of the proceeds of such liquidation event to the holders of common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the sum of the applicable original issue price.

Conversion

Each share of preferred stock shall automatically be converted into shares of common stock at the conversion rate at the time in effect for such series of preferred stock immediately upon the earlier of: (i) the closing of the Company’s sale of its common stock in a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that results in at least $30,000,000 of gross proceeds and in connection with such offering the common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market’s National Market, the New York Stock Exchange or another exchange or marketplace approved by the Board; or, (ii) the date, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent or agreement of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of preferred stock.

The conversion price of the Series A will be subject to a broad-based weighted average anti-dilution adjustment in the event that the Company issues additional equity securities (other than the issuance of shares reserved under any employee incentive plan and certain other customary exceptions) at a purchase price less than the applicable conversion price.

 

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Redemption

The preferred stock is not redeemable at the option of the holder thereof except for in the event of a Liquidation Event if the corporation does not effect a dissolution under the general corporation law within 90 days after such Liquidation Event.

9. Common Stock

The Company was authorized to issue 25,000,000 and 29,054,797 shares of $0.0001 par value common stock as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preference of the holders of the preferred stock set forth above.

Voting Rights

Each share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote, together with the holders of preferred stock, on all matters submitted to the stockholders for a vote.

Dividends

Holders of common stock shall be entitled to receive dividends if and when they are declared by the Board and after all holders of preferred stock have been paid according to their rights described in Note 8. As of December 31, 2020, no cash dividends have been declared or paid.

Liquidation Rights

After payment to the holders of preferred stock of their liquidation preferences, the remaining assets of the Company are distributed to the holders of common stock.

Restricted Stock

The Company issued restricted common stock to its founders in May 2018, which vest monthly over five years through 2023. At issuance, these shares also contained certain performance-based vesting criteria which were associated with the milestone events for the Series A shares, two of which were achieved in 2020 (see Note 8). In December 2020 in conjunction with the Series A termination, the final performance-based vesting criteria was waived, leaving only service-based vesting criteria remaining as of December 31, 2020.

As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has reserved the following shares of common stock for potential conversion of outstanding preferred stock, the vesting of restricted stock and the exercise of stock options:

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019      2020  

Preferred Stock

     6,668,818        16,734,179  

Unvested restricted stock

     1,420,057        825,836  

Options to purchase common stock

            1,852,141  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     8,088,875        19,412,156  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

10. Stock-Based Compensation

2018 Stock Incentive Plan

The Company adopted the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) on June 13, 2018 for the issuance of stock options and other stock-based awards. As of December 31, 2019, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan was 207,106. In December 2020, the number of shares reserved under the Plan was increased to 2,474,920 as approved by the Board. There were 207,106 and 622,779 shares available for future grant under the Plan as of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

The Plan is administered by the Board. The exercise prices, vesting and other restrictions are determined at the discretion of the Board, except that the exercise price per share of stock options may not be less than 100% of the

 

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fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant. Stock options awarded under the Plan expire ten years after the grant date unless the Board sets a shorter term. Vesting periods for awards under the plans are determined at the discretion of the Board. Stock options granted to employees and nonemployees typically vest over four years. Shares of restricted stock awards granted to employees, officers, members of the Board, advisors, and consultants of the Company typically vest over five years. Certain executives who are option holders are able to early exercise stock option awards, even prior to full vesting conditions being met. If and when this occurs, the stock option becomes outstanding restricted stock, and remains restricted until the remaining vesting terms are met. The Company can repurchase these early unvested exercised options.

The Company did not grant any options under the Plan during the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company granted options to purchase 1,852,141 shares of common stock during the year ended December 31, 2020 and recorded stock-based compensation expense for options granted of $0.2 million. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company granted no shares of restricted stock.

Stock Option Valuation

The assumptions that the Company used in Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the grant-date fair value of stock options granted for the year ended December 31, 2020 are as follows:

 

 

 

     2020

Risk-free interest rate

   0.51%

Expected term (in years)

   5.97—5.99

Expected volatility

   98.17%—98.21%

Expected dividend yield

   0.00%

 

 

A summary of option activity under the Plan during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 is as follows (in thousands except share, per share data and contractual terms):

 

 

 

     SHARES      WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
PER-SHARE EXERCISE PRICE
     WEIGHTED-
AVERAGE
REMAINING
CONTRACTUAL
TERM (IN YEARS)
     AGGREGATE
INTRINSIC VALUE
 

Outstanding as of December 31, 2019

          $             $  

Granted

     1,852,141        0.32        
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

Outstanding as of December 31, 2020

     1,852,141      $ 0.32        9.98      $ 6,566  
  

 

 

    

 

 

       

 

 

There were no options exercisable as of December 31, 2019 or 2020. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the stock options and the fair value of the Company’s common stock for those stock options that had exercise prices lower than the fair value of the Company’s common stock.

The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $3.68. As of December 31, 2020, there was $6.7 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense is estimated to be recognized over a period of 3.9 years as of December 31, 2020.

The total fair value of options vested during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $0.1 million.

 

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Shares of Restricted Common Stock

The Company has granted shares of restricted common stock with the number of shares that vest based on the lesser of the time-based vesting over five years or the achievement of certain milestones. A summary of restricted stock activity under the Plan during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 is as follows:

 

 

 

     SHARES     WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
PER-SHARE  GRANT-DATE
FAIR VALUE
 

Unvested shares at December 31, 2018

     1,708,625     $ 0.43  

Vested

     (288,568     0.48  
  

 

 

   

Unvested shares at December 31, 2019

     1,420,057       0.90  

Vested

     (594,221     1.00  
  

 

 

   

Unvested shares at December 31, 2020

     825,836     $ 0.83  
  

 

 

   

 

 

In 2019, the restricted common stock awards were modified to add a new performance condition for the operating cash closing of the Series A, which was ultimately achieved in 2019. In 2020, the restricted common stock awards were modified to waive the final requirement to achieve a certain milestone. As a result, as of December 31, 2020, all of the unvested restricted common stock awards are only subject to time-based vesting through the end of the requisite service period. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, there was $0.5 million and $0.2 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense is estimated to be recognized over a period of 2.4 years as of December 31, 2020.

The total fair value of restricted stock vested during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 was $0.3 million and $1.9 million, respectively. The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock of $0.3 million and $0.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Stock-based Compensation Expense

Total stock-based compensation expense recorded as research and development and general and administrative expenses, respectively, for employees, directors and non-employees during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 was as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
           2019                  2020        

Research and development

   $ 245      $ 825  

General and administrative

     72        227  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 317      $ 1,052  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

11. Income Taxes

The Company has not recorded a current or deferred tax provision for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.

 

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The effective income tax rate differed from the amount computed by applying the federal statutory rate to the Company’s loss before income taxes as follows:

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
           2019                 2020        

Book loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997

Tax effected at statutory rate

     21.00%       21.00%  

State taxes

     4.10       3.69  

Stock compensation

     (0.93     (1.84

R&D credit

     (0.12     (0.07

Tranche revaluation

     (4.72     (6.95

Other

     (0.01     (0.01
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     19.32       15.82  

Change in valuation allowance

     (19.32     (15.82
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

     —%       —%  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred tax assets consist of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2020 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019     2020  

Total Deferred Tax Assets

    

Net operating loss carryforward

   $ 1,890     $ 3,499  

R&D credit carryforward

     8       10  

Capitalized licenses

     157       755  

Accruals and reserves

     312        

Fixed assets

           1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     2,367       4,265  

Valuation allowance

     (2,367     (4,265
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net deferred tax asset

   $     $  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The Company has evaluated the positive and negative evidence bearing upon the reliability of its deferred tax assets. Based on this, the Company has provided a valuation allowance for the full amount of the net deferred tax assets as the realization of the deferred tax assets is not determined to be more likely than not. During 2020, the valuation allowance increased by $1.9 million, primarily due to the increase in the Company’s net operating loss carryovers during the period.

As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company had $6.9 million and $12.8 million of federal and state operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”), respectively. The federal NOLs are not subject to expiration and the state NOLs begin to expire in 2037. In addition, as of December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $13,000 of state research and development credit carryforwards, which begin to expire in December 2034. These loss and credit carryforwards are subject to review and possible adjustment by the appropriate taxing authorities.

The Company’s ability to use its NOLs and tax credit carryforwards to offset taxable income is subject to restrictions under Sections 382 and 383 of the United States Internal Revenue Code (the “Internal Revenue Code”). Under the Internal Revenue Code provisions, certain substantial changes in the Company’s ownership, including the sale of the Company or significant changes in ownership due to sales of equity, have limited and may limit in the future, the amount of NOLs which could be used annually to offset future taxable income. The Company has not yet completed an analysis of ownership changes. The Company may also experience ownership changes in the future as a result of subsequent shifts in its stock ownership, some of which may be outside the Company’s control. As a result, the Company’s ability to use its pre-change NOLs to offset U.S. federal taxable income may be subject to limitations,

 

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which could potentially result in increased future tax liability to the Company. In addition, at the state level, there may be periods during which the use of NOLs is suspended or otherwise limited, which could accelerate or permanently increase state taxes owed. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the use of federal NOLs arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 is limited to 80% of current year taxable income and NOLs arising in taxable years ending after December 31, 2017 may not be carried back (though any such NOLs may be carried forward indefinitely). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, enacted on March 27, 2020, retroactively and temporarily (for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021) suspended application of the 80%-of-income limitation on the use of NOLs and provides that NOLs arising in any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2021 are generally eligible to be carried back up to five years.

The Company is subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service for the tax years ended December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The Company is not currently under examination by the Internal Revenue Service or any other jurisdictions for any tax years. The Company follows the provisions of ASC 740-10,Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” which specifies how tax benefits for uncertain tax positions are to be recognized measured, and recorded in financial statements; requires certain disclosures of uncertain tax matters; specifies how reserves for uncertain tax positions should be classified on the balance sheets; and provides transition and interim period guidance, among other provisions. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company has not recorded any amounts for uncertain tax positions. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, no estimated interest or penalties were recognized on uncertain tax positions.

12. Net Loss Per Share

Basic and diluted loss per share is computed by dividing net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding (in thousands, except share and per share data):

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
         2019                 2020        

Numerator:

    

Net loss

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted

   $ (7,183   $ (11,997
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Denominator:

    

Weighted-average common stock outstanding—basic and diluted

     120,177       568,467  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted

   $ (59.77   $ (21.10
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The Company’s potentially dilutive securities, which include preferred stock, unvested restricted stock and stock options, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as the effect would be to reduce the net loss per share. Therefore, the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding used to calculate both basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same. The Company excluded the following from the computation of diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders at December 31, 2019 and 2020 because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,  
     2019      2020  

Preferred Stock

     6,668,818        16,734,179  

Unvested restricted stock

     1,420,057        825,836  

Options to purchase common stock

            1,852,141  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     8,088,875        19,412,156  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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13. Related Party Transactions

The chairman of the board of director earned $0.2 million for serving as the acting chief executive officer in each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020. As of December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company recognized $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively, as due to the chairman of the board on its balance sheets. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the Company paid $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, to the chairman of the board for his services as the acting chief executive officer in 2018 and 2019, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, the acting chief executive officer was also an employee of the Company’s majority shareholder. Additionally, the Company paid its majority shareholder $0.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2019 for the reimbursement of Series A issuance costs paid by the majority shareholder on behalf of the Company.

14. Subsequent Events

The Company has completed an evaluation of all subsequent events after the audited balance sheet date of December 31, 2020 through July 20, 2021, the date these financial statements were issued, to ensure that these financial statements include appropriate disclosure of events both recognized in the financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2020 and events which occurred subsequently but were not recognized in the financial statements. No subsequent events have occurred that require disclosure, except as disclosed within these financial statements, and except as described below.

(a) Series B Preferred Stock

On January 22, 2021, the Company entered into a series B preferred stock purchase agreement (“Series B Agreement”) whereby the Company agreed to issue 8,741,726 shares of series B preferred stock (“Series B”) at $11.45 per share to designated investors. The certificate of incorporation was amended and restated in connection with the execution of the Series B Agreement and authorized the new Series B shares. On the effective date of the Series B Agreement, the Company issued 8,305,078 shares of Series B for gross proceeds of $95.1 million. Subsequently, on February 9, 2021, the Company issued 436,648 shares of Series B for aggregate gross proceeds of $5.0 million to separate, new investors. The rights and preferences of holders of Series B are the same as the rights and preferences of the holders of Series A, as described in Note 8.

(b) Authorization of Additional Common Stock

In January 2021, the amended and restated certificate of incorporation increased the number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued to 41,083,993.

In March 2021, the Board approved an amendment to the Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance from 2,474,920 to 3,564,900 shares of common stock. In May 2021, the Board approved an amendment to the Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance from 3,564,900 to 6,026,908 shares of common stock.

(c) Reverse Stock Split

On September 27, 2021, the Company filed an amendment to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a 1-for-1.32286 reverse split (the “Reverse Split”) of shares of the Company’s common stock and convertible preferred stock. The par value and authorized shares were not adjusted as a result of the Reverse Split. All of the share and per share information included in the accompanying financial statements has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Split. Shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options were proportionately reduced and the respective exercise prices, if applicable, were proportionately increased in accordance with the terms of the appropriate securities agreements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Condensed Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

     YEAR ENDED     SIX MONTHS ENDED  
     DECEMBER 31,
2020
    JUNE 30,
2021
 

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $         8,457     $         97,586  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     113       1,739  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     8,570       99,325  

Property and equipment, net

     1        

Other assets

     43       2,745  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 8,614     $ 102,070  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 1,132     $ 1,766  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     463       2,200  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     1,595       3,966  

Restricted stock liability, net of current portion

           989  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     1,595       4,955  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)

    

Redeemable convertible preferred stock:

    

Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 22,136,987 shares authorized, 16,734,179 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021; preference in liquidation of $22,137 as of June 30, 2021

     41,289       41,289  

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 0 and 11,564,094 shares authorized, 0 and 8,741,726 issued, and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively; preference in liquidation of $100,100 as of June 30, 2021

           99,892  

Stockholders’ deficit:

    

Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 29,054,797 and 41,083,993 shares authorized as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively; 1,708,625 and 2,054,555 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively

            

Additional paid-in capital

           1,484  

Accumulated deficit

     (34,270     (45,550
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

     (34,270     (44,066
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 8,614     $ 102,070  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,  
     2020     2021  

Operating expenses:

    

Research and development

   $         2,194     $         8,310  

General and administrative

     325       2,993  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,519       11,303  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     2,519       11,303  

Other income (expense), net:

    

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

     (3,969      

Change in fair value of anti-dilution rights

     (1,190      

Other income, net

           23  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income (expense), net

     (5,159     23  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted (Note 12)

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted

   $ (18.43   $ (11.81
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted-average common stock outstanding—basic and diluted

     416,487       955,085  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

(in thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

    REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED
STOCK
                                        
    SERIES A
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
    SERIES B
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
             COMMON STOCK
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
    ADDITIONAL
PAID-IN
    ACCUMULATED     TOTAL
STOCKHOLDERS’
 
    SHARES     AMOUNT     SHARES     AMOUNT              SHARES     AMOUNT     CAPITAL     DEFICIT     DEFICIT  

Balance at December 31, 2019

    6,668,818     $ 6,857           $             288,568     $     $ 813     $ (10,220   $ (9,407

Issuance of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $3

    2,640,604       4,855                                                  

Vesting of restricted stock

                                  357,914                          

Stock-based compensation

                                              235             235  

Net loss

                                                (7,678     (7,678
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at June 30, 2020

    9,309,422     $ 11,712           $             646,482     $     $ 1,048     $ (17,898   $ (16,850
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
                                                               
    REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED
STOCK
                                        
    SERIES A
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
    SERIES B
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
             COMMON STOCK
$0.0001 PAR VALUE
    ADDITIONAL
PAID-IN
    ACCUMULATED     TOTAL
STOCKHOLDERS’
 
    SHARES     AMOUNT     SHARES     AMOUNT              SHARES     AMOUNT     CAPITAL     DEFICIT     DEFICIT  

Balance at December 31, 2020

    16,734,179     $ 41,289           $             882,789     $     $     $ (34,270   $ (34,270

Issuance of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $208

                8,741,726       99,892                                      

Vesting of restricted stock

                                  170,860                          

Stock-based compensation

                                              1,484             1,484  

Net loss

                                                    (11,280     (11,280
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at June 30, 2021

    16,734,179     $ 41,289       8,741,726     $ 99,892             1,053,649     $     $ 1,484     $ (45,550   $ (44,066
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

         

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30,
 
     2020     2021  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net loss

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation expense

     1       1  

Stock-based compensation expense

     235                 1,484  

Change in fair value of preferred stock tranche rights

               3,969        

Change in fair value of anti-dilution rights

     1,190        

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     45       (1,626

Accounts payable

     (44     247  

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     (97     1,100  

Other assets

           (1,884
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (2,379     (11,958
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

            
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Proceeds from issuance of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $3

     2,997        

Proceeds from issuance of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $208

           99,892  

Payment of initial public offering costs

           (200

Proceeds from early exercise of options

           1,395  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     2,997       101,087  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     618       89,129  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

     1,317       8,457  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 1,935     $ 97,586  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flows:

    

Deferred financing costs in accounts payable

   $     $ 388  

Deferred financing costs in accrued expenses

   $     $ 230  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed financial statements.

 

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Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1. Nature of the Business

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Theseus” or the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies. The Company was incorporated in December 2017 under the laws of the State of Delaware, and its principal offices are in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry, including but not limited to, development by competitors of new technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations and ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. The Company’s development programs will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel and infrastructure and extensive compliance-reporting capabilities. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development, the Company is unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when or if the Company will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if the Company is able to generate revenue from product sales, the Company may not become profitable. If the Company fails to become profitable or is unable to sustain profitability on a continuing basis, then the Company may be unable to continue its operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or terminate its operations. The Company expects to incur substantial operating losses and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future.

In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-40, Going Concern, the Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the condensed financial statements are issued. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $45.6 million. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company incurred a loss of $11.3 million and utilized $12.0 million of cash in operations. The Company expects to continue to generate operating losses in the foreseeable future.

The Company expects that its cash and cash equivalents of $97.6 million at June 30, 2021 will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next 12 months from issuance of the condensed financial statements.

In addition, the Company expects that it will need to seek additional funding through public or private equity financings, debt financing or other capital sources, which could include collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements. The inability to obtain funding, as and when needed, could have a negative impact on the Company’s financial condition and ability to pursue its business strategies, which may include amending, delaying, limiting, reducing, or terminating planned activities related to its product candidates.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The Company’s significant accounting policies are disclosed in the audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, included elsewhere in this prospectus. Since the date of those annual financial statements, there have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies, except as noted below.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying condensed balance sheet as of June 30, 2021, and the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 are unaudited. The condensed interim financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited annual financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2021 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the six

 

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months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 are also unaudited. The results for the six months ended June 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year or for any other subsequent interim period.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash includes cash in readily available checking accounts. Cash is carried at cost, which approximates its fair value. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at fair market value. As of December 31, 2020, the Company held no cash equivalents. As of June 30, 2021, the Company held $96.3 million in cash equivalents in money market funds.

Deferred Issuance Costs

The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional accounting and other third-party fees that are directly associated with in-process equity financings as deferred issuance costs until such financings are consummated. After consummation of such an equity financing, these costs are recorded as a reduction of the proceeds generated as a result of the offering. Should the planned equity financing be abandoned, the deferred issuance costs, currently recorded within other assets, will be expensed immediately as a charge to operating expenses in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company did not record any deferred issuance costs as of December 31, 2020, and recorded deferred issuance costs of $0.8 million within other assets as of June 30, 2021.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures. The recently issued accounting pronouncements pertaining to the Company are disclosed in the audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, included elsewhere in this prospectus. Since the date of those financial statements, there have been no changes.

3. Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION

   JUNE 30, 2021      LEVEL 1      LEVEL 2      LEVEL 3  

Assets

           

Cash equivalents

   $ 96,274      $ 96,274      $      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total financial assets

   $ 96,274      $ 96,274      $      $  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value. During the year ended December 31, 2020 and the six months ended June 30, 2021, there were no transfers between fair value levels. The fair values of the Company’s cash equivalents, consisting of its money market funds, are based on quoted market prices in active markets without any valuation adjustment.

The carrying values of other current assets, accounts payable, and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

Tranche Rights

The Company determined that its obligations to issue, and the Company’s investors’ obligation to purchase, additional shares of Series A convertible preferred stock (“Series A”) at a fixed price (i.e. the issuance price) pursuant to the Tranche Rights (see Note 8) in three subsequent tranches following the initial closing of the Series A financing represented freestanding financial instruments. The Company issued 2,267,813 and 3,779,688 shares in January 2020 and July 2020, respectively, pursuant to these rights, at a purchase price of $1.32 per share. The final tranche was cancelled upon termination of the Series A preferred stock purchase agreement (“Series A Agreement”) in December 2020.

 

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The Tranche Rights were classified as a liability on the Company’s balance sheets and initially recorded at fair value. The Tranche Rights were subsequently revalued until the tranches were settled, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other income (expense), net in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Upon the purchase of the Tranche Right shares, the fair value of the related Tranche Right was recognized as Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock. The obligation was fully satisfied in December 2020 when the Series A Agreement was terminated, with the remaining value recognized in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. As such, the Company does not have a Tranche Right liability recorded as of December 31, 2020 or June 30, 2021.

The fair value of Tranche Rights was based on significant inputs not observable in the market, which represents a Level 3 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. A change in the assumptions related to the valuation of the Tranche Rights could have a significant impact on the value of the obligation. Each Tranche Right was valued as a forward contract. The values were determined using a probability-weighted present value calculation. In determining the fair values of the Tranche Rights, estimates and assumptions impacting fair value included the estimated future values of the Company’s Series A, discount rates, estimated time to tranche closing, and probability of each tranche closing. The Company determined the per share future value of the Series A shares by back-solving to the initial proceeds of the Series A financing. The Company remeasured each Tranche Right at each reporting period and prior to settlement.

Anti-dilution Right

In accordance with a license agreement between the Company and ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“ARIAD”), the Company was obligated to issue to ARIAD additional Series A shares for no consideration upon the issuance of certain Milestone Shares (see Note 8) to certain investors (“Anti-dilution Right”).

The Company determined that the Anti-dilution Right was a freestanding financial instrument. The freestanding financial instrument was classified as an asset or liability on the Company’s balance sheets and initially recorded at fair value. The fair value of the Anti-dilution Right was based on significant inputs not observable in the market, which represents a Level 3 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. A change in the assumptions related to the valuation of the Anti-dilution Rights could have a significant impact on the value of the obligation.

The Anti-dilution Right was valued as a forward contract. The value was determined using a probability-weighted present value calculation. In determining the fair values of the obligation, estimates and assumptions impacting fair value included the estimated future values of the Company’s Series A shares, discount rates, estimated time to share issuance and probability of each share issuance. The Company determined the per share future value of the Series A shares by back-solving to the initial proceeds of the Series A financing.

The Anti-dilution Right was subsequently revalued until anti-dilution shares were issued or the Anti-dilution Right was terminated, with changes in fair value for each reporting period recognized in other income (expense), net in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Upon issuance of the Anti-dilution shares, the fair value of the Anti-dilution Right was recognized as Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock.

In accordance with the Anti-dilution Right, the Company issued ARIAD 372,791 and 621,318 additional Series A shares in January 2020 and July 2020, respectively, upon the issuance of Milestone Shares to its investors. The obligation was fully satisfied in December 2020 in conjunction with the termination of the Series A Agreement; as such, the Company does not have an Anti-dilution Right liability as of December 31, 2020 or June 30, 2021. ARIAD did not receive additional Series A shares upon the termination of the Series A Agreement.

 

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The Company remeasured the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right at each reporting period and prior to settlement. The following reflects the ranges of significant quantitative inputs used in the valuation of the Tranche Rights and the Anti-dilution Right during 2020:

 

 

 

     FOR THE YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2020

Stand-alone Series A Preferred Stock price (spot price)

   $1.84 - $5.93

Risk-free rate

   1.6%

Discount factor

   0.9923 - 1.0

Time to milestone event (years)

   0.0 years - 0.5 years

Probability of tranche closing

   0% - 100%

 

 

The following table provides a rollforward of the aggregate fair value of the Company’s Tranche Rights and Anti-dilution Right (in thousands):

 

 

 

     PREFERRED STOCK
TRANCHE RIGHTS
    ANTI-DILUTION
RIGHT
 

Balance as of December 31, 2019

   $ 2,220     $ 1,142  

Change in fair value

     3,969       1,190  

Fair value recognized as Series A upon settlement of right

     (6,189     (2,332
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance as of December 31, 2020

   $     $  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

4. Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and as of June 30, 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,
2020
     JUNE 30,
2021
 

Accrued research and development

   $ 310      $ 576  

Accrued legal

     143        174  

Accrued compensation and benefits

     10        417  

Accrued other

            626  

Restricted stock liability, current

            407  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities

   $ 463      $ 2,200  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

5. Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment, net consisted of the following as of December 31, 2020 and as of June 30, 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,
2020
    JUNE 30,
2021
 

Computer equipment

   $ 6     $  

Less: accumulated depreciation

     (5      
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net

   $ 1     $  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation expense for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 was approximately $1,000. There were no impairments recorded to date.

 

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6. License Agreements

Agreement Description

In June 2018, the Company entered into a license agreement with ARIAD, for an exclusive, transferable (subject to certain restrictions), sublicensable (subject to certain conditions), worldwide license, under certain of ARIAD’s patent rights, know-how and compounds and a certain ARIAD chemical library, to develop, use, manufacture, market and commercialize certain compounds, and products that contain such compounds, that are therapeutically useful for the treatment of diseases and disorders in humans, including with respect to c-KIT, a type of receptor tyrosine kinase and tumor marker (also known as CD117 and stem cell factor receptor).

Pursuant to the license agreement, in exchange for an exclusive license, a non-exclusive license, and certain laboratory equipment, the Company issued to ARIAD 621,318 shares of Series A and a non-exclusive license to certain intellectual property. In addition, the Company provided to ARIAD the Anti-dilution Right described in Note 3. The non-exclusive licenses were granted to the parties in order to administratively facilitate the flow of data between the parties without infringement on existing patents; all of the economic value of the agreement is concentrated in the exclusive license. The laboratory equipment the Company acquired was not material.

The Company accounted for the agreement as an asset acquisition. The transaction price was measured as the fair value of the 621,318 shares of Series A issued to ARIAD and the fair value of the Anti-Dilution Right (as described in Note 3), or approximately $1.4 million. The Company determined that the licensed intellectual property represented in-process research and development assets with no alternative future use. As a result, the cost to license the intellectual property of $1.4 million was recognized as research and development expense on the Company’s statements of operations in the year-ended December 31, 2018.

The Company is required to pay ARIAD tiered royalty payments that are low- to mid-single digits of the Company’s future net sales and those of its sublicensees of each product comprising a licensed ARIAD compound in each country. The Company is also responsible for costs relating to the prosecution and maintenance of the licensed patents. The agreement contains anti-stacking and generic competition provisions on the royalties whereby the Company may deduct a percentage of the amounts due for royalties from its payments if the Company enters into a third-party license agreement, and may reduce the rates in the event a generic product is being marketed and sold by a third party and the average net sales as measured over a specified period of time are at least a certain percentage lower than the average net sales during the a specified period of time immediately prior to the launch of the generic product.

The term of the agreement commenced in June 2018 and unless earlier terminated as provided in the agreement for breach of terms by either party or for convenience by the Company with advanced written notice, shall continue in full force and effect, on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis until the date on which the royalty term in such country with respect to such product expires. The royalty term is the period from the first commercial sale of such product in such country until the later of (a) the expiry of all patents that cover the product in such country or (b) ten years after the first commercial sale.

The license agreement terminates, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, on expiration of the royalty term for such product for the applicable country. Thereafter, the licenses from ARIAD to the Company with respect to such product for such country will convert to a fully paid, royalty-free, irrevocable and perpetual license.

7. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

The Company may from time to time be party to litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company was not subject to any material legal proceedings during the year ended December 31, 2020 or the six months ended June 30, 2021, and no material legal proceedings are currently pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened.

 

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8. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In June 2018, the Company entered into the Series A Agreement, under which it agreed to issue up to 13,203,025 shares of Series A in an initial closing and three subsequent milestone-based tranches, inclusive of the Anti-dilution Right. Under the Series A Agreement, the Company initially issued 3,779,688 shares to certain investors at a price of $1.32 per share for proceeds of $4.7 million, net of issuance costs of $0.3 million. The Series A Agreement provided for three additional tranche closings based on the achievement of three defined milestones (the “Tranche Rights”), pursuant to which certain investors were required to purchase, and the Company to sell, up to 7,559,376 additional shares of Series A at a price of $1.32 per share upon the achievement or waiver of the defined milestone. All Series A shares issued as a result of the achievement or waiver of a milestone are referred to as “Milestone Shares”. The Company concluded that the obligation and right to make future issuances of Series A shares under the Tranche Rights met the definition of a freestanding financial instrument, as the rights were legally detachable from the Series A (see Note 3). In January 2020 and July 2020, the Company sold 2,267,813 and 3,779,688 Milestone Shares, respectively, to certain investors at a price of $1.32 per share for proceeds of $8.0 million as a result of the achievement of two milestones. The requirement to purchase the remaining Milestone Shares was cancelled in December 2020 upon the determination by the Company that the program would be cancelled.

In conjunction with the Series A shares issued to certain investors, the Company issued shares to ARIAD pursuant to the ARIAD Agreement (Note 6). The Company issued 621,318 shares to ARIAD as part of the initial Series A closing in June 2018 in exchange for access to ARIAD’s intellectual property. Upon the issuance of Milestone Shares to certain investors in January 2020 and July 2020, the Company issued 372,791 and 621,318 Series A shares, respectively, to ARIAD as part of ARIAD’s Anti-dilution Right (see Note 3). The Company concluded that the Anti-dilution Right that represented the obligation to make future issuances of Series A to ARIAD met the definition of a freestanding financial instrument, as the rights were separately exercisable and legally detachable from the underlying license rights.

In August 2019, the Series A Agreement was amended to authorize the sale of 2,267,812 additional Series A shares to a certain majority stockholder of the Company in the form of an operating cash closing. These shares were sold for $1.32 per share, for gross proceeds of $3.0 million and recognized at their fair value of $2.6 million. In December 2020, the Series A Agreement was further amended to authorize the sale of 3,023,751 additional shares of Series A to the same investor in the form of a second operating cash closing. These shares were sold for a purchase price of $1.32 per share, for gross proceeds of $4.0 million and recognized at their fair value of $17.9 million. Immediately after the second operating cash closing in December 2020, the Series A Agreement was terminated; as such, as of December 31, 2020, no additional Series A shares were authorized to be issued. No terms of the existing Series A shares were amended in conjunction with these transactions, and the operating cash closes were intended to provide for a certain investor to be able to purchase additional preferred stock shares outside of those issued in conjunction with milestone achievement and to provide the Company with cash to cover operating expenses.

In January 2021, the Company entered into the Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (“Series B Agreement”) whereby the Company agreed to issue 8,741,726 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock (“Series B”) at $11.45 per share to designated investors. The certificate of incorporation was amended and restated in connection with the execution of the Series B Agreement and authorized the new Series B shares. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company issued 8,741,726 shares of Series B for gross proceeds of $100.1 million.

 

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As of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, the redeemable convertible preferred stock (“preferred stock”) consisted of the following (in thousands, except share amounts):

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31, 2020  
     PREFERRED
STOCK
AUTHORIZED
     PREFERRED STOCK
ISSUED AND
OUTSTANDING
     CARRYING
VALUE
     LIQUIDATION
VALUE
     COMMON STOCK
ISSUABLE UPON
CONVERSION
 

Series A

     22,136,987        16,734,179      $ 41,289      $ 22,137        16,134,179  

Series B

                                  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     22,136,987        16,734,179      $ 41289      $ 22,137        16,134,179  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     JUNE 30, 2021  
     PREFERRED
STOCK
AUTHORIZED
     PREFERRED STOCK
ISSUED AND
OUTSTANDING
     CARRYING
VALUE
     LIQUIDATION
VALUE
     COMMON STOCK
ISSUABLE UPON
CONVERSION
 

Series A

     22,136,987        16,734,179      $ 41,289      $ 22,137        16,134,179  

Series B

     11,564,094        8,741,726        99,892        100,100        8,741,726  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     33,701,081        25,475,905      $ 141,182      $ 122,237        25,475,905  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

The holders of Series A and Series B shares have the following rights and preferences:

Voting Rights

The holder of each share of preferred stock shall have the right to one vote for each share of common stock into which such preferred stock could then be converted, and with respect to such vote, such holder shall have full voting rights and powers equal to the voting rights and powers of the holders of common stock, and shall be entitled, notwithstanding any provision hereof, to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the bylaws of this corporation.

Dividends

The holders of shares of preferred stock are entitled to receive dividends, out of any assets legally available therefor, prior and in preference to any declaration or payment of any dividend on the common stock by the Company at a rate of 8.0% of the original issue price per annum, payable when, as and if declared by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Such dividends shall not be cumulative. After payment of such dividends, any additional dividends or distributions shall be distributed among all holders of common stock and preferred stock in proportion to the number of shares of common stock that would be held by each such holder if all shares of preferred stock were converted to common stock at the then effective conversion rate.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, asset transfer, merger or acquisition (a “Liquidation Event”), the holders of preferred stock shall be entitled to receive out of the proceeds or assets of this corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, prior and in preference to any distribution of the proceeds of such liquidation event to the holders of common stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the sum of the applicable original issue price.

Conversion

Each share of preferred stock shall automatically be converted into shares of common stock at the conversion rate at the time in effect for such series of preferred stock immediately upon the earlier of: (i) the closing of the Company’s sale of its common stock in a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that results in at least $30 million of gross proceeds and in connection with such offering the common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market’s National Market, the New York Stock Exchange or another exchange or marketplace approved by the Board; or, (ii) the date, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent or agreement of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of preferred stock.

 

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The conversion price of the preferred stock will be subject to a broad-based weighted average anti-dilution adjustment in the event that the Company issues additional equity securities (other than the issuance of shares reserved under any employee incentive plan and certain other customary exceptions) at a purchase price less than the applicable conversion price.

Redemption

The preferred stock is not redeemable at the option of the holder thereof except for in the event of a Liquidation Event if the corporation does not effect a dissolution under the general corporation law within 90 days after such Liquidation Event.

9. Common Stock

The Company was authorized to issue 29,054,797 and 41,083,993 shares of $0.0001 par value common stock as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preference of the holders of the preferred stock set forth above.

Voting Rights

Each share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote, together with the holders of preferred stock, on all matters submitted to the stockholders for a vote.

Dividends

Holders of common stock shall be entitled to receive dividends if and when they are declared by the Board and after all holders of preferred stock have been paid according to their rights described in Note 8. As of June 30, 2021, no cash dividends have been declared or paid.

Liquidation Rights

After payment to the holders of preferred stock of their liquidation preferences, the remaining assets of the Company are distributed to the holders of common stock.

Restricted Stock

The Company issued restricted common stock to its founders in May 2018, which vest monthly over five years through 2023. At issuance, these shares also contained certain performance-based vesting criteria which were associated with the milestone events for the Series A shares, two of which were achieved in 2020 (see Note 8). In December 2020 in conjunction with the Series A termination, the final performance-based vesting criteria was waived, leaving only service-based vesting criteria remaining as of December 31, 2020 and as of June 30, 2021.

As of the year ended December 31, 2020 and the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company has reserved the following shares of common stock for potential conversion of outstanding preferred stock, the vesting of restricted stock and the exercise of stock options:

 

 

 

     DECEMBER 31,
2020
     JUNE 30,
2021
 

Preferred Stock

     16,734,179        25,475,905  

Unvested restricted stock

     825,836        1,000,906  

Options to purchase common stock

     1,852,141        4,093,454  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     19,412,156        30,570,265  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10. Stock-Based Compensation

2018 Stock Incentive Plan

The Company adopted the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) on June 13, 2018 for the issuance of stock options and other stock-based awards. In December 2020, the number of shares reserved under the Plan was increased to 2,474,920 as approved by the Board. As of June 30, 2021, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan was 6,026,908 shares. There were 622,779 and 1,587,524 shares available for future grant under the Plan as of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively.

The Plan is administered by the Board. The exercise prices, vesting and other restrictions are determined at the discretion of the Board, except that the exercise price per share of stock options may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant. Stock options awarded under the Plan expire ten years after the grant date unless the Board sets a shorter term. Vesting periods for awards under the plans are determined at the discretion of the Board. Stock options granted to employees and nonemployees typically vest over four years. Shares of restricted stock awards granted to employees, officers, members of the Board, advisors, and consultants of the Company typically vest over five years. Certain executives who are option holders are able to early exercise stock option awards, even prior to full vesting conditions being met. If and when this occurs, the stock option becomes outstanding restricted stock, and remains restricted until the remaining vesting terms are met. The Company can repurchase these early unvested exercised options. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, 345,930 options to purchase common stock were exercised early and they continue to vest as restricted stock awards over the requisite service period. The Company has recognized the proceeds received of $1.4 million as a liability as of June 30, 2021.

The Company granted options to purchase 1,852,141 and 4,093,454 shares of common stock through the year ended December 31, 2020 and through June 30, 2021, respectively, and recorded stock-based compensation expense for options granted of $1.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. There were no options granted and no stock-based compensation expense for options recorded as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2020 and six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company granted no shares of restricted stock.

Stock Option Valuation

The assumptions that the Company used in Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the grant-date fair value of stock options granted are as follows:

 

 

 

     FOR THE YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2020
   FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30, 2021

Risk-free interest rate

   0.51%    1.05%

Expected term (in years)

   5.97 - 6.00    5.2 - 6.0

Expected volatility

   98.17% - 98.21%    79.39% - 83.56%

Expected dividend yield

   0.00%    0.00%

 

 

A summary of option activity under the Plan during the six months ended June 30, 2021 is as follows (in thousands except share, per share data and contractual terms):

 

 

 

     SHARES     WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
PER-SHARE
EXERCISE PRICE
     WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
REMAINING
CONTRACTUAL TERM
     AGGREGATE
INTRINSIC VALUE
 

Outstanding as of December 31, 2020

     1,852,141     $ 0.32        9.98      $ 6,566  

Granted

     2,587,243       4.03        

Exercised

     (345,930     4.03           567  
  

 

 

   

 

 

       

Outstanding as of June 30, 2021

     4,093,454     $ 2.35        9.68        24,914  
  

 

 

   

 

 

       

Options vested and exercisable as of June 30, 2021

     268,104     $ 0.88        9.53      $ 2,024  

 

 

 

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There were no options vested as of December 31, 2020. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the stock options and the fair value of the Company’s common stock for those stock options that had exercise prices lower than the fair value of the Company’s common stock.

The weighted-average per share grant date fair value of options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 was $0 and $4.25, respectively. As of June 30, 2021, there was $16.2 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense is estimated to be recognized over a period of 3.6 years as of June 30, 2021.

The total fair value of options vested during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 was $0 and $0.9 million, respectively.

Shares of Restricted Common Stock

The Company has granted shares of restricted common stock with the number of shares that vest based on the lesser of the time-based vesting over five years or the achievement of certain milestones. A summary of restricted stock activity under the Plan during the year ended December 31, 2020 and the six months ended June 30, 2021 is as follows:

 

 

 

     SHARES     WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
PER-SHARE  GRANT-DATE
FAIR VALUE
 

Unvested shares at December 31, 2020

     825,836     $ 0.83  

Vested

     (170,860     0.83  

Unvested shares issued as a result of early option exercise

     345,930       1.96  
  

 

 

   

Unvested shares at June 30, 2021

     1,000,906     $ 2.50  
  

 

 

   

 

 

In 2019, the restricted common stock awards were modified to add a new performance condition for the operating cash closing of the Series A financing, which was ultimately achieved in 2019. In 2020, the restricted common stock awards were modified to waive the final requirement to achieve a certain milestone. As a result, as of June 30, 2021, all of the unvested restricted common stock awards are only subject to time-based vesting through the end of the requisite service period. As of December 31, 2020 and June 30, 2021, respectively, there was $0.2 million and $0.1 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense is estimated to be recognized over a period of 1.9 years as of June 30, 2021.

The total fair value of restricted stock vested during the year ended December 31, 2020 and the six months ended June 30, 2021 was $1.9 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock of $0.2 million during both the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021.

Stock-based Compensation Expense

Total stock-based compensation expense recorded as research and development and general and administrative expenses, respectively, for employees, directors and non-employees during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 was as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,  
           2020                  2021        

Research and development

   $ 182      $ 894  

General and administrative

     53        590  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 235      $ 1,484  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

11. Income Taxes

Income taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 have been calculated based on an estimated annual effective tax rate and certain discrete items. For the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021, no income tax was recorded, as the Company is forecasting an ordinary pre-tax loss for the year ending December 31, 2021 and maintains a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets. The Company has never been examined by the Internal Revenue Service or any other jurisdiction for any tax years and, as such, all years within the applicable statutes of limitations are potentially subject to audit.

12. Net Loss Per Share

Basic and diluted loss per share is computed by dividing net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding (in thousands, except share and per share data):

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,  
             2020                     2021          

Numerator:

    

Net loss

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders - basic and diluted

   $ (7,678   $ (11,280
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Denominator:

    

Weighted-average common stock outstanding - basic and diluted

     416,487       955,085  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders - basic and diluted

   $ (18.43   $ (11.81
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

The Company’s potentially dilutive securities, which include preferred stock, unvested restricted stock and stock options, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as the effect would be to reduce the net loss per share. Therefore, the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding used to calculate both basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same. The Company excluded the following from the computation of diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2021 because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:

 

 

 

     SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,  
     2020      2021  

Preferred Stock

     9,309,422        25,475,905  

Unvested restricted stock

     1,062,143        1,000,906  

Options to purchase common stock

            4,093,454  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     10,371,565        30,570,265  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

13. Subsequent Events

The Company has completed an evaluation of all subsequent events after the unaudited balance sheet date through September 30, 2021, the date these condensed financial statements were issued, for potential recognition or disclosure in its financial statements. No subsequent events have occurred that require disclosure, except as disclosed within these condensed financial statements, and except as described below.

 

(a)

Lease

On September 16, 2021, the Company entered into an agreement to lease 7,351 square feet of office space in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The lease term is seven years, with a one-time option right to extend the term five additional years, and is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. The annual base rent under the lease is approximately $0.8 million for the first lease year and is subject to annual increases of 3% thereafter. The Company provided a security deposit in the form of a letter of credit in the amount of approximately $0.4 million upon signing, pursuant to the terms of the lease.

 

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(b)

Reverse Stock Split

On September 27, 2021, the Company filed an amendment to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a 1-for-1.32286 reverse split (the “Reverse Split”) of shares of the Company’s common stock and convertible preferred stock. The par value and authorized shares were not adjusted as a result of the Reverse Split. All of the share and per share information included in the accompanying financial statements has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Split. Shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options were proportionately reduced and the respective exercise prices, if applicable, were proportionately increased in accordance with the terms of the appropriate securities agreements.

 

(c)

2021 Equity Plans

In September 2021, the Company’s board of directors adopted, and in September 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved, the Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”), which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement for this offering. The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, restricted shares and restricted stock units. Upon effectiveness of the 2021 Plan, the aggregate number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan shall be equal to the sum of (a) 4,395,080 shares of common stock, plus (b) up to 4,699,003 shares of common stock subject to outstanding awards granted under the Plan on the IPO Date that are subsequently forfeited, expire or lapse unexercised or unsettled and shares of common stock issued pursuant to awards granted under the Plan that are outstanding on the IPO Date and that are subsequently forfeited to or reacquired by the Company, and (c) the additional annual increase in shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan. On the first day of each fiscal year of the Company during the term of the 2021 Plan, commencing on January 1, 2023 and concluding on (and including) January 1, 2031, the aggregate number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan shall automatically increase by a number equal to the lesser of (a) five percent (5%) of the total number of shares of common stock actually issued and outstanding on the last day of the preceding fiscal year or (b) a number of shares of common stock determined by the Company’s board of directors. The Company shall reserve and keep available such number of shares of common stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the 2021 Plan.

In September 2021, the Company’s board of directors adopted, and in September 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved, the Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”), which will become effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement for this offering. The ESPP will be administered by the Company’s board of directors or by one or more committees to which the Company’s board of directors delegates such administration. The number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP shall be 400,000, plus the additional annual increase in shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP. On the first day of each fiscal year of the Company during the term of the ESPP, commencing on January 1, 2023 and concluding on January 1, 2041, the aggregate number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP shall automatically increase by a number equal to the lesser of (i) one percent (1%) of the total number of shares of common stock actually issued and outstanding on the last day of the preceding fiscal year, and (ii) a number of shares of common stock determined by the Company’s board of directors. Shares of common stock issued pursuant to the ESPP may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.

 

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Table of Contents

 

 

8,333,500 Shares

 

LOGO

Common Stock

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Jefferies

 

SVB Leerink

 

Cantor

Lead Manager

 

  Wedbush PacGrow  

Through and including                     , 2021, all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

The following table sets forth all costs and expenses to be paid by us, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, in connection with the sale of the common stock being registered hereby. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee, and the Nasdaq listing fee:

 

 

 

     AMOUNT
PAID OR
TO BE PAID
 

SEC registration fee

   $ 16,730  

FINRA filing fee

     23,500  

Nasdaq listing fee

     170,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

     275,000  

Legal fees and expenses

     1,800,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

     1,250,000  

Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses

     20,000  

Miscellaneous expenses

     344,770  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 3,900,000  
  

 

 

 

 

 

ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations. The terms of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions relating to the limitation of liability and indemnification of directors and officers. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Registrant’s directors will not be personally liable to the Registrant or the Registrant’s stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability:

 

   

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

 

   

for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

in respect of unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or

 

   

for any transaction from which the director derives any improper personal benefit.

The Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that if Delaware law is amended after the approval by the Registrant’s stockholders of the certificate of incorporation to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of the Registrant’s directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

The Registrant’s amended and restated bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended, against all expenses and liabilities reasonably incurred in connection with their service for or on the Registrant’s behalf. The Registrant’s

 

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amended and restated bylaws provide that the Registrant shall advance the expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of an action or proceeding, and permit the Registrant to secure insurance on behalf of any director, officer, employee, or other enterprise agent for any liability arising out of his or her action in that capacity, whether or not Delaware law would otherwise permit indemnification.

The Registrant intends to enter into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers and certain other key employees, a form of which is attached as Exhibit 10.1. The form of agreement provides that the Registrant will indemnify each of its directors, executive officers and such other key employees against any and all expenses incurred by that director, executive officer, or other key employee because of his or her status as one of the Registrant’s directors, executive officers, or other key employees, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation and the Registrant’s amended and restated bylaws. In addition, the form agreement provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, the Registrant will advance all expenses incurred by its directors, executive officers and other key employees in connection with a legal proceeding.

Reference is made to the underwriting agreement contained in Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement, indemnifying the Registrant’s directors and officers against limited liabilities. In addition, Section 2.8 of the Registrant’s amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, or the IRA, contained in Exhibit 4.2 to this registration statement provides for indemnification of certain of the Registrant’s stockholders against liabilities described in the Registrant’s IRA.

The Registrant currently carries and intends to continue to carry liability insurance for its directors and officers.

ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.

The following list sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold by the Registrant since September 1, 2018. No underwriters were involved in the sales and the certificates representing the securities sold and issued contain legends restricting transfer of the securities without registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration.

Stock Plan Related Issuances

(a) From December 24, 2020 through September 15, 2021, the Registrant granted to its directors, officers, employees, consultants and other service providers stock options to purchase an aggregate of 5,048,072 shares of its common stock upon the exercise of options under the Registrant’s 2018 Stock Plan at exercise prices per share ranging from $0.32 to $12.46, for an aggregate exercise price of approximately $16.9 million.

(b) On June 4, 2021, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 345,930 shares of its common stock upon the early exercise of options (which remain restricted until the vesting conditions have been achieved), at an exercise price of $4.03 per share, for an aggregate exercise price of approximately $1.4 million.

Sales of Preferred Stock

(c) In August 2019, January 2020, July 2020 and December 2020, the Registrant issued and sold an aggregate of 12,333,173 shares of its Series A preferred stock. 11,339,064 shares of its Series A preferred stock were sold at a cash purchase price of $1.32 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $15.0 million. The consideration for the remaining shares of its Series A preferred stock was in the form of rights granted to the Registrant pursuant to a license agreement entered into with ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(d) In January and February 2021, the Registrant issued and sold an aggregate of 8,741,726 shares of its Series B preferred stock at a cash purchase price of $11.45 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $100.1 million.

No underwriters were involved in the foregoing issuances of securities. The offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in Items (a) and (b) above were exempt from registration under the Securities Act under either (1) Rule 701 in that the transactions were under compensatory benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701 or (2) Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering. The recipients of such securities were the Registrant’s directors, officers, employees, consultants or other service providers and received the securities under the Registrant’s 2018 Stock Plan. The recipients of securities in each of these transactions represented their intention

 

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to acquire the securities for investment only and not with view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in these transactions.

The offers, sales and issuances of the securities described in items (c) and (d) above were exempt from registration under the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. The recipients of securities in each of these transactions acquired the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in these transactions. Each of the recipients of securities in these transactions was an accredited person and had adequate access, through employment, business or other relationships, to information about the registrant.

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

(a) Exhibits.

 

 

 

Exhibit
Number
   Description of Document
  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant, as currently in effect.
  3.2    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to be effective immediately upon completion of this offering.
  3.3*    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant, as currently in effect.
  3.4    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws, to be effective immediately upon completion of this offering.
  4.1    Form of Registrant’s Common Stock Certificate.
  4.2*    Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated January  22, 2021, by and among the Registrant and the other parties thereto.
  5.1    Opinion of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP.
10.1#    Form of Indemnification Agreement.
10.2#*    2018 Stock Plan and forms of equity agreements thereunder.
10.3#    2021 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of equity agreements thereunder.
10.4#    2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and form of subscription agreement.
10.5#*    Compensation Program for Non-Employee Directors.
10.6†*    License Agreement by and between ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated as of June 13, 2018.
10.7#*    Incentive Bonus Plan.
10.8#*    Offer Letter, dated September 10, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Timothy P. Clackson.
10.9#*    Offer Letter, dated September 10, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and William C. Shakespeare.
10.10#*    Offer Letter, dated September 10, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and David C. Dalgarno.
10.11#*    Offer Letter, dated September 10, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Victor M. Rivera.

 

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Exhibit
Number
   Description of Document
10.12#*    Offer Letter, dated September 10, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bradford D. Dahms.
10.13#*    Offer Letter, dated May 25, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Kathy Yi.
10.14#*    Offer Letter, dated July 1, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Iain D. Dukes.
10.15    Lease Agreement, dated September 16, 2021, by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and MIT 314 Main Street Leasehold LLC.
 21.1*    Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
 23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
 23.2    Consent of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
 24.1*    Power of Attorney (contained in the signature page of the original filing of this Registration Statement on Form S-1).

 

 

*   Previously filed.
  Certain portions of this agreement have been omitted because the omitted portions are both not material and consists of the type of information that the Registrant both customarily and actually treats as private and confidential.
#   Indicated a management contract or any compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements or in the notes thereto.

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

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 SEC 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.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

  (2)

For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on this 30th day of September, 2021.

 

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Timothy P. Clackson

 

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

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

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Timothy P. Clackson

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

  

President, Chief Executive Officer

and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

  September 30, 2021

/s/ Bradford D. Dahms

Bradford D. Dahms

  

Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and

Accounting Officer)

  September 30, 2021

*

Iain D. Dukes, MA, D.Phil.

  

Chairman and Director

  September 30, 2021

*

Carl Gordon, Ph.D.

  

Director

  September 30, 2021

*

Michael Rome, Ph.D.

  

Director

 

September 30, 2021

*

Kathy Yi

  

Director

  September 30, 2021

 

* By:  

/s/ Timothy P. Clackson

  Timothy P. Clackson
  Attorney-in-Fact

 

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Exhibit 1.1

[Number of Shares]

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[______], 2021

JEFFERIES LLC

SVB LEERINK LLC

CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

c/o JEFFERIES LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

c/o SVB LEERINK LLC

53 State Street, 40th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02109

c/o CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Introductory. Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [•] shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”). The [•] Shares to be sold by the Company are called the “Firm Shares.” In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional [•] Shares as provided in Section 2. The additional [•] Shares to be sold by the Company pursuant to such option are collectively called the “Optional Shares.” The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Optional Shares are collectively called the “Offered Shares.” Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”), SVB Leerink LLC (“SVB Leerink”) and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) have agreed to act as representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares. To the extent there are no additional underwriters listed on Schedule A, the term “Representatives” as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the term “Underwriters” shall mean either the singular or the plural, as the context requires.


The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-259549 which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Offered Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it became effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Shares is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of any such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Offered Shares or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act, is called the “Prospectus.” The preliminary prospectus dated [•], 2021 describing the Offered Shares and the offering thereof is called the “Preliminary Prospectus,” and the Preliminary Prospectus and any other prospectus in preliminary form that describes the Offered Shares and the offering thereof and is used prior to the filing of the Prospectus is called a “preliminary prospectus.” As used herein, “Applicable Time” is [•][a.m.][p.m.] (New York City time) on [•], 2021. As used herein, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto. As used herein, Road Show means a “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) relating to the offering of the Offered Shares contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act). As used herein, “Section 5(d) Written Communication” means each written communication (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that is made in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act by the Company or any person authorized to act on behalf of the Company to one or more potential investors that are qualified institutional buyers (“QIBs”) and/or institutions that are accredited investors (“IAIs”), as such terms are respectively defined in Rule 144A and Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act, to determine whether such investors might have an interest in the offering of the Offered Shares; “Section 5(d) Oral Communication” means each oral communication, if any, made in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act by the Company or any person authorized to act on behalf of the Company made to one or more QIBs and/or one or more IAIs to determine whether such investors might have an interest in the offering of the Offered Shares; “Marketing Materials” means any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Offered Shares, including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); and “Permitted Section 5(d) Communication” means the Section 5(d) Written Communication(s) and Marketing Materials listed on Schedule C attached hereto.

All references in this Agreement to (i) the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus (including the Preliminary Prospectus), or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, or any free writing prospectus, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include any “electronic Prospectus” provided for use in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares as contemplated by Section 3(o) of this Agreement.

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

Section 1. Representations and Warranties.

The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter, as of the date of this Agreement, as of the First Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and as of each Option Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act. The Company has complied, to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information, if any. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

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(b) Disclosure. Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to EDGAR, was identical (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act) to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus wrapper) did not, and at the First Closing Date (as defined in Section 2) and at each applicable Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 2), will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus (including any Prospectus wrapper), as of its date, did not, and at the First Closing Date and at each applicable Option Closing Date, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 9(b) below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

(c) Free Writing Prospectuses; Road Show. As of the determination date referenced in Rule 164(h) under the Securities Act, the Company was not, is not or will not be (as applicable) an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act, including timely filing with the Commission, retention and legending, as applicable, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus unless such information has been superseded or modified as of such time. The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence do not apply to statements made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 9(b) below. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Each Road Show, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(d) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. Prior to the later of (i) the expiration or termination of the option granted to the several Underwriters in Section 2, (ii) the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Offered Shares and (iii) the expiration of 25 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company has not distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares other than the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives, the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified on Schedule B hereto and any Permitted Section 5(d) Communications.

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

(f) Authorization of the Offered Shares. The Offered Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Offered Shares that have not been duly waived or satisfied.

(g) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

(h) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, operations, operating results, assets, liabilities or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company, and has not entered into any material transactions not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company of any class of capital stock.

(i) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

 

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(j) Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto and except in the case of unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus. The financial data set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary—Summary Financial Data” and “Capitalization” fairly present in all material respects the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(k) Companys Accounting System. The Company makes and keeps books and records that are accurate in all material respects and maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(l) Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared, it being understood that neither subsection (l) nor this subsection (m) requires the Company to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law); (ii) have been evaluated by management of the Company for effectiveness as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter reflected in the financial statements that have been filed with the Commission as a part of the Time of Sale Prospectus; and (iii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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(m) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(n) Subsidiaries. The Company has no subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

(o) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans, or upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in each case described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus). The Shares (including the Offered Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company that have not been duly waived or satisfied. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company other than those described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. The descriptions of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(p) Stock Exchange Listing. The Offered Shares have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Global Select Market (the “Nasdaq”), subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

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(q) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company is not in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational documents, as applicable, or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of its properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company, except in the case of clause (ii) and (iii) as would not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company.

(r) Compliance with Laws. The Company has been and is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(s) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation brought by or before any legal or governmental entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company, which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company, or with the employees of any principal supplier, manufacturer, customer or contractor of the Company, exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent.

 

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(t) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company owns, or has obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by it or, to the Company’s knowledge, which are necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (collectively, “Intellectual Property”), and to the Company’s knowledge the conduct of its business does not currently infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others. The Intellectual Property owned or licensed by the Company has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such adjudication. To the Company’s knowledge, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change: (i) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no third parties who have rights to any Intellectual Property, except for customary reversionary rights of third-party licensors with respect to Intellectual Property that is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus as licensed to the Company; and (ii) there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes or otherwise violates, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus as under development, infringe or violate, any patent, trademark, trade name, service name, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; in each case of sub-clause (A) through (C), which would reasonably be expected individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has complied in all material respects with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and to the Company’s knowledge, all such agreements are in full force and effect. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications included in the Intellectual Property. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has taken commercially reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard its Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements and invention assignments with its employees, and to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has been in violation of any material term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company. To the Company’s knowledge, the duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Intellectual Property have been complied with; and to the Company’s knowledge, in all foreign offices having similar requirements, all such requirements have been complied with. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company owned or licensed Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons. The product candidate and programs described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus as under development by the Company falls within the scope of the claims of one or more patents owned by, or exclusively licensed to, the Company.

(u) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company possesses such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits required by state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies to conduct its business as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (“Permits”), except where failure to so possess would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not in violation of, or in default under, any of the Permits or has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such Permit that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, to have a Material Adverse Change.

(v) Title to Properties. The Company has good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(j) above (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except where failure to have such title would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, rights to Intellectual Property are addressed exclusively in Section 1(t) above). The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company.

 

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(w) Tax Law Compliance. The Company has filed all necessary United States federal, state and non-U.S. income and franchise tax returns or has properly requested extensions thereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against it except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(j) above in respect of all material United States federal, state and non-U.S. income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally determined.

(x) Insurance. The Company is insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes are adequate and customary for its business including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes and policies covering the Company for product liability claims and clinical trial liability claims. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(y) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change: (i) the Company is not in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) the Company has all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and is in compliance with their requirements; (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company; and (iv) there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(z) ERISA Compliance. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) each “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA; (ii) no “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates; (iii) no “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA); and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (B) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each employee benefit plan established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.“ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member.

 

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(aa) Company Not an Investment Company. The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Offered Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act).

(bb) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to any activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (Regulation M)) with respect to the Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

(cc) Related-Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

(dd) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and, to the Company’s knowledge, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares is true, complete and correct in all material respects and compliant with FINRA’s rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct.

(ee) Parties to Lock-Up Agreements. The Company has furnished to the Underwriters a letter agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-up Agreement”) from each director and officer of the Company and from all or substantially all of the security holders of the Company. If any additional persons shall become directors or officers of the Company prior to the end of the Company Lock-up Period (as defined below), the Company shall cause each such person, prior to or contemporaneously with their appointment or election as a director or officer of the Company, to execute and deliver to the Representatives a Lock-up Agreement. 

(ff) Statistical and Market-Related Data. All statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(gg) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is, and has been, no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

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(hh) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any applicable law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

(ii) Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws. Neither the Company nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken any act in furtherance of an offer, promise, or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or public international organization, or any political party, party official, or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any applicable provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act 2010, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, authorized, requested, or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit. The Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(jj) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(kk) Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its, directors, officers, or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company is currently the subject or the target of any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of such financing, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of applicable Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

(ll) Brokers. Except pursuant to this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(mm) Forward-Looking Statements. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (i) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances and (ii) is accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of an executive officer or director of the Company that it was false or misleading.

(nn) No Outstanding Loans or Other Extensions of Credit. The Company does not have any outstanding extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

(oo) Cybersecurity. The Company’s information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted. To the Company’s knowledge, the IT Systems contain no material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards designed to maintain and protect (i) its material confidential information; (ii) the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and sensitive, confidential or regulated data, including “Personal Data” used in connection with its business. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) “personal data” as defined by GDPR; (iv) any information which would qualify as “protected health information” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (collectively, “HIPAA”); and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. There have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the IT Systems and no unauthorized uses or access to Personal Data, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any data incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company is presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments and orders binding on the Company, applicable binding rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and internal policies and contractual obligations, each relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

(pp) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company is, and at all prior times within the past three years was, in material compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations, including without limitation and to the extent applicable, HIPAA, and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). In furtherance of its efforts to comply with the Privacy Laws, the Company has in place, complies in all material respects with, and takes appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with its policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company has at all times within the past three years made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable Privacy Laws, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any Privacy Laws in any material respect. The Company further represents that it: (i) has not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is not currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is not a party to any order, decree, or agreement with a governmental authority that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.

 

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(qq) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged in any Section 5(d) Written Communication or any Section 5(d) Oral Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(rr) Communications. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in communications with potential investors in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act other than Permitted Section 5(d) Communications or Section 5(d) Oral Communications, in each case, with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are QIBs or IAIs and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in such communications; the Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Marketing Materials, Section 5(d) Oral Communications and Section 5(d) Written Communications; as of the Applicable Time, each Permitted Section 5(d) Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, did not, as of the Applicable Time, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Permitted Section 5(d) Communication, if any, does not, as of the date hereof, conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (except where such Permitted Section 5(d) Communication has been superseded by the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus); and the Company has filed publicly on EDGAR at least 15 calendar days prior to any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act), any confidentially submitted registration statement and registration statement amendments relating to the offer and sale of the Offered Shares.

(ss) Clinical Data and Regulatory Compliance. The preclinical studies and clinical trials, and other studies (collectively, “studies”) that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the protocols, procedures and controls designed and approved for such studies and with standard medical and scientific research procedures; each description of the results of such studies is accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly presents in all material respects the data derived from such studies, and the Company has no knowledge of any other studies the results of which are materially inconsistent with, or otherwise reasonably call into question, the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectuses or the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; the Company has made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as required by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any committee thereof or from any other U.S. or foreign government or drug or medical device regulatory agency, or health care facility Institutional Review Board (collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”) to conduct its business as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus; the Company has not received any notice of, or correspondence from, any Regulatory Agency requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any clinical trials that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus; and the Company has operated and currently is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules, regulations and policies of the Regulatory Agencies.

 

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(tt) Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company is, and at all times has been, in compliance with all Health Care Laws in all material respects. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means, to the extent applicable to the Company’s operations: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal false statements law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the health care fraud criminal provisions under HIPAA, the Stark Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1395nn), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), the exclusion law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7h); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) all other comparable local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company, and (v) the directives and regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof. The Company has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. The Company has filed, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). The Company is not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company nor any of its employees, officers, directors, or, to the Company’s knowledge, agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

(uu) No Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock. The issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred stock of the Company.

(vv) No Contract Terminations. The Company has not sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement, which threat of termination or non-renewal has not been rescinded as of the date hereof.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to any Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering, or the purchase and sale, of the Offered Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company (and not by any such officer in their personal capacity) to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

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The Company has a reasonable basis for making each of the representations set forth in this Section 1. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Offered Shares.

(a) The Firm Shares. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of [•] Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $[•] per share.

(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 9:00 a.m. New York City time, on [•], 2021, or such other time and date not later than 1:30 p.m. New York City time, on [•], 2021 as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that the circumstances under which the Representatives may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are not limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representatives to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 11.

(c) The Optional Shares; Option Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [•] Optional Shares from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time and from time to time in whole or in part upon notice by the Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Optional Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option and (ii) the time, date and place at which the Optional Shares will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the First Closing Date, the term “First Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares and such Optional Shares). Any such time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called an “Option Closing Date,” and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be earlier than two or later than five full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Optional Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Optional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Optional Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.

(d) Public Offering of the Offered Shares. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, initially on the terms set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.

 

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(e) Payment for the Offered Shares. (i) Payment for the Offered Shares shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at each Option Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

(ii) It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for their own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Optional Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. Each of Jefferies, SVB Leerink and Cantor, individually and not as the Representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

(f) Delivery of the Offered Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters the Firm Shares at the First Closing Date, against release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters, the Optional Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, against the release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. If Jefferies so elects, delivery of the Offered Shares may be made by credit to the accounts designated by Jefferies through The Depository Trust Company’s full fast transfer or DWAC programs. If Jefferies so elects, any certificates for the Offered Shares shall be in definitive form and registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the First Closing Date (or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be) and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the First Closing Date (or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be) at a location in New York City as the Representatives may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

Section 3. Additional Covenants.

The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Delivery of Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus. The Company shall furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Offered Shares, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Representatives Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule), the Company (i) will furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable period of time prior to the proposed time of filing of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, a copy of each such amendment or supplement and (ii) will not amend or supplement the Registration Statement without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. Prior to amending or supplementing any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the time of filing or use of the proposed amendment or supplement, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement. The Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Company shall file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

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(c) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Company shall furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by or referred to by the Company as such Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Offered Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the First Closing Date) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus, and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Representatives’ prior written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

(d) Filing of Underwriter Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that such Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) Amendments and Supplements to Time of Sale Prospectus. If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Offered Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the Company shall (subject to Section 3(b) and Section 3(c) hereof) promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

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(f) Certain Notifications and Required Actions. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representatives in writing of: (i) the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission; (ii) the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus; (iii) the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective; and (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as reasonably practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with all applicable provisions of Rule 424(b), Rule 433 and Rule 430A under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

(g) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the Company agrees (subject to Section 3(b) and Section 3(c) hereof) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) to a purchaser, not misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Section 3(b) or Section 3(c). As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

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(h) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Offered Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws (or other foreign laws) of those jurisdictions reasonably designated by the Representatives, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Offered Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(j) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.

(k) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company commencing after the date of this Agreement that will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; provided that the requirements of this Section 3(k) shall be satisfied to the extent that such earnings statement is available on EDGAR.

(l) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Offered Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule), file on a timely basis with the Commission and the Nasdaq all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Offered Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(m) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq.

(n) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be Downloaded from the Internet. If requested by the Representatives, the Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense, within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to the Representatives, and to the other Underwriters with the consent of the Representatives, an “electronic Prospectus” to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares. As used herein, the term “electronic Prospectus” means a form of Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that may be transmitted electronically by the Representatives and the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Offered Shares; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Prospectus, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that will allow investors to store and have continuously ready access to the Prospectus at any future time, without charge to investors (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Prospectus.

 

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(o) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on and including the date hereof and continuing through and including the 180th day following the date of the Prospectus (such period, as extended as described below, being referred to herein as the “Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies and SVB Leerink (which consent may be withheld in their sole discretion), directly or indirectly: (i) sell, offer to sell, contract to sell or lend any Shares or Related Securities (as defined below); (ii) effect any short sale, or establish or increase any “put equivalent position” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) of any Shares or Related Securities; (iii) pledge, hypothecate or grant any security interest in any Shares or Related Securities; (iv) in any other way transfer or dispose of any Shares or Related Securities; (v) enter into any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of any Shares or Related Securities, regardless of whether any such transaction is to be settled in securities, in cash or otherwise; (vi) announce the offering of any Shares or Related Securities (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Offered Shares); (vii) submit or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of any Shares or Related Securities (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Offered Shares); (viii) effect a reverse stock split, recapitalization, share consolidation, reclassification or similar transaction affecting the outstanding Shares; or (ix) publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that the Company may (A) effect the transactions contemplated hereby; (B) issue or grant Shares, options to purchase Shares or other awards or Related Securities, or issue Shares upon exercise of options, or vesting or settlement of other awards or Related Securities, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus, stock purchase, equity incentive, or other stock or equity plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, but only if the holder of such Shares, options or other awards or Related Securities, as the case may be, agrees in writing with the Representatives not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such Shares or options during such Lock-up Period without the prior written consent of Jefferies and SVB Leerink (which consent may be withheld in their sole discretion); (C) issue any Shares upon the conversion of convertible preferred stock outstanding on the date of this Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; (D) file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 with respect to any Shares or Related Securities issued or issuable pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus, or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus; (E) issue Shares in connection with the acquisition or license by the Company of the securities, business, property, technology or other assets of another person or business entity or pursuant to any employee benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with any such acquisition; (F) issue Shares or Related Securities, or enter into an agreement to issue Shares or Related Securities, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliance, commercial or other collaborative transaction; provided that, in the case of immediately preceding clauses (E) and (F), the aggregate number of Shares issued or underlying such Related Securities issued in connection with all such acquisitions and other transactions does not exceed 5 % of the number of Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis after giving effect to the consummation of the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement and provided further that the Company shall cause each recipient of such shares to execute and deliver to the Underwriters, on or prior to such issuance, a “lock-up” agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto; and (G) assist any stockholder of the Company in the establishment of a trading plan by such stockholder pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, and the establishment of such plan does not require or otherwise result in any public filings or other public announcement of such plan during such Lock-Up Period and such plan is otherwise permitted to be implemented during the Lock-up Period pursuant to the terms of the Lock-Up Agreement between such stockholder and the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares. For purposes of the foregoing, “Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for, or convertible into, Shares.

 

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(p) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, c/o Jefferies, at 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Global Head of Syndicate, c/o SVB Leerink, at 53 State Street, 40th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, Attention: Syndicate Department, and c/o Cantor, at 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, FINRA or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company furnished or made available generally to holders of its capital stock; provided, however, that the requirements of this Section 3(q) shall be satisfied to the extent that such reports, statement, communications, financial statements or other documents are available on EDGAR.

(q) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Offered Shares in such a manner as would require the Company to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(r) No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Company will not take, and will ensure that no affiliate of the Company will take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any reference security with respect to the Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M.

(s) Enforce Lock-Up Agreements. During the Lock-up Period, the Company will enforce all agreements between the Company and any of its securityholders that restrict or prohibit, expressly or in operation, the offer, sale or transfer of Shares or Related Securities or any of the other actions restricted or prohibited under the terms of the form of Lock-up Agreement. In addition, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon any such securities of the Company that are bound by such “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated in such agreements, including, without limitation, “lock-up” agreements entered into by the Company’s officers, directors and securityholders pursuant to Section 6(j) hereof.

(t) Company to Provide Interim Financial Statements. Prior to the First Closing Date and each applicable Option Closing Date, the Company will furnish the Underwriters, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for any quarterly period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided that the requirements of this Section 3(u) shall be deemed satisfied to the extent such financial statements are available on EDGAR.

 

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(u) Amendments and Supplements to Permitted Section 5(d) Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Permitted Section 5(d) Communication during the Prospectus Delivery Period, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Permitted Section 5(d) Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Permitted Section 5(d) Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

(v) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) the time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (ii) the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as defined herein).

(w) Announcement Regarding Lock-ups. The Company agrees to announce the Underwriters’ intention to release any director or “officer” (within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) of the Company from any of the restrictions imposed by any Lock-Up Agreement, by issuing, through a major news service, a press release in form and substance satisfactory to Jefferies and SVB Leerink or, if consented to by Jefferies and SVB Leerink, in a registration statement that is publicly filed in connection with a secondary offering of the Company’s shares promptly following the Company’s receipt of any notification from Jefferies or SVB Leerink in which such intention is indicated, but in any case not later than the close of the third business day prior to the date on which such release or waiver is to become effective; provided, however, that nothing shall prevent Jefferies or SVB Leerink, on behalf of the Underwriters, from announcing the same through a major news service, irrespective of whether the Company has made the required announcement; and provided, further, that no such announcement shall be made of any release or waiver granted solely to permit a transfer of securities that is not for consideration and where the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the terms of a Lock-Up Agreement in the form set forth as Exhibit D hereto.

The Representatives, on behalf of the several Underwriters, may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.

 

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Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Offered Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, each free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and each preliminary prospectus, each Permitted Section 5(d) Communication, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the reasonable and documented attorney’s fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Offered Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper”, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vii) the costs, fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with determining their compliance with the rules and regulations of FINRA related to the Underwriters’ participation in the offering and distribution of the Offered Shares, including any related filing fees and the legal fees of, and disbursements by, counsel to the Underwriters, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show”, any Permitted Section 5(d) Communication or any Section 5(d) Oral Communication undertaken in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and, if the Representatives and the Company mutually agree that an aircraft shall be chartered in connection with the road show, 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, with the other 50% being paid by the Underwriters, (ix) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq, and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses of the nature referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement; provided, that, the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters with respect to clauses (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed $32,500 in the aggregate. Except as provided in this Section 4 or in Section 7, Section 9 or Section 10 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

Section 5. Covenant of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not, but for such actions, be required to be filed by the Company under Rule 433(d).

Section 6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder to purchase and pay for the Offered Shares as provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, each Option Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then made and, with respect to the Optional Shares, as of each Option Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

(a) Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, and each free writing prospectus, if any.

(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from FINRA. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and through and including the First Closing Date and, with respect to any Optional Shares purchased after the First Closing Date, each Option Closing Date:

 

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(i) The Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective.

(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

(iii) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(c) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and through and including the First Closing Date and, with respect to any Optional Shares purchased after the First Closing Date, each Option Closing Date:

(i) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as that term is used in Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act.

(d) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Company. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(e) Opinion of IP Counsel for the Company. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the opinion of Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(f) Opinion of Regulatory Counsel for the Company. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the opinion of Covington & Burling LLP, counsel for the Company with respect to regulatory matters, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(g) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Underwriters. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Shares, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated as of such date.

 

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(h) Officers Certificate. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a certificate executed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, on behalf of the Company and not in their individual capacities, dated as of such date, to the effect set forth in Section 6(b)(ii) and further to the effect that:

(i) for the period from and including the date of this Agreement through and including such date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;

(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date; and

(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such date.

(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, which letter shall: (i) reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to Section 6(a), except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be; and (ii) cover certain financial information contained in the Prospectus.

(j) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives an agreement in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each director and officer of the Company and from all of the securityholders of the Company, and each such agreement shall be in full force and effect on each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date.

(k) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. In the event that a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission on the date of this Agreement and shall have become effective automatically upon such filing.

(l) Approval of Listing. At the First Closing Date, the Offered Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(m) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein and in connection with the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied (unless waived by the Representatives), this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice from the Representatives to the Company at any time on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, at any time on or prior to the applicable Option Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

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Section 7. Reimbursement of Underwriters Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 6, Section 11 or Section 12, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Offered Shares on the First Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all documented out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Offered Shares, including, but not limited to, reasonably incurred and documented fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

Section 8. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

Section 9. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such affiliate, director, officer, employee, agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Offered Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (A) (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act, any Marketing Material, any Section 5(d) Written Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing), or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (B) the violation of any laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Offered Shares have been offered or sold; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee, agent and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) as such expenses are incurred by such Underwriter or such affiliate, director, officer, employee, agent or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Representatives in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any such free writing prospectus, any Marketing Material, any Section 5(d) Written Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 9(b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

 

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(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus, that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act, any Section 5(d) Written Communication or the Prospectus (or any such amendment or supplement) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, such free writing prospectus, such Section 5(d) Written Communication or the Prospectus (or any such amendment or supplement), in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Representatives in writing expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel) as such expenses are incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Representatives have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act, any Section 5(d) Written Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing) are the statements set forth in [the first sentence of the third paragraph, the concession and reallowance figures in the first and second sentences of the first paragraph under the subsection titled “—Commission and Expenses,” and statements relating to short sale transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions, the imposition of penalty bids and passive market making transactions set forth in the first and fourth paragraphs under the subsection titled “—Stabilitzation,”] in each case under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

 

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(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party to the extent the indemnifying party is not materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure and shall not in any event relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded based upon advice of counsel that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election to so assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any reasonable and documented legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by Jefferies and SVB Leerink (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(b) above)) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 9 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 9(c) hereof, the indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.

 

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Section 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Offered Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9(c), any reasonable and documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 9(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 10; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 9(c) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 10.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Offered Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 10, each affiliate, director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

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Section 11. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Offered Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Shares by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Offered Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Shares and the aggregate number of Offered Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party (other than the breaching Underwriter or Underwriters) to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.

As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 11. Any action taken under this Section 11 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

Section 12. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the purchase of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters on the First Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq or the NYSE shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or Massachusetts authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Offered Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 4 or Section 7 hereof or (b) any Underwriter to the Company; provided, however, that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

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Section 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Offered Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, or its creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

Section 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

 

If to the Representatives:

   Jefferies LLC
   520 Madison Avenue
   New York, New York 10022
   Facsimile: (646) 619-4437
   Attention: General Counsel
   SVB Leerink LLC
   1301 Avenue of Americas, 12th Floor
   New York, New York 10019
   Facsimile: (646) 499-7051
   Attention: Stuart R. Nayman
   Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
   499 Park Avenue
   New York, New York 10022
   Facsimile: (212) 829-4708
   Attention: General Counsel

with a copy to:

   Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
   7 World Trade Center
   250 Greenwich Street
   New York, New York 10007
   Facsimile: (212) 230-8888
   Attention: Lisa Firenze

If to the Company:

   Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
   245 Main Street
   Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
   E-mail: brad.dahms@theseuspharma.com
   Attention: Bradford D. Dahms

with a copy to:

   Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP
   201 South Main Street, Suite 400
   Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
   Facsimile: (734) 585 2201
   Attention: Marcia A. Hatch

 

31


Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

Section 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 11 hereof, and to the benefit of the affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 and Section 10, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Offered Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

Section 17. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

Section 18. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For purposes of this Agreement, (A) “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); (B) “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); (C) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and (D) “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

32


Section 19. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 20. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 hereof fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements to the foregoing), as contemplated by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

33


Exhibit 1.1

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representatives in New York, New York as of the date first above written.

 

JEFFERIES LLC
SVB LEERINK LLC
CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.
Acting individually and as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in the attached Schedule A.
JEFFERIES LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
SVB LEERINK LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
CANTOR FITZGERALD & CO.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:


Schedule A

 

Underwriters   

Number of

Firm Shares

to be Purchased

Jefferies LLC

   [•]

SVB Leerink LLC

   [•]

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

   [•]

Wedbush Securities Inc.

   [•]
  

 

Total

   [•]
  

 


Schedule B

Free Writing Prospectuses Included in the Time of Sale Prospectus

[to be added]


Schedule C

Permitted Section 5(d) Communications

[to be added]


Exhibit A

Form of Lock-up Agreement

[___], 2021

Jefferies LLC

SVB Leerink LLC

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

As Representatives of the Several Underwriters

c/o Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

and

c/o SVB Leerink LLC

One Federal Street, 37th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02110

and

c/o Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

RE: Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”)

Ladies & Gentlemen:

The undersigned is an owner of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Shares”) or of securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares. The Company proposes to conduct a public offering of Shares (the “Offering”) for which Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”), SVB Leerink LLC (“SVB Leerink”) and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. will act as the representatives of the underwriters. The undersigned recognizes that the Offering will benefit each of the Company and the undersigned. The undersigned acknowledges that the underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) in conducting the Offering and, at a subsequent date, in entering into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and other underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering.

Annex A sets forth definitions for capitalized terms used in this Agreement that are not defined in the body of this Agreement. Those definitions are a part of this Agreement.

In consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, during the Lock-up Period, the undersigned will not (and will use reasonable efforts to cause any Family Member not to), without the prior written consent of Jefferies and SVB Leerink, which may withhold their consent in their sole discretion:

 

A-1


   

Sell or Offer to Sell any Shares or Related Securities currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the undersigned or such Family Member,

 

   

enter into any Swap,

 

   

make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares or Related Securities, or cause to be filed a registration statement, prospectus or prospectus supplement (or an amendment or supplement thereto) with respect to any such registration, or

 

   

publicly announce any intention to do any of the foregoing.

The foregoing will not apply to the registration of the offer and sale of the Shares, and the sale of the Shares to the underwriters, in each case as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:

 

  (a)

transactions relating to Shares acquired in the Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Offering;

 

  (b)

the transfer of Shares or Related Securities by gift, including to a bona fide charitable organization, or by will or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir or beneficiary of the undersigned or any Family Member or to a trust whose beneficiaries consist exclusively of one or more of the undersigned and/or a Family Member;

 

  (c)

transfers or dispositions of Shares or Related Securities to a Family Member, a trust exclusively formed for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or a Family Member or any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which, in each case, are held by the undersigned or any Family Member;

 

  (d)

transfers of Shares or any Related Securities pursuant to a domestic order or negotiated divorce settlement;

 

  (e)

if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, distributions or transfers of Shares or Related Securities to (x) another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the undersigned, (y) any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (z) limited partners, general partners, members, managers, managing members, stockholders or other equity holders of the undersigned or of the entities described in the preceding clauses (x) and (y);

 

  (f)

transfers or dispositions of Shares to the Company as forfeitures or the withholding of Shares (x) to satisfy tax withholding and remittance obligations of the undersigned in connection with the vesting or exercise of equity awards granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans described in the final prospectus relating to the Offering or (y) pursuant to a net exercise or cashless exercise by the undersigned of outstanding equity awards pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans described in the final prospectus relating to the Offering; provided that the Shares issued upon such exercise or vesting shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement; and provided, further that, if required, any public report or filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the net settlement of an equity award or the withholding of Shares is to satisfy tax withholding, as applicable, that no Shares were sold by the reporting person and that Shares received upon exercise or vesting are subject to this Agreement;

 

A-2


  (g)

transfers of Shares or Related Securities pursuant to a change of control of the Company (meaning the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of Shares the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the voting capital stock of the Company) after the Offering that has been approved by the independent members of the Company’s board of directors, provided that in the event that such change of control is not completed, the Shares or Related Securities owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions herein;

 

  (h)

transfers or dispositions of Shares or Related Securities pursuant to the exercise of an option to purchase Shares granted under any equity incentive plan or stock purchase plan of the Company, in each case, that exist as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and are described in the prospectus relating to the Offering, provided that the Shares issued upon such exercise shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement and provided, further that, if required, any public report or filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the exercise of a stock option, that no Shares were sold by the reporting person and that Shares received upon exercise of the stock option are subject to this Agreement;

 

  (i)

transfers or dispositions of Shares or Related Securities to the Company that may be deemed to have occurred as a result of the automatic conversion of the outstanding preferred shares of the Company into shares of common stock in connection with the Offering; or

 

  (j)

transfers of Shares or Related Securities to the Company as a result of the termination of employment of the undersigned pursuant to agreements that are in effect as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement for the Offering and disclosed in the prospectus relating to the Offering, under which the Company has the option to repurchase such Shares or Related Securities or a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such Shares or Related Securities; provided that no filing under the Exchange Act or other public disclosure shall be voluntarily made during the Lock-up Period and any filing under the Exchange Act or other public disclosure required to be made during the Lock-up Period shall include a statement to the effect that such transfer relates to the circumstances described in this clause (j);

provided, however, that in any such case, it shall be a condition to such transfer or distribution provided in:

 

   

clauses (b) through (e), that each transferee executes and delivers to Jefferies and SVB Leerink an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Jefferies and SVB Leerink stating that such transferee is receiving and holding such Shares and/or Related Securities subject to the provisions of this Agreement and agrees not to Sell or Offer to Sell such Shares and/or Related Securities, engage in any Swap or engage in any other activities restricted under this Agreement except in accordance with this Agreement (as if such transferee had been an original signatory hereto), and

 

A-3


   

clauses (a) through (c) and (e), that prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, no public disclosure or filing under the Exchange Act by any party to the transfer (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall be required, or made voluntarily, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Shares in connection with such transfer.

Furthermore, notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by this Agreement, the undersigned may establish a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (a “10b5-1 Plan”) for the transfer of Shares, provided that such 10b5-1 Plan shall not provide for or permit any transfers, sales or other dispositions of Shares during the Lock-up Period and the entry into such 10b5-1 Plan is not publicly disclosed, including in any filing under the Exchange Act, during the Lock-up Period.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any Company-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase or otherwise receive in the Offering (including pursuant to a directed share program).

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

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of Shares or Related Securities held by the undersigned and the undersigned’s Family Members, if any, except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares and/or any Related Securities owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights to receive notice of the Offering.

The undersigned confirms that the undersigned has not, and has no knowledge that any Family Member has, directly or indirectly, taken any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Shares. The undersigned will not, and will cause any Family Member not to take, directly or indirectly, any such action.

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Offering and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate.

Whether or not the Offering occurs as currently contemplated or at all depends on market conditions and other factors. The Offering will only be made pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the underwriters.

 

A-4


If (i) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company, on the one hand, or Jefferies and SVB Leerink, on the other hand, notifies the other in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the Company files an application to withdraw the registration statement related to the Offering, (iii) the Underwriting Agreement is not executed on or before December 31, 2021, as such date may be extended for a period of up to three additional months by written notice from the Company to the undersigned, or (iv) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) terminates or is terminated prior to the payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder, then in each case, this Agreement shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any other party, terminate and be of no further force and effect, and the undersigned shall automatically be released from the obligations under this Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power, capacity and authority to enter into this Agreement. This Agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned. This Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-5


Very truly yours,
IF AN INDIVIDUAL:     IF AN ENTITY:
By:  

 

   

 

  (duly authorized signature)     (please print complete name of entity)
Name:  

 

    By:  

 

  (please print full name)       (duly authorized signature)
      Name:  

 

        (please print full name)
      Title:  

 

        (please print full title)


Certain Defined Terms

Used in Lock-up Agreement

For purposes of the Agreement to which this Annex A is attached and of which it is made a part:

 

   

Call Equivalent Position shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act.

 

   

Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

   

Family Member” shall mean the spouse of the undersigned, an immediate family member of the undersigned or an immediate family member of the undersigned’s spouse, in each case living in the undersigned’s household or whose principal residence is the undersigned’s household (regardless of whether such spouse or family member may at the time be living elsewhere due to educational activities, health care treatment, military service, temporary internship or employment or otherwise). “Immediate family member” as used above shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(e) under the Exchange Act.

 

   

Lock-up Period” shall mean the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date that is 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement).

 

   

Put Equivalent Position” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act.

 

   

Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares.

 

   

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

   

Sell or Offer to Sell” shall mean to:

 

   

sell, offer to sell, contract to sell or lend,

 

   

effect any short sale or establish or increase a Put Equivalent Position or liquidate or decrease any Call Equivalent Position

 

   

pledge, hypothecate or grant any security interest in, or

 

   

in any other way transfer or dispose of, in each case whether effected directly or indirectly.

 

   

Swap” shall mean any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of Shares or Related Securities, regardless of whether any such transaction is to be settled in securities, in cash or otherwise.

Capitalized terms not defined in this Annex A shall have the meanings given to them in the body of this Agreement.

Exhibit 3.1

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

(Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”),

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

FIRST: That the name of this corporation is THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. and that this corporation was originally incorporated pursuant to the General Corporation Law on December 29, 2017.

SECOND: That the Board of Directors of this corporation duly adopted resolutions proposing to amend and restate the Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation, declaring said amendment and restatement to be advisable and in the best interests of this corporation and its stockholders, and authorizing the appropriate officers of this corporation to solicit the consent of the stockholders therefor, which resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and restatement is as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation be amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

ARTICLE I

The name of this corporation is Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

ARTICLE II

The address of the registered office of this corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law.

ARTICLE IV

A. Authorization of Stock. This corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, common stock and preferred stock. The total number of


shares that this corporation is authorized to issue is 74,785,074. The total number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued is 41,083,993, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The total number of shares of preferred stock authorized to be issued is 33,701,081, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), 22,136,987 shares of which shares are designated as “Series A Preferred Stock” and 11,564,094 shares of which are designated as “Series B Preferred Stock”.

B. Rights, Preferences and Restrictions of Preferred Stock. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to and imposed on the Preferred Stock are as set forth below in this Article IV(B).

1. Dividend Provisions.

(a) The holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends, out of any assets legally available therefor, prior and in preference to any declaration or payment of any dividend (payable other than in Common Stock or other securities and rights convertible into or entitling the holder thereof to receive, directly or indirectly, additional shares of Common Stock) on the Common Stock of this corporation at a rate of 8.0% of the Original Issue Price (as defined below) per annum, payable when, as and if declared by this corporation’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”). Such dividends shall not be cumulative. The holders of the outstanding Preferred Stock can waive any dividend preference that such holders shall be entitled to receive under this Section 1 upon the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding (voting together as a single class and not as separate series, and on an as-converted basis) (the “Requisite Holders”).

(b) After payment of such dividends, any additional dividends or distributions shall be distributed among all holders of Common Stock and Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock that would be held by each such holder if all shares of Preferred Stock were converted to Common Stock at the then effective Conversion Rate (as defined below). For this purpose, each holder of shares of Preferred Stock is to be treated as holding the greatest whole number of shares of Common Stock held by such holder pursuant to Section 4.

(c) Whenever a dividend provided for in this Section 1 will be payable in property other than cash, the value of such dividend will be deemed to be the fair market value of such property as determined in good faith by this corporation’s Board of Directors.

2. Liquidation Preference.

(a) In the event of any Liquidation Event (as defined below), either voluntary or involuntary, the holders of each series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive out of the proceeds or assets of this corporation available for distribution to its stockholders (the “Proceeds”), prior and in preference to any distribution of the Proceeds of such Liquidation Event to the holders of Common Stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the sum of the applicable Original Issue Price (as defined below) for such series of Preferred Stock, plus declared but unpaid dividends on such share (“Liquidation Amount”). If, upon the occurrence of such event, the Proceeds thus distributed among the holders of the

 

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Preferred Stock shall be insufficient to permit the payment to such holders of the full aforesaid preferential amounts, then the entire Proceeds legally available for distribution shall be distributed ratably among the holders of the Preferred Stock in proportion to the full preferential amount that each such holder is otherwise entitled to receive under this subsection (a). For purposes of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, “Original Issue Price” shall mean $1.00 per share for each share of the Series A Preferred Stock and $8.6561 per share for each share of the Series B Preferred Stock (each as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, subdivisions, recapitalizations or the like with respect to such series of Preferred Stock).

(b) Upon completion of the distribution required by subsection (a) of this Section 2, all of the remaining Proceeds available for distribution to stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of Common Stock pro rata based on the number of shares of Common Stock held by each.

(c) Notwithstanding the above, for purposes of determining the amount each holder of shares of Preferred Stock is entitled to receive with respect to a Liquidation Event, each such holder of shares of a series of Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have converted (regardless of whether such holder actually converted) such holder’s shares of such series into shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the Liquidation Event if, as a result of an actual conversion, such holder would receive, in the aggregate, an amount greater than the amount that would be distributed to such holder if such holder did not convert such series of Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock. If any such holder shall be deemed to have converted shares of Preferred Stock into Common Stock pursuant to this paragraph, then such holder shall not be entitled to receive any distribution that would otherwise be made to holders of Preferred Stock that have not converted (or have not been deemed to have converted) into shares of Common Stock.

(d) (i) For purposes of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a “Liquidation Event” shall mean (A) the closing of the sale, lease, transfer, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of this corporation’s assets, (B) the consummation of the merger or consolidation of this corporation with or into another entity (except a merger or consolidation in which the holders of capital stock of this corporation immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continue to hold at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the capital stock of this corporation or the surviving or acquiring entity immediately following such merger or consolidation in substantially the same proportions, and with substantially the same terms, as held immediately prior to such merger or consolidation), (C) the closing of the transfer (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an underwriter of this corporation’s securities), of this corporation’s securities if, after such closing, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold fifty percent (50%) or more of the then outstanding voting stock of this corporation (or the surviving or acquiring entity) or (D) a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of this corporation; provided, however, that a transaction shall not constitute a Liquidation Event if its sole purpose is to change the state of this corporation’s incorporation or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held this corporation’s securities immediately prior to such transaction. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, the sale by this corporation of its equity securities in a bona fide financing transaction conducted in accordance with Section 6 of this Article IV(B) shall not be deemed a “Liquidation Event.” The treatment of any particular transaction or series of related transactions as a Liquidation Event may be waived by the vote or written consent of the Requisite Holders.

 

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(ii) In any Liquidation Event, if Proceeds received by this corporation or its stockholders is other than cash, its value will be deemed its fair market value. Any securities shall be valued as follows:

(A) Securities not subject to investment letter or other similar restrictions on free marketability covered by (B) below:

(1) If traded on a securities exchange, the value shall be deemed to be the average of the closing prices of the securities on such exchange over the twenty (20) trading-day period ending three (3) trading days prior to the closing of the Liquidation Event;

(2) If actively traded over-the-counter, the value shall be deemed to be the average of the closing bid or sale prices (whichever is applicable) over the twenty (20) trading-day period ending three (3) trading days prior to the closing of the Liquidation Event; and

(3) If there is no active public market, the value shall be the fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by this corporation’s Board of Directors.

(B) The method of valuation of securities subject to investment letter or other restrictions on free marketability (other than restrictions arising solely by virtue of a stockholder’s status as an affiliate or former affiliate) shall be to make an appropriate discount from the market value determined as above in (A)(1), (A)(2) or (A)(3) to reflect the approximate fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by this corporation’s Board of Directors.

(C) The foregoing methods for valuing non-cash consideration to be distributed in connection with a Liquidation Event shall, with the appropriate approval of the definitive agreements governing such Liquidation Event by the stockholders under the General Corporation Law and Section 6 of this Article IV(B), be superseded by the determination of such value set forth in the definitive agreements governing such Liquidation Event.

(iii) In the event the requirements of this Section 2 are not complied with, this corporation shall forthwith either:

(A) cause the closing of such Liquidation Event to be postponed until such time as the requirements of this Section 2 have been complied with; or

(B) cancel such transaction, in which event the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Preferred Stock shall revert to and be the same as such rights, preferences and privileges existing immediately prior to the date of the first notice referred to in subsection 2(d)(iv) hereof.

 

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(iv) This corporation shall give each holder of record of Preferred Stock written notice of such impending Liquidation Event not later than twenty (20) days prior to the stockholders’ meeting called to approve such transaction, or twenty (20) days prior to the closing of such transaction, whichever is earlier, and shall also notify such holders in writing of the final approval of such transaction. The first of such notices shall describe the material terms and conditions of the impending transaction and the provisions of this Section 2, and this corporation shall thereafter give such holders prompt notice of any material changes. The transaction shall in no event take place sooner than twenty (20) days after this corporation has given the first notice provided for herein or sooner than ten (10) days after this corporation has given notice of any material changes provided for herein; provided, however, that subject to compliance with the General Corporation Law such periods may be shortened upon the written consent of the Requisite Holders.

(e) In the event of a Liquidation Event referred to in Section 2(d)(i)(A), if this corporation does not effect a dissolution under the General Corporation Law within ninety (90) days after such Liquidation Event, then (i) this corporation shall send a written notice to each holder of Preferred Stock no later than the ninetieth (90th) day after the Liquidation Event advising such holders of their right (and the requirements to be met to secure such right) pursuant to the terms of the following clause (ii) to require the redemption of such shares of Preferred Stock, and (ii) if the Requisite Holders so request in a written instrument delivered to this corporation not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after such Liquidation Event, this corporation shall use the consideration received for such Liquidation Event (net of any retained liabilities associated with the assets sold or technology licensed, as determined in good faith by this corporation’s Board of Directors), together with any other assets for distribution to stockholders, all to the extent permitted by Delaware law governing distributions to stockholders (the “Available Proceeds”), on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day after such Liquidation Event, to redeem all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock at a price per share equal to the Liquidation Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a redemption pursuant to the preceding sentence, if the Available Proceeds are not sufficient to redeem all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, this corporation shall redeem a pro rata portion of each holder’s shares of Preferred Stock to the fullest extent of such Available Proceeds, based on the respective amounts which would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares to be redeemed if the Available Proceeds were sufficient to redeem all such shares, and shall redeem the remaining shares as soon as it may lawfully do so under Delaware law governing distributions to stockholders. Prior to the distribution or redemption provided for in this Section 2(e), this corporation shall not expend or dissipate the consideration received for such Liquidation Event, except to discharge expenses incurred in connection with such Liquidation Event or in the ordinary course of business.

(f) Following an election by the holders of Preferred Stock to demand redemption as provided in Section 2(e), this corporation shall promptly send written notice of the redemption pursuant to Section 2(e) (the “Redemption Notice”) to each holder of record of Preferred Stock stating (i) the number of shares of each series of Preferred Stock held by such holder as of the date of such election; (ii) the redemption date and the price at which shares of

 

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each series of Preferred Stock will be redeemed (the “Redemption Price”); (iii) the date on which the holder’s right to convert such shares terminates (as determined in accordance with Section 4(a); and (iv) for holders of shares in certificated form, that the holder is to surrender to this corporation, in the manner and at the place designated, his, her or its certificate or certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed.

(g) On or before the redemption date, each holder of shares of Preferred Stock, unless such holder has exercised his, her or its right to convert such shares as provided in Section 4, shall, if a holder of shares in certificated form, surrender the certificate or certificates representing such shares (or, if such registered holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to this corporation to indemnify this corporation against any claim that may be made against this corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate) to this corporation, in the manner and at the place designated in the Redemption Notice, and thereupon the Redemption Price for such shares shall be payable to the order of the person whose name appears on such certificate or certificates as the owner thereof.

(h) If the Redemption Notice shall have been duly given, and if on the redemption date the Redemption Price payable upon redemption of the shares of Preferred Stock is paid or tendered for payment or deposited with an independent payment agent so as to be available therefor in a timely manner, then notwithstanding that any certificates evidencing any of the shares of Preferred Stock so called for redemption shall not have been surrendered, dividends with respect to such shares of Preferred Stock shall cease to accrue after the redemption date and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith after the redemption date terminate, except only the right of the holders to receive the Redemption Price without interest upon surrender of any such certificate or certificates therefor.

(i) Allocation of Contingent Consideration. In the event of a Liquidation Event pursuant to subsection 2(d)(i), if any portion of the consideration payable to the stockholders of this corporation is placed into escrow and/or is payable to the stockholders of this corporation subject to contingencies, the definitive agreement with respect to such deemed Liquidation Event shall provide that (i) the portion of such consideration that is not placed in escrow and not subject to any contingencies (the “Initial Consideration”) shall be allocated among the holders of capital stock of this corporation in accordance with subsections 2(a) and 2(b) as if the Initial Consideration were the only consideration payable in connection with such deemed Liquidation Event and (ii) any additional consideration that becomes payable to the stockholders of this corporation upon release from escrow or satisfaction of contingencies shall be allocated among the holders of capital stock of this corporation in accordance with subsections 2(a) and 2(b) after taking into account the previous payment of the Initial Consideration as part of the same transaction.

3. Redemption. The Preferred Stock is not redeemable at the option of the holder thereof except for redemption pursuant to Section 2(e).

4. Conversion. The holders of the Preferred Stock shall have conversion rights as follows (the “Conversion Rights”):

 

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(a) Right to Convert. Each share of Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time after the date of issuance of such share, at the office of this corporation or any transfer agent for such stock, into such number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock as is determined by dividing the applicable Original Issue Price for such series by the applicable Conversion Price (as defined below) for such series (the conversion rate for a series of Preferred Stock into Common Stock is referred to herein as the “Conversion Rate” for such series), determined as hereafter provided, in effect on the date the certificate is surrendered for conversion. The initial “Conversion Price” per share for each series of Preferred Stock shall be the Original Issue Price applicable to such series; provided, however, that the Conversion Price for the Preferred Stock shall be subject to adjustment as set forth in subsection 4(d).

(b) Automatic Conversion. Each share of Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock at the Conversion Rate at the time in effect for such series of Preferred Stock immediately upon the earlier of (i) (a) the closing of this corporation’s sale of its Common Stock in a firm commitment underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that results in at least $50,000,000 of gross proceeds (a “Qualified Public Offering”) or (b) this corporation’s initial listing of its Common Stock on a national securities exchange by means of an effective registration statement on Form S-1 filed by this corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (a “Direct Listing”), following which, in the case of (a) or (b), this corporation’s shares are listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq Global Select Market or Nasdaq Global Market or another exchange or marketplace approved by this corporation’s Board of Directors or (ii) the date, or the occurrence of an event, specified by vote or written consent or agreement of the Requisite Holders.

(c) Mechanics of Conversion. Before any holder of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to voluntarily convert the same into shares of Common Stock, such holder shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly endorsed, at the office of this corporation or of any transfer agent for the Preferred Stock, and shall give written notice to this corporation at its principal corporate office, of the election to convert the same and shall state therein the name or names in which the certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock are to be issued. This corporation shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, issue and deliver at such office to such holder of Preferred Stock, or to the nominee or nominees of such holder, a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock to which such holder shall be entitled as aforesaid. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made immediately prior to the close of business on the date set forth for conversion in the written notice of the election to convert irrespective of the surrender of the shares of Preferred Stock to be converted, and the person or persons entitled to receive the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of Common Stock as of such date. If the conversion is in connection with an underwritten offering of securities registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the conversion may, at the option of any holder tendering Preferred Stock for conversion, be conditioned upon the closing with the underwriters of the sale of securities pursuant to such offering, in which event the persons entitled to receive the Common Stock upon conversion of the Preferred Stock shall not be deemed to have converted such Preferred Stock until immediately prior to the closing of such sale of securities. If the conversion is in connection with Automatic Conversion provisions of

 

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subsection 4(b)(ii) above, such conversion shall be deemed to have been made immediately prior to the close of business on the conversion date described in the stockholder consent approving such conversion, and the persons entitled to receive shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holders of such shares of Common Stock as of such date.

(d) Conversion Price Adjustments of Preferred Stock for Certain Dilutive Issuances, Splits and Combinations. The Conversion Price of each series of Preferred Stock shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows:

(i) (A) If this corporation shall issue, on or after the date upon which this Restated Certificate of Incorporation is accepted for filing by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Filing Date”), any Additional Stock (as defined below) without consideration or for a consideration per share less than the Conversion Price applicable to a series of Preferred Stock in effect immediately prior to the issuance of such Additional Stock, the Conversion Price for such series in effect immediately prior to each such issuance shall forthwith (except as otherwise provided in this clause (i)) be adjusted to a price (calculated to the nearest one-thousandth of a cent) determined by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding (as defined below) immediately prior to such issuance plus the number of shares of Common Stock that the aggregate consideration received by this corporation for such issuance would purchase at such Conversion Price; and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock Outstanding (as defined below) immediately prior to such issuance plus the number of shares of such Additional Stock. For purposes of this Section 4(d)(i)(A), the term “Common Stock Outstanding” shall mean and include the following: (1) outstanding Common Stock, (2) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of outstanding Preferred Stock, (3) Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options and (4) Common Stock issuable upon exercise (and, in the case of warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, conversion) of outstanding warrants. Shares described in (1) through (4) above shall be included whether vested or unvested, whether contingent or non-contingent and whether exercisable or not yet exercisable. In the event that this corporation issues or sells, or is deemed to have issued or sold, shares of Additional Stock that results in an adjustment to a Conversion Price pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4(d) (the “First Dilutive Issuance”), and this corporation then issues or sells, or is deemed to have issued or sold, shares of Additional Stock in one or more subsequent issuances other than the First Dilutive Issuance that would result in further adjustment to a Conversion Price (each, a “Subsequent Dilutive Issuance”) pursuant to the same instruments as the First Dilutive Issuance, then and in each such case upon a Subsequent Dilutive Issuance the applicable Conversion Price for each series of Preferred Stock shall be reduced to the applicable Conversion Price that would have been in effect had the First Dilutive Issuance and each Subsequent Dilutive Issuance all occurred on the closing date of the First Dilutive Issuance.

(B) No adjustment of the Conversion Price for the Preferred Stock shall be made in an amount less than one-tenth of one cent per share. Except to the limited extent provided for in subsections (E)(3) and (E)(4), no adjustment of such Conversion Price pursuant to this subsection 4(d)(i) shall have the effect of increasing the Conversion Price above the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment.

 

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(C) In the case of the issuance of Additional Stock for cash, the consideration shall be deemed to be the amount of cash paid therefor before deducting any reasonable discounts, commissions or other expenses allowed, paid or incurred by this corporation for any underwriting or otherwise in connection with the issuance and sale thereof.

(D) In the case of the issuance of the Additional Stock for a consideration in whole or in part other than cash, the consideration other than cash shall be deemed to be the fair market value thereof as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors irrespective of any accounting treatment.

(E) In the case of the issuance of options to purchase or rights to subscribe for Common Stock, securities by their terms convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or options to purchase or rights to subscribe for such convertible or exchangeable securities, the following provisions shall apply for purposes of determining the number of shares of Additional Stock issued and the consideration paid therefor:

(1) The aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable upon exercise (assuming the satisfaction of any conditions to exercisability, including without limitation, the passage of time, but without taking into account potential antidilution adjustments) of such options to purchase or rights to subscribe for Common Stock shall be deemed to have been issued at the time such options or rights were issued and for a consideration equal to the consideration (determined in the manner provided in subsections 4(d)(i)(C) and (d)(i)(D)), if any, received by this corporation upon the issuance of such options or rights plus the minimum exercise price provided in such options or rights (without taking into account potential antidilution adjustments) for the Common Stock covered thereby.

(2) The aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion of, or in exchange (assuming the satisfaction of any conditions to convertibility or exchangeability, including, without limitation, the passage of time, but without taking into account potential antidilution adjustments) for, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase or rights to subscribe for such convertible or exchangeable securities and subsequent conversion or exchange thereof shall be deemed to have been issued at the time such securities were issued or such options or rights were issued and for a consideration equal to the consideration, if any, received by this corporation for any such securities and related options or rights (excluding any cash received on account of accrued interest or accrued dividends), plus the minimum additional consideration, if any, to be received by this corporation (without taking into account potential antidilution adjustments) upon the conversion or exchange of such securities or the exercise of any related options or rights (the consideration in each case to be determined in the manner provided in subsections 4(d)(i)(C) and (d)(i)(D)).

(3) In the event of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock deliverable or in the consideration payable to this corporation upon exercise of such options or rights or upon conversion of or in exchange for such convertible or exchangeable securities, the Conversion Price of each series of Preferred Stock, to the extent in any way affected by or computed using such options, rights or securities, shall be recomputed to reflect such change, but no further adjustment shall be made for the actual issuance of Common Stock or any payment of such consideration upon the exercise of any such options or rights or the conversion or exchange of such securities.

 

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(4) Upon the expiration of any such options or rights, the termination of any such rights to convert or exchange or the expiration of any options or rights related to such convertible or exchangeable securities, the Conversion Price of each series of Preferred Stock, to the extent in any way affected by or computed using such options, rights or securities or options or rights related to such securities, shall be recomputed to reflect the issuance of only the number of shares of Common Stock (and convertible or exchangeable securities that remain in effect) actually issued upon the exercise of such options or rights, upon the conversion or exchange of such securities or upon the exercise of the options or rights related to such securities.

(5) The number of shares of Additional Stock deemed issued and the consideration deemed paid therefor pursuant to subsections 4(d)(i)(E)(1) and (2) shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any change, termination or expiration of the type described in either subsection 4(d)(i)(E)(3) or (4).

(ii) “Additional Stock” shall mean any shares of Common Stock issued (or deemed to have been issued pursuant to subsection 4(d)(i)(E)) by this corporation on or after the Filing Date other than (“Excluded Securities”):

(A) Common Stock issued pursuant to a transaction described in subsection 4(d)(iii) hereof;

(B) Common Stock issued to employees, directors, consultants and other service providers for the primary purpose of soliciting or retaining their services pursuant to plans or agreements approved by the Board of Directors;

(C) Common Stock issued pursuant to an underwritten public offering;

(D) Common Stock issued pursuant to a Direct Listing;

(E) Common Stock issued pursuant to the conversion or exercise of convertible or exercisable securities outstanding on the Filing Date, in each case provided such issuance is pursuant to the terms of such convertible or exercisable security;

(F) Common Stock issued as acquisition consideration in connection with a bona fide business acquisition by this corporation, whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets, sale or exchange of stock or otherwise provided that such issuances are approved by the Board of Directors including a majority of the Preferred Directors (as defined below);

(G) Common Stock issued or deemed issued pursuant to subsection 4(d)(i)(E) as a result of a decrease in the Conversion Price of any series of Preferred Stock resulting from the operation of Section 4(d);

 

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(H) Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock;

(I) Shares issued pursuant to the Series B Stock Purchase Agreement by and between this corporation and certain investors dated as of January 22, 2021;

(J) Common Stock issued pursuant to any equipment leasing arrangement or debt financing arrangement, which arrangement is approved by the Board of Directors including a majority of the Preferred Directors and is primarily for non-equity financing purposes; or

(K) Common Stock issued to persons or entities with which this corporation has business relationships, provided such issuances are approved by the Board of Directors including a majority of the Preferred Directors and are not for equity financing purposes.

(iii) In the event this corporation should at any time or from time to time after the Filing Date fix a record date for the effectuation of a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive a dividend or other distribution payable in additional shares of Common Stock or other securities or rights convertible into, or entitling the holder thereof to receive directly or indirectly, additional shares of Common Stock (hereinafter referred to as “Common Stock Equivalents”) without payment of any consideration by such holder for the additional shares of Common Stock or the Common Stock Equivalents (including the additional shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof), then, as of such record date (or the date of such dividend distribution, split or subdivision if no record date is fixed), the Conversion Price of the Preferred Stock shall be appropriately decreased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be increased in proportion to such increase of the aggregate of shares of Common Stock outstanding and those issuable with respect to such Common Stock Equivalents with the number of shares issuable with respect to Common Stock Equivalents determined from time to time in the manner provided for deemed issuances in subsection 4(d)(i)(E).

(iv) If the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any time after the Filing Date is decreased by a combination of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, then, following the record date of such combination, the Conversion Price for the Preferred Stock shall be appropriately increased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares.

(e) Other Distributions. In the event this corporation shall declare a distribution payable in securities of other persons, evidences of indebtedness issued by this corporation or other persons, assets (excluding cash dividends) or options or rights not referred to in subsection 4(d)(iii), then, in each such case for the purpose of this subsection 4(e), the holders of the Preferred Stock shall be entitled to a proportionate share of any such distribution as though they were the holders of the number of shares of Common Stock of this corporation into which their shares of Preferred Stock are convertible as of the record date fixed for the determination of the holders of Common Stock of this corporation entitled to receive such distribution.

 

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(f) Recapitalizations. If at any time or from time to time there shall be a recapitalization of the Common Stock (other than a subdivision, combination or merger or sale of assets transaction provided for elsewhere in this Section 4 or in Section 2) provision shall be made so that the holders of the Preferred Stock shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of the Preferred Stock the number of shares of stock or other securities or property of this corporation or otherwise, to which a holder of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion would have been entitled on such recapitalization. In any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 4 with respect to the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock after the recapitalization to the end that the provisions of this Section 4 (including adjustment of the Conversion Price then in effect and the number of shares purchasable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock) shall be applicable after that event as nearly equivalently as may be practicable.

(g) No Fractional Shares and Certificate as to Adjustments.

(i) No fractional shares shall be issued upon the conversion of any share or shares of the Preferred Stock and the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to particular stockholders, shall be rounded down to the nearest whole share and this corporation shall pay in cash the fair market value of any fractional shares as of the time when entitlement to receive such fractional shares is determined. Whether or not fractional shares would be issuable upon such conversion shall be determined on the basis of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock the holder is at the time converting into Common Stock and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion.

(ii) Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 4, this corporation, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and prepare and furnish to each holder of Preferred Stock a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. This corporation shall, upon the written request at any time of any holder of Preferred Stock, furnish or cause to be furnished to such holder a like certificate setting forth (A) such adjustment and readjustment, (B) the Conversion Price for such series of Preferred Stock at the time in effect, and (C) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other property that at the time would be received upon the conversion of a share of Preferred Stock.

(h) Notices of Record Date. In the event of any taking by this corporation of a record of the holders of any class of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend (other than a cash dividend) or other distribution, this corporation shall mail to each holder of Preferred Stock, at least ten (10) days prior to the date specified therein, a notice specifying the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend or distribution, and the amount and character of such dividend or distribution; provided, however, that subject to compliance with the General Corporation Law such notice period may be shortened upon the written consent of the Requisite Holders.

 

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(i) Reservation of Stock Issuable Upon Conversion. This corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of the Preferred Stock, such number of its shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock; and if at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock, in addition to such other remedies as shall be available to the holder of such Preferred Stock, this corporation will take such corporate action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purposes, including, without limitation, engaging in best efforts to obtain the requisite stockholder approval of any necessary amendment to this Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

(j) Waiver of Adjustment to Conversion Price. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any downward adjustment of the Conversion Price of any series of Preferred Stock may be waived, either prospectively or retroactively and either generally or in a particular instance, by the consent or vote of the Requisite Holders (provided that, with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock, such consent or vote shall include the holders of at least a majority of the Series B Preferred Stock). Any such waiver shall bind all future holders of shares of such series of Preferred Stock.

5. Voting Rights.

(a) General Voting Rights. The holder of each share of Preferred Stock shall have the right to one vote for each share of Common Stock into which such Preferred Stock could then be converted, and with respect to such vote, such holder shall have full voting rights and powers equal to the voting rights and powers of the holders of Common Stock, and shall be entitled, notwithstanding any provision hereof, to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of this corporation, and except as provided by law or in subsection 5(b) below with respect to the election of directors by the separate class vote of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled to vote, together with holders of Common Stock, with respect to any question upon which holders of Common Stock have the right to vote. Fractional votes shall not, however, be permitted and any fractional voting rights available on an as-converted basis (after aggregating all shares into which shares of Preferred Stock held by each holder could be converted) shall be rounded to the nearest whole number (with one-half (1/2) being rounded upward).

(b) Voting for the Election of Directors. As long as 3,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, subdivisions, recapitalizations or the like with respect to such Series A Preferred Stock) remain outstanding, the holders of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, exclusively and as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect one (1) director of this corporation (the “Series A Director”) at any election of directors. As long as 2,312,819 shares of Series B Preferred Stock (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, subdivisions, recapitalizations or the like with

 

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respect to such Series B Preferred Stock) remain outstanding, the holders of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock, exclusively and as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect one (1) director of this corporation (the “Series B Director” and together with the Series A Director, the “Preferred Directors”) at any election of directors. The holders of outstanding Common Stock shall be entitled to elect two (2) directors of this corporation at any election of directors. The holders of Preferred Stock and Common Stock (voting together as a single class and not as separate series, and on an as-converted basis) shall be entitled to elect any remaining directors of this corporation.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 223(a)(1) and 223(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law, any vacancy (other than with respect to the Series B Director), including newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or amendment of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and vacancies created by removal or resignation of a director, may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and the directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, unless sooner displaced; provided, however, that where such vacancy occurs among the directors elected by the holders of a class or series of stock, the holders of shares of such class or series may override the Board of Directors’ action to fill such vacancy by (i) voting for their own designee to fill such vacancy at a meeting of this corporation’s stockholders or (ii) written consent, if the consenting stockholders hold a sufficient number of shares to elect their designee at a meeting of the stockholders. Any vacancy of the Series B Director shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, voting exclusively as a separate class, given either at a special meeting of such stockholders duly called for that purpose or pursuant to a written consent of stockholders. If the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock fail to elect a sufficient number of directors to fill all directorships for which they are entitled to elect directors, voting exclusively and as a separate class, as set forth above, then any directorship not so filled shall remain vacant until such time as the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock elect a person to fill such directorship by vote or written consent in lieu of a meeting; and no such directorship may be filled by stockholders of this corporation or other members of this corporation’s Board of Directors other than the holders of then outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, voting exclusively and as a separate class.

Any director may be removed during his or her term of office, either with or without cause, by, and only by, the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of the class or series of stock entitled to elect such director or directors, given either at a special meeting of such stockholders duly called for that purpose or pursuant to a written consent of stockholders, and any vacancy thereby created may be filled by the holders of that class or series of stock represented at the meeting or pursuant to written consent.

6. Protective Provisions. So long as 2,312,819 shares of Preferred Stock originally issued (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, subdivisions, recapitalizations or the like with respect to such Preferred Stock) remain outstanding, this corporation shall not (by amendment, merger, consolidation or otherwise) without (in addition to any other vote required by law or this Restated Certificate of Incorporation) first obtaining the approval by vote or written consent, as provided by law, of the Requisite Holders:

 

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(a) consummate a Liquidation Event or effect any other merger or consolidation;

(b) amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws;

(c) increase or decrease (other than by redemption or conversion) the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or designated shares of any series of Preferred Stock;

(d) authorize, create or issue any equity security (including, without limitation, (i) any other security convertible into or exercisable for any such equity security or (ii) any unit of debt and equity securities) having a preference over, or being on a parity with, any series of Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, liquidation or redemption, other than the issuance of any authorized but unissued shares of Series B Preferred Stock designated in this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, any security convertible into or exercisable for such shares of Preferred Stock);

(e) (i) reclassify, alter or amend any existing security of this corporation that is pari passu with the Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, liquidation or redemption, if such reclassification, alteration or amendment would render such other security senior to the Preferred Stock in respect of any such right, preference or privilege or (ii) reclassify, alter or amend any existing security of this corporation that is junior to the Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, liquidation or redemption, if such reclassification, alteration or amendment would render such other security senior to or pari passu with the Preferred Stock in respect of any such right, preference or privilege;

(f) other than a redemption pursuant to Section 2(e), redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire (or pay into or set aside for a sinking fund for such purpose) any share or shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to (i) the repurchase of shares of Common Stock from employees, officers, directors, consultants or other persons performing services for this corporation or any subsidiary pursuant to agreements approved by the Board of Directors under which this corporation has the option to repurchase such shares at the original per share purchase price (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, subdivisions, recapitalizations or the like) upon the occurrence of certain events, such as the termination of employment or service, or (ii) pursuant to a right of first refusal;

(g) change the authorized number of, or method of electing the, directors of this corporation;

(h) pay or declare any dividend or other distribution on any shares of capital stock of this corporation; or

(i) create or hold interests in any subsidiary or other entity that is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of this corporation or dispose of any interest in any subsidiary or other entity or all or substantially all of the assets of any subsidiary or other entity.

 

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7. Status of Converted Stock. In the event any shares of Preferred Stock shall be converted pursuant to Section 4 hereof, the shares so converted shall be cancelled and shall not be issuable by this corporation. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation shall be appropriately amended to effect the corresponding reduction in this corporation’s authorized capital stock.

8. Notices. Any notice required by the provisions of this Article IV(B) to be given to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall be deemed given (a) five (5) days following its deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, and addressed to each holder of record at his, her or its address appearing on the books of this corporation, (b) upon such notice being provided by electronic transmission in a manner permitted by the General Corporation Law or (c) five (5) days following such notice being provided in another manner then permitted by the General Corporation Law.

9. Waiver. Any of the rights, powers, preferences and other terms of the Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, set forth herein may be waived on behalf of all holders of Preferred Stock by the affirmative written consent or vote of the Requisite Holders, except as otherwise provided herein. Any of the rights, powers, preferences and other terms of any series of Preferred Stock set forth herein may be waived on behalf of all holders of such series of Preferred Stock by the affirmative written consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of the shares of such series of Preferred Stock then outstanding.

C. Common Stock. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to and imposed on the Common Stock are as set forth below in this Article IV(C).

1. Dividend Rights. Subject to the prior rights of holders of all classes of stock at the time outstanding having prior rights as to dividends, the holders of the Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of any assets of this corporation legally available therefor, any dividends as may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors.

2. Liquidation Rights. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of this corporation, the assets of this corporation shall be distributed as provided in Section 2 of Article IV(B) hereof.

3. Redemption. The Common Stock is not redeemable at the option of the holder.

4. Voting Rights. The holder of each share of Common Stock shall have the right to one vote for each such share, and shall be entitled to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of this corporation, and shall be entitled to vote upon such matters and in such manner as may be provided by law. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of this corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law.

 

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ARTICLE V

Except as otherwise provided in this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind any or all of the Bylaws of this corporation.

ARTICLE VI

Subject to the requirements of Section 6 of Article IV(B) hereof, the number of directors of this corporation shall be determined in the manner set forth in the Bylaws of this corporation.

ARTICLE VII

Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of this corporation shall so provide.

ARTICLE VIII

Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws of this corporation may provide. The books of this corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws of this corporation.

ARTICLE IX

To the fullest extent permitted by law, a director of this corporation shall not be personally liable to this corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the General Corporation Law is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article IX to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of this corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law as so amended.

Any amendment, repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX by the stockholders of this corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of this corporation existing at the time of, or increase the liability of any director of this corporation with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to, such amendment, repeal or modification.

ARTICLE X

This corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and, subject to the requirements of Section 6 of Article IV(B) hereof, all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

 

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ARTICLE XI

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this corporation is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers, employees and agents of this corporation (and any other persons to which General Corporation Law permits this corporation to provide indemnification) through Bylaw provisions, agreements with such persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, in excess of the indemnification and advancement otherwise permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law.

Any amendment, repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article XI shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director, officer, employee, agent or other person existing at the time of, or increase the liability of any such person with respect to any acts or omissions of such person occurring prior to, such amendment, repeal or modification.

ARTICLE XII

This corporation renounces any interest or expectancy of this corporation in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Excluded Opportunity. An “Excluded Opportunity” is any matter, transaction or interest that is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or which otherwise comes into the possession of, (i) any director of this corporation who is not an employee of this corporation or any of its subsidiaries, or (ii) any holder of Preferred Stock or any partner, member, director, stockholder, employee, affiliate or agent of any such holder, other than someone who is an employee of this corporation or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Covered Persons”), unless such matter, transaction or interest is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or otherwise comes into the possession of, a Covered Person expressly and solely in such Covered Person’s capacity as a director of this corporation. Any repeal or modification of this Article XII shall only be prospective and will not affect the rights under this Article XII in effect at the time of the occurrence of any actions or omissions to act giving rise to liability.

ARTICLE XIII

A. Forum Selection. Unless this corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of this corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of this corporation to this corporation or this corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law or this Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (i) through (iv) above, any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten (10) days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the

 

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Court of Chancery, or for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of this corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XIII.

B. Personal Jurisdiction. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Article XIII(A) is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Article XIII(A) (an “FSC Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

C. Savings. If any provision or provisions of this Article XIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XIII (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article XIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

*        *        *

THIRD: The foregoing amendment and restatement was approved by the holders of the requisite number of shares of said corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law.

FOURTH: That said Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates and integrates and further amends the provisions of this corporation’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 22nd day of January, 2021.

 

/s/ Iain Dukes
Iain Dukes, Chief Executive Officer


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT OF THE

RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”),

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

FIRST: That the name of this corporation is Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Corporation”) and that the Corporation was originally incorporated pursuant to the General Corporation Law on December 29, 2017.

SECOND: That the Board of Directors of the Corporation duly adopted resolutions proposing to amend the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders, and authorizing the appropriate officers of the Corporation to solicit the consent of the stockholders therefor, which resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

RESOLVED, that Article IV(A) of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, be amended to read in its entirety as follows:

A. Reverse Stock Split; Authorization of Stock. Immediately upon the filing of this Certificate of Amendment of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), (i) shares of Common Stock (as defined below) outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Outstanding Common Stock”), automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall be reclassified into a smaller number of shares such that every 1.32286 shares of Outstanding Common Stock are combined and reclassified into one (1) share of Common Stock; (ii) shares of Series A Preferred Stock (as defined below) outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock”), automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall be reclassified into a smaller number of shares such that every 1.32286 shares of Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock are combined and reclassified into one (1) share of Series A Preferred Stock; and (iii) shares of Series B Preferred Stock (as defined below) outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Outstanding Series B Preferred Stock”), automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall be reclassified into a smaller number of shares such that every 1.32286 shares of Outstanding Series B Preferred Stock are combined and reclassified into one (1) share of Series B Preferred Stock (collectively, the “Reverse Stock Split”). No fractional shares shall be issued upon the Reverse Stock Split of any share or shares of the Outstanding Common Stock, Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and Outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (as defined below), as applicable, to be issued to a particular stockholder shall be rounded down to the nearest whole share. In connection with the Reverse Stock Split, in lieu of fractional shares, this corporation will pay cash in an amount equal to the fair value of such fractional shares, based on the fair market value per share as determined in good faith by this corporation’s Board of Directors (as defined below) immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split. For the avoidance of doubt, the Reverse Stock Split shall not result in any change to the Conversion Rate (as defined below) of any series of Preferred Stock. Each stock certificate that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same for exchange, be deemed exchanged for a number of whole shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock after the Effective Time into which the shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock formerly represented by such certificate shall have been reclassified (as well as the right to receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock after the Effective Time), and from and after the Effective Time, the shares of all classes and series of this corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated. Following the Effective Time, this corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, common stock and preferred stock. The total number of shares that this corporation is authorized to issue is 74,785,074. The total number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued is 41,083,993, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The total number of shares of preferred stock authorized to be issued is 33,701,081, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of which 22,136,987 shares are designated as “Series A Preferred Stock” and 11,564,094 shares are designated as “Series B Preferred Stock.”


THIRD: That thereafter said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law by written consent of the stockholders holding the requisite number of shares required by statute given in accordance with and pursuant to Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Amendment of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 27th day of September, 2021.

 

/s/ Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

Timothy P. Clackson, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 3.2

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

of

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(as adopted by the Board of Directors on September 14, 2021 and

effective as of the closing of this corporation’s initial public offering)

 

 

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies as follows:

1.     The name of the corporation is Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which was the name under which the corporation was originally incorporated and the original certificate of incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 29, 2017.

2.     This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates, integrates and further amends the certificate of incorporation of the corporation, has been duly adopted by the corporation in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and has been adopted by the requisite vote of the stockholders of the corporation, acting by written consent in lieu of a meeting in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

3.    The certificate of incorporation of the corporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

FIRST: The name of the corporation is Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”).

SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any applicable successor act thereto, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).


FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 550,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”). Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL, and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.

A.    Common Stock. The powers, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the Common Stock are as follows:

1.    Ranking. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.

2.    Voting. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election and removal of directors and for all other purposes. Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended from time to time, including the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below), this “Certificate of Incorporation”) to the contrary, the holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

3.    Dividends. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and distributions and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor.

4.    Liquidation. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock, shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary. A liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, as such terms are used in this Section A(4), shall not be deemed to be occasioned by or to include any consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other person or a sale, lease, exchange, exclusive license, conveyance or other disposition of all or any part of its assets.

 

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B.    Preferred Stock

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board is hereby authorized to provide by resolution or resolutions from time to time for the issuance, out of the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, of one or more series of Preferred Stock, without stockholder approval, by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (any such certificate, a “Preferred Stock Designation”), setting forth such resolution and, with respect to each such series, establishing the number of shares to be included in such series, and fixing the voting powers, full or limited, or no voting power of the shares of such series, and the designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of each such series. The powers, designation, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. The authority of the Board with respect to each series of Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, the determination of the following:

(a)    the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title;

(b)    the number of shares of the series, which number the Board may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) without any vote of stockholders;

(c)    the amounts or rates at which dividends will be payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in respect of dividends, and whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative;

(d)    the dates on which dividends, if any, shall be payable;

(e)    the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

(f)    the terms and amount of any sinking fund, if any, provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

(g)    the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;

 

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(h)    whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series or such other security, the conversion or exchange price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible or exchangeable and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion or exchange may be made;

(i)    restrictions on the issuance or reissuance of shares of the same series or any other class or series;

(j)    the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series generally or upon specified events; and

(k)    any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock,

all as may be determined from time to time by the Board and stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such Preferred Stock.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, subject to the rights of one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.

FIFTH: This Article FIFTH is inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.

A.    General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, except as otherwise provided by this Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL.

B.    Number of Directors; Election of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term “Whole Board” will mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

C.    Classes of Directors. Subject to the special rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board shall be and is divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to Class I, Class II or Class III at the time such classification becomes effective.

 

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D.    Terms of Office. Subject to the special rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of such director’s successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.

E.    Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to the special rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class to which such director shall have been appointed, and until the election and qualification of such director’s successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.

F.    Preferred Directors. Preferred Directors. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the special right to elect additional directors, upon commencement and for the duration of such period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of additional directors, and the holders of such series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation; and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to the Preferred Stock Designation establishing such series of Preferred Stock, whichever occurs earlier, subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Except as otherwise provided by this Certificate of Incorporation, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having the special right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

 

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G.    Removal. Subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any director or the entire Board may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class.

H.    Committees. Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), the Board may establish one or more committees to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board to the full extent permitted by law.

I.    Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws. Business transacted at special meetings of stockholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.

SIXTH: Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot.

SEVENTH: To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists and as it may hereafter be amended, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Without limiting the effect of the preceding sentence, if the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a director, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. No amendment, repeal or modification of this Article SEVENTH (including due to the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article SEVENTH) shall apply to or have any adverse effect on any right or protection of, or any limitation of the liability of, a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.

EIGHTH: The Corporation may indemnify, and advance expenses to, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who was or is a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

NINTH: Subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders called in accordance with the Bylaws and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

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TENTH: Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the majority of the Whole Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Executive Chairperson or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, and may not be called by stockholders or any other person or persons. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice for such meeting.

ELEVENTH: If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the DGCL may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law; and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article ELEVENTH. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law, by this Certificate of Incorporation or by any Preferred Stock Designation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter, change or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, any of Article FIFTH, Article SEVENTH, Article EIGHTH, Article NINTH, Article TENTH, Article TWELFTH, Article THIRTEENTH and this sentence of this Certificate of Incorporation, or in each case, the definition of any capitalized terms used therein or any successor provision (including, without limitation, any such article or section as renumbered as a result of any amendment, alteration, change, repeal or adoption of any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation). Any amendment, repeal or modification of any of Article SEVENTH, Article EIGHTH and this sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of any person existing thereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

 

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TWELFTH: In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, amend and repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law, by this Certificate of Incorporation or by any Preferred Stock Designation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws.

THIRTEENTH:

A.    Forum Selection.

1.    Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, stockholder or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (3) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as the foregoing may be amended, modified, supplement, and/or restated from time to time), (4) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, or (5) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This Section A(1) shall not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.

2.    To the fullest extent permitted by law, unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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B.    Personal Jurisdiction. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section A immediately above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section A immediately above (an “FSC Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

C.    Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article THIRTEENTH.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as of this      day of             , 2021.

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Exhibit 3.4

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Amended and Restated

Bylaws

(as adopted by the Board of Directors on September 14, 2021 and

effective as of the closing of the Corporation’s initial public offering)

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Bylaws


Table of Contents

 

          Page  

Article I STOCKHOLDERS

     1  

1.1

   Place of Meetings      1  

1.2

   Annual Meeting      1  

1.3

   Special Meetings      1  

1.4

   Notice of Meetings      1  

1.5

   Voting List      2  

1.6

   Quorum      2  

1.7

   Adjournments      3  

1.8

   Voting and Proxies      3  

1.9

   Action at Meeting      4  

1.10

   Nomination of Directors      4  

1.11

   Notice of Business at Annual Meetings      8  

1.12

   Conduct of Meetings      11  

1.13

   Delivery to the Corporation      13  

Article II Directors

     13  

2.1

   General Powers      13  

2.2

   Number, Election and Qualification      13  

2.3

   Chairperson of the Board; Vice Chairperson of the Board      13  

2.4

   Lead Independent Director      13  

2.5

   Classes of Directors      14  

2.6

   Terms of Office      14  

2.7

   Quorum      14  

2.8

   Action at Meeting      14  

2.9

   Removal      14  

2.10

   Vacancies      15  

2.11

   Resignation      15  

2.12

   Regular Meetings      15  

2.13

   Special Meetings      15  

2.14

   Notice of Special Meetings      15  

2.15

   Meetings by Conference Communications Equipment      15  

2.16

   Action by Consent      16  

2.17

   Committees      16  

2.18

   Compensation of Directors      16  

Article III Officers

     17  

3.1

   Titles      17  

3.2

   Appointment      17  

3.3

   Qualification      17  

3.4

   Tenure      17  

3.5

   Removal; Resignation      17  

3.6

   Vacancies      17  

 

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3.7

   President; Chief Executive Officer      18  

3.8

   Chief Financial Officer      18  

3.9

   Vice Presidents      18  

3.10

   Secretary and Assistant Secretaries      18  

3.11

   Salaries      18  

3.12

   Delegation of Authority      19  

3.13

   Execution of Contracts      19  

Article IV Capital Stock

     19  

4.1

   Issuance of Stock      19  

4.2

   Stock Certificates; Uncertificated Shares      19  

4.3

   Transfers      20  

4.4

   Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates      20  

4.5

   Record Date      20  

4.6

   Regulations      21  

4.7

   Dividends      21  

Article V General Provisions

     21  

5.1

   Fiscal Year      21  

5.2

   Corporate Seal      21  

5.3

   Waiver of Notice      21  

5.4

   Voting of Securities      21  

5.5

   Evidence of Authority      21  

5.6

   Certificate of Incorporation      22  

5.7

   Severability      22  

5.8

   Pronouns      22  

5.9

   Electronic Transmission      22  

Article VI Amendments

     22  

Article VII Indemnification and Advancement

     22  

7.1

   Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings other than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation      22  

7.2

   Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation      23  

7.3

   Authorization of Indemnification      23  

7.4

   Good Faith Defined      24  

7.5

   Right of Claimant to Bring Suit      24  

7.6

   Expenses Payable in Advance      25  

7.7

   Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses      25  

7.8

   Insurance      25  

7.9

   Certain Definitions      25  

7.10

   Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses      26  

7.11

   Limitation on Indemnification      26  

7.12

   Contract Rights      27  

 

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Article I

STOCKHOLDERS

1.1 Place of Meetings. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Corporation”), the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President or, if not so designated, at the principal executive office of the Corporation. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication in accordance with Section 211(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any applicable successor act thereto, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).

1.2 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting shall be held on a date and at a time designated by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President (which date shall not be a legal holiday in the place, if any, where the meeting is to be held) and stated in the notice of the meeting. The Board acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by the majority of the Whole Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders, before or after the notice for such meeting has been sent to the stockholders. For purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), the term “Whole Board” will mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.

1.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by a resolution adopted by the majority of the Whole Board, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, and may not be called by any other person or persons. The Board acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by the majority of the Whole Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders, before or after the notice for such meeting has been sent to the stockholders. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.

1.4 Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice of each meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given to stockholders, any notice shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to (in a manner consistent with the DGCL) by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. The notices of all meetings shall state the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person

 

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and vote at such meeting, and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting). The notice of a special meeting shall state, in addition to the foregoing, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. If notice is given by mail, such notice shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If notice is given by overnight courier or by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed given at the time specified in Section 232 of the DGCL.

1.5 Voting List. The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (b) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 1.5 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

1.6 Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of the capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however, that where a separate vote by a class or classes or series of capital stock is required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of such class or classes or series of the capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter, present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to the vote on such matter. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum.

 

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If, however, such quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting, or (ii) the stockholders so present may, by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of the Corporation which are present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 1.7, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present or represented. For the avoidance of doubt, references in these Bylaws to “present” includes those present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board in its sole discretion.

1.7 Adjournments. The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, shall have the power to recess and/or adjourn any such meeting from time to time to any other time and to any other place (or to means of remote communication). Notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given if the time, date and place (or means of remote communication) are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if a new record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

1.8 Voting and Proxies. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law or pursuant to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder that has voting power upon the matter in question. Each stockholder of record entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may vote in person (including by means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting) or may authorize another person or persons to vote for such stockholder by a proxy executed or transmitted in a manner permitted by applicable law. The authorization of a person to act as proxy may be documented, signed and delivered in accordance with Section 116 of the DGCL, provided that such authorization shall set forth, or be delivered with, information enabling the corporation to determine the identity of the stockholder granting such authorization. No such proxy shall be voted upon after three years from the date of its execution, unless the proxy expressly provides for a longer period. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary of the corporation a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date.

 

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1.9 Action at Meeting. When a quorum is present at any meeting, any matter other than the election of directors to be voted upon by the stockholders at such meeting shall be decided by the vote of the holders of shares of stock having a majority in voting power of the votes cast by the holders of all of the shares of stock present or represented at the meeting and voting affirmatively or negatively on such matter (or if there are two or more classes or series of stock entitled to vote as separate classes, then in the case of each such class or series, the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of stock of that class or series present or represented at the meeting and voting affirmatively or negatively on such matter), except when a different vote is required by applicable law, regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. For the avoidance of doubt, neither abstentions nor broker non-votes will be counted as votes cast for or against such matter. Subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot.

1.10 Nomination of Directors.

(a) Except for (1) any director entitled to be elected pursuant to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock, (2) any directors elected in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof by the Board to fill a vacancy or newly-created directorship or (3) as otherwise required by applicable law or stock exchange regulation, at any meeting of stockholders, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures in this Section 1.10 shall be eligible for election or re-election as directors. Nomination for election to the Board at a meeting of stockholders may be made (i) by or at the direction of the Board (or any committee thereof) or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (x) timely complies with the notice procedures in Section 1.10(b), (y) is a stockholder of record on the date the stockholder gives notice provided for in Section 1.10(b) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and (z) is entitled to vote at such meeting.

(b) To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received in writing by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation as follows: (i) in the case of an election of directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (except in the case of the Corporation’s first annual meeting following its initial public offering, for which such notice shall be timely if delivered in the same time period as if such meeting were for the election of directors at a special meeting governed by this Section 1.10(b)); provided,

 

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however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting in any other year is advanced by more than thirty (30) days, or delayed by more than sixty (60) days, from the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must be so received not earlier than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (A) the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting and (B) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of such annual meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs; or (ii) in the case of an election of directors at a special meeting of stockholders, provided that the majority of the Whole Board, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer has determined, in accordance with Section 1.3, that directors shall be elected at such special meeting and provided further that the nomination made by the stockholder is for one of the director positions that the Board, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be, has determined will be filled at such special meeting, not earlier than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (x) the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting and (y) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of such special meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of such special meeting was made, whichever first occurs. In no event shall the adjournment or postponement of a meeting (or the public disclosure thereof) commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice under this Section 1.10.

The stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(A) as to each proposed nominee (1) such person’s name, age, business address and, if known, residence address, (2) such person’s principal occupation or employment, (3) the class and series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned, beneficially or of record, by such person, (4) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among (x) the stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is being made and the respective affiliates and associates of, or others acting in concert with, such stockholder and such beneficial owner, on the one hand, and (y) each proposed nominee, and such nominee’s respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert with such nominee(s), on the other hand, including all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert therewith were the “registrant” for purposes of such Item and the proposed nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, (5) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, swaps, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into by, or on

 

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behalf of, such proposed nominee, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such proposed nominee with respect to shares of stock of the Corporation, and (6) any other information concerning such person that must be disclosed as to nominees in proxy solicitations pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); and

(B) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is being made (1) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, the name and address of such beneficial owner, and the name and address of any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), (2) the class and series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned, beneficially or of record, by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and any Stockholder Associated Person, (3) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between or among such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any Stockholder Associated Person and each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are being made or who may participate in the solicitation of proxies in favor of electing such nominee(s), (4) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, swaps, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into by, or on behalf of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to shares of stock of the Corporation, (5) any other information relating to such stockholder, such beneficial owner and any Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (6) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person(s) named in its notice and (7) a representation whether such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or such Stockholder Associated Person intends or is part of a group which intends (x) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock reasonably believed by such stockholder, such beneficial owner or such Stockholder Associated Person to be sufficient to elect the nominee and/or (y) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such nomination.

Such information provided and statements made as required by clauses (A) and (B) above or otherwise by this Section 1.10 are hereinafter referred to as a “Nominee Solicitation Statement.” Not later than ten (10) days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, the information required by Items (A)(1)-(5) and (B)(1)-(5) of the prior sentence shall be supplemented by the

 

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stockholder giving the notice to provide updated information as of such record date. In addition, to be effective, the stockholder’s notice must be accompanied by a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such proposed nominee (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request) and the written consent of the proposed nominee to be named in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected and a written statement executed by the proposed nominee acknowledging that as a director of the Corporation, the nominee will owe fiduciary duties under Delaware law to the Corporation and its stockholders. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as the Corporation may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation, or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee, or whether such nominee would be independent under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission and stock exchange rules and the Corporation’s publicly disclosed corporate governance guidelines. A stockholder shall not have complied with this Section 1.10(b) if the stockholder (or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made) solicits or does not solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s nominee in contravention of the representations with respect thereto required by this Section 1.10. For purposes of these Bylaws, a “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder and on whose behalf the proposal or nomination, as the case may be, is being made, or (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such person referred to in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii).

(c) Without exception, no person shall be eligible for election or re-election as a director of the Corporation at a meeting of stockholders unless nominated in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section 1.10. In addition, a nominee shall not be eligible for election or re-election if a stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee or if the Nominee Solicitation Statement applicable to such nominee contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The chairperson of any meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination was made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.10 (including the previous sentence of this Section 1.10(c)), and if the chairperson should determine that a nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.10, the chairperson shall so declare to the meeting and such nomination shall not be brought before the meeting.

(d) Except as otherwise required by law, nothing in this Section 1.10 shall obligate the Corporation or the Board to include in any proxy statement or other stockholder communication distributed on behalf of the Corporation or the Board information with respect to any nominee for director submitted by a stockholder.

 

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(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the meeting to present a nomination, such nomination shall not be brought before the meeting, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nominee may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 1.10, to be considered a “qualified representative of the stockholder”, a person must be authorized by a written instrument executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such written instrument or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the written instrument or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

(f) For purposes of this Section 1.10, “public disclosure” shall include disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.10; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.10 (including paragraph (a)(ii) hereof), and compliance with paragraph (a)(ii) of this Section 1.10 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations. Nothing in this Section 1.10 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

1.11 Notice of Business at Annual Meetings.

(a) At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (1) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (2) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board (or any committee thereof), or (3) properly brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, (i) if such business relates to the nomination of a person for election as a director of the Corporation, the procedures in Section 1.10 must be complied with and (ii) if such business relates to any other matter, the business must constitute a proper matter under Delaware law for stockholder action and the stockholder must (x) have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary in accordance with the procedures in Section 1.11(b), (y) be a stockholder of record on the date the stockholder gives notice provided for in Section 1.11(b) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting and (z) be entitled to vote at such annual meeting.

 

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(b) To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received in writing by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (except in the case of the Corporation’s first annual meeting following its initial public offering, for which such notice shall be timely if delivered in the same time period as if such meeting were for the election of directors at a special meeting governed by Section 1.10(b)); provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting in any other year is advanced by more than thirty (30) days, or delayed by more than sixty (60) days, from the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must be so received not earlier than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (A) the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting and (B) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of such annual meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs. In no event shall the adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting (or the public disclosure thereof) commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice under this Section 1.11.

The stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth: (A) as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (1) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, (2) the text of the proposal (including the exact text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the exact text of the proposed amendment), and (3) the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, and (B) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is being made (1) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of such beneficial owner and of any Stockholder Associated Person, (2) the class and series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned, beneficially or of record, by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and any Stockholder Associated Person, (3) a description of any material interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person and the respective affiliates and associates of, or others acting in concert with, such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person in such business, (4) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between or among such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any Stockholder Associated Person and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business or who may participate in the solicitation of proxies in favor of such proposal, (5) a description

 

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of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, swaps, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into by, or on behalf of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to shares of stock of the Corporation, (6) any other information relating to such stockholder, such beneficial owner and any Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the business proposed pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (7) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting and (8) a representation whether such stockholder, such beneficial owner and/or any Stockholder Associated Person intends or is part of a group which intends (x) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal and/or (y) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal. Such information provided and statements made as required by clauses (A) and (B) above or otherwise by this Section 1.11 are hereinafter referred to as a “Business Solicitation Statement.” Not later than ten (10) days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, the information required by Items (A)(3) and (B)(1)-(6) of the prior sentence shall be supplemented by the stockholder giving the notice to provide updated information as of such record date. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at any annual meeting of stockholders except in accordance with the procedures in this Section 1.11; provided that any stockholder proposal which complies with Rule 14a-8 of the proxy rules (or any successor provision) promulgated under the Exchange Act and is to be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders shall be deemed to comply with the notice requirements of this Section 1.11. A stockholder shall not have complied with this Section 1.11(b) if the stockholder (or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made) solicits or does not solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s proposal in contravention of the representations with respect thereto required by this Section 1.11.

(c) Without exception, no business shall be conducted at any annual meeting except in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section 1.11. In addition, business proposed to be brought by a stockholder may not be brought before the annual meeting if such stockholder or a Stockholder Associated Person, as applicable, takes action contrary to the representations made in the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business or if the Business Solicitation Statement applicable to such business contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not

 

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misleading. The chairperson of any annual meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether business was properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.11 (including the previous sentence of this Section 1.11(c)), and if the chairperson should determine that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.11, the chairperson shall so declare to the meeting and such business shall not be brought before the annual meeting.

(d) Except as otherwise required by law, nothing in this Section 1.11 shall obligate the Corporation or the Board to include in any proxy statement or other stockholder communication distributed on behalf of the Corporation or the Board information with respect to any proposal submitted by a stockholder.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.11, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting to present business, such business shall not be considered, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such business may have been received by the Corporation.

(f) For purposes of this Section 1.11, the terms “qualified representative of the stockholder” and “public disclosure” shall have the same meaning as in Section 1.10.

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.11, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.11; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to proposals as to any business to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.11 (including paragraph (a)(3) hereof), and compliance with paragraph (a)(3) of this Section 1.11 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to submit business (other than, as provided in the penultimate sentence of (b), business other than nominations brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, as may be amended from time to time). Nothing in this Section 1.11 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act.

1.12 Conduct of Meetings.

(a) Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in the Chairperson’s absence by the Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in the Vice Chairperson’s absence by the Chief Executive Officer, or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence, by the President, or in the President’s absence by a Vice President, or in the absence of all of the foregoing persons by a chairperson designated by the Board. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the Secretary’s absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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(b) The Board may adopt by resolution such rules, regulations and procedures for the conduct of any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation as it shall deem appropriate including, without limitation, such guidelines and procedures as it may deem appropriate regarding the participation by means of remote communication of stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules, regulations and procedures as adopted by the Board, the chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairperson, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairperson of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as shall be determined; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

(c) The chairperson of the meeting shall announce at the meeting when the polls for each matter to be voted upon at the meeting are opened and closed. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies or votes or any revocations thereof or changes thereto may be accepted.

(d) In advance of any meeting of stockholders, the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President shall appoint one or more inspectors of election to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. One or more other persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is present, ready and willing to act at a meeting of stockholders, the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Unless otherwise required by law, inspectors may be officers, employees or agents of the Corporation. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of such inspector’s duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. The inspector shall have the duties prescribed by law and, when the vote is completed, shall make a certificate of the result of the vote taken and of such other facts as may be required by law. Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by a duly appointed inspector or duly appointed inspectors.

 

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1.13 Delivery to the Corporation. Whenever this Article I requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), unless the Corporation elects otherwise, such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered.

Article II

Directors

2.1 General Powers. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

2.2 Number, Election and Qualification. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the majority of the Whole Board. Election of directors need not be by written ballot. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.

2.3 Chairperson of the Board; Vice Chairperson of the Board. The Board may appoint from its members a Chairperson of the Board and a Vice Chairperson of the Board, neither of whom need be an employee or officer of the Corporation. If the Chairperson of the Board is an officer of the Corporation, such director may be designated by the Board the Executive Chairperson, Executive Chairman or Executive Chairwoman, as applicable. If the Board appoints a Chairperson of the Board, such Chairperson shall perform such duties and possess such powers as are assigned by the Board and, if the Chairperson of the Board is also designated as the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, shall have the powers and duties of the Chief Executive Officer prescribed in Section 3.7 of these Bylaws. If the Board appoints a Vice Chairperson of the Board, such Vice Chairperson shall perform such duties and possess such powers as are assigned by the Board. Unless otherwise provided by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board or, in the absence of the Chairperson and the Lead Independent Director (as defined below), if any, the Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the Board.

2.4 Lead Independent Director. The Board may appoint from its members that are Independent Directors a lead independent director of the Board (such director, the “Lead Independent Director”). The Lead Independent Director shall preside at all meetings of the Board at which the Chairperson of the Board is not present and shall perform such duties and possess such powers as are assigned by the Board. For purposes of these Bylaws, “Independent Director” means an “independent director” as defined under the rules of the exchange upon which the Corporation’s common stock is primarily traded.

 

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2.5 Classes of Directors. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board shall be divided into three classes, designated: Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to Class I, Class II or Class III at the time such classification becomes effective. If the number of such directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any such additional director of any class elected to fill a newly created directorship resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director or result in the removal of any such director.

2.6 Terms of Office. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, and except as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of such director’s successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.

2.7 Quorum. The greater of (a) a majority of the directors at any time in office and (b) one-third of the number of directors fixed by the Board pursuant to Section 2.2 of these Bylaws shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum of the Board. If at any meeting of the Board there shall be less than a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.

2.8 Action at Meeting. Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which apresent quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board, unless a greater number is required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

2.9 Removal. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, directors of the Corporation may be removed only as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.

 

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2.10 Vacancies. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, and unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall hold office for the remaining term of such director’s predecessor.

2.11 Resignation. Any director may resign only by delivering a resignation in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer. Such resignation shall be effective upon delivery unless it is specified to be effective at some later time or upon the happening of some later event.

2.12 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and place as shall be determined from time to time by the Board; provided that any director who is absent when such a determination is made shall be given notice of the determination. A regular meeting of the Board may be held without notice immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders.

2.13 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be held at any time and place designated in a call by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, two or more directors, or by one director in the event that there is only a single director in office.

2.14 Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the date, place and time of any special meeting of the Board shall be given to each director by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Secretary or by one of the directors calling the meeting. Notice shall be duly given to each director (a) in person or by telephone at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting, (b) by sending written notice by reputable overnight courier, telecopy, facsimile or other means of electronic transmission, or delivering written notice by hand, to such director’s last known business, home or means of electronic transmission address at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting, or (c) by sending written notice by first-class mail to such director’s last known business or home address at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the meeting; provided, however, that if, under the circumstances, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer calling a special meeting deems that more immediate action is necessary or appropriate, notice may be delivered on the day of such special meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting. A notice or waiver of notice of a meeting of the Board need not specify the purposes of the meeting.

2.15 Meetings by Conference Communications Equipment. Directors may participate in meetings of the Board or any committee thereof by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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2.16 Action by Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent to the action in writing or by electronic transmission, and any consent may be documented, signed and delivered in any manner permitted by Section 116 of the DGCL. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee thereof. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

2.17 Committees. The Board may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as the Board thereby confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members of the committee present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board and subject to the provisions of law, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation. Each such committee shall keep minutes and make such reports as the Board may from time to time request. Except as the Board may otherwise determine, any committee may make rules for the conduct of its business, but unless otherwise provided by the directors or in such rules, its business shall be conducted as nearly as possible in the same manner as is provided in these Bylaws for the Board. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or the resolution of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

2.18 Compensation of Directors. Directors may be paid such compensation for their services (including without limitation their services as members of committees of the Board) and such reimbursement for expenses of attendance at meetings as the Board may from time to time determine. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation or any of its parent or subsidiary entities in any other capacity and receiving compensation for such service.

 

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Article III

Officers

3.1 Titles. The “Executive Officers” of the Corporation shall be such persons as are designated as such by the Board and shall include, but not be limited to, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, an Executive Chairperson and a Chief Financial Officer. Additional Executive Officers may be appointed by the Board from time to time. In addition to the Executive Officers of the Corporation described above, there may also be such “Non-Executive Officers” of the Corporation as may be designated and appointed from time to time by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.2 of these Bylaws. In addition, the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries of the Corporation may be appointed by the Board from time to time.

3.2 Appointment. The Executive Officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board, subject to the rights, if any, of an Executive Officer under any contract of employment. Non-Executive Officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

3.3 Qualification. No officer need be a stockholder. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

3.4 Tenure. Except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, each officer shall hold office until such officer’s successor is duly elected and qualified, unless a different term is specified in the resolution electing or appointing such officer, or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

3.5 Removal; Resignation. Subject to the rights, if any, of an Executive Officer under any contract of employment, any Executive Officer may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time by the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board. Any Non-Executive Officer may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time by the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or by the Executive Officer to whom such Non-Executive Officer reports. Any officer may resign only by delivering a resignation in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chief Executive Officer. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some later time or upon the happening of some later event.

3.6 Vacancies. The Board may fill any vacancy occurring in any office for any reason and may, in its discretion, leave unfilled, for such period as it may determine, any offices.

 

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3.7 President; Chief Executive Officer. Unless the Board has designated another person as the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general charge and supervision of the business of the Corporation subject to the direction of the Board, and shall perform all duties and have all powers that are commonly incident to the office of chief executive or that are delegated to such officer by the Board. The President shall perform such other duties and shall have such other powers as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer (if the President is not the Chief Executive Officer) may from time to time prescribe.

3.8 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform such duties and shall have such powers as may from time to time be assigned by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, the Chief Financial Officer shall perform such duties and have such powers as are incident to the office, including without limitation the duty and power to keep and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Corporation, to deposit funds of the Corporation in depositories selected in accordance with these Bylaws, to disburse such funds as ordered by the Board, to make proper accounts of such funds, and to render as required by the Board statements of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

3.9 Vice Presidents. Each Vice President shall perform such duties and possess such powers as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time prescribe. The Board or the Chief Executive Officer may assign to any Vice President the title of Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or any other title.

3.10 Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary shall perform such duties and shall have such powers as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time prescribe. In addition, the Secretary shall perform such duties and have such powers as are incident to the office of the secretary, including without limitation the duty and power to give notices of all meetings of stockholders and special meetings of the Board, to attend all meetings of stockholders and the Board and keep a record of the proceedings, to maintain a stock ledger and prepare lists of stockholders and their addresses as required, to be custodian of corporate records and the corporate seal and to affix and attest to the same on documents.

Any Assistant Secretary shall perform such duties and possess such powers as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary may from time to time prescribe.

In the absence of the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary at any meeting of stockholders or directors, the chairperson of the meeting shall designate a temporary secretary to keep a record of the meeting.

3.11 Salaries. Executive Officers of the Corporation shall be entitled to such salaries, compensation or reimbursement as shall be fixed or allowed from time to time by the Board or a committee thereof.

 

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

3.13 Execution of Contracts. Each Executive Officer and Non-Executive Officer of the Corporation may execute, affix the corporate seal and/or deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, deeds, mortgages, notes, bonds, contracts, agreements, powers of attorney, guarantees, settlements, releases, evidences of indebtedness, conveyances or any other document or instrument which (i) is authorized by the Board or (ii) is executed in accordance with policies adopted by the Board from time to time, except in each case where the execution, affixation of the corporate seal and/or delivery thereof shall be expressly and exclusively delegated by the Board to some other officer or agent of the Corporation.

Article IV

Capital Stock

4.1 Issuance of Stock. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law, the whole or any part of any unissued balance of the authorized capital stock of the Corporation or the whole or any part of any shares of the authorized capital stock of the Corporation held in the Corporation’s treasury may be issued, sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by vote of the Board in such manner, for such lawful consideration and on such terms as the Board may determine.

4.2 Stock Certificates; Uncertificated Shares. The shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares; provided that the resolution of the Board that the shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation (or the transfer agent or registrar, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be certificated shares. Every holder of stock of the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate in such form as may be prescribed by law and by the Board, signed by, or in the name of the Corporation, by any two authorized officers of the Corporation (it being understood that each of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary, and any Assistant Secretary shall be an authorized officer for such purpose), representing the number of shares held by such holder registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

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4.3 Transfers. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law, the Certificate of Incorporation and in these Bylaws. Transfers of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made only on the books of the Corporation or by transfer agents designated to transfer shares of stock of the Corporation. Subject to applicable law, shares of stock represented by certificates shall be transferred only on the books of the Corporation by the surrender to the Corporation or its transfer agent of the certificate representing such shares properly endorsed or accompanied by a written assignment or power of attorney properly executed, and with such proof of authority or the authenticity of signature as the Corporation or its transfer agent may reasonably require. Except as may be otherwise required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, the Corporation shall be entitled to treat the record holder of stock as shown on its books as the owner of such stock for all purposes, including the payment of dividends and the right to vote with respect to such stock, regardless of any transfer, pledge or other disposition of such stock until the shares have been transferred on the books of the Corporation in accordance with the requirements of these Bylaws.

4.4 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The Corporation may issue a new certificate or uncertificated shares in place of any previously issued certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon such terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe, including the presentation of reasonable evidence of such loss, theft or destruction and the giving of such indemnity and posting of such bond as the Board may require for the protection of the Corporation or any transfer agent or registrar.

4.5 Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

 

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

4.6 Regulations. The issue and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board may establish.

4.7 Dividends. Dividends on the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law, and may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of capital stock.

Article V

General Provisions

5.1 Fiscal Year. Except as from time to time otherwise designated by the Board, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on the first day of January of each year and end on the last day of December in each year.

5.2 Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall be in such form as shall be approved by the Board.

5.3 Waiver of Notice. Whenever notice is required to be given by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, a written waiver signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before, at or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice required to be given to such person. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in any such waiver. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

5.4 Voting of Securities. Except as the Board may otherwise designate, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may waive notice, vote, consent, or appoint any person or persons to waive notice, vote or consent, on behalf of the Corporation, and act as, or appoint any person or persons to act as, proxy or attorney-in-fact for this Corporation (with or without power of substitution) with respect to, the securities of any other entity which may be held by this Corporation.

5.5 Evidence of Authority. A certificate by the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, or a temporary Secretary, as to any action taken by the stockholders, directors, a committee or any officer or representative of the Corporation shall as to all persons who rely on the certificate in good faith be conclusive evidence of such action.

 

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5.6 Certificate of Incorporation. All references in these Bylaws to the Certificate of Incorporation shall be deemed to refer to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended and/or restated and in effect from time to time.

5.7 Severability. Any determination that any provision of these Bylaws is for any reason inapplicable, illegal or ineffective shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of these Bylaws.

5.8 Pronouns. All pronouns used in these Bylaws shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine or neuter, singular or plural, as the identity of the person or persons may require.

5.9 Electronic Transmission. For purposes of these Bylaws, “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

Article VI

Amendments

These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted by the Whole Board or by the stockholders as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Article VII

Indemnification and Advancement

7.1 Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings other than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 7.3, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or Executive Officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or Executive Officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such Proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation,

 

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and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea or nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.

7.2 Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 7.3, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or Executive Officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or Executive Officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

7.3 Authorization of Indemnification. Any indemnification under this Article VII (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director or Executive Officer is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 7.1 or Section 7.2, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or Executive Officer at the time of such determination, (i) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (iv) by the stockholders. Such determination shall be made, with respect to former directors and Executive Officers, by any person or persons having the authority to act on the matter on behalf of the Corporation. To the extent, however, that a present or former director or Executive Officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding set forth in Section 7.1 or Section 7.2 or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.

 

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7.4 Good Faith Defined. For purposes of any determination under Section 7.3, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful, if such person’s action is based on good faith reliance on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to such person by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Section 7.4 shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this Section 7.4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 7.1 or 7.2, as the case may be.

7.5 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under Section 7.3, and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, if a claim under Sections 7.1 or 7.2 of this Article VII is not paid in full by the Corporation within (i) ninety (90) days after a written claim for indemnification has been received by the Corporation, or (ii) thirty (30) days after a written claim for an advancement of expenses has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter (but not before) bring suit against the Corporation in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware to recover the unpaid amount of the claim, together with interest thereon, or to obtain advancement of expenses, as applicable. It shall be a defense to any such action brought to enforce a right to indemnification (but not in an action brought to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL (or other applicable law) for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Section 7.3 nor the absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a presumption that the claimant has not met any applicable standard of conduct. If successful, in whole or in part, the claimant shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim, including reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection therewith, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

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7.6 Expenses Payable in Advance. Expenses, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, incurred by a current or former director or Executive Officer in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such current or former director or Executive Officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VII.

7.7 Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Article VII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Certificate of Incorporation, any agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that, subject to Section 7.11, indemnification of the persons specified in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article VII shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 7.1 or 7.2 but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.

7.8 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, Executive Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, Executive Officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VII.

7.9 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VII, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VII, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect of any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as

 

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a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article VII. Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article VII shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Executive Officers, Non-Executive Officers, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary, and any other officer appointed as such pursuant to and in accordance with Article III of these Bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or equivalent organizational documents of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, but not an officer thereof as described in the preceding sentence, has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be such an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, such an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article VII.

7.10 Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VII shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or Executive Officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

7.11 Limitation on Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article VII to the contrary, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Section 7.5), the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent in connection with an action, suit or proceeding (or part thereof):

(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of such person under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;

(b) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

 

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(c) for any reimbursement of the Corporation by such person of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by such person from the sale of securities of the corporation, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Corporation pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Corporation of profits arising from the purchase and sale by such person of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

(d) initiated by such person, including any action, suit or proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the action, suit or proceeding (or relevant part thereof) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Corporation provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under applicable law, (iii) otherwise required to be made under Section 7.5 or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; or

(e) if prohibited by applicable law.

7.12 Contract Rights. The obligations of the Corporation under this Article VII to indemnify, and advance expenses to, a person who is or was a director or Executive Officer of the Corporation shall be considered a contract between the Corporation and such person, and no modification or repeal of any provision of this Article VII shall affect, to the detriment of such person, such obligations of the Corporation in connection with a claim based on any act or failure to act occurring before such modification or repeal.

 

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Exhibit 4.1

 

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THESEUS PO BOX 505006, Louisville, KY 40233-5006 MR A SAMPLE DESIGNATION (IF ANY) ADD 1 ADD 2 ADD 3 ADD 4 CUSIP/IDENTIFIER Holder ID Insurance Value Number of Shares DTC Certificate Numbers 1234567890/1234567890 1234567890/1234567890 1234567890/1234567890 1234567890/1234567890 1234567890/1234567890 1234567890/1234567890 Total Transaction XXXXXX XX X XXXXXXXXXX 1,000,000.00 123456 12345678 123456789012345 Num/No. 123456 Denom. 123456 Total 1234567 ZQ|CERT#|COY|CLS|RGSTRY|ACCT#|TRANSTYPE|RUN#|TRANS# COMMON STOCK PAR VALUE $0.0001 COMMON STOCK Certificate Number ZQ00000000 THESEUS Shares * * 000000* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 000000* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 000000* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 000000* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 000000* * * * * * * * * * * * * * THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE THIS CERTIFIES THAT MR. SAMPLE & MRS. SAMPLE & MR. SAMPLE & MRS. SAMPLE ** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Sample **** Mr. Sample SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS CUSIP 88369M 10 1 is the owner of ***ZERO HUNDRED THOUSAND ZERO HUNDRED AND ZERO*** **000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000* *Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**S THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN CITIES DESIGNATED BY THE TRANSFER AGENT, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT www.computershare.com FULLY-PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (hereinafter called the Company), transferable on the books of the Company in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby, are issued and shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the By-Laws, as amended, of the Company (copies of which are on file with the Company and with the Transfer Agent), to all of which each holder, by acceptance hereof, assents. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar. Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers. FACSIMILE SIGNATURE TO COME President THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. CORPORATE SEAL 12/29/2017 DEL AWARE DATED DD-MMM-YYYY COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR, FACSIMILE SIGNATURE TO COME Secretary By AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE 1234567 SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE


LOGO

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. THE COMPANY WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH SHAREHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS, A SUMMARY OF THE POWERS, DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF STOCK OF THE COMPANY AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF SUCH PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS, AND THE VARIATIONS IN RIGHTS, PREFERENCES AND LIMITATIONS DETERMINED FOR EACH SERIES, WHICH ARE FIXED BY THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED, AND THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY, AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DETERMINE VARIATIONS FOR FUTURE SERIES. SUCH REQUEST MAY BE MADE TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY OR TO THE TRANSFER AGENT. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY REQUIRE THE OWNER OF A LOST OR DESTROYED STOCK CERTIFICATE, OR HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, TO GIVE THE COMPANY A BOND TO INDEMNIFY IT AND ITS TRANSFER AGENTS AND REGISTRARS AGAINST ANY CLAIM THAT MAY BE MADE AGAINST THEM ON ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGED LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY SUCH CERTIFICATE. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: TEN COM - as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT Custodian (Cust) (Minor) TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common UNIF TRF MIN ACT Custodian (until age) (Cust) Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. under Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (Minor) (State) For value received, hereby sell, assign and transfer unto PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) of the common stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Shares to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Company with full power of substitution in the premises. Attorney Dated: 20 Signature: Signature(s) Guaranteed: Medallion Guarantee Stamp THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (Banks, Stockbrokers, Savings and Loan Associations and Credit Unions) WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15. Signature: Notice: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate, in every particular, without alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever. The IRS requires that the named transfer agent (we) report the cost basis of certain shares or units acquired after January 1, 2011. If your shares or units are covered by the legislation, and you requested to sell or transfer the shares or units using a specific cost basis calculation method, then we have processed as you requested. If you did not specify a cost basis calculation method, then we have defaulted to the first in, first out (FIFO) method. Please consult your tax advisor if you need additional information about cost basis. If you do not keep in contact with the issuer or do not have any activity in your account for the time period specified by state law, your property may become subject to state unclaimed property laws and transferred to the appropriate state. SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS THIS IS WATERMARKED PAPER, DO NOT ACCEPT WITHOUT NOTING WATERMARK. HOLD TO LIGHT TO VERIFY WATERMARK.

Exhibit 5.1

 

   SILICON VALLEY
   ANN ARBOR
   BEIJING
   BOSTON
LOGO    LOS ANGELES
   NEW YORK
   SAN DIEGO
   SAN FRANCISCO
   SINGAPORE

September 30, 2021

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

245 Main Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You have requested our opinion with respect to certain matters in connection with the sale by Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), of up to an aggregate of 9,583,525 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), (including up to 1,250,025 shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise of an option granted by the Company to the underwriters), pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-259549) (the “Registration Statement”) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), on September 15, 2021, as amended. We understand that the Shares are to be sold to the underwriters for resale to the public as described in the Registration Statement and pursuant to an underwriting agreement, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, to be entered into by and among the Company and the underwriters (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement and the originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such other documents, records, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof and the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are a prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof.

This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares. Our opinion is limited to the matters stated herein and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. Our opinion herein is expressed solely with respect to the federal laws of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). Our opinion is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments which hereafter may be brought to our attention and which may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein. We are not rendering any opinion as to compliance with any federal or state antifraud law, rule or regulation relating to securities, or to the sale or issuance thereof.

GUNDERSON DETTMER STOUGH VILLENEUVE FRANKLIN & HACHIGIAN, LLP

550 ALLERTON STREET, REDWOOD CITY, CA 94063 / PHONE: 650.321.2400 / FAX: 650.321.2800


Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that when the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Sincerely,
/s/   Gunderson Dettmer Stough
  Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
GUNDERSON DETTMER STOUGH
VILLENEUVE FRANKLIN & HACHIGIAN, LLP

Exhibit 10.1

Form of Indemnification Agreement

This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of [•], 2021 by and between Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [•] (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.

Recitals

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) believes that highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors or officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Bylaws, as amended and restated, of the Company (the “Bylaws”) and the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and restated, of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). The Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification may increase the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

 

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WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve or continue to serve as an officer or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified[.]//[;]

[WHEREAS, Indemnitee is or may become a representative of or affiliated with a venture capital fund (together with any affiliated venture capital funds and the general partners, managing members or other control persons and/or any affiliated management companies, the “VC Funds,” and each, individually, a “VC Fund”), and has certain rights to indemnification and/or insurance provided by the VC Funds, which Indemnitee and the VC Fund intend to be secondary to the primary obligation of the Company to indemnify Indemnitee as provided herein, with the Company’s acknowledgement and agreement to the foregoing being a material condition to Indemnitee’s willingness to serve on the Board.]1

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve, as applicable, as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that Indemnitee’s employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), if any, is at will, and Indemnitee may be discharged at

 

1 

To be included for certain directors.

 

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any time for any reason, with or without cause, except as may be otherwise provided in any written employment contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), other applicable formal severance policies duly adopted by the Board, or, with respect to service as a director or officer of the Company, by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s Bylaws, and the DGCL. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve, as applicable, as an officer, director, agent or employee of the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as provided in Section 16 hereof.

Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:

(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer, or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or other official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

(b) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

i. Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities unless the change in relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not include any Person having such status prior to the consummation of the initial public offering of the Company’s securities unless after the initial public offering such Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of additional securities of the Company representing in the aggregate an additional five percent (5%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;

ii. Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(b)(i), 2(b)(iii) or 2(b)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

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iii. Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;

iv. Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and

v. Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

For purposes of this Section 2(b), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(A) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

(B) “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

(C) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity.

(c) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership or joint venture, trust or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.

 

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(d) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

(e) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, employee, agent or fiduciary.

(f) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts and other professionals, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 14(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable in the good faith judgment of such counsel shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

(g) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

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(h) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee (or a failure to take action by Indemnitee) or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement. If Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph.

(i) Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries, including as a deemed fiduciary thereto; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.

Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, vote of its stockholders or disinterested directors or applicable law.

 

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Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court (as hereinafter defined) or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

Section 6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.

Section 7. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

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Section 8. Additional Indemnification.

(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.

(b) For purposes of Section 8(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to:

i. to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and

ii. to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.

Section 9. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification payment in connection with any claim involving Indemnitee:

(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or

(b) for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (as defined in Section 2(b) hereof) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, (ii) any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) or (iii) any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act; or

 

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(c) except as provided in Section 14(d) of this Agreement, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.

Section 10. Advances of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 14(d)), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee or any Proceeding initiated by Indemnitee with the prior approval of the Board as provided in Section 9(c), and such advancement shall be made within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. In accordance with Section 14(d), advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement, which shall constitute an undertaking providing that Indemnitee undertakes to repay the amounts advanced (without interest) to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. This Section 10 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 9.

Section 11. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.

(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of such Proceeding. The omission by Indemnitee to notify the Company hereunder will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

 

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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.

Section 12. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.

(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (D) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company; and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied.

(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

Section 13. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.

(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(b) Subject to Section 14(e), if the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 13(b) shall not apply (i) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board has resolved to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy-five (75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat, or (ii) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.

(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser, financial advisor or other expert selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.

(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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Section 14. Remedies of Indemnitee.

(a) Subject to Section 14(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6 or 7 or the second to last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 8 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 14(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.

(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.

(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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(d) The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to Indemnitee hereunder. The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company if, in the case of indemnification, Indemnitee is wholly successful on the underlying claims; if Indemnitee is not wholly successful on the underlying claims, then such indemnification shall be only to the extent Indemnitee is successful on such underlying claims or otherwise as permitted by law, whichever is greater.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.

Section 15. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.

(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

 

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(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of a Proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. In the event of a Change in Control, or the Company becoming insolvent (including being placed into receivership or entering the federal bankruptcy process and the like), the Company shall maintain in force any and all insurance policies then maintained by the Company in respect of Indemnitee (including directors’ and officers’ liability, fiduciary, employment practices or otherwise), for a period of six years thereafter (“Tail Policy”). The Tail Policy shall be placed by the broker of the Company’s choice with incumbent insurance carriers using the policies that were in place at the time of the Change in Control (unless the incumbent carriers do not offer such policies, in which case the Tail Policy shall be substantially comparable in scope and amount as the expiring policies, and the insurance carriers for the Tail Policy shall have an AM Best rating that is the same or better than the AM Best ratings of the expiring policies).

(c) [The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by the VC Fund and certain of its affiliates (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitors”). The Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (or any agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Fund Indemnitors, and, (iii) that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Fund Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms hereof.]2

 

2 

To be included for certain directors.

 

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(d) Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, i]//[I]n the event of any payment made by the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

(e) Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, t]//[T]he Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

(f) Except as provided in paragraph (c) above, t]//[T]he Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

Section 16. Duration of Agreement; Successors.

(a) This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (i) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise or (ii) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement relating thereto. For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement shall provide for rights of indemnification and advancement of Expenses as set forth herein for any event or occurrence related to Indemnitee’s service for the Company, regardless of whether such events or occurrences occurred before or after the date of this Agreement.

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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(b) The indemnification and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

Section 17. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

Section 18. Enforcement.

(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director or officer of the Company.

(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

Section 19. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

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Section 20. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.

Section 21. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (d) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:

(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.

(b) If to the Company to:

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

[•]

[•]

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:

Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP

550 Allerton Street

Redwood City, California, 94063

Attention: Marcia A. Hatch, Esq.

  Colin G. Conklin, Esq.

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

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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Section 23. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Court”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, irrevocably [Name, Address] as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

Section 24. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

Section 25. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

                

  

INDEMNITEE

By:

 

 

    

 

Name:

    

Name:

 

Office:

    

Address:

 

 

        

 

        

 

 

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Indemnification Agreement

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Exhibit 10.3

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

(AS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2021)


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

ARTICLE 1.    INTRODUCTION.

The Board adopted the Plan to become effective immediately, although no Awards may be granted prior to the IPO Date. The purpose of the Plan is to promote the long-term success of the Company and the creation of stockholder value by (a) encouraging Service Providers to focus on critical long-range corporate objectives, (b) encouraging the attraction and retention of Service Providers with exceptional qualifications and (c) linking Service Providers directly to stockholder interests through increased stock ownership. The Plan seeks to achieve this purpose by providing for Awards in the form of Options (which may be ISOs or NSOs), SARs, Restricted Shares and Restricted Stock Units. Capitalized terms used in this Plan are defined in Article 14.

ARTICLE 2.    ADMINISTRATION.

2.1    General. The Plan may be administered by the Board or one or more Committees to which the Board (or an authorized Board committee) has delegated authority. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have the powers theretofore possessed by the Board, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the power to delegate to a subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to either the Board or the Administrator shall hereafter also encompass the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). The Board may abolish the Committee’s delegation at any time and the Board shall at all times also retain the authority it has delegated to the Committee. The Administrator shall comply with rules and regulations applicable to it, including under the rules of any exchange on which the Common Shares are traded, and shall have the authority and be responsible for such functions as have been assigned to it.

2.2    Section 16. To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder will be approved by the entire Board or a Committee of two or more “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3.

2.3    Powers of Administrator. Subject to the terms of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated to the Committee, the Administrator shall have the authority to (a) select the Service Providers who are to receive Awards under the Plan, (b) determine the type, number, vesting requirements and other features and conditions of such Awards, (c) interpret the Plan and Awards granted under the Plan, (d) determine whether, when and to what extent an Award has become vested and/or exercisable and whether any performance-based vesting conditions have been satisfied, (e) make, amend and rescind rules relating to the Plan and Awards granted under the Plan, including rules relating to sub-plans established for the purposes of satisfying applicable foreign laws or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable foreign laws, (f) impose such restrictions, conditions or limitations as it determines appropriate as to the timing and manner of any resales by a Participant of any Common Shares issued pursuant to an Award, including restrictions under an insider trading policy and restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales, and (g) make all other decisions relating to the operation of the Plan and Awards granted under the Plan. In addition, with regard to the terms and conditions of Awards granted to Service Providers outside of the United States, the Administrator may vary from the provisions of the Plan (other than any requiring stockholder approval pursuant to Section 13.3) to the extent it determines it necessary and appropriate to do so.


2.4    Effect of Administrator’s Decisions. The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations shall be final and binding on all interested parties.

2.5    Governing Law. The Plan, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract, tort or statute) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to the Plan or any Award, shall be governed by, and enforced in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any laws, rules or provisions of the State of Delaware that would cause the application of the laws, rules or provisions of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE 3.    SHARES AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS.

3.1    Basic Limitation. Common Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares. The aggregate number of Common Shares issued under the Plan shall not exceed the sum of (a) 4,395,080 Common Shares, plus (b) up to 4,699,003 Common Shares (i) subject to awards granted under the Predecessor Plan that are outstanding on the IPO Date and that subsequently are forfeited, expire or lapse unexercised or unsettled and (ii) issued pursuant to awards granted under the Predecessor Plan that are outstanding on the IPO Date and that are subsequently forfeited to or reacquired by the Company, and (c) the additional Common Shares described in Articles 3.2 and 3.3. The Company shall reserve and keep available such number of Common Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. The numerical limitations in this Article 3.1 shall be subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 9.

3.2    Annual Increase in Shares. On the first day of each fiscal year of the Company during the term of the Plan, commencing on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2031, the aggregate number of Common Shares that may be issued under the Plan shall automatically increase by a number equal to the lesser of (a) five percent (5%) of the total number of Common Shares actually issued and outstanding on the last day of the preceding fiscal year, or (b) a number of Common Shares determined by the Board.

3.3    Shares Returned to Reserve. To the extent that Options, SARs, Restricted Stock Units or other Awards are forfeited, cancelled or expire for any reason before being exercised or settled in full, the Common Shares subject to such Awards shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. If SARs are exercised or Restricted Stock Units are settled, then only the number of Common Shares (if any) actually issued to the Participant upon exercise of such SARs or settlement of such Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, shall reduce the number of Common Shares available under Article 3.1 and the balance shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. If Restricted Shares or Common Shares issued upon the exercise of Options are reacquired by the Company pursuant to a forfeiture provision, repurchase right or for any other reason, then such Common Shares shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. Common Shares applied to pay the Exercise Price of Options or to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to any Award shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. To the extent that an Award is settled in cash rather than Common Shares, the cash settlement shall not reduce the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan.


3.4    Awards Not Reducing Share Reserve. To the extent permitted under applicable exchange listing standards, any dividend equivalents paid or credited under the Plan with respect to Restricted Stock Units shall not be applied against the number of Common Shares that may be issued under the Plan, whether or not such dividend equivalents are converted into Restricted Stock Units. In addition, Common Shares subject to Substitute Awards granted by the Company shall not reduce the number of Common Shares that may be issued under Article 3.1, nor shall shares subject to Substitute Awards again be available for Awards under the Plan in the event of any forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement of such Substitute Awards.

3.5    Code Section 422 Limit. Subject to adjustment in accordance with Article 9, no more than 30,000,000 Common Shares may be issued under the Plan upon the exercise of ISOs.

ARTICLE 4.    ELIGIBILITY.

4.1    Incentive Stock Options. Only Employees who are common-law employees of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary shall be eligible for the grant of ISOs. In addition, an Employee who owns more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of outstanding stock of the Company or any of its Parents or Subsidiaries shall not be eligible for the grant of an ISO unless the additional requirements set forth in Code Section 422(c)(5) are satisfied.

4.2    Other Awards. Awards other than ISOs may be granted to both Employees and other Service Providers.

ARTICLE 5.    OPTIONS.

5.1    Stock Option Agreement. Each grant of an Option under the Plan shall be evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement between the Optionee and the Company. Such Option shall be subject to all applicable terms of the Plan and may be subject to any other terms that are not inconsistent with the Plan. The Stock Option Agreement shall specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or an NSO. The provisions of the various Stock Option Agreements entered into under the Plan need not be identical.

5.2    Number of Shares. Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the number of Common Shares subject to the Option, which number shall adjust in accordance with Article 9.

5.3    Exercise Price. Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the Exercise Price, which shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of grant. The preceding sentence shall not apply to an Option that is a Substitute Award granted in a manner that would satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A and, if applicable, Code Section 424(a).

5.4    Exercisability and Term. Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the date or event when all or any installment of the Option is to become vested and/or exercisable. The vesting and exercisability conditions applicable to the Option may include service-based conditions, performance-based conditions, such other conditions as the Administrator may determine, or any combination of such conditions. The Stock Option Agreement shall also specify the term of the Option; provided that, except to the extent necessary to comply with applicable foreign law, the term of an Option shall in no event exceed 10 years from the date of grant. A Stock Option Agreement may provide for accelerated vesting and/or exercisability upon certain specified events and may provide for expiration prior to the end of its term in the event of the termination of the Optionee’s service.


5.5    Death of Optionee. After an Optionee’s death, any vested and exercisable Options held by such Optionee may be exercised by his or her beneficiary or beneficiaries. Each Optionee may designate one or more beneficiaries for this purpose by filing the prescribed form with the Company. A beneficiary designation may be changed by filing the prescribed form with the Company at any time before the Optionee’s death. If no beneficiary was designated or if no designated beneficiary survives the Optionee, then any vested and exercisable Options held by the Optionee may be exercised by his or her estate.

5.6    Modification or Assumption of Options. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Administrator may modify, reprice, extend or assume outstanding options or may accept the cancellation of outstanding options (whether granted by the Company or by another issuer) in return for the grant of new Options for the same or a different number of shares and at the same or a different exercise price or in return for the grant of a different type of Award. The foregoing notwithstanding, no modification of an Option shall, without the consent of the Optionee, materially impair his or her rights under such Option.

5.7    Buyout Provisions. The Administrator may at any time (a) offer to buy out for a payment in cash or cash equivalents an Option previously granted or (b) authorize an Optionee to elect to cash out an Option previously granted, in either case at such time and based upon such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall establish.

5.8    Payment for Option Shares. The entire Exercise Price of Common Shares issued upon exercise of Options shall be payable in cash or cash equivalents at the time when such Common Shares are purchased. In addition, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by applicable law, accept payment of all or a portion of the Exercise Price through any one or a combination of the following forms or methods:

(a)    Subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, by surrendering, or attesting to the ownership of, Common Shares that are already owned by the Optionee with a value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Common Shares as to which such Option will be exercised;

(b)    By delivering (on a form prescribed by the Company) an irrevocable direction to a securities broker approved by the Company to sell all or part of the Common Shares being purchased under the Plan and to deliver all or part of the sales proceeds to the Company;

(c)    Subject to such conditions and requirements as the Administrator may impose from time to time, through a net exercise procedure; or

(d)    Through any other form or method consistent with applicable laws, regulations and rules.

ARTICLE 6.    STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

6.1    SAR Agreement. Each grant of a SAR under the Plan shall be evidenced by a SAR Agreement between the Optionee and the Company. Such SAR shall be subject to all applicable terms of the Plan and may be subject to any other terms that are not inconsistent with the Plan. The provisions of the various SAR Agreements entered into under the Plan need not be identical.


6.2    Number of Shares. Each SAR Agreement shall specify the number of Common Shares to which the SAR pertains, which number shall adjust in accordance with Article 9.

6.3    Exercise Price. Each SAR Agreement shall specify the Exercise Price, which shall in no event be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of grant. The preceding sentence shall not apply to a SAR that is a Substitute Award granted in a manner that would satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A.

6.4    Exercisability and Term. Each SAR Agreement shall specify the date when all or any installment of the SAR is to become vested and exercisable. The vesting and exercisability conditions applicable to the SAR may include service-based conditions, performance-based conditions, such other conditions as the Administrator may determine, or any combination thereof. The SAR Agreement shall also specify the term of the SAR; provided that except to the extent necessary to comply with applicable foreign law, the term of a SAR shall not exceed 10 years from the date of grant. A SAR Agreement may provide for accelerated vesting and exercisability upon certain specified events and may provide for expiration prior to the end of its term in the event of the termination of the Optionee’s service.

6.5    Exercise of SARs. Upon exercise of a SAR, the Optionee (or any person having the right to exercise the SAR after his or her death) shall receive from the Company (a) Common Shares, (b) cash or (c) a combination of Common Shares and cash, as the Administrator shall determine. The amount of cash and/or the Fair Market Value of Common Shares received upon exercise of SARs shall, in the aggregate, not exceed the amount by which the Fair Market Value (on the date of surrender) of the Common Shares subject to the SARs exceeds the Exercise Price. If, on the date when a SAR expires, the Exercise Price is less than the Fair Market Value on such date but any portion of such SAR has not been exercised or surrendered, then such SAR shall automatically be deemed to be exercised as of such date with respect to such portion. A SAR Agreement may also provide for an automatic exercise of the SAR on an earlier date.

6.6    Death of Optionee. After an Optionee’s death, any vested and exercisable SARs held by such Optionee may be exercised by his or her beneficiary or beneficiaries. Each Optionee may designate one or more beneficiaries for this purpose by filing the prescribed form with the Company. A beneficiary designation may be changed by filing the prescribed form with the Company at any time before the Optionee’s death. If no beneficiary was designated or if no designated beneficiary survives the Optionee, then any vested and exercisable SARs held by the Optionee at the time of his or her death may be exercised by his or her estate.

6.7    Modification or Assumption of SARs. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Administrator may modify, reprice, extend or assume outstanding stock appreciation rights or may accept the cancellation of outstanding stock appreciation rights (whether granted by the Company or by another issuer) in return for the grant of new SARs for the same or a different number of shares and at the same or a different exercise price or in return for the grant of a different type of Award. The foregoing notwithstanding, no modification of a SAR shall, without the consent of the Optionee, materially impair his or her rights under such SAR.


ARTICLE 7.    RESTRICTED SHARES.

7.1    Restricted Stock Agreement. Each grant of Restricted Shares under the Plan shall be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Agreement between the recipient and the Company. Such Restricted Shares shall be subject to all applicable terms of the Plan and may be subject to any other terms that are not inconsistent with the Plan. The provisions of the various Restricted Stock Agreements entered into under the Plan need not be identical.

7.2    Payment for Awards. Restricted Shares may be sold or awarded under the Plan for such consideration as the Administrator may determine, including (without limitation) cash, cash equivalents, property, cancellation of other equity awards, promissory notes, past services and future services, and such other methods of payment as are permitted by applicable law.

7.3    Vesting Conditions. Each Award of Restricted Shares may or may not be subject to vesting and/or other conditions as the Administrator may determine. Vesting shall occur, in full or in installments, upon satisfaction of the conditions specified in the Restricted Stock Agreement. Vesting conditions may include service-based conditions, performance-based conditions, such other conditions as the Administrator may determine, or any combination thereof. A Restricted Stock Agreement may provide for accelerated vesting upon certain specified events.

7.4    Voting and Dividend Rights. The holders of Restricted Shares awarded under the Plan shall have the same voting, dividend and other rights as the Company’s other stockholders, unless the Administrator otherwise provides. A Restricted Stock Agreement, however, may require that any cash dividends paid on Restricted Shares (a) be accumulated and paid when such Restricted Shares vest, or (b) be invested in additional Restricted Shares. Such additional Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the shares subject to the Award with respect to which the dividends were paid. In addition, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, if any dividends or other distributions are paid in Common Shares, such Common Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Shares with respect to which they were paid.

7.5    Modification or Assumption of Restricted Shares. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Administrator may modify or assume outstanding Restricted Shares or may accept the cancellation of outstanding restricted shares (whether granted by the Company or by another issuer) in return for the grant of new Restricted Shares for the same or a different number of shares or in return for the grant of a different type of Award. The foregoing notwithstanding, no modification of Restricted Shares shall, without the consent of the Participant, materially impair his or her rights under such Restricted Shares.

ARTICLE 8.    RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS.

8.1    Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Each grant of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan shall be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Unit Agreement between the recipient and the Company. Such Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to all applicable terms of the Plan and may be subject to any other terms that are not inconsistent with the Plan. The provisions of the various Restricted Stock Unit Agreements entered into under the Plan need not be identical.

8.2    Payment for Awards. To the extent that an Award is granted in the form of Restricted Stock Units, no cash consideration shall be required of the Award recipients.


8.3    Vesting Conditions. Each Award of Restricted Stock Units may or may not be subject to vesting, as determined by the Administrator. Vesting shall occur, in full or in installments, upon satisfaction of the conditions specified in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Vesting conditions may include service-based conditions, performance-based conditions, such other conditions as the Administrator may determine, or any combination thereof. A Restricted Stock Unit Agreement may provide for accelerated vesting upon certain specified events.

8.4    Voting and Dividend Rights. The holders of Restricted Stock Units shall have no voting rights. Prior to settlement or forfeiture, Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan may, at the Administrator’s discretion, provide for a right to dividend equivalents. Such right entitles the holder to be credited with an amount equal to all cash dividends paid on one Common Share while the Restricted Stock Unit is outstanding. Dividend equivalents may be converted into additional Restricted Stock Units. Settlement of dividend equivalents may be made in the form of cash, in the form of Common Shares, or in a combination of both. Prior to distribution, any dividend equivalents shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the Restricted Stock Units to which they attach.

8.5    Form and Time of Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. Settlement of vested Restricted Stock Units may be made in the form of (a) cash, (b) Common Shares or (c) any combination of both, as determined by the Administrator. The actual number of Restricted Stock Units eligible for settlement may be larger or smaller than the number included in the original Award, based on predetermined performance factors. Methods of converting Restricted Stock Units into cash may include (without limitation) a method based on the average value of Common Shares over a series of trading days. Vested Restricted Stock Units shall be settled in such manner and at such time(s) as specified in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Until an Award of Restricted Stock Units is settled, the number of such Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 9.

8.6    Death of Recipient. Any Restricted Stock Units that become payable after the recipient’s death shall be distributed to the recipient’s beneficiary or beneficiaries. Each recipient of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan may designate one or more beneficiaries for this purpose by filing the prescribed form with the Company. A beneficiary designation may be changed by filing the prescribed form with the Company at any time before the Award recipient’s death. If no beneficiary was designated or if no designated beneficiary survives the Award recipient, then any Restricted Stock Units that become payable after the recipient’s death shall be distributed to the recipient’s estate.

8.7    Modification or Assumption of Restricted Stock Units. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Administrator may modify or assume outstanding restricted stock units or may accept the cancellation of outstanding restricted stock units (whether granted by the Company or by another issuer) in return for the grant of new Restricted Stock Units for the same or a different number of shares or in return for the grant of a different type of Award. The foregoing notwithstanding, no modification of a Restricted Stock Unit shall, without the consent of the Participant, materially impair his or her rights under such Restricted Stock Unit.

8.8    Creditors Rights. A holder of Restricted Stock Units shall have no rights other than those of a general creditor of the Company. Restricted Stock Units represent an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Agreement.


ARTICLE 9.    ADJUSTMENTS; DISSOLUTIONS AND LIQUIDATIONS; CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS.

9.1    Adjustments. In the event of a subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares, a declaration of a dividend payable in Common Shares, a combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise) into a lesser number of Common Shares or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Common Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company, proportionate adjustments shall be made to the following:

(a)    The number and kind of shares available for issuance under Article 3, including the numerical share limits in Articles 3.1 and 3.5;

(b)    The number and kind of shares covered by each outstanding Option, SAR and Restricted Stock Unit; and/or

(c)    The Exercise Price applicable to each outstanding Option and SAR, and the repurchase price, if any, applicable to Restricted Shares.

In the event of a declaration of an extraordinary dividend payable in a form other than Common Shares in an amount that has a material effect on the price of Common Shares, a recapitalization, a spin-off or a similar occurrence, the Administrator may make such adjustments as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate to the foregoing. Any adjustment in the number of shares subject to an Award under this Article 9.1 shall be rounded down to the nearest whole share, although the Administrator in its sole discretion may make a cash payment in lieu of a fractional share. Except as provided in this Article 9, a Participant shall have no rights by reason of any issuance by the Company of stock of any class or securities convertible into stock of any class, any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any stock dividend or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class.

9.2    Dissolution or Liquidation. To the extent not previously exercised or settled, Options, SARs and Restricted Stock Units shall terminate immediately prior to the dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

9.3    Corporate Transactions. In the event that the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, or a Change in Control (other than one described in Article 14.7(d)), all Common Shares acquired under the Plan and all Awards outstanding on the effective date of the transaction shall be treated in the manner described in the definitive transaction agreement (or, in the event the transaction does not entail a definitive agreement to which the Company is party, in the manner determined by the Administrator, with such determination having final and binding effect on all parties), which agreement or determination need not treat all Awards (or portions thereof) in an identical manner. Unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise, the treatment specified in the transaction agreement or by the Administrator may include (without limitation) one or more of the following with respect to each outstanding Award:

(a)    The continuation of such outstanding Award by the Company (if the Company is the surviving entity);


(b)    The assumption of such outstanding Award by the surviving entity or its parent, provided that the assumption of an Option or a SAR shall comply with applicable tax requirements;

(c)    The substitution by the surviving entity or its parent of an equivalent award for such outstanding Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the holders of Common Shares in the transaction), provided that the substitution of an Option or a SAR shall comply with applicable tax requirements;

(d)    In the case of an Option or SAR, the cancellation of such Award without payment of any consideration. An Optionee shall be able to exercise his or her outstanding Option or SAR, to the extent such Option or SAR is then vested or becomes vested as of the effective time of the transaction, during a period of not less than five full business days preceding the closing date of the transaction, unless (i) a shorter period is required to permit a timely closing of the transaction and (ii) such shorter period still offers the Optionee a reasonable opportunity to exercise such Option or SAR;

(e)    The cancellation of such Award and a payment to the Participant with respect to each share subject to the portion of the Award that is vested or becomes vested as of the effective time of the transaction equal to the excess of (A) the value, as determined by the Administrator in its absolute discretion, of the property (including cash) received by the holder of a Common Share as a result of the transaction, over (if applicable) (B) the per-share Exercise Price of such Award (such excess, if any, the “Spread”). Such payment shall be made in the form of cash, cash equivalents, or securities of the surviving entity or its parent having a value equal to the Spread. In addition, any escrow, holdback, earn-out or similar provisions in the transaction agreement may apply to such payment to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the holders of Common Shares. If the Spread applicable to an Award (whether or not vested) is zero or a negative number, then the Award may be cancelled without making a payment to the Participant. In the event that an Award is subject to Code Section 409A, the payment described in this clause (e) shall be made on the settlement date specified in the applicable Award Agreement, provided that settlement may be accelerated in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4); or

(f)    The assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of an Award of Restricted Shares to the surviving entity or its parent, with corresponding proportionate adjustments made to the price per share to be paid upon exercise of any such reacquisition or repurchase rights.

Unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise, each outstanding Award held by a Participant who remains a Service Provider as of the effective time of a merger, consolidation or Change in Control (other than one described in Article 14.7(d)) (a “Current Participant”) shall become fully vested and, if applicable, exercisable (with any performance-based vesting conditions applicable to an Award deemed achieved at 100% of target levels) immediately prior to the effective time of the transaction. However, the prior sentence shall not apply, and an outstanding Award shall not become vested and, if applicable, exercisable, if and to the extent the Award is continued, assumed or substituted as provided for in clauses (a), (b) or (c) above.    In addition, the prior two sentences shall not apply to an Award held by a Participant who is not a Current Participant, unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise or unless the Company and the acquirer agree otherwise.


For avoidance of doubt, the Administrator shall have the discretion, exercisable either at the time an Award is granted or at any time while the Award remains outstanding, to provide for the acceleration of vesting upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, whether or not the Award is to be assumed or replaced in the transaction, or in connection with a termination of the Participant’s service following a transaction.

Any action taken under this Article 9.3 shall either preserve an Award’s status as exempt from Code Section 409A or comply with Code Section 409A.

ARTICLE 10.    OTHER AWARDS.

Subject in all events to the limitations under Article 3 above as to the number of Common Shares available for issuance under this Plan, the Company may grant other forms of Awards not specifically described herein and may grant awards under other plans or programs, where such awards are settled in the form of Common Shares issued under this Plan. Such Common Shares shall be treated for all purposes under the Plan like Common Shares issued in settlement of Restricted Stock Units and shall, when issued, reduce the number of Common Shares available under Article 3.

ARTICLE 11.    LIMITATION ON RIGHTS.

11.1    Retention Rights. Neither the Plan nor any Award granted under the Plan shall be deemed to give any individual a right to remain a Service Provider. The Company and its Parents, Subsidiaries and Affiliates reserve the right to terminate the service of any Service Provider at any time, with or without cause, subject to applicable laws, the Company’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws and a written employment agreement (if any).

11.2    Stockholders Rights. Except as set forth in Article 7.4 or 8.4 above, a Participant shall have no dividend rights, voting rights or other rights as a stockholder with respect to any Common Shares covered by his or her Award prior to the time when a stock certificate for such Common Shares is issued or, if applicable, the time when he or she becomes entitled to receive such Common Shares by filing any required notice of exercise and paying any required Exercise Price. No adjustment shall be made for cash dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to such time, except as expressly provided in the Plan.

11.3    Regulatory Requirements. Any other provision of the Plan notwithstanding, the obligation of the Company to issue Common Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations and such approval by any regulatory body as may be required. The Company reserves the right to restrict, in whole or in part, the delivery of Common Shares pursuant to any Award prior to the satisfaction of all legal requirements relating to the issuance of such Common Shares, to their registration, qualification or listing or to an exemption from registration, qualification or listing. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed necessary by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Common Shares as to which such requisite authority will not have been obtained.


11.4    Transferability of Awards. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit transfer of an Award in a manner consistent with applicable law. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Awards shall be transferable by a Participant only by (a) beneficiary designation, (b) a will or (c) the laws of descent and distribution; provided that, in any event, an ISO may only be transferred by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of the Optionee only by the Optionee or by the Optionee’s guardian or legal representative

11.5    Recoupment Policy. All Awards granted under the Plan, all amounts paid under the Plan and all Common Shares issued under the Plan shall be subject to recoupment, clawback or recovery by the Company in accordance with applicable law and with Company policy (whenever adopted) regarding same, whether or not such policy is intended to satisfy the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or other applicable law, as well as any implementing regulations and/or listing standards thereunder.

11.6    Other Conditions and Restrictions on Common Shares. Any Common Shares issued under the Plan shall be subject to such forfeiture conditions, rights of repurchase, rights of first refusal, other transfer restrictions and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine. Such conditions and restrictions shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement and shall apply in addition to any restrictions that may apply to holders of Common Shares generally. In addition, Common Shares issued under the Plan shall be subject to such conditions and restrictions imposed either by applicable law or by Company policy, as adopted from time to time, designed to ensure compliance with applicable law or laws with which the Company determines in its sole discretion to comply including in order to maintain any statutory, regulatory or tax advantage.

ARTICLE 12.    TAXES.

12.1    General. It is a condition to each Award under the Plan that a Participant or his or her successor shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the satisfaction of any federal, state, local or foreign withholding tax obligations that arise in connection with any Award granted under the Plan. The Company shall not be required to issue any Common Shares or make any cash payment under the Plan unless such obligations are satisfied.

12.2    Share Withholding. To the extent that applicable law subjects a Participant to tax withholding obligations, the Administrator may permit such Participant to satisfy all or part of such obligations by having the Company withhold all or a portion of any Common Shares that otherwise would be issued to him or her or by surrendering all or a portion of any Common Shares that he or she previously acquired. Such Common Shares shall be valued on the date when they are withheld or surrendered. Any payment of taxes by assigning Common Shares to the Company may be subject to restrictions including any restrictions required by the SEC, accounting or other rules.

12.3    Section 409A Matters. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in an Award Agreement, it is intended that Awards granted under the Plan either be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Code Section 409A. To the extent an Award is subject to Code Section 409A (a “409A Award”), the terms of the Plan, the Award and any written agreement governing the Award shall be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A so that the Award is not subject to additional tax or interest under Code Section 409A, unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise. In the event that any (i) provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement, (ii) Award, payment, transaction or (iii) other action or arrangement contemplated by the provisions of the Plan is determined by the Administrator to not comply with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A, the Administrator shall have the authority to take such actions and to make such changes to the Plan or an Award Agreement as the Administrator deems necessary to comply with such requirements; provided, however, that no such action shall materially impair a Participant’s rights under an Award without the consent of the affected Participant. A 409A Award shall be subject to such additional rules and requirements as specified by the Administrator from time to time in order for it to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A. No payment that constitutes deferred compensation under Code Section 409A that would otherwise be made under the Plan or an Award Agreement upon a termination of service will be made or provided unless and until such termination is also a “separation from service,” as determined in accordance with Code Section 409A. If any amount under a 409A Award is payable upon a “separation from service” to an individual who is considered a “specified employee” (as each term is defined under Code Section 409A), then no such payment shall be made prior to the date that is the earlier of (i) six months and one day after the Participant’s separation from service or (ii) the Participant’s death, but only to the extent such delay is necessary to prevent such payment from being subject to Code Section 409A(a)(1). For purposes of Code Section 409A, a Participant’s right to receive any installment payments pursuant to this Plan or any Award granted hereunder shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. For the avoidance of doubt, each applicable tranche of Common Shares subject to vesting under any Award shall be considered a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.


12.4    Limitation on Liability. Neither the Company nor any person serving as Administrator shall have any liability to a Participant in the event an Award held by the Participant fails to achieve its intended characterization under applicable tax law.

ARTICLE 13.    FUTURE OF THE PLAN.

13.1    Term of the Plan. The Plan, as set forth herein, shall become effective on the date of its adoption by the Board, subject to approval of the Company’s stockholders under Article 13.3 below. The Plan shall terminate automatically 10 years after the date when the Board adopted the Plan.

13.2    Amendment or Termination. The Board may, at any time and for any reason, amend or terminate the Plan. No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after the termination thereof. The termination of the Plan, or any amendment thereof, shall not affect any Award previously granted under the Plan.

13.3    Stockholder Approval. To the extent required by applicable law, the Plan will be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders within 12 months of its adoption date. An amendment of the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders only to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations or rules.


ARTICLE 14.    DEFINITIONS.

14.1    “Administrator” means the Board or any Committee administering the Plan in accordance with Article 2.

14.2    “Affiliate” means any entity other than a Subsidiary, if the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries own not less than 50% of such entity.

14.3    “Award” means any award granted under the Plan, including as an Option, a SAR, a Restricted Share award, a Restricted Stock Unit award or another form of equity-based compensation award.

14.4    “Award Agreement” means a Stock Option Agreement, a SAR Agreement, a Restricted Stock Agreement, a Restricted Stock Unit Agreement or such other agreement evidencing an Award granted under the Plan.

14.5    “Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors, as constituted from time to time and, where the context so requires, reference to the “Board” may refer to a Committee to whom the Board has delegated authority to administer any aspect of this Plan.

14.6    “Change in Control” means:

(a)    Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then-outstanding voting securities;

(b)    The consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets;

(c)    The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

(d)    Individuals who are members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board over a period of 12 months; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member shall, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

A transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction. In addition, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for a deferral of compensation and is subject to Code Section 409A, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or applicable Award Agreement the transaction with respect to such Award must also constitute a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) to the extent required by Code Section 409A.


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

14.8    “Code Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations and other guidance issued thereunder.

14.9    “Committee” means a committee of one or more members of the Board, or of other individuals satisfying applicable laws, appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

14.10    “Common Share” means one share of the Company’s [common stock].

14.11    “Company” means Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

14.12    “Consultant” means a consultant or adviser who provides bona fide services to the Company, a Parent, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate as an independent contractor and who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under Instruction A.1.(a)(1) of Form S-8 under the Securities Act.

14.13    “Employee” means a common-law employee of the Company, a Parent, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate.

14.14    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

14.15    “Exercise Price,” in the case of an Option, means the amount for which one Common Share may be purchased upon exercise of such Option, as specified in the applicable Stock Option Agreement. “Exercise Price,” in the case of a SAR, means an amount, as specified in the applicable SAR Agreement, which is subtracted from the Fair Market Value of one Common Share in determining the amount payable upon exercise of such SAR.

14.16    “Fair Market Value” means the closing price of a Common Share on any established stock exchange or a national market system on the applicable date or, if the applicable date is not a trading day, on the last trading day prior to the applicable date, as reported in a source that the Administrator deems reliable. If Common Shares are not traded on an established stock exchange or a national market system, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith on such basis as it deems appropriate. The Administrator’s determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the determination of Fair Market Value in all cases shall be in accordance with the requirements set forth under Section 409A of the Code to the extent necessary for an Award to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code.

14.17    “IPO Date” means the effective date of the registration statement filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its initial offering of the Common Shares to the public.

14.18    “ISO” means an incentive stock option described in Code Section 422(b).

14.19    “NSO” means a stock option not described in Code Sections 422 or 423.


14.20    “Option” means an ISO or NSO granted under the Plan and entitling the holder to purchase Common Shares.

14.21    “Optionee” means an individual or estate holding an Option or SAR.

14.22    “Outside Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.

14.23    “Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company, if each of the corporations other than the Company 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. A corporation that attains the status of a Parent on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Parent commencing as of such date.

14.24    “Participant” means an individual or estate holding an Award.

14.25    “Plan” means this Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

14.26    “Predecessor Plan” means the Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Stock Plan, as amended.

14.27    “Restricted Share” means a Common Share awarded under Article 7 of the Plan.

14.28    “Restricted Stock Agreement” means the agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan between the Company and the recipient of a Restricted Share that contains the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining to such Restricted Share.

14.29    “Restricted Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of one Common Share, as awarded under the Plan.

14.30    “Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” means the agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan between the Company and the recipient of a Restricted Stock Unit that contains the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining to such Restricted Stock Unit.

14.31    “SAR” means a stock appreciation right granted under the Plan.

14.32    “SAR Agreement” means the agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan between the Company and an Optionee that contains the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining to his or her SAR.

14.33    “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

14.34    “Service Provider” means any individual who is an Employee, Outside Director or Consultant, including any prospective Employee, Outside Director or Consultant who has accepted an offer of employment or service and will be an Employee, Outside Director or Consultant after the commencement of their service.


14.35    “Stock Option Agreement” means the agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan between the Company and an Optionee that contains the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining to his or her Option.

14.36    “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company, if 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. A corporation that attains the status of a Subsidiary on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Subsidiary commencing as of such date.

14.37    “Substitute Awards” means Awards or Common Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by an entity acquired by the Company or any Affiliate or with which the Company or any Affiliate combines to the extent permitted by the applicable exchange listing requirements.


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

You have been granted the following option to purchase Common Shares of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) on the terms and conditions set out below:

 

Name of Optionee:    «Name»
Total Number of Shares:    «TotalShares»
Type of Option (U.S. Tax Status):    Nonstatutory Stock Option
Exercise Price per Share:    US$«PricePerShare»
Date of Grant:    «DateGrant»
Vesting Commencement Date:    «VestDay»
Vesting Schedule:    This option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to the first 25% of the shares subject to this option on the Vesting Date (as defined below) occurring in the fiscal quarter that contains the first anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and this option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to an additional 6.25% of the shares subject to this option quarterly thereafter on the corresponding Vesting Date occurring in each fiscal quarter thereafter, in each case, subject to your continuous service as an Employee or Consultant (“Service”) through each such date. “Vesting Date” means each of March 20, June 20, September 20 and December 20.
Expiration Date:    «ExpDate». This option expires earlier if your Service terminates earlier, as described in the Stock Option Agreement, and may terminate earlier in connection with certain corporate transactions as described in Article 9 of the Plan.

You and the Company agree that this option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the Stock Option Agreement (including, if applicable, the Appendix for Non-U.S. Participants), both of which are attached to, and made a part of, this document. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Plan.

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to options awarded under the Plan, future options that may be awarded under the Plan and all other documents that the Company is required to deliver to security holders (including annual reports and proxy statements) by email or other electronic means (including by posting them on a website maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company). You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. You acknowledge that you may incur costs in connection with any such delivery by means of electronic transmission, including the cost of accessing the Internet and printing fees, and that an interruption of Internet access may interfere with your ability to access the documents.

You further agree to comply with the Company’s insider trading policy when selling Common Shares.


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

Grant of Option   

Subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth in the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Grant Notice”), this Stock Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) and the Plan, the Company has granted you an option to purchase up to the total number of shares specified in the Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in the Grant Notice.

All capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Agreement, the Grant Notice or the Plan.

U.S. Tax Treatment    This option is intended to be a nonstatutory stock option, as provided in the Grant Notice.
Vesting   

This option vests and becomes exercisable in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice.

In no event will this option vest or become exercisable for additional shares after your Service has terminated for any reason unless expressly provided in a written agreement between you and the Company.

Term of Option    This option expires in any event at the close of business at Company headquarters on the day before the 10th anniversary of the Date of Grant, as shown in the Grant Notice. (This option will expire earlier if your Service terminates earlier, as described below, and this option may be terminated earlier as provided in Article 9 of the Plan.)
Termination of Service    If your Service terminates for any reason, this option will expire to the extent it is unvested as of your termination date and does not vest as a result of your termination of Service. The Company determines whether and when your Service terminates for all purposes of this option.
Regular Termination    If your Service terminates for any reason except death or total and permanent disability, then this option, to the extent vested as of your termination date, will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date three months after your termination date.


Death    If your Service terminates as a result of your death, then this option, to the extent vested as of the date of your death, will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date twelve months after the date of death.
Disability   

If your Service terminates because of your total and permanent disability, then this option, to the extent vested as of your termination date, will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date six months after your termination date.

For all purposes under this Agreement, “total and permanent disability” means that you are 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 which has lasted, or can be expected to last, for a continuous period of not less than one year.

Leaves of Absence and Part-Time Work   

For purposes of this option, your Service does not terminate when you go on a military leave, a sick leave or another bona fide leave of absence, if the leave was approved by the Company in writing. However, except as otherwise determined by the Company, your Service terminates when the approved leave ends, unless you immediately return to active work.

 

If you go on an unpaid leave of absence that lasts more than 30 days, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the vesting schedule specified in the Grant Notice will be suspended on the thirty-first day of such unpaid leave, and this option will not vest or become exercisable with respect to any additional shares during the remainder of such leave. Vesting will resume when you return to active Service. If you go on a paid leave of absence, the vesting schedule specified in the Notice of Stock Option Grant may be adjusted and/or suspended in accordance with the Company’s leave of absence policy or the terms of your leave.

 

If you commence working on a part-time basis, the Company may adjust the vesting schedule so that the rate of vesting is commensurate with your reduced work schedule.


Restrictions on Exercise/Compliance with Law   

The Company will not permit you to exercise this option if the issuance of shares at that time would violate any law or regulation.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Company’s shares, the Company shall not be required to permit the exercise of this option and/or delivery of Company shares prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the shares under any local, state, national or federal securities law or under rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or of any other governmental body, or prior to obtaining any approval or other clearance from any local, state, national or federal governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable. You understand that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the Company’s shares with the SEC or any state securities commission or to seek approval or clearance from any governmental authority for the issuance or sale of the shares.

Notice of Exercise   

When you wish to exercise this option, you must notify the Company by filing the proper “Notice of Exercise” form at the address given on the form or, if the Company has designated a third party to administer the Plan, you must notify such third party in the manner such third party requires. Your notice must specify how many shares you wish to purchase. The notice will be effective when the Company receives it.

 

However, if you wish to exercise this option by executing a same-day sale (as described below), you must follow the instructions of the Company and the broker who will execute the sale.

 

If someone else wants to exercise this option after your death, that person must prove to the Company’s satisfaction that he or she is entitled to do so.

 

You may only exercise your option for whole shares.


Form of Payment   

When you submit your notice of exercise, you must make arrangements for the payment of the option exercise price for the shares that you are purchasing. To the extent permitted by applicable law, payment may be made in one (or a combination of two or more) of the following forms:

 

•   By delivering to the Company your personal check, a cashier’s check or a money order, or arranging for a wire transfer.

 

•   By giving to a securities broker approved by the Company irrevocable directions to sell all or part of your option shares and to deliver to the Company, from the sale proceeds, an amount sufficient to pay the option exercise price and any Tax-Related Items (as defined below). (The balance of the sale proceeds, if any, will be delivered to you.) The directions must be given in accordance with the instructions of the Company and the broker. This exercise method is sometimes called a “same-day sale.”

 

The Company may permit other forms of payment in its discretion to the extent permitted by the Plan.

 

Withholding Taxes   

Regardless of any action the Company (or, if applicable, the Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate employing or retaining you (the “Employer”)) takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to the participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company and/or the Employer. You further acknowledge that the Company and the Employer (1) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the options, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the option, the issuance of shares upon exercise of the option, the subsequent sale of shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends and/or any dividend equivalents; and (2) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the option or any aspect of the option to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

 

You will not be allowed to exercise this option unless you make arrangements acceptable to the Company and/or the Employer to pay any Tax-Related Items that the Company and/or the Employer determine must be withheld. These arrangements include payment in cash or via the same-day sale procedure described above. With the Company’s consent, these arrangements may also include (a) withholding shares of Company stock that otherwise would be issued to you when you exercise this option with a value equal to withholding taxes, (b) surrendering shares that you previously acquired with a value equal to the withholding taxes, or (c) withholding cash from other compensation. The value of withheld or surrendered shares, determined as of the date when taxes otherwise would have been withheld in cash, will be applied to the Tax-Related Items.


Restrictions on Resale    You agree not to sell any option shares at a time when applicable laws, Company policies or an agreement between the Company and its underwriters prohibit a sale. This restriction will apply as long as your Service continues and for such period of time after the termination of your Service as the Company may specify.
Transfer of Option   

Prior to your death, only you may exercise this option. You cannot transfer or assign this option. For instance, you may not sell this option or use it as security for a loan. If you attempt to do any of these things, this option will immediately become invalid. You may, however, dispose of this option in your will or by means of a written beneficiary designation (if authorized by the Company and to the extent such beneficiary designation is valid under applicable law) which must be filed with the Company on the proper form; provided, however, that your beneficiary or a representative of your estate acknowledges and agrees in writing in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan as if such beneficiary or representative of the estate were you.

Regardless of any marital property settlement agreement, the Company is not obligated to honor a notice of exercise from your former spouse, nor is the Company obligated to recognize your former spouse’s interest in your option in any other way.

No Retention Rights    Your option or this Agreement does not give you the right to be retained by the Company, a Parent, Subsidiary, or an Affiliate in any capacity. The Company and its Parents, Subsidiaries, and Affiliates reserve the right to terminate your Service at any time, with or without cause.
Stockholder Rights    You, or your estate or heirs, have no rights as a stockholder of the Company until you have exercised this option by giving the required notice to the Company, paying the exercise price, and satisfying any applicable Tax-Related Items. No adjustments are made for dividends or other rights if the applicable record date occurs before you exercise this option, except as described in the Plan.
Recoupment Policy    This option, and the shares acquired upon exercise of this option, shall be subject to any Company recoupment or clawback policy in effect from time to time.
Adjustments    In the event of a stock split, a stock dividend or a similar change in the Common Shares, the number of shares covered by this option and the exercise price per share will be adjusted pursuant to the Plan.


Effect of Significant Corporate Transactions    If the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, or certain change in control transactions, then this option will be subject to the applicable provisions of Article 9 of the Plan.
Applicable Law    This Agreement, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract, tort or statute) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, shall be governed by, and enforced in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any laws, rules or provisions of the State of Delaware that would cause the application of the laws, rules or provisions of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
The Plan and Other Agreements   

The text of the Plan is incorporated in this Agreement by reference.

This Plan, this Agreement (including, if applicable, the Appendix for Non-U.S. Participants) and the Grant Notice constitute the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding this option. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations concerning this option are superseded. This Agreement may be amended only by another written agreement between the parties.

BY ACCEPTING THIS OPTION GRANT, YOU AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN THE PLAN (INCLUDING THE TERMS OF ANY APPLICABLE APPENDIX INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE).


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

NOTICE OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD

You have been granted Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”), each representing the right to receive one Common Share of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) on the following terms and conditions:

 

Name of Recipient:    «Name»
Total Number of RSUs Granted:    «TotalRSUs»
Date of Grant:    «DateGrant»
Vesting Commencement Date    «VestCommDate»
Vesting Schedule:    25% of the RSUs subject to this award will vest on the RSU Vesting Date (as defined below) occurring in the fiscal quarter that contains the first anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date and an additional 6.25% of the RSUs subject to this award will vest quarterly thereafter on the corresponding RSU Vesting Date occurring in each fiscal quarter thereafter, in each case, subject to your continuous service as an Employee or Consultant (“Service”) through each such date. “RSU Vesting Date” means each of March 20, June 20, September 20 and December 20.

You and the Company agree that these RSUs are granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (including, if applicable, the Appendix for Non-U.S. Participants), both of which are attached to, and made a part of, this document. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Plan.

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to RSUs awarded under the Plan, future RSUs that may be awarded under the Plan (if any) and all documents that the Company is required to deliver to security holders (including annual reports and proxy statements) by email or other electronic means (including posting them on a website maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company). You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. You acknowledge that you may incur costs in connection with any such delivery by means of electronic transmission, including the cost of accessing the Internet and printing fees, and that an interruption of Internet access may interfere with your ability to access the documents.

You further agree to comply with the Company’s insider trading policy when selling Common Shares.


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

 

Grant of RSUs   

Subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth in the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Grant Notice”), this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (including, if applicable, the Appendix for Non-U.S. Participants) (the “Agreement”) and the Plan, the Company has granted to you the number of RSUs set forth in the Grant Notice.

All capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Agreement, the Grant Notice or the Plan.

Nature of RSUs    Your RSUs are bookkeeping entries. They represent only the Company’s unfunded and unsecured promise to issue Common Shares on a future date. As a holder of RSUs, you have no rights other than the rights of a general creditor of the Company.
Payment for RSUs    No payment is required for the RSUs that you are receiving.
Vesting   

The RSUs vest in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice.

In no event will any additional RSUs vest after your Service has terminated for any reason unless expressly provided in a written agreement between you and the Company.

The Company determines whether and when your Service terminates for all purposes of your RSUs.

Termination of Service/Forfeiture    If your Service terminates for any reason, then your RSUs will be forfeited to the extent that they have not vested before the termination date and do not vest as a result of the termination of your Service. This means that any RSUs that have not vested under this Agreement will be cancelled immediately. You will receive no payment for RSUs that are forfeited.
Leaves of Absence and Part-Time Work    For purposes of this award, your Service does not terminate when you go on a military leave, a sick leave or another bona fide leave of absence, if the leave was approved by the Company in writing. However, except as otherwise determined by the Company, your Service terminates when the approved leave ends, unless you immediately return to active work.


  

If you go on an unpaid leave of absence that lasts more than thirty days, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the vesting schedule specified in the Grant Notice will be suspended on the thirty-first day of such unpaid leave, and this award will not vest with respect to any additional RSUs during the remainder of such leave. Vesting will resume when you return to active Service. If you go on a paid leave of absence, the vesting schedule specified in the Grant Notice may be suspended and/or adjusted in accordance with the Company’s leave of absence policy or the terms of your leave.

If you commence working on a part-time basis, the Company may adjust the vesting schedule so that the rate of vesting is commensurate with your reduced work schedule.

Settlement of RSUs   

Each RSU will be settled as soon as practicable on or following the date when it vests, but in any event within 60 days following the vesting date (unless you and the Company have agreed in writing to a later settlement date pursuant to procedures the Company may prescribe at its discretion). In no event will you be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of settlement of any RSUs subject to this award.

At the time of settlement, you will receive one Common Share for each vested RSU.

No fractional shares will be issued upon settlement.

Section 409A   

Unless you and the Company have agreed to a deferred settlement date (pursuant to procedures that the Company may prescribe at its discretion), settlement of these restricted stock units is intended to be exempt from the application of Code Section 409A pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.409A-1(b)(4) and shall be administered and interpreted in a manner that complies with such exception.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that settlement of these RSUs is not exempt from Code Section 409A and the Company determines that you are a “specified employee,” as defined in the regulations under Code Section 409A at the time of your “separation from service,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), then this paragraph will apply. If this paragraph applies, and the event triggering settlement is your “separation from service,” then any RSUs that otherwise would have been settled during the first six months following your “separation from service” will instead be settled on the first business day following the earlier of (i) the six-month anniversary of your separation from service or (ii) your death.

 

Each installment of RSUs that vests is hereby designated as a separate payment for purposes of Code Section 409A.


No Voting Rights or Dividends    Your RSUs carry neither voting rights nor rights to cash dividends. You have no rights as a stockholder of the Company unless and until your RSUs are settled by issuing Common Shares.
RSUs Nontransferable   

You may not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or otherwise dispose of any RSUs. For instance, you may not use your RSUs as security for a loan.

In addition, regardless of any marital property settlement agreement, the Company is not obligated to recognize your former spouse’s interest in your RSUs in any way.

Beneficiary Designation    You may dispose of your RSUs in a written beneficiary designation if authorized by the Company and to the extent such beneficiary designation is valid under applicable law. Any beneficiary designation must be filed with the Company on the proper form. It will be recognized only if it has been received at the Company’s headquarters before your death. If you file no beneficiary designation or if none of your designated beneficiaries survives you, then your estate will receive any vested RSUs that you hold at the time of your death.
Withholding Taxes    Regardless of any action the Company (or, if applicable, the Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate employing or retaining you (the “Employer”)) takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to the participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company and/or the Employer. You further acknowledge that the Company and the Employer (1) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the RSUs, including, but not limited to, the grant or vesting of the RSUs, the issuance of shares upon vesting of the RSUs, the subsequent sale of shares acquired pursuant to such vesting and the receipt of any dividends and/or any dividend equivalents; and (2) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the RSUs or any aspect of the RSUs to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.


  

No shares will be distributed to you unless you have made arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer for the payment of any Tax-Related Items that the Company and/or the Employer determine must be withheld. In this regard, you authorize the Company, at its sole discretion, to satisfy your Tax-Related Items by one or a combination of the following:

 

•   Withholding the amount of any Tax-Related Items from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Employer.

 

•   Instructing a brokerage firm selected by the Company for this purpose to sell on your behalf a number of whole shares of Company stock to be issued to you when the RSUs are settled that the Company determines are appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy the Tax-Related Items. You acknowledge that the Company or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price. Regardless of whether the Company arranges for such sale, you will be responsible for all fees and other costs of sale, and you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages or expenses relating to any such sale.

 

•   Withholding shares of Company stock that would otherwise be issued to you when the RSUs are settled equal in value to the Tax-Related Items. The fair market value of the withheld shares, determined as of the date when taxes otherwise would have been withheld in cash, will be applied to the Tax-Related Items.

 

•   Any other means approved by the Company.

 

You agree to pay to the Company in cash any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company does not elect to satisfy by the means described above. To the extent you fail to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required withholding taxes, you will permanently forfeit the applicable RSUs.

 

Restrictions on Issuance   

The Company will not issue any shares to you if the issuance of shares at that time would violate any law or regulation.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to Common Shares, the Company shall not be required to issue any shares to you prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the shares under any local, state, national or federal securities law or under rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or of any other governmental body, or prior to obtaining any approval or other clearance from any local, state, national or federal governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable. You understand that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the Company’s shares with the SEC or any state securities commission or to seek approval or clearance from any governmental authority for the issuance or sale of the shares.


Restrictions on Resale    You agree not to sell any shares at a time when applicable laws, Company policies or an agreement between the Company and its underwriters prohibit a sale. This restriction will apply as long as your Service continues and for such period of time after the termination of your Service as the Company may specify.
No Retention Rights    Your award or this Agreement does not give you the right to be retained by the Company, a Parent, Subsidiary, or an Affiliate in any capacity. The Company and its Parents, Subsidiaries, and Affiliates reserve the right to terminate your Service at any time, with or without cause.
Adjustments    In the event of a stock split, a stock dividend or a similar change in Common Shares, the number of your RSUs will be adjusted pursuant to the Plan.
Effect of Significant Corporate Transactions    If the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, or certain change in control transactions, then your RSUs will be subject to the applicable provisions of Article 9 of the Plan, provided that any action taken must either (a) preserve the exemption of your RSUs from Code Section 409A or (b) comply with Code Section 409A.
Recoupment Policy    This award, and the shares acquired upon settlement of this award, shall be subject to any Company recoupment or clawback policy in effect from time to time.
Applicable Law    This Agreement, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract, tort or statute) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, shall be governed by, and enforced in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any laws, rules or provisions of the State of Delaware that would cause the application of the laws, rules or provisions of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
The Plan and Other Agreements   

The text of the Plan is incorporated in this Agreement by reference.

 

The Plan, this Agreement (including, if applicable, any Appendix for Non-U.S. Participants) and the Grant Notice constitute the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding this award. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations concerning this award are superseded. This Agreement may be amended only by another written agreement between the parties.


BY ACCEPTING THIS RSU AWARD, YOU AGREE TO ALL OF THE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN THE PLAN

(INCLUDING THE TERMS OF ANY APPLICABLE APPENDIX

INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE).

Exhibit 10.4

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(AS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2021)


THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

SECTION 1.    PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.

The purpose of the Plan is to provide Eligible Employees with an opportunity to increase their proprietary interest in the success of the Company by purchasing Stock from the Company on favorable terms and to pay for such purchases through payroll deductions or other approved contributions.

SECTION 2.    ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN.

(a)    General. The Plan may be administered by the Board or one or more Committees to which the Board (or an authorized Board committee) has delegated authority. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have the powers theretofore possessed by the Board, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the power to delegate to a sub-committee any of the administrative powers the committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to either the Board or the Administrator shall hereafter also encompass the committee or subcommittee, as applicable). The Board may abolish the committee’s delegation at any time and the Board shall at all times also retain the authority it has delegated to the Committee. Each Committee shall comply with rules and regulations applicable to it, including under the rules of any exchange on which the Stock is traded, and shall have the authority and be responsible for such functions as have been assigned to it.

(b)    Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the terms of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated to the Committee, the Administrator shall have the power to establish the terms and conditions of Offering Periods (which need not be identical) under the Plan, to interpret the Plan and make all other policy decisions relating to the operation of the Plan. The Administrator may adopt such rules, guidelines and forms as it deems appropriate to implement the Plan.

(c)    Effects of Administrator’s Decisions. The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations shall be final and binding on all interested parties.

(d)    Governing Law. The Plan, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract, tort or statute) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to the Plan, shall be governed by, and enforced in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any laws, rules or provisions of the State of Delaware that would cause the application of the laws, rules or provisions of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

SECTION 3.    STOCK OFFERED UNDER THE PLAN.

(a)    Authorized Shares. The number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall be 400,000 shares of the Company’s Stock (subject to adjustment pursuant to Subsection (c) below), plus the additional shares described in Subsection (b) below. Shares of Stock issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.


(b)    Annual Increase in Shares. On the first day of each fiscal year of the Company during the term of the Plan, commencing on January 1, 2023 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2041, the aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall automatically increase by a number equal to the lesser of (i) one percent (1%) of the total number of shares of Stock actually issued and outstanding on the last day of the preceding fiscal year, and (ii) a number of shares of Stock determined by the Board.

(c)    Anti-Dilution Adjustments.    In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, stock or other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, reclassification, repurchase, or exchange of Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Stock and effected without receipt or payment of consideration by the Company occurs, then in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, there will be a proportionate adjustment of the number and class of Stock that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per share and the number and class of Stock covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised, and the numerical limits of Sections 3(a), 3(b)(ii) and 9(c).

(d)    Reorganizations. In the event of a Corporate Reorganization, the outstanding rights to purchase Stock under any Offering Period then in progress may be continued, assumed or substituted by the surviving entity or its parent. If such acquirer refuses to continue, assume or substitute for any such rights, then a new Purchase Date for such Offering Period(s) will be set prior to the effective time of the Corporate Reorganization, the Participants’ accumulated contributions will be applied to purchase Stock on such date, and any such Offering Periods shall terminate immediately after such purchase. In the event a new Purchase Date is set under this Section 3(d), Participants will be given notice of the new Purchase Date. The Plan shall in no event be construed to restrict in any way the Company’s right to undertake a dissolution, liquidation, merger, consolidation or other reorganization.

SECTION 4.    ENROLLMENT AND PARTICIPATION.

(a)    Offering Periods and Purchase Periods.

(i)    Base Offering Periods. The Administrator may from time to time establish Offering Periods (consisting of one or more Purchase Periods) of such frequency and duration as it may deem appropriate (the “Base Offering Periods”); provided that a Base Offering Period shall in no event be longer than 27 months (or such other period as may be imposed under applicable tax law). Each Base Offering Period shall contain such terms and conditions (consistent with the Plan) as the Administrator deems appropriate. Within the limits of the Plan, the Administrator may change the frequency, duration and other terms and conditions of the Base Offering Periods as it deems appropriate from time to time. The Base Offering Periods are intended to qualify under Code Section 423.


(ii)    Additional Offering Periods. At the discretion of the Administrator, additional Offering Periods (the “Additional Offering Periods”) may be conducted under the Plan including, if necessary or advisable in the sole discretion of the Administrator, under a separate sub-plan or sub-plans, permitting grants to Eligible Employees of certain Participating Companies (each, a “Sub-Plan”). Such Additional Offering Periods may be designed to achieve desired tax objectives in particular locations outside the United States or to comply with local laws applicable to offerings in such foreign jurisdictions and will not be intended to qualify under Code Section 423. The Administrator shall determine the commencement and duration of each Additional Offering Period, which may be consecutive or overlapping. The other terms and conditions of each Additional Offering Period shall be those set forth in this Plan document or in terms and conditions approved by the Administrator with respect to such Additional Offering Period (whether or not set forth in a written Sub-Plan), with such changes or additional features as the Administrator determines necessary to comply with local law. Each Additional Offering Period (whether or not set forth in a written Sub-Plan) shall be considered a separate plan from the Plan (the “Statutory Plan”). The total number of Shares authorized to be issued under the Plan as provided in Section 3 above applies in the aggregate to the Statutory Plan and any Additional Offering Period. Unless otherwise superseded by the terms and conditions approved by the Administrator with respect to an Additional Offering Period, the provisions of this Plan document shall govern the operation of any offering conducted hereunder.

(iii)    Separate Offerings. Each Base Offering Period and each Additional Offering Period conducted under the Plan is intended to constitute a separate “offering” for purposes of Code Section 423.

(iv)    Equal Rights and Privileges. To the extent an Offering Period is intended to qualify under Code Section 423, all participants in such Offering Period shall have the same rights and privileges with respect to their participation in such Offering Period in accordance with Code Section 423 and the regulations thereunder except for differences that may be mandated by local law and are consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423(b)(5).

(b)    Enrollment. In the case of any individual who qualifies as an Eligible Employee on the first day of any Offering Period, he or she may elect to become a Participant on such day by filing the prescribed enrollment form with the Company. The enrollment form shall be filed in the prescribed manner during the applicable Enrollment Period for such Offering Period. The Administrator may establish other procedures for enrollment by Eligible Employees.

(c)    Duration of Participation. Once enrolled in the Plan, a Participant shall continue to participate in the Plan until he or she:


(i)    Reaches the end of the Offering Period or Purchase Period, as applicable, in which his or her employee contributions were discontinued under Section 5(c) or 9(b);

(ii)    Withdraws from the Plan under Section 6(a); or

(iii)    Ceases to be an Eligible Employee.

A Participant whose employee contributions were discontinued automatically under Section 9(b) shall automatically resume participation as described therein. In all other cases, a former Participant may again become a Participant, if he or she then is an Eligible Employee, by following the procedure described in Subsection (b) above.

(d)    Applicable Offering Period. For purposes of calculating the Purchase Price under Section 8(b), the applicable Offering Period shall be determined as follows:

(i)    Once a Participant is enrolled in the Plan for an Offering Period, such Offering Period shall continue to apply to him or her until the earliest of (A) the end of such Offering Period, (B) the end of his or her participation under Subsection (c) above, or (C) re-enrollment for a subsequent Offering Period under Paragraph (ii) or (iii) below.

(ii)    Any other provision of the Plan notwithstanding, the Administrator (at its sole discretion) may determine prior to the commencement of any new Offering Period that all Participants shall be re-enrolled for such new Offering Period.    In addition, the Administrator may structure an Offering Period so that in the event that the Fair Market Value of a Share on the first day of the Offering Period for which the Participant is enrolled is higher than on the first day of any subsequent Offering Period, the Participant shall automatically be re-enrolled for such subsequent Offering Period.

(iii)    When a Participant reaches the end of an Offering Period but his or her participation is to continue, then such Participant shall automatically be re-enrolled for the Offering Period that commences immediately after the end of the prior Offering Period.

SECTION 5.    EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS.

(a)    Commencement of Payroll Deductions. A Participant may purchase shares of Stock under the Plan by means of payroll deductions implemented at the applicable Participating Company or (if so approved by the Administrator with respect to all Participants in a Base Offering Period) other approved contributions in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrator. Payroll deductions or other approved contributions shall commence as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received the prescribed enrollment form. In jurisdictions where payroll deductions are not permitted under local law, Participants may purchase shares of Stock by making contributions in the form that is acceptable and approved by the Administrator.


(b)    Amount of Payroll Deductions. An Eligible Employee shall designate on the prescribed enrollment form the portion of his or her Compensation that he or she elects to have withheld for the purchase of Stock. Such portion shall be a whole percentage of the Eligible Employee’s Compensation, but not less than 1% nor more than 15% (or such lesser percentage established by the Administrator for an Offering Period).

(c)    Reducing Withholding Rate or Discontinuing Payroll Deductions. If a Participant wishes to reduce his or her rate of payroll withholding, such Participant may do so by filing a new enrollment form with the Company in the manner prescribed by the Administrator. The new withholding rate shall be effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received such form. The new withholding rate may be 0% or any whole percentage of the Participant’s Compensation, but not more than his or her old withholding rate. The Administrator may limit the number of times a Participant may elect to reduce his or her rate of withholding during any Offering Period and/or Purchase Period. Unless a different rule is established for an Offering Period, no Participant shall make more than one election under this Subsection (c) during any Purchase Period. (In addition, employee contributions may be discontinued automatically pursuant to Section 9(b).)

(d)    Increasing Withholding Rate. Unless the Administrator establishes a different rule for an Offering Period, a Participant may not increase his or her rate of payroll withholding during a Purchase Period. If a Participant wishes to increase his or her rate of payroll withholding, such Participant may do so by filing a new enrollment form with the Company at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to commencement of a Purchase Period (or such other period as is specified by the Administrator). The new withholding rate shall be effective on the first day of the next-upcoming Purchase Period in which the Participant participates. The new withholding rate may be any whole percentage of the Participant’s Compensation, but not less than 1% nor more than the maximum amount established for the Offering Period.

SECTION 6.    WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PLAN.

(a)    Withdrawal. A Participant may elect to withdraw from the Plan (and the Offering Period in which he or she is participating) by filing the prescribed form with the Company in the prescribed manner at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to a Purchase Date (or such other period as is specified by the Administrator). As soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, payroll deductions or other approved contributions shall cease and the entire amount credited to the Participant’s Plan Account with respect to such Offering Period shall be refunded to him or her in cash, without interest (except as otherwise required by the laws of the local jurisdiction). No partial withdrawals from an Offering Period shall be permitted.

(b)    Re-Enrollment After Withdrawal. A former Participant who has withdrawn from the Plan shall not be a Participant until he or she re-enrolls in the Plan under Section 4(b) during an Enrollment Period. Re-enrollment may be effective only at the commencement of an Offering Period.


SECTION 7.    CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS.

(a)    Termination of Employment. Termination of employment as an Eligible Employee for any reason, including death, shall be treated as an automatic withdrawal from the Plan under Section 6(a).

(b)    Transfers of Employment. If a Participant transfers employment from a Participating Company that is participating in a Base Offering Period to a Participating Company that is participating in an Additional Offering Period, he or she will immediately cease to participate in the Base Offering Period, as applicable; however, such Participant’s Plan Account will be transferred to the Additional Offering Period, and such Participant will immediately join such Additional Offering Period on the terms and conditions applicable to such Additional Offering Period, except for any modifications required by applicable law. If a Participant transfers employment from a Participating Company that is participating in an Additional Offering Period to a Participating Company that is participating in the Base Offering Period, he or she will continue to participate in the Additional Offering Period until the earlier of (i) the end of such Additional Offering Period, or (ii) the commencement of the first Base Offering Period in which he or she is eligible. If a Participant transfers employment from a Participating Company to a Related Corporation that is not a Participating Company, he or she shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Plan pursuant to Section 6(a).

(c)    Leave of Absence. For purposes of the Plan, employment shall not be deemed to terminate when the Participant goes on a military leave, a sick leave or another bona fide leave of absence, if the leave was approved by the Company in writing. Employment, however, shall, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator with respect to a Participant in an Additional Offering Period, be deemed to terminate on the first day following three months after the Participant goes on a leave, unless a contract or statute guarantees his or her right to return to work. Employment shall, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator with respect to a Participant in an Additional Offering Period, be deemed to terminate in any event when the approved leave ends, unless the Participant immediately returns to work.

(d)    Death. In the event of the Participant’s death, the amount credited to his or her Plan Account shall be paid in cash, without interest (unless otherwise required by the laws of the local jurisdiction), to a beneficiary designated by him or her for this purpose on the prescribed form or, if none, to the Participant’s estate. Such form shall be valid only if it was filed with the Company in the prescribed manner before the Participant’s death.

SECTION 8.    PLAN ACCOUNTS AND PURCHASE OF SHARES.

(a)    Plan Accounts. The Company shall maintain a Plan Account on its books in the name of each Participant. Whenever an amount is deducted from the Participant’s Compensation under the Plan, such amount shall be credited to the Participant’s Plan Account. Unless otherwise required by the laws of the local jurisdiction, (i) amounts credited to Plan Accounts shall not be trust funds and may be commingled with the Company’s general assets and applied to general corporate purposes, and (ii) no interest shall be credited to Plan Accounts.


(b)    Purchase Price. The Administrator shall establish the Purchase Price for each Offering Period; provided, however, that the Purchase Price for each share of Stock purchased on a Purchase Date shall not be less than the lower of:

(i)    85% of the Fair Market Value of such share on the first trading day of such Offering Period; or

(ii)    85% of the Fair Market Value of such share on the Purchase Date.

(c)    Number of Shares Purchased. On each Purchase Date, each Participant shall be deemed to have elected to purchase the number of shares of Stock calculated in accordance with this Subsection (c), unless the Participant has previously elected to withdraw from the Offering Period in accordance with Section 6(a). The amount then in the Participant’s Plan Account shall be divided by the Purchase Price, and the number of shares that results shall be purchased from the Company with the funds in the Participant’s Plan Account. The foregoing number of shares of Stock that may be purchased by a Participant are subject to the limitations set forth in Subsection (d) below and in Section 9. The Administrator may determine with respect to all Participants in an Offering Period that any fractional share, as calculated under this Subsection (c), shall be (i) rounded down to the next lower whole share or (ii) credited as a fractional share.

(d)    Available Shares Insufficient. In the event that the aggregate number of shares that all Participants elect to purchase with respect to a particular Purchase Period exceeds (i) the number of shares of Stock that were available under Section 3 above for sale under the Plan on the first day of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares that were available under Section 3 above for sale under the Plan on the applicable Purchase Date, then the number of shares to which each Participant is entitled shall be determined by multiplying the number of shares available for issuance by a fraction. The numerator of such fraction is the number of shares that such Participant has elected to purchase, and the denominator of such fraction is the number of shares that all Participants have elected to purchase. The Company may make a pro rata allocation of the shares available on the first day of an applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s stockholders subsequent to such date. In the event of a pro-rata allocation under this Section (d), the Administrator may determine in its discretion to continue all Offering Periods then in effect or terminate all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 14.

(e)    Issuance of Stock. The shares of Stock purchased by a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of such Participant. The Company may permit or require that shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Company or to a designated agent of the Company, and the Company may utilize electronic or automated methods of share transfer. The Company may require that shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such shares. (The two preceding sentences shall apply whether or not the Participant is required to pay income tax in the United States.)

(f)    Tax Withholding. To the extent required by applicable federal, state, local or foreign law, a Participant shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the satisfaction of any withholding tax obligations that arise in connection with the Plan. The Company shall not be required to issue any shares of Stock under the Plan until such obligations, if any, are satisfied.


(g)    Unused Cash Balances. Subject to the final sentence of Section 8(c), an amount remaining in the Participant’s Plan Account that represents the Purchase Price for any fractional share shall be carried over in the Participant’s Plan Account to the next Offering Period or Purchase Period, as applicable. Any amount remaining in the Participant’s Plan Account that represents the Purchase Price for whole shares that could not be purchased by reason of Subsections (c) or (d) above or Section 9(b) or (c) shall be refunded to the Participant in cash, without interest (except as otherwise required by the laws of the local jurisdiction).

(h)    Stockholder Approval. Any other provision of the Plan notwithstanding, no shares of Stock shall be purchased under the Plan unless and until the Company’s stockholders have approved the adoption of the Plan.

SECTION 9.    PLAN LIMITATIONS.

(a)    Five Percent Limit. Any other provision of the Plan notwithstanding, no Participant shall be granted a right to purchase Stock under the Plan if, immediately after such right is granted, such Participant would own stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Related Corporation, applying the stock attribution rules of Code Section 424(d), and including any stock in which the Participant may purchase under outstanding options as stock owned by such Participant.

(b)    Dollar Limit. As specified by Code Section 423(b)(8), no Participant shall be entitled to accrue rights to purchase Stock pursuant to any such rights outstanding under the Plan if and to the extent such accrual, when aggregated with (i) rights to purchase Stock accrued under any other right to purchase Stock under the Plan, and (ii) similar rights accrued under other employee stock purchase plans (within the meaning of Code Section 423) of the Company or any Related Corporation, would otherwise permit such Participant to purchase more than $25,000 worth of Stock of the Company or any Related Corporation (determined on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share on the date such rights are granted, and which, with respect to the Plan, will be determined as of the beginning of the respective Offering Period) for each calendar year such rights are at any time outstanding.

If a Participant is precluded by this Subsection (b) from purchasing additional Stock under the Plan, then his or her employee contributions shall automatically be discontinued and shall automatically resume at the beginning of the next Purchase Period with a scheduled Purchase Date in the next calendar year, provided that he or she is an Eligible Employee at the beginning of such Purchase Period.

(c)    Purchase Period Share Purchase Limit. The Administrator may establish one or more limits on the number of shares of Stock that may be purchased during any Offering Period and/or Purchase Period, including individual limits and/or aggregate limits. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise with respect to an Offering Period, any other provision of the Plan notwithstanding, no Participant shall purchase more than 5,000 shares of Stock with respect to any Purchase Period.


SECTION 10.    RIGHTS NOT TRANSFERABLE.

The rights of any Participant under the Plan, or any Participant’s interest in any Stock or moneys to which he or she may be entitled under the Plan, shall not be transferable by voluntary or involuntary assignment or by operation of law, or in any other manner other than by beneficiary designation or the laws of descent and distribution. If a Participant in any manner attempts to transfer, assign or otherwise encumber his or her rights or interest under the Plan, other than by beneficiary designation or the laws of descent and distribution, then such act shall be treated as an election by the Participant to withdraw from the Plan under Section 6(a).

SECTION 11.    NO RIGHTS AS AN EMPLOYEE.

Nothing in the Plan or in any right granted under the Plan shall confer upon the Participant any right to continue in the employ of a Participating Company for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Participating Companies or of the Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate his or her employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause.

SECTION 12.    NO RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER.

A Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Stock that he or she may have a right to purchase under the Plan until such shares have been purchased on the applicable Purchase Date.

SECTION 13.    SECURITIES LAW REQUIREMENTS.

Shares of Stock shall not be issued, and the Company shall have no liability for failure to issue shares of Stock, under the Plan unless the issuance and delivery of such shares comply with (or are exempt from) all applicable requirements of law, including (without limitation) the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, state securities laws and regulations, and the regulations of any stock exchange or other securities market on which the Company’s securities may then be traded.

SECTION 14.    AMENDMENT OR DISCONTINUANCE.

(a)    General Rule. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason. If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator, in its discretion, may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or upon completion of the purchase of shares of Stock on the next Purchase Date, or may elect to permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 3(c) or (d)). If the Offering Periods are terminated prior to expiration, all amounts then credited to Participants’ accounts which have not been used to purchase shares of Stock will be returned to the Participants (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required by the laws of the local jurisdiction) as soon as administratively practicable.


(b)    Administrator’s Discretion. Without stockholder consent and without limiting Subsection (a) above, the Administrator will be entitled to change the Offering Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Stock for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Compensation, amend any outstanding purchase rights or clarify any ambiguities regarding the terms of any Offering Period to enable the purchase rights to qualify under and/or comply with Section 423 of the Code, and establish such other limitations or procedures as it determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan. The actions of the Administrator pursuant to this paragraph will not be considered to alter or impair the purchase rights granted under an Offering Period as they are to be deemed part of the initial terms of such Offering Period and purchase rights.

(c)    Accounting Considerations. In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend or terminate the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:

(i)    Amending the Plan to conform with the safe harbor definition under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or successor provision), including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time;

(ii)    Altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;

(iii)    Shortening any Offering Period (and any Purchase Periods encompassed by such Offering Period) by setting a new Purchase Date, including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator’s action;

(iv)    Reducing the maximum percentage of Compensation a Participant may elect to set aside as payroll deductions; and

(v)    Reducing the maximum number of shares of Stock a Participant may purchase during any Purchase Period.

Such modifications or amendments will not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Plan Participants. The actions of the Administrator pursuant to this paragraph will not be considered to alter or impair the purchase rights granted under an Offering Period as they are to be deemed part of the initial terms of such Offering Period and purchase rights.


(d)    Stockholder Approval. Except as provided in Section 3, any increase in the aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders. In addition, any other amendment of the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders to the extent required under Section 14(e) or by any applicable law or regulation.

(e)    Plan Termination. The Plan shall terminate automatically 20 years after its adoption by the Board, unless (i) the Plan is extended by the Board and (ii) the extension is approved within 12 months by a vote of the stockholders of the Company.

SECTION 15.    DEFINITIONS.

(a)    “Administrator” means the Board or any Committee administering the Plan in accordance with Section 2.

(b)    “Affiliate” means any entity other than a Subsidiary, if the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries own not less than 50% of such entity.

(c)    “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.

(d)    “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(e)    “Committee” means a committee of one or more members of the Board, or of other individuals satisfying applicable laws, appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

(f)    “Company” means Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(g)    “Compensation” means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator with respect to an Offering Period, those components of a Participant’s cash compensation (prior to reductions pursuant to Code Sections 125, 132(f) or 401(k)) that are regular and recurring, including cash base salary or base hourly pay but excluding any overtime pay or shift differentials, commissions, annual cash incentive compensation, and annual cash bonuses, and further excluding extraordinary cash items (such as one-time bonuses), as well as all non-cash items, moving or relocation allowances, cost-of-living or tax equalization payments, car allowances, tuition reimbursements, imputed income attributable to cars or life insurance, severance pay, fringe benefits, contributions or benefits received under employee benefit plans, payments for or related to equity compensation, and any similar items. The Administrator shall determine whether a particular item is included in Compensation.

(h)    “Corporate Reorganization” means:

(i)    The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or any other corporate reorganization; or

(ii)    The sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.


(i)    “Eligible Employee” means a common law employee of a Participating Company, provided, however, that the Administrator may exclude one or more of the following categories of employees (where exclusion of such employees is permitted by applicable law) from any Offering Period: (i) employees who have been employed less than two years (or any shorter period of time established for an Offering Period), (ii) employees who are customarily employed twenty (20) or less hours per week (or any lesser number of hours per week established for an Offering Period), (iii) employees who are customarily employed for five (5) months or less in a calendar year (or any lesser number of months in a calendar year established for an Offering Period), (iv) “highly compensated employees” (within the meaning of Code Section 414(q)) or (v) “highly compensated employees” (within the meaning of Code Section 414(q)) with compensation above a certain level and/or who are subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. In addition, an individual shall not be considered an Eligible Employee if his or her participation in the Plan is prohibited by the law of any country that has jurisdiction over him or her or if complying with the laws of the applicable foreign jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering Period to violate the requirements of Code Section 423. With respect to a Base Offering Period, any criteria used to determine Eligible Employees shall be determined in a manner consistent with Code Section 423. In the case of an Offering Period that is not intended to qualify under Code Section 423, the Administrator may exclude any individual(s) from participation if the Administrator determines the participation of such individual(s) is not advisable or practicable.

(j)     “Enrollment Period” means a period prior to the start of an Offering Period during which Eligible Employees must submit the required enrollment forms to participate in such Offering Period, which period shall end at least five (5) business days (or such other date as may be specified in advance by the Administrator) prior to the start of the Offering Period.

(k)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(l)    “Fair Market Value” means the price at which Stock was last sold in the principal U.S. market for the Stock on the applicable date or, if the applicable date was not a trading day, on the last trading day prior to the applicable date. If Stock is no longer traded on a public U.S. securities market, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith on such basis as it deems appropriate. The Administrator’s determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons.

(m)     “Offering Period” means any period, including as the context requires Base Offering Periods and Additional Offering Periods, with respect to which the right to purchase Stock may be granted under the Plan, as determined pursuant to Section 4(a).

(n)    “Participant” means an Eligible Employee who participates in the Plan or any Sub-Plan, as provided in Section 4.

(o)    “Participating Company” means (i) the Company, (ii) each present or future Subsidiary designated by the Administrator as a Participating Company and (iii) solely in the case of an Offering Period not intended to qualify under Code Section 423, each present or future Affiliate designated by the Administrator as a Participating Company.


(p)    “Plan” means this Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

(q)    “Plan Account” means the account established for each Participant pursuant to Section 8(a).

(r)    “Purchase Date” means the last trading day of a Purchase Period.

(s)    “Purchase Period” means a period within an Offering Period (which for an Offering Period with only a single Purchase Period would be coterminous with the Offering Period) during which contributions may be made toward the purchase of Stock under the Plan, as determined pursuant to Section 4(a).

(t)    “Purchase Price” means the price at which Participants may purchase Stock under the Plan, as determined pursuant to Section 8(b).

(u)    “Related Corporation” means any “parent corporation” of the Company as defined in Code Section 424(e) or any Subsidiary.

(v)    “Stock” means the [common stock] of the Company.

(w)    “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company, if 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.

Exhibit 10.15

LEASE AGREEMENT

314 MAIN STREET

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

LEASE SUMMARY SHEET

 

Execution Date:    September 16, 2021
Tenant:    Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation
Landlord:    MIT 314 Main Street Leasehold LLC, a Massachusetts limited liability company
Building:    A 17-story building commonly known as 314 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subject to Section 1.7 below, the Building consists of approximately 437,418 rentable square feet of retail, institutional and office space. The land on which the Building is located (the “Land”) is more particularly described in Exhibit 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof (the Land, together with the Building, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Property”).
Premises:    Subject to Section 1.7 below, approximately 7,351 rentable square feet of space on the fourth (4th) floor of the Building, as more particularly shown as hatched, highlighted or outlined on the plan attached hereto as Exhibit 2A and made a part hereof (the “Lease Plan”).
Term Commencement Date:    The date on which the Premises are delivered to Tenant in the condition required by Section 3.1 of this Lease. Landlord shall provide Tenant with notice of the anticipated Term Commencement Date approximately thirty (30) days in advance.
Rent Commencement Date:    Subject to acceleration on a day for day basis for each day of Tenant Delays (hereinafter defined), the Rent Commencement Date shall occur on the Term Commencement Date.
Expiration Date:    The last day of the seventh (7th) Rent Year1
Extension Term:    Subject to Section 1.2 below, one (1) extension term of five (5) years.
Parking Passes:    Subject to Section 1.4(c) below, 0.80 parking pass for each 1,000 rentable square feet of the Premises (i.e., 6 parking passes based on the Premises containing 7,499 rentable square feet).
Landlord’s Contribution:    Subject to the terms of the Work Letter attached hereto as Exhibit 5, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000).
Permitted Uses:    Subject to Legal Requirements (hereinafter defined) as of right, general office use and uses ancillary thereto in proportions consistent with the design of the Building.

 

1 

For the purposes of this Lease, the first “Rent Year” shall be defined as the period commencing as of the Rent Commencement Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the first (1st) anniversary of the Rent Commencement Date occurs; provided, however, if the Rent Commencement Date occurs on the first day of a calendar month, then the first Rent Year shall end on the day immediately preceding the first (1st) anniversary of the Rent Commencement Date. Thereafter, “Rent Year” shall be defined as any subsequent twelve (12) month period during the term of this Lease.

 

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Base Rent:

(subject to Section 1.7 below)

    

RENT
YEAR

     ANNUAL
BASE RENT
       MONTHLY
PAYMENT
       RATE
PER RSF
 
     1      $ 757,153.00        $ 63,096.08        $ 103.00  
     2      $ 779,867.59        $ 64,988.97        $ 106.09  
     3      $ 803,263.62        $ 66,938.63        $ 109.27  
     4      $ 827,361.53        $ 68,946.79        $ 112.55  
     5      $ 852,182.37        $ 71,015.20        $ 115.93  
     6      $ 877,747.84        $ 73,145.65        $ 119.41  
     7      $ 904,080.28        $ 75,340.02        $ 122.99  

 

Operating Costs and Taxes:    See Sections 5.2 and 5.3
Tenant’s Share:    A fraction, the numerator of which is the number of rentable square feet in the Premises and the denominator of which is the number of rentable square feet in the Building. As of the Execution Date, Tenant’s Share is calculated as 1.68%.
Tenant’s Tax Share:    A fraction, the numerator of which is the number of rentable square feet in the Premises and the denominator of which is the number of rentable square feet in the buildings on the Tax Lot (hereinafter defined): recognized by the City of Cambridge as being used for purposes which are not exempt from real estate taxation as of the date on which the assessment is made for the tax year in question. As of the Execution Date, Tenant’s Tax Share is calculated as 2.01%.
Letter of Credit:    $378,576.50, subject to Section 7.1(b) below.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1.   LEASE GRANT; TERM; APPURTENANT RIGHTS; EXCLUSIONS      1  
  1.1   Lease Grant      1  
  1.2   Extension Term      1  
  1.3   Notice of Lease      2  
  1.4   Appurtenant Rights      3  
  1.5   Tenants Access      5  
  1.6   Exclusions      5  
  1.7   Measurement Certification      5  
2.   RIGHTS RESERVED TO LANDLORD      5  
  2.1   Additions and Alterations      5  
  2.2   Additions to the Property      5  
  2.3   Landlords Access      6  
  2.4   Pipes, Ducts and Conduits      6  
  2.5   Minimize Interference      6  
  2.6   Name and Address of Building      7  
  2.7   Master Declaration; SOMA REA; REA; Condominium      7  
  2.8   Construction in Vicinity      7  
3.   CONDITION OF PREMISES; CONSTRUCTION      8  
  3.1   Condition of Premises      8  
  3.2   Tenants Fitout      8  
4.   USE OF PREMISES      8  
  4.1   Permitted Uses      8  
  4.2   Prohibited Uses      8  
5.   RENT; ADDITIONAL RENT      9  
  5.1   Base Rent      9  
  5.2   Operating Costs      9  
  5.3   Taxes      12  
  5.4   Late Payments      13  
  5.5   No Offset; Independent Covenants; Waiver      14  
  5.6   Survival      14  
6.   INTENTIONALLY OMITTED      14  
7.   LETTER OF CREDIT      14  
  7.1   Amount      14  
  7.2   Application of Proceeds of Letter of Credit      15  
  7.3   Intentionally Omitted      15  
  7.4   Credit of Issuer of Letter of Credit      15  
  7.5   Security Deposit      15  
  7.6   Return of Security Deposit or Letter of Credit      15  
8.   INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.      16  

 

-i-


9.   UTILITIES, HVAC; WASTE REMOVAL      16  
  9.1   Electricity      16  
  9.2   Water      16  
  9.3   Condenser Water      16  
  9.4   Heat, Ventilating and Air Conditioning      16  
  9.5   Other Utilities; Utility Information      17  
  9.6   Interruption or Curtailment of Utilities      17  
  9.7   Telecommunications      17  
  9.8   Trash Removal; Recycling Removal; Composting Removal      18  
  9.9   Landlords Services      18  
10.   MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS      18  
  10.1   Maintenance and Repairs by Tenant      18  
  10.2   Maintenance and Repairs by Landlord      18  
  10.3   Accidents to Sanitary and Other Systems      18  
  10.4   Floor Load—Heavy Equipment      19  
11.   ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS BY TENANT      19  
  11.1   Landlords Consent Required      19  
  11.2   Supervised Work      20  
  11.3   Harmonious Relations      20  
  11.4   Liens      20  
  11.5   General Requirements      21  
12.   SIGNAGE      21  
  12.1   Restrictions      21  
  12.2   Building Directory      21  
13.   ASSIGNMENT, MORTGAGING AND SUBLETTING      22  
  13.1   General; Transfer Defined      22  
  13.2   Landlords Recapture Right      22  
  13.3   Request for Consent      23  
  13.4   Permitted Transfers      23  
  13.5   Listing Confers no Rights      24  
  13.6   Profits In Connection with Transfers      24  
  13.7   Prohibited Transfers      24  
  13.8   Restrictions on Subleases      24  
  13.9   No Release      24  
  13.10   Investment Policies      24  
14.   INSURANCE; INDEMNIFICATION; EXCULPATION      25  
  14.1   Tenants Insurance      25  
  14.2   Indemnification      25  
  14.3   Property of Tenant      25  
  14.4   Limitation of Landlords Liability for Damage or Injury      25  
  14.5   Waiver of Subrogation; Mutual Release      26  
  14.6   Tenants Acts—Effect on Insurance      26  
  14.7   Landlords Insurance      26  
15.   CASUALTY; TAKING      27  
  15.1   Damage      27  
  15.2   Termination Rights      27  
  15.3   Taking for Temporary Use      28  
  15.4   Disposition of Awards      28  

 

-ii-


16.   ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATE      28  
17.   HAZARDOUS MATERIALS      28  
  17.1   Prohibition      28  
  17.2   Environmental Laws      29  
  17.3   Hazardous Material Defined      29  
  17.4   Hazardous Materials Indemnity      29  
18.   RULES AND REGULATIONS      30  
  18.1   Rules and Regulations      30  
  18.2   Energy Conservation      30  
  18.3   Recycling      30  
19.   LAWS AND PERMITS.      30  
  19.1   Legal Requirements      30  
  19.2   Required Permits      31  
20.   DEFAULT      31  
  20.1   Events of Default      31  
  20.2   Remedies      32  
  20.3   Damages - Termination      33  
  20.4   Landlords Self-Help; Fees and Expenses      33  
  20.5   Waiver of Redemption, Statutory Notice and Grace Periods      34  
  20.6   Landlords Remedies Not Exclusive      34  
  20.7   No Waiver      34  
  20.8   Restrictions on Tenants Rights      34  
  20.9   Landlord Default      34  
21.   SURRENDER; ABANDONED PROPERTY; HOLD-OVER      35  
  21.1   Surrender      35  
  21.2   Abandoned Property      35  
  21.3   Holdover      35  
22.   SUBORDINATION; MORTGAGES AND MASTER LEASE      36  
  22.1   Subordination      36  
  22.2   Mortgagee Notices      36  
  22.3   Mortgagee Liability      36  
  22.4   Mortgagee Consent      36  
  22.5   Master Lease      36  
23.   QUIET ENJOYMENT      36  
24.   NOTICES      37  

 

-iii-


25.   MISCELLANEOUS      37  
  25.1   Separability      37  
  25.2   Captions; Interpretation      37  
  25.3   Broker      38  
  25.4   Entire Agreement      38  
  25.5   Governing Law; Personal Jurisdiction      38  
  25.6   Tenant Representations      38  
  25.7   Expenses Incurred by Landlord Upon Tenant Requests      38  
  25.8   Survival      38  
  25.9   Limitation of Liability      39  
  25.10   Binding Effect      39  
  25.11   Landlord Obligations upon Transfer      39  
  25.12   Grants of Interest      39  
  25.13   No Air Rights      39  
  25.14   Office of Workforce Development      39  
  25.15   Intentionally Omitted      39  
  25.16   Financial Information      40  
  25.17   Measurements      40  
  25.18   OFAC      40  
  25.19   Confidentiality      40  
  25.20   Security      40  
  25.21   Time      41  
  25.22   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      41  
  25.23   Bankruptcy      41  
  25.24   MBTA      42  
  25.25   Not Binding Until Executed      42  

 

EXHIBIT 1    LEGAL DESCRIPTION
EXHIBIT 2A    LEASE PLAN
EXHIBIT 2B    PLAN OF CERTAIN COMPLEX AREAS
EXHIBIT 3    MEMORIALIZATION OF DATES AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 4    FORM OF NOTICE OF LEASE
EXHIBIT 5    WORK LETTER
EXHIBIT 6    PROHIBITED USES
EXHIBIT 7    FORM OF LETTER OF CREDIT
EXHIBIT 8    LANDLORD’S SERVICES
EXHIBIT 9    ALTERATIONS CHECKLIST
EXHIBIT 9A    ALTERATIONS INSURANCE SCHEDULE
EXHIBIT 10    TENANT’S INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
EXHIBIT 10A    SAMPLE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT 11    RULES AND REGULATIONS
EXHIBIT 12    FORM OF MASTER LEASE RNDA
EXHIBIT 13    MBTA LANGUAGE

 

-iv-


THIS INDENTURE OF LEASE (this “Lease”) is hereby made and entered into on the Execution Date by and between Landlord and Tenant.

 

1.

LEASE GRANT; TERM; APPURTENANT RIGHTS; EXCLUSIONS.

1.1    Lease Grant. Landlord hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant hereby leases from Landlord, the Premises upon and subject to matters of record and the terms and conditions of this Lease, for a term of years commencing on the Term Commencement Date and, unless earlier terminated or extended pursuant to the terms hereof, ending on the Expiration Date (the Initial Term; the Initial Term and the Extension Term, if duly exercised, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Term). Once the Term Commencement Date and the Rent Commencement Date are determined, Landlord and Tenant shall execute an agreement confirming the Term Commencement Date, the Rent Commencement Date and the Expiration Date in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 3. Tenant’s failure to execute and return any such agreement proposed by Landlord, or to provide written objection to the statements contained therein, within ten (10) business days after the date of Tenant’s receipt thereof, shall be deemed an approval by Tenant of Landlord’s determination of such dates as set forth therein.

1.2    Extension Term.

(a)    Provided that the following conditions (the “Extension Conditions”), any or all of which may be waived by Landlord in its sole discretion, are satisfied: (i) Tenant, an Affiliate (hereinafter defined) and/or a Successor (hereinafter defined) is/are then occupying at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Premises; and (ii) there is no Monetary Default (hereinafter defined) continuing beyond any applicable notice and cure period nor any Event of Default (1) as of the date of the Extension Notice (hereinafter defined), nor (2) at the commencement of the Extension Term (hereinafter defined), Tenant shall have the option to extend the Initial Term for one (1) additional term of five (5) years (the “Extension Term”), commencing as of the expiration of the Initial Term. Tenant must exercise such option to extend, if at all, by giving Landlord written notice (the “Extension Notice”) no earlier than fifteen (15) months and no later than twelve (12) months prior to the expiration of the Initial Term, time being of the essence. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord may nullify Tenant’s exercise of its option to extend the Term by written notice to Tenant (the “Nullification Notice”) if (A) on the date Landlord receives the Extension Notice, there is an event which, with the passage of time and/or the giving of notice, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (B) Tenant fails to cure such default within the applicable cure period set forth in Section 20.1 after receipt of the Nullification Notice. Upon the satisfaction of the Extension Conditions and the timely giving of the Extension Notice without a subsequent nullification by Landlord, the Term shall be deemed extended for the Extension Term upon all of the terms and conditions of this Lease, except that Base Rent during such Extension Term shall be calculated in accordance with this Section 1.2, Landlord shall have no obligation to construct or renovate the Premises (which shall be taken into consideration when determining FMV (hereinafter defined)) and Tenant shall have no further right to extend the Initial Term. If Tenant fails to give a timely Extension Notice, as aforesaid, Tenant shall have no further right to extend the Initial Term. Notwithstanding the fact that Tenant’s proper and timely exercise of such option to extend the Initial Term shall be self-executing, the parties shall promptly execute a lease amendment reflecting such Extension Term after Tenant validly exercises its option. The execution of such lease amendment shall not be deemed to waive any of the conditions to Tenant’s exercise of its rights under this Section 1.2.

(b)    The Base Rent during the Extension Term (the “Extension Term Base Rent”) shall be determined in accordance with the process described hereafter. Extension Term Base Rent shall be the greater of (i) the Base Rent for the last Rent Year of the Initial Term, increased by three percent (3%) on the first day of such Extension Term and annually thereafter, or (ii) the fair market rental value of the Premises then demised to Tenant as of the commencement of the Extension Term as determined in accordance with the process described below, for renewals of office space in the Kendall Square area of equivalent quality, size, utility and location, with the length of the Extension Term, the credit standing of Tenant, and all other relevant factors to be taken into account, with market rate increases (the “FMV”). Within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Extension Notice, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant written notice of its determination of the Extension Term Base Rent. Tenant shall, within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice, notify Landlord in writing whether Tenant accepts or rejects Landlord’s determination of the Extension Term Base Rent (“Tenant’s Response Notice”). If Tenant fails timely to deliver Tenant’s Response Notice, Landlord’s determination of the Extension Term Base Rent shall be binding on Tenant.

 

PAGE 1


(c)    If and only if Tenant’s Response Notice is timely delivered to Landlord and indicates both that Tenant rejects Landlord’s determination of the Extension Term Base Rent and desires to submit the matter to the determination process described in this Section 1.2(c) (the “Determination Process”), then the Extension Term Base Rent shall be determined in accordance with the procedure set forth in this Section 1.2(c). In such event, within ten (10) days after receipt by Landlord of Tenant’s Response Notice indicating Tenant’s desire to submit the determination of the Extension Term Base Rent to the Determination Process, Tenant and Landlord shall each notify the other, in writing, of their respective selections of an appraiser (respectively, “Landlord’s Appraiser” and “Tenant’s Appraiser”). If Landlord’s Appraiser and Tenant’s Appraiser are unable to agree within thirty (30) days on the Extension Term Base Rent, Landlord’s Appraiser and Tenant’s Appraiser shall then jointly select a third appraiser (the “Third Appraiser”) within ten (10) days after the end of such 30-day period. All of the appraisers selected shall be individuals with at least ten (10) consecutive years’ commercial appraisal experience in the area in which the Premises are located, shall be members of the Appraisal Institute (M.A.I.), and, in the case of the Third Appraiser, shall not have acted in any capacity for either Landlord or Tenant within five (5) years of his or her selection. The three appraisers shall determine the Extension Term Base Rent in accordance with the requirements and criteria set forth in Section 1.2(b) above, employing the method commonly known as Baseball Arbitration, whereby Landlord’s Appraiser and Tenant’s Appraiser each sets forth its determination of the Extension Term Base Rent as defined above, and the Third Appraiser must select one or the other (it being understood that the Third Appraiser shall be expressly prohibited from selecting a compromise figure). Landlord’s Appraiser and Tenant’s Appraiser shall deliver their determinations of the Extension Term Base Rent to the Third Appraiser within five (5) days of the appointment of the Third Appraiser and the Third Appraiser shall render his or her decision within ten (10) days after receipt of both of the other two determinations of the Extension Term Base Rent. The Third Appraiser’s decision shall be binding on both Landlord and Tenant. Each party shall bear the cost of its own appraiser, and the cost of the Third Appraiser shall be paid by the party whose determination is not selected.

(d)    Commencing on the first day of the second Rent Year of the Extension Term, Base Rent shall increase annually by market increases (as set forth in Landlord’s notice of its determination of Extension Term Base Rent, subject to the Determination Process), effective as of the first day of each Rent Year.

1.3    Notice of Lease. Neither party shall record this Lease, but, after the Term Commencement Date, each of the parties hereto agrees to join in the execution of a statutory notice of lease in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 4, which notice of lease may be recorded by Tenant with the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds and/or filed with the Registry District of the Land Court, as appropriate (collectively, the Registry) at Tenant’s sole cost and expense. If a notice of lease was previously recorded with the Registry, upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant a notice of termination of lease and Tenant shall promptly execute, acknowledge and deliver the same (together with any other instrument(s) that may be necessary in order to record and/or file the same with the Registry) to Landlord for Landlord’s execution and recordation with the Registry, which obligation shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease. If Tenant fails to deliver the executed notice of termination of lease within ten (10) days of receipt thereof, time being of the essence, Tenant hereby appoints Landlord as Tenant’s attorney-in-fact to execute the same, such appointment being coupled with an interest.

 

PAGE 2


1.4    Appurtenant Rights.

(a)    Common Areas. Subject to the terms of this Lease and the Rules and Regulations (hereinafter defined), Tenant shall have, as appurtenant to the Premises, rights to use in common with others entitled thereto, the areas designated from time to time for the common use of Tenant and other tenants of the Property (such areas are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Areas”). The Common Areas include: (i) the common lobby(ies), hallways, elevators and stairways of the Building serving the Premises, (ii) the loading dock serving the Building (it being understood and agreed that the loading facilities serving the Building are shared and Tenant shall not have exclusive use of any portion thereof); (iii) common walkways necessary for access to the Building, (iv) if the Premises include less than the entire rentable area of any floor, the common restrooms and other common facilities of such floor; (v) bicycle storage areas, and (vi) other areas designated by Landlord from time to time for the common use of Tenant and other tenants of the Building; and no other appurtenant rights or easements.

(b)    Complex Areas. Subject to the terms of this Lease and reasonable rules and regulations promulgated with respect thereto (including rules regarding scheduling of access to the loading facilities serving the Building), Tenant shall have, as appurtenant to the Premises, rights to use in common with others entitled thereto, at no additional charge, the areas designated from time to time pursuant to the SOMA REA and/or any REA (as such terms are hereinafter defined) for the common use of tenants of the Property, including the Parking Areas, roadways, driveways and other areas serving and/or providing access to/from the Building’s loading dock(s), open space and indoor and outdoor bicycle storage with access to bicycle repair equipment (such areas are hereinafter referred to as the “Complex Areas”). As of the Execution Date, it is contemplated that the areas shown on the plan attached hereto as Exhibit 2B and made a part hereof, inter alia, shall be designated as Complex Areas.

(c)    Parking. During the Term, Landlord shall, subject to the terms hereof, make available to Tenant monthly parking passes for the shared subsurface parking garage serving the Building (the “Parking Areas”), based upon a ratio of 0.80 parking pass for each 1,000 rentable square feet of the Premises (i.e., six (6) parking passes based on the Premises initially containing 7,499 rentable square feet), for the parking of passenger vehicles in unreserved stalls in the Parking Areas by Tenant’s employees and the employees of any transferee pursuant to a Transfer permitted by Article 13 of this Lease (“Permitted Pass Holders”). Tenant shall receive one (1) parking pass, or other suitable device providing access to the Parking Areas, for each parking privilege paid for by Tenant. The number of parking passes provided to Tenant, as modified pursuant to this Lease or as otherwise permitted by Landlord, are hereinafter referred to as the “Parking Passes.” Tenant shall have no right to hypothecate or encumber the Parking Passes, and shall not sublet, assign, or otherwise transfer the Parking Passes except in connection with a Transfer permitted by Article 13 of this Lease. During the Term, Tenant shall pay Landlord (or at Landlord’s election, directly to the parking operator2) for all of the Parking Passes at the then-current prevailing rate, as such rate may vary from time to time. Landlord shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) written notice to Tenant of any change in the monthly parking charge. If, for any reason, Tenant shall fail to timely pay the charge for any of said Parking Passes, and if such default continues for ten (10) days after written notice thereof, Landlord shall have the right to revoke Tenant’s rights to the Parking Passes for which Tenant failed to pay the charge under this Section 1.4(c) and Landlord may allocate such Parking Passes for use by others free and clear of Tenant’s rights under this Section 1.4(c). Use of the Parking Areas and the Parking Passes will be subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as may be in effect from time to time (including Landlord’s right, without additional charge to Tenant above the prevailing rate for Parking Passes, to institute a valet or attendant-managed parking system). Tenant shall provide Landlord and/or the operator of the Parking Areas with such information as may be reasonably requested, including a monthly identification roster listing, for each Parking Pass, the name of the employee and the make, color and registration number of the vehicle to which it has been assigned. Except to the extent prohibited by Legal Requirements, neither Landlord nor the operator of the Parking Areas assumes any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage due to casualty or theft or otherwise to any automobile or to any personal property therein, howsoever caused, and Tenant agrees to notify each Permitted Pass Holder of such limitation of liability. No bailment is intended or shall be created by the provision of, or use of, the parking privileges described herein. Reserved and handicap parking spaces must be honored. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in connection with the repair and/or maintenance of the Parking Areas, Landlord shall have the right to temporarily relocate the parking privileges from time to time to other property owned, leased or controlled by Landlord or its affiliates, so long as such other property is within 1,000 feet of the Land

 

2 

E.g., in the event that Landlord has leased or subleased the parking garage/areas to a third party

 

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(d)    Meeting Space. Subject to the terms of this Lease and reasonable rules and regulations (including rules and regulations pertaining to security and decorum), commencing on the Execution Date and continuing thereafter during the Term, Tenant shall have, as appurtenant to the Premises, the right to use in common with others entitled thereto, portions of the fourth (4th) floor of the Building designated by Landlord from time to time (“Meeting Space”) for meetings and events held and hosted by Tenant (“Events”); provided, however, prior to the Term Commencement Date, such use shall not in any event exceed three (3) hours per day, three (3) days per week. Promptly after the end of each Event, Tenant shall remove from the Meeting Space all decorations and other personal property used in connection with the Event (any personal property not removed therefrom shall be deemed abandoned). Subject to Section 14.5 of the Lease, Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, be responsible for any damage to the Building or personal property within the Building caused as a result of any Event (including any injury, breakage and damage caused by the acts or negligent omissions of Tenant or any of its employees, agents, contractors or invitees) and shall restore the Meeting Space to its condition immediately prior to such damage. Events shall be conducted by Tenant (i) at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, (ii) in compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements applicable thereto, and (iii) lien-free. Tenant covenants and agrees to (A) not use the Meeting Space for any unlawful purpose or in any manner that will constitute waste, nuisance or unreasonable annoyance or unreasonably interfere with access to and from other areas on the fourth floor, (B) maintain order and decorum in and around all portions of the Meeting Space in association with such Events, and (C) not disturb occupants of the Building as a result of any Event. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with any Event in which Tenant is serving or permitting the serving of alcoholic beverages, Tenant shall strictly comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and other requirements of governmental authorities relating to the serving of alcoholic beverages, including refusing to serve alcoholic beverages to people below the legal drinking age. Without limiting any other provision of this Lease, to the fullest extent permitted by Legal Requirements, Tenant shall indemnify the Landlord Parties for any Claims arising from the use of the Meeting Space by any of the Tenant Parties, including Claims related to the provision of food and/or alcohol. Tenant shall cause each vendor and/or contractor engaged in connection with an Event to carry (1) commercial general liability insurance in the amount of One Million and 00/100 Dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence and Two Million and 00/100 Dollars ($2,000,000.00) aggregate (and from time to time in such higher amounts as may be reasonably required by Landlord based on requirements of prudent owners of similar properties in Kendall Square), unless lesser limits are approved by Landlord in advance, on a primary and non-contributory basis, naming the Landlord Parties as additional insureds, (2) worker’s compensation insurance with statutory limits and (3) liquor liability coverage, if alcohol will be provided, in the amount of Five Million and 00/100 Dollars ($5,000,000.00) (and from time to time in such higher amounts as may be reasonably required by Landlord based on requirements of prudent owners of similar properties in Kendall Square), unless lesser limits are approved by Landlord in advance, on a primary and non-contributory basis, naming the Landlord Parties as additional insureds. Tenant shall provide Landlord with evidence reasonably acceptable to Landlord of such general liability, worker’s compensation and liquor liability insurance prior to each Event.

 

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1.5    Tenant’s Access.

(a)    From and after the Term Commencement Date and until the end of the Term, Tenant shall have access to the Premises (and Permitted Pass Holders shall have access to the parking areas) twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, subject to Legal Requirements, the Rules and Regulations, the terms of this Lease, Force Majeure (hereinafter defined) and matters of record.

(b)    Subject to Article 11 below, Tenant shall have the right to access the Premises, at Tenant’s sole risk, at times reasonably approved by Landlord during the 30-day period prior to the Term Commencement Date for purposes reasonably related to the installation of Tenant’s wiring and cabling and furniture (provided, however, in no event shall any audio-visual equipment be installed in the Premises prior to the Term Commencement Date), provided such access does not materially interfere with the preparation for or performance of Tenant’s Fitout (hereinafter defined). Tenant shall, prior to the first entry to the Premises pursuant to this Section 1.5(b), provide Landlord with certificates of insurance evidencing that the insurance required in Article 14 hereof is in full force and effect and covering any person or entity entering the Building. Tenant shall defend, indemnify and hold the Landlord Parties (hereinafter defined) harmless from and against any and all Claims (hereinafter defined) for injury to persons or property resulting from or relating to Tenant’s access to and use of the Premises prior to the Term Commencement Date as provided under this Section 1.5(b). Tenant shall coordinate any access to the Premises prior to the Term Commencement Date with Landlord’s property manager.

1.6    Exclusions. The following are expressly excluded from the Premises and reserved to Landlord: all the perimeter walls of the Premises (except the inner surfaces thereof), the Common Areas, and any space in or adjacent to the Premises used for shafts, stacks, pipes, conduits, wires and appurtenant fixtures, fan rooms, ducts, electric or other utilities, sinks or other Building facilities, and the use of all of the foregoing, except as expressly permitted pursuant to Section 1.4(a) above.

1.7    Measurement Certification. Upon substantial completion of Tenant’s Fitout, Landlord shall (a) cause its architect to measure the Premises according to the Measurement Standard; (b) provide reasonable documentation supporting the calculation of the rentable area of the Premises; and (c) deliver to Tenant a certification from Landlord’s architect as to the rentable square feet contained in the Premises and such certification shall be deemed conclusive unless disputed by Tenant within ten (10) days thereafter Following such measurement, the parties shall execute a lease amendment reflecting an appropriate adjustment to Base Rent, Tenant’s Share, Tenant’s Tax Share, Landlord’s Contribution and any other figures set forth herein which are based on the rentable area of the Premises. For purposes hereof, the “Measurement Standard” shall mean BOMA 2010 (ANSI Z65.1-2010) standard for measuring office space.

 

2.

RIGHTS RESERVED TO LANDLORD.

2.1    Additions and Alterations. Landlord reserves the right, at any time and from time to time, to make such changes, alterations, additions, improvements, repairs or replacements in or to the Property (including the Premises but, with respect to the Premises, only for purposes of repairs, maintenance, replacements and the exercise of any other rights expressly reserved to Landlord herein) and the fixtures and equipment therein, as well as in or to the street entrances and/or the Common Areas, as it may deem necessary or desirable (“Changes”), provided, however, that there be no material obstruction of permanent access to, or material interference with the use and enjoyment of, the Premises by Tenant. Subject to the foregoing, Landlord expressly reserves the right to temporarily close all, or any portion, of the Common Areas for the purpose of making repairs or changes thereto.

2.2    Additions to the Property. Landlord may at any time and from time to time (i) construct additional improvements and related site improvements (collectively, “Future Development”) in all or any part of the Property, (ii) change the location or arrangement of (A) any improvement outside the Building in or on the Property and/or (B) all or any part of the Common Areas, and/or (iii) add or deduct any land to or from the Property; provided that there shall be no material increase in Tenant’s obligations under this Lease in connection with the exercise of the foregoing reserved rights.

 

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2.3    Landlords Access. Subject to the terms hereof, Tenant shall (a) upon at least 24 hours’ advance notice, which may be by email (except that no notice shall be required in emergency situations), permit Landlord, Fee Owner (hereinafter defined) and any holder of a Mortgage (hereinafter defined) (each such holder, a “Mortgagee”), and their respective agents, representatives, employees and contractors, to have reasonable access to the Premises at all reasonable hours for the purposes of inspection, making repairs, replacements or improvements in or to the Premises or the Building or equipment therein (including sanitary, electrical, heating, air conditioning or other systems), complying with the Development Documents (hereinafter defined) and all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, statutes (including ADA), by-laws, court decisions and orders and requirements of all public authorities including that certain Planning Board Special Permit issued by the City of Cambridge Planning Board on June 23, 2016 and recorded in the Registry in Book 68192, page 334, as amended by Amendment No. 1 (Minor) to special Permit issued by the City of Cambridge Planning Board on March 21, 2017 (as the same may be further amended, the “Special Permit”) (collectively, “Legal Requirements”), or exercising any right reserved to Landlord under this Lease (including the right to take upon or through, or to keep and store within, the Premises all necessary materials, tools and equipment); (b) permit Landlord and its agents and employees, at reasonable times, upon at least 24 hours’ advance notice, to show the Premises during normal business hours (i.e. Monday – Friday 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. and Saturday 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M., excluding holidays) to any prospective Mortgagee, capital partner or purchaser of the Building and/or the Property or any portion thereof or of the interest of Landlord therein, and, during the last twelve (12) months of the Term, or at any time during the continuance of any Event of Default, prospective tenants; (c) upon reasonable prior written notice from Landlord, permit Landlord, Fee Owner and their respective agents and contractors, at Landlord’s sole cost and expense, to perform environmental audits, environmental site investigations and environmental site assessments (“Site Assessments”) in, on, under and at the Premises, it being understood that Landlord shall repair any damage arising as a result of the Site Assessments, and such Site Assessments may include both above and below the ground testing and such other tests as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct the Site Assessments; and (d) in case any excavation shall be made for building or improvements or for any other purpose upon the land adjacent to or near the Premises, afford without charge to Landlord, or the persons or entities causing or making such excavation, license to enter upon the Premises for the purpose of doing such work as Landlord or such persons or entities shall deem to be necessary to preserve the walls or structures of the Building from injury, and to protect the Building by proper securing of foundations. In addition, to the extent that it is necessary to enter the Premises in order to access any area that serves any portion of the Building outside the Premises, then Tenant shall, upon as much advance notice as is practical under the circumstances, and in any event at least twenty-four (24) hours’ prior written notice (except that no notice shall be required in emergency situations), permit contractors engaged by other occupants of the Building to pass through the Premises in order to access such areas but only if accompanied by a representative of Landlord. The parties agree and acknowledge that, despite reasonable and customary precautions (which Landlord agrees it shall exercise), any property or equipment in the Premises of a delicate, fragile or vulnerable nature may nevertheless be damaged in the course of performing Landlord’s obligations. Accordingly, Tenant shall take reasonable protective precautions with unusually fragile, vulnerable or sensitive property and equipment.

2.4    Pipes, Ducts and Conduits. Tenant shall permit Landlord to erect, use, maintain and relocate pipes, ducts and conduits in and through the Premises, provided the same are, to the extent reasonably practicable, located within interior walls, above the ceiling, or below the floor slab of the Premises and do not materially reduce the floor area or materially adversely affect the appearance thereof.

2.5    Minimize Interference. Except in the event of an emergency, Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with accepted construction practice when applicable, to minimize any materially adverse interference with Tenant’s use and occupancy of (or permanent access to) the Premises as a result of the exercise of Landlord’s rights under Sections 2.1-2.4 above. Tenant agrees to cooperate with Landlord as reasonably necessary in connection with the exercise of Landlord’s rights under this Article 2. Subject to Landlord’s obligations under this Section 2.5, Tenant further agrees that dust, noise, vibration, temporary closures of Common Areas, or other inconvenience or annoyance resulting from the exercise of Landlord’s rights under this Article 2 shall not be deemed to be a breach of Landlord’s obligations under the Lease.

 

PAGE 6


2.6    Name and Address of Building. Landlord reserves the right at any time and from time to time to change the name or address of the Building and/or the Property or any portion thereof, provided Landlord gives Tenant at least three (3) months’ prior written notice thereof.

2.7    Master Declaration; SOMA REA; REA; Condominium.

(a)    The Building is part of the mixed use development (the “Development”) in the City of Cambridge, which is being developed pursuant to the Special Permit and other applicable documents (collectively, as the same may each be amended from time to time, the “Development Documents”) which collectively govern the development, construction, use and operation of, and certain rights benefitting and restrictions burdening, the Building and the Development. The Development Documents include (i) the Special Permit, (ii) that certain Agreement of Covenants, Easements and Restrictions (Kendall Square Initiative) dated as of April 30, 2019 and recorded with the Registry in Book 72551, Page 270 (as the same may be amended, the “Master Declaration”); and (iii) that certain Declaration of Cross-Easements, Restrictions and Operating Agreement dated as of February 20, 2020 and recorded with the Registry in Book 74235, Page 1 (as the same may be amended, the “SOMA REA”). This Lease is subject and subordinate to the Development Documents.

(b)    Landlord and Tenant each hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) Landlord shall have the right to enter into, and subject the Property to the terms and conditions of, one or more additional reciprocal easement agreements, declarations of covenants and/or cross-easement agreements with any one or more of the neighboring or nearby property owners (including any owner of any portion of the Property that may be divided from the whole) (each, a “REA”); (ii) this Lease shall be subject and subordinate to any REA, provided that such REA shall not materially impair Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises, and provided, further, that if any REA contains lien rights in favor of such neighboring or nearby property owners, such subordination shall be conditioned upon execution of a commercially reasonable subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement (“SNDA”); (iii) Landlord shall have the right to subdivide the Property so long as Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises is not materially impaired; (iv) Landlord shall have the right to subject the Land and the improvements located now or in the future located thereon to a commercial condominium regime (“Condominium”) on terms and conditions consistent with first-class office and retail buildings; (v) this Lease shall be subject and subordinate to the Master Deed and other documents evidencing the Condominium (collectively, the “Condo Documents”) provided that Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises is not materially impaired, and provided, further, that such subordination shall be conditioned upon execution of a SNDA; and (vi) Tenant shall execute such reasonable documents (which may be in recordable form) evidencing the foregoing within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s request. Tenant shall provide to Landlord, at no cost to Tenant, any other instrument(s) that may be necessary in order to record and/or file the same with the Registry.

2.8    Construction in Vicinity. Tenant acknowledges that (a) Landlord and/or its affiliates (“Neighboring Owners”) own several properties in the vicinity of the Building, (b) during the Term, the Neighboring Owners may undertake various construction projects, which may include the construction of new and/or additional buildings (each, a “Project,” and collectively, the “Projects”), and (c) customary construction impacts (taking into account the urban nature of the Property, the proximity of the Building to the Project site and other relevant factors) may result therefrom. Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize (and cause its affiliates to minimize) materially adverse construction impacts in accordance with the mitigation plan described below. Prior to commencing any Project, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant a construction mitigation plan that shall detail such commercially reasonable mitigation measures. Subject to Landlord’s compliance with this paragraph, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Lease, in no event shall Landlord be liable to Tenant for any compensation or reduction of rent or any other damages arising from the Projects and Tenant shall not have the right to terminate the Lease due to the construction of the Projects, nor shall the same give rise to a claim in Tenant’s favor that such construction constitutes actual or constructive, total or partial, eviction from the Premises. Notwithstanding any provision in this Lease to the contrary, in no event shall Tenant seek injunctive or any similar relief to stop, delay or modify any Project.

 

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3.

CONDITION OF PREMISES; CONSTRUCTION.

3.1    Condition of Premises. On the Term Commencement Date, the Premises and the Common Areas shall be in compliance with Legal Requirements, and all base Building systems serving the Premises and the Common Areas shall be in good working condition. Subject to Landlord’s obligation to perform Tenant’s Fitout in accordance with the terms of the Work Letter attached hereto as Exhibit 5, Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Tenant is leasing the Premises in their “AS IS,” “WHERE IS” condition and with all faults on the Term Commencement Date, without representations or warranties, express or implied, in fact or by law, of any kind, and without recourse to Landlord (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not derogate from Landlord’s obligations expressly set forth in Sections 10.2 and 15.1 hereof).

3.2    Tenants Fitout. Tenant’s Fitout shall be performed by Landlord in accordance with the Work Letter attached hereto as Exhibit 5.

 

4.

USE OF PREMISES

4.1    Permitted Uses. During the Term, Tenant shall use the Premises only for the Permitted Uses and for no other purposes. Service and utility areas (whether or not a part of the Premises) shall be used only for the particular purpose for which they are designed. All corridor doors, when not in use, shall be kept closed. Tenant shall keep the Premises equipped with appropriate safety appliances to the extent required by Legal Requirements or insurance requirements.

4.2    Prohibited Uses.

(a)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Lease, Tenant shall not use the Premises or the Building, or any part thereof, or suffer or permit the use and/or occupancy of the Premises or the Building or any part thereof by Tenant and/or Tenant’s agents, servants, employees, consultants, contractors, subcontractors, licensees and/or subtenants (collectively with Tenant, the “Tenant Parties”) (i) in a manner which would violate any of the covenants, agreements, terms, provisions and conditions of this Lease or otherwise applicable to or binding upon the Premises; (ii) for any unlawful purposes or in any unlawful manner; (iii) in a manner which, in the reasonable judgment of Landlord (taking into account the use of the Building as a combination institutional, office and retail building and the Permitted Uses) shall (a) impair the appearance or reputation of the Building; (b) impair, interfere with or otherwise diminish the quality of any of the Building services or the proper and economic heating, cleaning, ventilating, air conditioning or other servicing of the Building or Premises, or the use of any of the Common Areas; (c) occasion discomfort, inconvenience or annoyance in any material respect (and Tenant shall not install or use any electrical or other equipment of any kind which, in the reasonable judgment of Landlord, will cause any such material impairment, interference, discomfort, inconvenience, annoyance or injury), or cause any injury or damage to any occupants of the Premises or other tenants or occupants of the Building or their property; or (d) cause harmful air emissions or any unusual or other objectionable odors, noises or emissions to emanate from the Premises; (iv) in a manner which is inconsistent with the operation and/or maintenance of the Building as a first-class combination institutional, office and retail facility; (v) for any fermentation processes whatsoever; (vi) in a manner which shall increase such insurance rates on the Building or on property located therein over that applicable when Tenant first took occupancy of the Premises hereunder (provided that use of the Premises for the Permitted Uses generally shall not be deemed to result in any such increase); or (vii) for any use listed in Exhibit 6 attached hereto and made a part hereof.

 

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(b)    With respect to the use and occupancy of the Premises and the Common Areas, Tenant will not: (i) place or maintain any garbage, trash, rubbish or other refuse (collectively, “Trash”), signage (except as may be permitted by Article 12 below) or other articles in any vestibule or entry of the Premises, on the footwalks or corridors adjacent thereto or elsewhere on the exterior of the Premises, nor obstruct any driveway, corridor, footwalk, parking area, mall or any other Common Areas; (ii) permit undue accumulations of or burn Trash within or without the Premises; (iii) permit the parking of vehicles so as to interfere with the use of any driveway, corridor, footwalk, parking area, or other Common Areas; (iv) receive or ship articles of any kind outside of those areas reasonably designated by Landlord; (v) conduct or permit to be conducted any auction, going out of business sale, bankruptcy sale (unless directed by court order), or other similar type sale in or connected with the Premises; (vi) use the name of Landlord, Fee Owner, or any of Landlord’s affiliates or subsidiaries in any publicity, promotion, trailer, press release, advertising, printed, or display materials without Landlord’s prior written consent (which may be withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion); (vii) permit or keep any animals other than trained certified service animals in the Building; or (viii) except in connection with Tenant’s Fitout and/or Alterations (hereinafter defined) approved by Landlord, cause or permit any hole to be drilled or made in any part of the Building.

 

5.

RENT; ADDITIONAL RENT

5.1    Base Rent. During the Term, Tenant shall pay to Landlord Base Rent in equal monthly installments, in advance and without demand on the first day of each month for and with respect to such month (except that, if the Rent Commencement Date is any day other than the first day of a calendar month, Base Rent due for the period between the Rent Commencement Date and the last day of the calendar month in which the Rent Commencement Date occurs shall be due on the Rent Commencement Date). Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, the payment of Base Rent and additional rent and other charges reserved and covenanted to be paid under this Lease with respect to the Premises (collectively, “Rent”) shall commence on the Rent Commencement Date, and shall be prorated for any partial months. Rent shall be payable to Landlord or, if Landlord shall so direct in writing, to Landlord’s agent or nominee, in lawful money of the United States which shall be legal tender for payment of all debts and dues, public and private, at the time of payment. Simultaneously with its execution hereof, Tenant has paid to Landlord Base Rent for the first full month after the Rent Commencement Date. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, in no event shall Tenant pay any installment of Base Rent more than one (1) month in advance.

5.2    Operating Costs.

(a)    “Operating Costs” shall mean all costs incurred and expenditures of whatever nature made by Landlord in the operation, management, repair, replacement, maintenance and insurance (including environmental liability insurance and property insurance on Landlord-supplied leasehold improvements for tenants, but not property insurance on tenants’ equipment) of the Property or allocated to the Property, including: all costs of labor (wages, salaries, fringe benefits, etc.) up to and including the group or portfolio manager, however denominated; any costs for utilities supplied to exterior areas and the Common Areas; any costs for repair and replacements, cleaning and maintenance of exterior areas and the Common Areas, related equipment, facilities and appurtenances and HVAC equipment; costs of consultants and/or experts engaged to evaluate cost-savings measures for the Building (such as, but not limited to, tax and energy conservation consultants); costs relating to open space serving the Kendall Square complex; costs incurred pursuant to the Master Declaration, the SOMA REA, any REA and/or Condo Documents (including costs related to the operation, management, repair, replacement, maintenance, and insurance of the Complex Areas and real estate taxes assessed with respect to the Complex Areas); any operating costs charged pursuant to the Master Lease (hereinafter defined); costs incurred in connection with the PTDM; costs of security services; a commercially reasonable management fee paid to Landlord’s property manager (in an amount not to exceed three percent (3%) of the Property’s gross annual income); the costs, including a commercially reasonable rental factor, of Landlord’s management office for the Property (which management office may be located outside the Property and which may serve other properties in addition to the Property (in which event the costs thereof shall be equitably allocated among the properties served by such office)); and the cost of operating any amenities in the Property available to all tenants of the Property and any subsidy provided by Landlord to all tenants for or with respect to any such amenity. For costs and expenditures made by Landlord in connection with the operation, management, repair, replacement, maintenance and insurance of the Property as a whole, Landlord shall make a reasonable allocation thereof between the retail and non-retail portions of the Property. Operating Costs shall not include Excluded Costs (hereinafter defined). Landlord shall have the right but not the obligation, from time to time, to equitably allocate some or all of the Operating Costs among different tenants of the Building (for example, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, based in whole or in part on shared or similar use of particular systems or equipment).

 

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(b)    “Excluded Costs” shall be defined as (i) any mortgage charges (including interest, principal, points and fees); (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) salaries of executives and owners not directly employed in the management/operation of the Property or above the level of portfolio manager; (iv) the cost of work done by Landlord for a particular tenant; (v) the cost of items which, by generally accepted accounting principles, would be capitalized on the books of Landlord or are otherwise not properly chargeable against income, except to the extent such capital item is (A) required by any Legal Requirements enacted or first enforced after the Execution Date, (B) reasonably projected to reduce Operating Costs, or (C) reasonably expected to improve the management and/or operation of the Building; (vi) any contributions made to any tenant of the Property for, or costs incurred by Landlord in connection with, the initial build-out or subsequent improvement of leasable space in the Building, including Tenant’s Fitout; (vii) franchise or income taxes imposed on Landlord; (viii) costs paid directly by individual tenants to suppliers, including tenant electricity, telephone and other utility costs; (ix) increases in premiums for insurance when such increase is caused by the use of the Property by Landlord or any other tenant of the Property; (x) maintenance and repair of capital items not a part of the Property; (xi) depreciation of the Property; (xii) costs relating to maintaining Landlord’s existence as a corporation, partnership or other entity; (xiii) advertising and other fees and costs incurred in procuring tenants; (xiv) the cost of any items for which Landlord is actually reimbursed by insurance, condemnation awards, refund, rebate or otherwise (including any costs reimbursed to Landlord by tenants of the Building, other than pursuant to operating cost provisions analogous to this Section 5.2), and any expenses for repairs or maintenance to the extent covered by warranties, guaranties and service contracts; (xv) costs incurred in connection with any disputes between Landlord and its employees, between Landlord and Building management, or between Landlord and other tenants or occupants; (xvi) the costs of the initial development and construction of the Building (including mitigation payments and impact fees associated therewith, if any (including traffic mitigation expenses or payments pursuant to the approvals for the project)), provided, however, that the foregoing shall not exclude from Operating Costs the reasonable costs incurred in connection with the PTDM; (xvii) costs resulting from violations by Landlord of Legal Requirements; (xviii) cost of electricity furnished to other leasable areas within the Building; (xix) the cost of testing, remediation or removal, transportation or storage of Hazardous Materials (hereinafter defined) in the Building or on the Property required by Environmental Laws (hereinafter defined), provided, however, with respect to the testing, remediation, removal, transportation or storage of (A) any material or substance that is part of the Building on the Commencement Date and which, as of the Commencement Date, is not considered, as a matter of law, to be a Hazardous Material, but which is subsequently determined to be a Hazardous Material as a matter of law and must be remediated or removed, and (B) any material or substance located in the Building after the Commencement Date and which, when placed in the Building was not considered as a matter of law to be a Hazardous Material but which is subsequently determined to be a Hazardous Material as a matter of law, then the costs thereof may be included in Operating Costs; (xx) overhead and profit increment paid to the Landlord or to subsidiaries or affiliates of the Landlord for services in the Building to the extent the same exceeds the costs of such services rendered by qualified, first-class, unaffiliated third-parties on a competitive basis in the Kendall Square area; (xxi) costs incurred in the operation, repair and maintenance of the Parking Areas; and (xxii) expenses related solely and exclusively to the operation of any retail space in the Building.

 

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(c)    Payment of Operating Costs. Commencing on the Rent Commencement Date, and thereafter throughout the Term, Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as additional rent, Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs. Landlord may make a good faith estimate of Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs for any fiscal year or part thereof during the Term, and Tenant shall pay to Landlord, on the Rent Commencement Date and on the first (1st) day of each calendar month thereafter, an amount equal to Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs for such fiscal year and/or part thereof divided by the number of months therein. Landlord may estimate and re-estimate Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs and deliver a copy of the estimate or re-estimate to Tenant. Thereafter, the monthly installments of Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs shall be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the estimations so that, by the end of the fiscal year in question, Tenant shall have paid all of Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs as estimated by Landlord. Any amounts paid based on such an estimate shall be subject to adjustment as herein provided when actual Operating Costs are available for each fiscal year.

(d)    Annual Reconciliation. Landlord shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, deliver to Tenant a reasonably detailed statement of the actual amount of Operating Costs for such fiscal year (“Year End Statement”). Failure of Landlord to provide the Year End Statement within the time prescribed shall not relieve Tenant from its obligations hereunder. If the total of such monthly remittances on account of any fiscal year is greater than Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs actually incurred for such fiscal year, then provided there is no Event of Default nor any event which, with the passage of time and/or the giving of notice would constitute an Event of Default, Tenant may credit the difference against the next installment of additional rent on account of Operating Costs due hereunder, except that if such difference is determined after the end of the Term, Landlord shall refund such difference to Tenant within thirty (30) days after such determination to the extent that such difference exceeds any amounts then due from Tenant to Landlord (it being understood and agreed that if Tenant cures any default prior to the expiration of the notice and/or cure periods set forth in Section 20.1 below, Tenant shall then be entitled to take such credit). If the total of such remittances is less than Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs actually incurred for such fiscal year, Tenant shall pay the difference to Landlord, as additional rent hereunder, within ten (10) days of Tenant’s receipt of an invoice therefor. Landlord’s estimate of Operating Costs for the next fiscal year shall be based upon the Operating Costs actually incurred for the prior fiscal year as reflected in the Year-End Statement plus a reasonable adjustment based upon estimated increases in Operating Costs.

(e)    Part Years. If the Rent Commencement Date or the Expiration Date occurs in the middle of a fiscal year, Tenant shall be liable for only that portion of the Operating Costs with respect to such fiscal year within the Term.

(f)    Gross-Up. If, during any fiscal year, less than 95% of the Building is occupied by tenants or if Landlord was not supplying at least 95% of tenants with the services being supplied to Tenant hereunder, actual Operating Costs incurred shall be reasonably extrapolated by Landlord on an item-by-item basis to the reasonable Operating Costs that would have been incurred if the Building was 95% occupied and such services were being supplied to 95% of tenants, and such extrapolated Operating Costs shall, for all purposes hereof, be deemed to be the Operating Costs for such fiscal year. This “gross up” treatment shall be applied only with respect to variable Operating Costs arising from services provided to Common Areas or to space in the Building being occupied by tenants (which services are not provided to vacant space or may be provided only to some tenants) in order to allocate equitably such variable Operating Costs to the tenants receiving the benefits thereof.

 

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5.3    Taxes.

(a)    “Taxes” shall mean the real estate taxes and other taxes, levies and assessments imposed upon the Building and the tax lot(s) on which the Building is located (the “Tax Lot”) and any other buildings located on the Tax Lot (collectively, the “Tax Property”), and upon any personal property of Landlord used in the operation thereof, or on Landlord’s interest therein or such personal property or reasonably allocated thereto; charges, fees and assessments for transit, housing, police, fire or other services or purported benefits to the Tax Property (including any community preservation assessments and/or business improvement district assessments); service or user payments in lieu of taxes; and any and all other taxes, levies, betterments, assessments and charges arising from the ownership, leasing, operation, use or occupancy of the Tax Property or based upon rentals derived therefrom, which are or shall be imposed by federal, state, county, municipal or other governmental authorities. To the extent Taxes are assessed against the Tax Property as a whole, such amounts shall be allocated among the buildings located on the Tax Lot and shall be based on the assessor’s records or, if the records do not provide a separate allocation, based on square footage of the buildings in question unless Landlord reasonably determines that such allocation should be made on another basis. Furthermore, if different tax rates apply to spaces in the buildings located on the Tax Lot, Taxes will be allocated based on the applicable tax rate (e.g., if retail space is taxed at a different rate than office space, then Taxes subject to such different rate shall be allocated accordingly). If any such Tax is levied or assessed directly against Tenant, then Tenant shall be responsible for and shall pay the same at such times and in such manner as the taxing authority shall require. From and after substantial completion of any occupiable improvements constructed as part of a Future Development, if such improvements are not separately assessed, Landlord shall reasonably allocate Taxes between the Building and such improvements and the land area associated with the same. Taxes shall not include any inheritance, estate, succession, gift, franchise, rental, income or profit tax, capital stock tax, capital levy or excise, or any income taxes arising out of or related to the ownership and operation of the Tax Property, provided, however, that any of the same and any other tax, excise, fee, levy, charge or assessment, however described, that may in the future be levied or assessed as a substitute for or in addition to, in whole or in part, any tax, levy or assessment which would otherwise constitute Taxes, whether or not now customary or in the contemplation of the parties on the Execution Date of this Lease, shall constitute Taxes, but only to the extent calculated as if the Tax Property were the only real estate owned by Landlord. “Taxes” shall also include reasonable expenses (including legal and consultant fees) of tax abatement or other proceedings contesting assessments or levies. Tenant shall pay, prior to delinquency, any and all Taxes levied or assessed against any personal property or trade fixtures placed by Tenant in the Premises, whether levied or assessed against Landlord or Tenant. If any Taxes on Tenant’s personal property or trade fixtures are levied against Landlord or Landlord’s property, or if the assessed valuation of the Tax Property is increased by a value attributable to improvements in or alterations to the Premises made by Tenant (and expressly excluding the base Building), whether owned by Landlord or Tenant and whether or not affixed to the real property so as to become a part thereof, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to pay such Taxes. The amount of any such payment by Landlord shall constitute additional rent due from Tenant to Landlord within thirty (30) days of invoice therefor.

(b)    “Tax Period” shall be any fiscal/tax period in respect of which Taxes are due and payable to the appropriate governmental taxing authority (i.e., as mandated by the governmental taxing authority), any portion of which period occurs during the Term of this Lease.

 

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(c)    Payment of Taxes. Commencing on the Rent Commencement Date, and thereafter throughout the Term, Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as additional rent, Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes. Landlord may make a good faith estimate of the Taxes to be due by Tenant for any Tax Period or part thereof during the Term, and Tenant shall pay to Landlord, on the Rent Commencement Date and on the first (1st) day of each calendar month thereafter, an amount equal to Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes for such Tax Period or part thereof divided by the number of months therein. Landlord may estimate and re-estimate Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes and deliver a copy of the estimate or re-estimate to Tenant. Thereafter, the monthly installments of Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes shall be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the estimations so that, by the end of the Tax Period in question, Tenant shall have paid all of Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes as estimated by Landlord. Any amounts paid based on such an estimate shall be subject to adjustment as herein provided when actual Taxes are available for each Tax Period. If the total of such monthly remittances is greater than Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes actually due for such Tax Period, then, provided no Event of Default has occurred nor any event which, with the passage of time and/or the giving of notice would constitute an Event of Default, Tenant may credit the difference against the next installment of additional rent on account of Taxes due hereunder, except that if such difference is determined after the end of the Term, Landlord shall refund such difference to Tenant within thirty (30) days after such determination to the extent that such difference exceeds any amounts then due from Tenant to Landlord (it being understood and agreed that if Tenant cures any default prior to the expiration of the notice and/or cure periods set forth in Section 20.1 below, Tenant shall then be entitled to take such credit). If the total of such remittances is less than Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes actually due for such Tax Period, Tenant shall pay the difference to Landlord, as additional rent hereunder, within thirty (30) days of Tenant’s receipt of an invoice therefor. Landlord’s estimate for the next Tax Period shall be based upon actual Taxes for the prior Tax Period plus a reasonable adjustment based upon estimated increases in Taxes. In the event that Payments in Lieu of Taxes (“PILOT”), instead of or in addition to Taxes, are separately assessed to certain portions of the Tax Property including the Premises, Tenant agrees, except as otherwise expressly provided herein to the contrary, to pay to Landlord, as additional rent, the portion of such PILOT attributable to the Premises in the same manner as provided above for the payment of Taxes.

(d)    Effect of Abatements. Appropriate credit against Taxes or PILOT shall be given for any refund obtained by reason of a reduction in any Taxes by the assessors or the administrative, judicial or other governmental agency responsible therefor after deduction of Landlord’s expenditures for reasonable legal fees and for other reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining the Tax or PILOT refund.

(e)    Part Years. If the Rent Commencement Date or the Expiration Date occurs in the middle of a Tax Period, Tenant shall be liable for only that portion of the Taxes, as the case may be, with respect to such Tax Period within the Term.

5.4    Late Payments.

(a)    Any payment of Rent due hereunder not paid when due shall bear interest for each month or fraction thereof from the due date until paid in full at the annual rate of ten percent (10%), or at any applicable lesser maximum legally permissible rate for debts of this nature (the “Default Rate”), provided that Landlord agrees to waive such interest assessment once per calendar year so long as Tenant cures such late payment within five (5) days following notice thereof from Landlord. Acceptance of interest or any partial payment shall not constitute a waiver of Tenant’s default with respect to the overdue amount or prevent Landlord from exercising any of the other rights and remedies available to Landlord under this Lease or at law or in equity now or hereafter in effect.

(b)    For each Tenant payment check to Landlord that is returned by a bank for any reason, Tenant shall pay a returned check charge equal to the amount as shall be customarily charged by Landlord’s bank at the time.

(c)    Money paid by Tenant to Landlord shall be applied to Tenant’s account in the following order: first, to any unpaid additional rent, including late charges, returned check charges, legal fees and/or court costs chargeable to Tenant hereunder; and then to unpaid Base Rent.

 

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5.5    No Offset; Independent Covenants; Waiver. Rent shall be paid without notice or demand, and without setoff, counterclaim, defense, abatement, suspension, deferment, reduction or deduction, except as expressly provided herein. TENANT WAIVES ALL RIGHTS AT COMMON LAW, IN EQUITY OR OTHERWISE (I) TO ANY ABATEMENT, SUSPENSION, DEFERMENT, REDUCTION OR DEDUCTION OF OR FROM RENT, AND (II) EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN SECTION 15.2 BELOW, TO QUIT, TERMINATE OR SURRENDER THIS LEASE OR THE PREMISES OR ANY PART THEREOF. TENANT HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE OBLIGATIONS OF TENANT UNDER THIS LEASE SHALL BE SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS, THAT RENT SHALL CONTINUE TO BE PAYABLE IN ALL EVENTS, WHETHER FORESEEN OR UNFORESEEN, AND THAT THE OBLIGATIONS OF TENANT HEREUNDER SHALL CONTINUE UNAFFECTED, UNLESS THE REQUIREMENT TO PAY OR PERFORM THE SAME SHALL HAVE BEEN TERMINATED PURSUANT TO AN EXPRESS PROVISION OF THIS LEASE. LANDLORD AND TENANT EACH ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE INDEPENDENT NATURE OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF TENANT HEREUNDER REPRESENTS FAIR, REASONABLE, AND ACCEPTED COMMERCIAL PRACTICE WITH RESPECT TO THE TYPE OF PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THIS LEASE, AND THAT THIS AGREEMENT IS THE PRODUCT OF FREE AND INFORMED NEGOTIATION DURING WHICH BOTH LANDLORD AND TENANT WERE REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL SKILLED IN NEGOTIATING AND DRAFTING COMMERCIAL LEASES IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THAT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND AGREEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN ARE MADE WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLDING IN WESSON V. LEONE ENTERPRISES, INC., 437 MASS. 708 (2002). SUCH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, AGREEMENTS AND WAIVERS BY TENANT ARE A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO LANDLORD ENTERING INTO THIS LEASE.

5.6    Survival. Any obligations under this Article 5 which shall not have been paid at the expiration or earlier termination of the Term shall survive such expiration or earlier termination and shall be paid when and as the amount of same shall be determined and be due.

 

6.

INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.

 

7.

LETTER OF CREDIT.

7.1    Amount.

(a)    Contemporaneously with the execution of this Lease, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord an irrevocable, transferable letter of credit which shall (i) be in the amount specified in the Lease Summary Sheet and otherwise in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7; (ii) issued by a FDIC insured financial institution (A) reasonably acceptable to Landlord upon which presentment may be made in Boston, Massachusetts (if Landlord so requires at the time of its approval thereof ), and (B) which satisfies the Minimum Rating Agency Threshold and the Minimum Capital Threshold (as such terms are hereinafter defined); and (iii) be for a term of one (1) year, subject to extension in accordance with the terms hereof (the “Letter of Credit”). The Letter of Credit shall be held by Landlord, without liability for interest, as security for the faithful performance by Tenant of all of the terms, covenants and conditions of this Lease by the Tenant to be kept and performed during the Term. In no event shall the Letter of Credit be deemed to be a prepayment of Rent nor shall it be considered a measure of liquidated damages. Unless the Letter of Credit is automatically renewing, at least thirty (30) days prior to the maturity date of the Letter of Credit (or any replacement Letter of Credit), Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a replacement Letter of Credit which shall have a maturity date no earlier than the next anniversary of the Term Commencement Date or one (1) year from its date of delivery to Landlord, whichever is later. Tenant shall reasonably cooperate with Landlord as reasonably requested by Landlord in connection with any transfer of the Letter of Credit to Landlord’s successor-in-interest hereunder.

(b)    If no Event of Default has occurred and no event has occurred which, with the passage of time and/or the giving of notice, would constitute an Event of Default and further provided that there is no material adverse change in Tenant’s tangible net worth (as defined in Section 13.4 below) as verified by Landlord based upon a certificate from Tenant’s chief financial officer and audited financials, then the face amount of the Letter of Credit may be reduced by Tenant to (i) $252,384.33 on or after the second (2nd) anniversary of the Rent Commencement Date, and (ii) $126,192.17 on or after the fourth (4th) anniversary of the Rent Commencement Date; it being understood and agreed that if Tenant cures any default prior to the expiration of the notice and/or cure periods set forth in Section 20.1 below, or Tenant thereafter demonstrates that there is no longer a material adverse change in Tenant’s tangible net worth, Tenant shall then be entitled to obtain a Letter of Credit in the reduced face amount in accordance with this Section 7.1(b). Landlord shall, at no cost to Landlord, cooperate with Tenant and the issuer of the Letter of Credit in connection with the amendment of the Letter of Credit to effectuate such reduction. Tenant hereby certifies that Tenant’s tangible net worth as of the Execution Date is at least Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000).

 

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7.2    Application of Proceeds of Letter of Credit. Upon an Event of Default, or if any proceeding shall be instituted by or against Tenant pursuant to any of the provisions of any Act of Congress or State law relating to bankruptcy, reorganizations, arrangements, compositions or other relief from creditors (and, in the case of any proceeding instituted against it, if Tenant shall fail to have such proceedings dismissed within sixty (60) days) or if Tenant is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent as a result of any such proceeding, or upon the end of the Term if there remains any uncured default of which Tenant shall have received notice, Landlord at its sole option may draw down all or a part of the Letter of Credit. The balance of any Letter of Credit cash proceeds shall be held in accordance with Section 7.5 below. Should the entire Letter of Credit, or any portion thereof, be drawn down by Landlord, Tenant shall, upon the written demand of Landlord, deliver a replacement Letter of Credit in the amount drawn, and Tenant’s failure to do so within ten (10) days after receipt of such written demand shall constitute an additional Event of Default hereunder. The application of all or any part of the cash proceeds of the Letter of Credit to any obligation or default of Tenant under this Lease shall not deprive Landlord of any other rights or remedies Landlord may have nor shall such application by Landlord constitute a waiver by Landlord.

7.3    Intentionally Omitted.

7.4    Credit of Issuer of Letter of Credit. The “Minimum Rating Agency Threshold” shall mean that the issuing bank has outstanding unsecured, uninsured and unguaranteed senior long-term indebtedness that is then rated (without regard to qualification of such rating by symbols such as “+” or “-” or numerical notation) “Baa” or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and/or “BBB” or better by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, or a comparable rating by a comparable national rating agency designated by Landlord in its discretion. The “Minimum Capital Threshold” shall mean that the issuing bank has combined capital, surplus and undivided profits of not less than $10,000,000,000. If the issuer of the Letter of Credit fails to satisfy either or both of the Minimum Rating Agency Threshold or the Minimum Capital Threshold, Tenant shall be required to deliver a substitute letter of credit from another issuer reasonably satisfactory to the Landlord and that satisfies both the Minimum Rating Agency Threshold and the Minimum Capital Threshold not later than ten (10) business days after Landlord notifies Tenant of such failure.

7.5    Security Deposit. Landlord shall hold the balance of proceeds remaining after a draw on the Letter of Credit (the “Security Deposit”) as security for Tenant’s performance of all its Lease obligations. After an Event of Default, or upon the end of the Term if there remains any uncured default of which Tenant shall have received notice, Landlord may apply the Security Deposit, or any part thereof, to Landlord’s damages without prejudice to any other Landlord remedy. Should Landlord apply all or any portion of the Security Deposit in accordance with the terms of this Lease, Tenant shall, upon the written demand of Landlord, deliver cash in the amount applied, and Tenant’s failure to do so within twenty (20) days after receipt of such written demand shall constitute an additional Event of Default hereunder without further notice or opportunity to cure. Tenant shall have the right to deliver a replacement Letter of Credit in the form and amount required hereunder, and upon receipt of such replacement Letter of Credit, Landlord shall return the Security Deposit to Tenant. Landlord has no obligation to pay interest on the Security Deposit and may co-mingle the Security Deposit with Landlord’s funds. If Landlord conveys its interest under this Lease, the Security Deposit, or any part not applied previously, may be turned over to the grantee in which case Tenant shall look solely to the grantee for the proper application and return of the Security Deposit.

7.6    Return of Security Deposit or Letter of Credit. Should Tenant comply with all of such terms, covenants and conditions and promptly pay all sums payable by Tenant to Landlord hereunder, the Security Deposit and/or Letter of Credit or the remaining proceeds therefrom, as applicable, shall be returned to Tenant within sixty (60) days after the end of the Term, less any portion thereof which may have been utilized by Landlord to cure any default or applied to any actual damage suffered by Landlord.

 

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8.

INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.

 

9.

UTILITIES, HVAC; WASTE REMOVAL

9.1    Electricity. Commencing on the Rent Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay all charges for electricity furnished to the Premises and/or any equipment exclusively serving the Premises as additional rent, based on Landlord’s reasonable estimates and/or any applicable metering equipment. At Tenant’s request, Landlord shall provide Tenant with reasonable back-up documentation regarding the total charges and the method of allocating the charges to Tenant. Prior to the Execution Date, Landlord has furnished and installed check metering equipment to measure electricity furnished to the Premises and any equipment exclusively serving the same (the costs of which shall be included in Tenant’s Fitout). Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, maintain and keep in good order, condition and repair such check metering equipment.

9.2    Water. Landlord shall install a separate water meter for the Building and shall allocate the water meter charges, together with any sewer charges based on said meter readings, among the tenants of the Building based upon either estimated water usage, rentable square footage and/or other commercially reasonable method(s). Landlord shall provide Tenant with reasonable back-up documentation regarding the total charges and the method of allocating the charges to Tenant. Commencing on the Rent Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as additional rent hereunder, its allocated share of water charges within thirty (30) days of demand therefor from time to time. If Landlord reasonably determines that Tenant’s use of water and sewer services is not consistent with the usage patterns of other tenants, Landlord shall have the right, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, to furnish and install in a location approved by Landlord in or near the Premises submetering equipment to measure Tenant’s consumption of water in the Premises. Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, maintain and keep in good order, condition and repair any such submetering equipment.

9.3    Condenser Water. Subject to Landlord’s reasonable rules and regulations governing the same, Tenant shall have access to the Building condenser water loop for the benefit of Tenant’s air conditioning equipment, subject to usage charges.

9.4    Heat, Ventilating and Air Conditioning. Landlord shall furnish to the Premises Monday – Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (and upon Tenant’s request at least one (1) business day in advance, on Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM), excluding holidays, so as to reasonably maintain comfortable temperatures therein (a) heat during the normal heating season, and (b) air conditioning during the normal cooling season. All costs incurred by Landlord to provide HVAC service to the Premises shall be included in Operating Costs. Such costs shall include the cost of all utility services used in the operation of the HVAC system(s) providing HVAC service to the Premises and all costs incurred by Landlord in the operation, maintenance, and repair of such system(s). Whenever the air conditioning systems are in operation, Tenant agrees to use reasonable efforts to lower and close the blinds or drapes when necessary because of the sun’s position, and to cooperate fully with Landlord with regard to, and to abide by all the reasonable regulations and requirements which Landlord may prescribe for the proper functioning and protection of the air conditioning systems. Landlord shall use reasonable efforts, upon no less than one (1) business day’s advance written notice from Tenant, to furnish, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, additional heat or air conditioning services to the Premises on days and at times other than as above provided at Landlord’s standard rates from time to time. It is expressly understood and agreed that Tenant shall be solely responsible for cooling any data center, server rooms and any other similar areas located in the Premises beyond the standard level of cooling provided.

 

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9.5    Other Utilities; Utility Information. Subject to Landlord’s reasonable rules and regulations governing the same, Tenant shall obtain and pay, as and when due, for all other utilities and services consumed in and/or furnished to the Premises, together with all taxes, penalties, surcharges and maintenance charges pertaining thereto. Within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s request from time to time, Tenant shall provide Landlord with reasonably detailed information regarding Tenant’s utility usage in the Premises.

9.6    Interruption or Curtailment of Utilities.

(a)    When necessary by reason of accident or emergency, or for repairs, alterations, replacements or improvements which in the reasonable judgment of Landlord are desirable or necessary to be made, Landlord reserves the right, upon no less than twenty-four (24) hours’ notice except in the event of an emergency, to interrupt, curtail, or stop (i) the furnishing of heat, air conditioning, ventilation and/or hot and/or cold water, and (ii) the operation of the life safety, plumbing and/or electric systems. Landlord shall exercise reasonable diligence to eliminate the cause of any such interruption, curtailment, stoppage or suspension, but, subject to Section 9.6(b) below, there shall be no diminution or abatement of Rent or other compensation due from Landlord to Tenant hereunder, nor shall this Lease be affected or any of Tenant’s obligations hereunder reduced, and Landlord shall have no responsibility or liability for any such interruption, curtailment, stoppage, or suspension of services or systems.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Lease contained, if the Premises are rendered untenantable, in whole or in part, as a direct result of the failure of Landlord to provide (or cause to be provided) any service which Landlord is required to provide hereunder, such that, for the duration of the Landlord Service Interruption Cure Period (hereinafter defined), the continued operation in the ordinary course of Tenant’s business in any portion of the Premises is materially and adversely affected, and if Tenant ceases to use the affected portion of the Premises (the “Affected Portion”) as the direct result of such lack of service, then, provided that Tenant ceases to use the Affected Portion during the entirety of the Landlord Service Interruption Cure Period and that Landlord’s inability to cure such condition is not caused by the fault or neglect of any of the Tenant Parties, Base Rent shall thereafter be abated with respect to the Affected Portion until the day such condition is completely corrected. For purposes hereof, the “Landlord Service Interruption Cure Period” shall be defined as ten (10) consecutive business days after Landlord’s receipt of written notice from Tenant of the condition causing untenantability in the Affected Portion. The remedy set forth in this Section 9.6(b) shall be Tenant’s sole and exclusive remedy on account of an interruption of services. The provisions of this Section 9.6(b) shall not apply in the event of Casualty or Taking (which shall be governed by Article 15 below) or in the event of untenantability caused by causes beyond Landlord’s control or if Landlord is unable to cure such condition as the result of causes beyond Landlord’s control.

9.7    Telecommunications. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in this Lease contained, Landlord has no obligation to allow any particular telecommunications service provider to have access to the Building or to Premises other than AT&T, Comcast and Verizon (collectively, the “Approved Providers”). If Landlord determines there is available space and elects to permit such access, Landlord may condition such access upon (a) the execution of Landlord’s standard telecommunications agreement (which shall include a provision requiring the payment of fair market rent for any space in the Property dedicated, licensed and/or leased to such provider), and (b) the payment to Landlord by Tenant or the service provider of any costs incurred by Landlord in facilitating such access. Subject to the preceding sentence, Landlord’s consent to providing access to the Building to any service provider other than the Approved Providers shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed provided such access does not require any street opening permits or approvals (unless otherwise agreed to by the City of Cambridge) or would unreasonably interfere with the use of the Common Areas. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Tenant shall not install or utilize (or permit any Tenant Party to install or utilize) at the Premises or anywhere on the Property any “covered telecommunications equipment or services” within the meaning of Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the National Defense Authorization Act.

 

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9.8    Trash Removal; Recycling Removal; Composting Removal. Throughout the Term, Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense: keep any Trash, recycling materials and composting materials in separate vermin-proof containers within the interior of the Premises until removed. Subject to reimbursement pursuant to Section 5.2, Landlord shall furnish services for the removal of Trash and recycling materials from the Premises and may provide a service for the removal of composting materials from the Premises. If any Legal Requirements or the trash removal company requires that any substances in the Premises be disposed of separately from ordinary trash, Tenant shall make arrangements at Tenant’s expense for such disposal directly with a qualified and licensed disposal company at a lawful disposal site.

9.9    Landlords Services. Subject to reimbursement pursuant to and in accordance with Section 5.2 above, and subject further to Landlord’s Force Majeure, Landlord shall provide the services described in Exhibit 8 attached hereto and made a part hereof (“Landlords Services”).

 

10.

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.

10.1    Maintenance and Repairs by Tenant. Tenant shall keep all non-structural portions of the Premises (including all electronic, phone and data cabling and related equipment installed for the exclusive benefit of Tenant (other than building service equipment), fixtures, lighting, electrical equipment and wiring, non-structural walls, interior windows, floor coverings, doors and door frames and plate glass (provided that Landlord shall have the right to repair plate glass at Tenant’s cost)) neat and clean and free of insects, rodents, vermin and other pests and, subject to Section 9.8 above, Trash, and in good repair, order and condition, reasonable wear and tear, loss by Taking and damage by insured Casualty excepted. Tenant shall be solely responsible, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, for the proper maintenance and repair of all Building systems, sanitary, electrical, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, security or other systems and of all equipment and appliances to the extent installed and/or operated by Tenant and/or exclusively serving the Premises (provided that Landlord shall have the right to repair the same at Tenant’s cost). Tenant agrees to provide regular maintenance by contract with a reputable qualified service contractor for the heating and air conditioning, electrical, plumbing and life-safety equipment exclusively servicing the Premises. Such maintenance contract and contractor shall be subject to Landlord’s reasonable approval. Tenant, at Landlord’s request, shall at reasonable intervals provide Landlord with copies of such contracts and maintenance and repair records and/or reports.

10.2    Maintenance and Repairs by Landlord. Except as otherwise provided in Article 15, and subject to Tenant’s obligations in Section 10.1 above, Landlord shall maintain, repair, and as necessary, replace the roof, Building structure (including the foundation, structural floor slabs and columns) and Building core (including the restroom facilities), exterior windows and exterior frames, and except to the extent exclusively serving the Premises (or any other leasable space in the Building), the base building systems and equipment (including sanitary, electrical, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, life safety, and security systems) in reasonable repair, order and condition and in compliance with Legal Requirements. In addition, Landlord shall operate and maintain the Common Areas in compliance with Legal Requirements and otherwise in substantially the same manner as comparable combination institutional, office and retail facilities in the Kendall Square area. All costs incurred by Landlord under this Section 10.2 shall be included in Operating Costs as provided in Section 5.2.

10.3    Accidents to Sanitary and Other Systems. Tenant shall give to Landlord prompt notice of any fire or accident in the Premises or in the Building and of any damage to, or defective condition in, any part or appurtenance of the Building including the sanitary, electrical, ventilation, heating and air conditioning or other systems located in, or passing through, the Premises. Except as otherwise provided in Article 15, and subject to Tenant’s obligations in Section 10.1 above, such damage or defective condition shall be remedied by Landlord with reasonable diligence, but, subject to Section 14.5 below, if such damage or defective condition was caused by any of the Tenant Parties, the cost to remedy the same shall be paid by Tenant.

 

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10.4    Floor Load—Heavy Equipment. Tenant shall not place a load upon any floor of the Premises exceeding the floor load per square foot of area which such floor was designed to carry and which is allowed by Legal Requirements. Landlord reserves the right to reasonably approve the weight and position of all safes, heavy machinery, heavy equipment, freight, bulky matter or fixtures (collectively, “Heavy Equipment”), which shall be placed so as to distribute the weight. Heavy Equipment shall be placed and maintained by Tenant at Tenant’s expense in settings sufficient in Landlord’s reasonable judgment to absorb and prevent vibration, noise and annoyance (Landlord hereby agreeing that its approval of the plans for Tenant’s Fitout shall be deemed to indicate that Landlord is satisfied with respect to the position and settings of Heavy Equipment installed as part of Tenant’s Fitout). Tenant shall not move any Heavy Equipment into or out of the Building without giving Landlord prior written notice thereof and observing all of Landlord’s Rules and Regulations with respect to the same. If such Heavy Equipment requires special handling, Tenant agrees to employ only persons holding a Master Rigger’s License to do said work, and that all work in connection therewith shall comply with Legal Requirements. Any such moving shall be at the sole risk and hazard of Tenant and Tenant will defend, indemnify and save Landlord, Fee Owner and their respective agents (including its property manager), contractors and employees (collectively with Landlord, the “Landlord Parties”) harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, judgments, losses, penalties, costs, expenses and fees (including reasonable legal fees) (collectively, “Claims”) resulting directly or indirectly from such moving. Proper placement of all Heavy Equipment in the Premises shall be Tenant’s responsibility.

 

11.

ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS BY TENANT.

11.1    Landlords Consent Required.

(a)    Tenant shall not make any alterations, decorations, installations, removals, additions or improvements (collectively, “Alterations”) in or to the Premises without Landlord’s prior written approval (including the contractor(s) and a time schedule therefor). Landlord reserves the right to require that Tenant use Landlord’s preferred vendor(s) for any Alterations that involve roof penetrations, alarm tie-ins, sprinklers, fire alarm and other life safety equipment. Tenant shall not make any amendments or additions to plans and specifications approved by Landlord without Landlord’s prior written consent. Tenant shall be responsible for all elements of the design of Tenant’s plans (including compliance with Legal Requirements, functionality of design, the structural integrity of the design, the configuration of the Premises and the placement of Tenant’s furniture, appliances and equipment), and Landlord’s approval of Tenant’s plans shall in no event relieve Tenant of the responsibility for such design. In seeking Landlord’s approval, Tenant shall provide Landlord, at least fourteen (14) business days in advance of any proposed construction, with the items listed in Exhibit 9 attached hereto and made a part hereof, written plans and specifications, bid proposals, certified stamped engineering drawings and calculations by Tenant’s engineer of record or architect of record (including connections to the Building’s structural system, modifications to the Building’s envelope, non-structural penetrations in slabs or walls, and modifications or tie-ins to life safety systems), code compliance certifications, work contracts, requests for laydown areas and such other information concerning the nature and cost of the Alterations as Landlord may reasonably request. Landlord shall have no liability or responsibility for any claim, injury or damage alleged to have been caused by the particular materials (whether building standard or non-building standard), appliances or equipment selected by Tenant in connection with any work performed by or on behalf of Tenant.

(b)    Landlord’s approval of non-structural Alterations shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

(c)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) Landlord may withhold its consent in its sole discretion (A) to any Alteration to or affecting the roof and/or building systems, (B) with respect to matters of aesthetics relating to Alterations to or affecting the exterior of the Building, (C) to any Alteration affecting the Building structure, (D) to any Alteration changing the rentable square footage of the Premises, and/or (E) with respect to any density of use of the Premises in a manner inconsistent with the design of the base building (“Restricted Alterations”); and (ii) Landlord’s consent shall not be required (but the applicable Exhibit 9 items shall be provided if reasonably required by Landlord) with respect to any Alterations that are purely decorative in nature nor with respect to non-structural Alterations that are not Restricted Alterations and which cost less than $50,000 in any one instance (and $100,000 in the aggregate per calendar year, prorated for any partial calendar year) so long as any such Alterations are consistent with the quality and character of the Building, are in compliance with Legal Requirements and do not (i) affect, and do not require access to, any part of the Building outside the Premises; nor (ii) trigger any Legal Requirement to perform work outside the Premises (each, a “Permitted Alteration”), provided Tenant shall provide Landlord with reasonably detailed written notice thereof.

 

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(d)    Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, all Alterations shall be done at Tenant’s sole cost and expense and at such times and in such manner as Landlord may from time to time reasonably designate.

(e)    If Tenant shall make any Alterations, then Landlord may elect to require Tenant at the expiration or sooner termination of the Term to restore the Premises to substantially the same condition as existed immediately prior to the Alterations, provided, however, in no event shall Tenant be required to remove any Alterations which are considered standard office improvements (as compared to “specialty” Alterations, in the nature of internal stairways, raised floors, personal baths and showers, vaults, rolling file systems, etc.). If requested by Tenant, Landlord shall make such election at the time Landlord approves such Alteration (or in the case of Permitted Alterations, within thirty (30) days after receipt of request for Landlord to make such election, together with reasonably detailed notice regarding the Permitted Alterations in question). If Landlord does not so elect, then any such Alteration shall become part of the Premises upon installation, and shall be surrendered with the Premises at the end of the Term.

(f)    Within sixty (60) days after completion of any Alterations, Tenant shall provide Landlord with (i) reproducible record drawings (in CAD format) of all Alterations, (ii) final cost affidavits (in form reasonably approved by Landlord), and (iii) final unconditional lien waivers from all contractors, vendors, service providers and consultants engaged in connection with such Alterations.

11.2    Supervised Work. Landlord and Tenant recognize that to the extent Landlord permits Tenant to perform any Alterations outside the Premises and/or affecting the Building systems, or if required by Legal Requirements, Landlord may need to make arrangements to have supervisory personnel on site. Accordingly, Landlord and Tenant agree as follows: Tenant shall give Landlord at least two (2) business days’ prior written notice of any proposed Alterations outside the Premises and/or affecting the Building systems (the “Supervised Work”). Tenant shall reimburse Landlord, within thirty (30) days after demand therefor, for the reasonable cost of Landlord’s supervisory personnel overseeing the Supervised Work.

11.3    Harmonious Relations. Tenant agrees that it will not, either directly or indirectly, use any contractors and/or materials if their use will create any difficulty, whether in the nature of a labor dispute or otherwise, with other contractors and/or labor engaged by Tenant or Landlord or others in the construction, maintenance and/or operation of the Property or any part thereof. In the event of any such difficulty, upon Landlord’s request, Tenant shall cause all contractors, mechanics or laborers causing such difficulty to leave the Property immediately.

11.4    Liens. No Alterations shall be undertaken by Tenant until Tenant has made provision for written waiver of liens from all contractors for such Alteration and taken other appropriate protective measures approved and/or required by Landlord. If the cost of any Alteration exceeds $75,000, then Tenant shall either: (a) demonstrate to Landlord, to Landlord’s reasonable satisfaction, that Tenant is able to pay for the cost of such Alteration, or (b) procure appropriate surety payment and performance bonds naming Landlord as an additional obligee and file lien bond(s) (in jurisdictions where available) on behalf of such contractors. Any mechanic’s lien filed against the Premises or the Building for work claimed to have been done for, or materials claimed to have been furnished to, Tenant or any other Tenant Party shall be discharged by Tenant within ten (10) days thereafter, at Tenant’s expense by filing the bond required by law or otherwise.

 

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11.5    General Requirements. Unless Landlord and Tenant otherwise agree in writing, Tenant shall (a) obtain Landlord’s written approval of any and all building permit applications relating to Alterations (including Permitted Alterations) to the Premises prior to submission thereof; (b) procure or cause others to procure on its behalf all necessary permits before undertaking any Alterations in the Premises (and provide copies thereof to Landlord); (c) perform all of such Alterations in a good and workmanlike manner, employing materials of good quality and in compliance with Landlord’s construction rules and regulations, all insurance requirements of this Lease, and Legal Requirements; and (d) defend, indemnify and hold the Landlord Parties harmless from and against any and all Claims occasioned by or growing out of such Alterations. Tenant shall cause contractors employed by Tenant to (i) carry the insurance specified in Exhibit 9A, and (ii) submit certificates evidencing such coverage to Landlord prior to the commencement of any such Alterations. In addition, if construction during normal business hours unreasonably disturbs other tenants of the Property, in Landlord’s sole discretion, Landlord may require Tenant to stop the performance of Alterations during normal business hours and to perform the same after hours. If Landlord reasonably determines that, in connection with Alterations by Tenant, (A) any base Building system (including the fire alarm system) should be or is required to be shut down, and/or (B) base Building system cleaning or other maintenance or repair is required (including the changing of base Building system filters pre- or post-construction), Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred by Landlord in connection therewith.

 

12.

SIGNAGE

12.1    Restrictions. Tenant shall have the right to install Building standard signage identifying Tenant’s business at the entrance to the Premises, which signage shall be (a) at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, and (b) subject to Landlord’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Except for interior signage at the entrance to the Premises as permitted in the preceding sentence, Tenant shall not place or suffer to be placed or maintained on the exterior of the Premises, or any part of the interior visible from the exterior thereof, any sign, banner, advertising matter or any other thing of any kind (including any hand-lettered advertising), and shall not place or maintain any decoration, letter or advertising matter on the glass of any window or door of the Premises without first obtaining Landlord’s written approval. No signs or blinds (other than building standard blinds) may be put on or in any window or elsewhere if visible from the exterior of the Building. Landlord shall provide Tenant with building standard blinds for each window within the Premises as part of Tenant’s Fitout. Tenant may not remove the building standard blinds without Landlord’s prior written consent. Tenant may hang its own drapes, provided that they shall not in any way interfere with any building standard drapery or blinds provided by Landlord or be visible from the exterior of the Building, and that such drapes are so hung and installed that, when drawn, the building standard drapery or blinds are automatically also drawn.

12.2    Building Directory. Landlord shall list Tenant within the directory in the Building lobby at Landlord’s sole cost and expense. Subject to reasonable limits on the number of lines on the directory Landlord can provide and all such additional signage in the lobby directory, Landlord shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, add the names of any approved subtenants or licensees occupying any portion of the Premises.

 

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13.

ASSIGNMENT, MORTGAGING AND SUBLETTING.

13.1    General; Transfer Defined. Tenant shall not, without Landlord’s prior written consent, which consent may be withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion, mortgage or otherwise encumber this Lease or the Premises in whole or in part. Except as expressly otherwise set forth in Section 13.4 below, Tenant shall not, without Landlord’s prior written consent (which shall be granted or withheld in accordance with Section 13.3 below), assign, sublet, license or transfer this Lease or the Premises in whole or in part whether by changes in the ownership or control of Tenant, or any direct or indirect owner of Tenant, whether at one time or at intervals, by sale or transfer of stock, partnership or beneficial interests, operation of law or otherwise, or permit the occupancy of all or any portion of the Premises by any person or entity other than Tenant’s employees (each of the foregoing, a “Transfer”). Tenant shall deliver to Landlord one executed copy of any and all written instruments evidencing or relating to the Transfer. Any purported Transfer made without Landlord’s consent, if required hereunder, shall be void and confer no rights upon any third person, provided that if there is a Transfer, Landlord may collect rent from the transferee without waiving the prohibition against Transfers, accepting the transferee, or releasing Tenant from full performance under this Lease. In the event of any Transfer in violation of this Article 13, Landlord shall have the right to terminate this Lease upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Tenant given within sixty (60) days after receipt of written notice from Tenant to Landlord of any Transfer, or within one (1) year after Landlord first learns of the Transfer if no notice is given. In no event shall any transfer of shares in Tenant over a nationally recognized stock exchange be deemed to be a Transfer.

13.2    Landlords Recapture Right.

(a)    Subject to Section 13.4 below, Tenant shall, prior to offering or advertising the Premises or any portion thereof for a Transfer or accepting an offer for a Transfer, give a written notice (the “Recapture Notice”) to Landlord which: (i) states that Tenant desires to make a Transfer, (ii) identifies the affected portion of the Premises (the “Recapture Premises”), (iii) identifies the period of time (the “Recapture Period”) during which Tenant proposes to sublet the Recapture Premises, or indicates that Tenant proposes to assign its interest in this Lease, and (iv) offers to Landlord to terminate this Lease with respect to the Recapture Premises (in the case of a proposed assignment of Tenant’s interest in this Lease or a subletting for the remainder of the term of this Lease) or to suspend the Term for the Recapture Period (i.e. the Term with respect to the Recapture Premises shall be terminated during the Recapture Period and Tenant’s rental obligations shall be proportionately reduced). Landlord shall have fifteen (15) business days within which to respond to the Recapture Notice.

(b)    If Tenant does not enter into a Transfer on the terms and conditions contained in the Recapture Notice on or before the date which is one hundred eighty (180) days after the earlier of: (x) the expiration of the 15-business day period specified in Section 13.2(a) above, or (y) the date that Landlord notifies Tenant that Landlord will not accept Tenant’s offer contained in the Recapture Notice, time being of the essence, then prior to entering into any Transfer after such 180-day period, Tenant must deliver to Landlord a new Recapture Notice in accordance with Section 13.2(a) above.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if Landlord notifies Tenant that it accepts the offer contained in any Recapture Notice, Tenant shall have the right, for a period of five (5) business days following receipt of such notice from Landlord, to notify Landlord in writing that it wishes to withdraw such offer, in which event Tenant shall not enter into the Transfer in question and this Lease shall continue in full force and effect.

 

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13.3    Request for Consent. In the event Tenant desires to effect a Transfer, then, at least thirty (30) but not more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the date when Tenant desires the Transfer to be effective (the “Transfer Date”), Tenant shall provide written notice to Landlord (the “Transfer Notice”) containing the following all in such detail as Landlord shall reasonably require: information (including references) concerning the character of the proposed Transferee; the Transfer Date; the most recent unconsolidated financial statements of Tenant and of the proposed Transferee satisfying the requirements of Section 25.15 below (“Required Financials”); evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that the value of Landlord’s interest under this Lease shall not be diminished or reduced by the proposed Transfer (such evidence shall include evidence respecting the relevant business experience and financial responsibility and status of the proposed Transferee); any ownership or commercial relationship between Tenant and the proposed Transferee; and the consideration and all other material terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer. So long as Tenant shall have complied with Section 13.2 above, and subject to Landlord’s rights set forth in Section 13.2, Landlord agrees that, subject to the provisions of this Article 13, Landlord shall not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay its consent to a Transfer on the same terms contained in the Recapture Notice. It shall be reasonable for Landlord to withhold its consent to a Transfer, inter alia, (a) if the proposed party to whom the Transfer is being made (the “Transferee”) will not use the Premises for the Permitted Uses; (b) if, in Landlord’s reasonable opinion, the Transferee (i) does not have a tangible net worth and other financial indicators sufficient to meet the Transferee’s obligations under the Transfer instrument in question (taking into account, in the case of a sublease, the continued liability of Tenant notwithstanding such Transfer); (ii) does not have a business reputation compatible with the operation of a first-class combination retail and office building or the tenant mix Landlord desires for the Building; (c) intends to use the space subject to the Transfer for a use that violates any exclusive or restrictive use provisions then in effect with respect to space in the Property; and/or (d) if Tenant or the Transferee does not or cannot deliver any information required by this Section 13.3, including the Required Financials. Landlord shall use reasonable efforts to respond to any Transfer Notice delivered by Tenant within thirty (30) days after Landlord’s receipt thereof.

13.4    Permitted Transfers.

(a)    Affiliates and Successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 13, but subject to Section 13.7 below, Tenant shall have the right, without giving Landlord a Recapture Notice and without obtaining Landlord’s consent, but with at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Landlord (unless Tenant is contractually prohibited from giving such notice to Landlord, in which event such notice shall be provided within ten (10) days after the effective date of such Transfer), which notice shall include evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that the Transfer qualifies as a Transfer permitted by this Section 13.4, to (i) make a Transfer to an Affiliate so long as such entity remains in such relationship to Tenant, and (ii) assign the Lease to a Successor, provided that prior to or simultaneously with any assignment pursuant to this Section 13.4, such Affiliate or Successor, as the case may be, and Tenant execute and deliver to Landlord an assignment and assumption agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord whereby such Affiliate or Successor, as the case may be, shall agree to be independently bound by and upon all the covenants, agreements, terms, provisions and conditions set forth in the Lease on the part of Tenant to be performed, and whereby such Affiliate or Successor, as the case may be, shall expressly agree that the provisions of this Article 13 shall, notwithstanding such Transfer, continue to be binding upon it with respect to all future Transfers. For the purposes hereof, an “Affiliate” shall be defined as any entity (A) that has the financial wherewithal to meet its obligations under the Transfer instrument in question, and (B) which is controlled by, is under common control with, or which controls Tenant. As used herein, “control” means direct or, either together with others acting as a group or otherwise, indirect ownership or possession of the right or power, by vote of stockholders or directors, or by contract, agreement or other arrangements, or otherwise, to direct, determine, prevent or otherwise dictate managerial, operational or other actions or activities of any such person, firm or corporation. For the purposes hereof, a “Successor” shall mean any entity into or with which Tenant is merged or with which Tenant is consolidated or which acquires all or substantially all of Tenant’s stock or assets, provided that the surviving entity shall have a tangible net worth (i.e., the excess of total assets, less intangible assets, over total liabilities, as evidenced by either (1) publicly available annual report(s) or SEC or other public filings, or (2) audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and delivered to Landlord) at least equal to Tenant’s tangible net worth immediately prior to the Transfer.

(b)    Tenant’s Consultants. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Lease, occupancy of less than ten percent (10%) of the Premises by third-party consultants (including auditors) engaged by Tenant shall not be a Transfer for the purposes of this Article 13 and shall be permitted without the necessity of obtaining Landlord’s consent thereto (and Tenant shall not be obligated to give Landlord a Recapture Notice with respect thereto), but Tenant shall provide Landlord with prior written notice thereof (which notice shall include the number of square feet in occupancy by such entities and such other information reasonably required for financing, insurance and other risk management purposes).

 

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(c)    Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 13.4, no transaction or series of transactions which are effected solely for the purpose of qualifying as a transaction which does not require Landlord’s consent (i.e. and thereby avoiding the operation of the provisions of this Article 13) shall be permitted pursuant to this Section 13.4.

13.5    Listing Confers no Rights. The listing of any name other than that of Tenant, whether on the doors of the Premises or on the Building directory, or otherwise, shall not operate to vest in any such other person, firm or corporation any right or interest in this Lease or in the Premises or be deemed to effect or evidence any consent of Landlord, it being expressly understood that any such listing is a privilege extended by Landlord revocable at will by written notice to Tenant.

13.6    Profits In Connection with Transfers. Tenant shall, within thirty (30) days of receipt thereof, pay to Landlord fifty percent (50%) of any rent, sum or other consideration to be paid or given in connection with any Transfer, either initially or over time (after deducting the following (all of which shall be amortized over the term of the Transfer in question): reasonable actual out-of-pocket legal and brokerage expenses incurred by Tenant, reasonable actual out-of-pocket costs of improvements paid for by Tenant in connection with such Transfer, and tenant improvement allowances paid by Tenant), in excess of Rent hereunder as if such amount were originally called for by the terms of this Lease as additional rent.

13.7    Prohibited Transfers. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Lease, Tenant shall have no right to make a Transfer unless on both (i) the date on which Tenant notifies Landlord of its intention to enter into a Transfer and (ii) the date on which such Transfer is to take effect, there is no Monetary Default nor any Event of Default by Tenant under this Lease. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Tenant agrees that in no event shall Tenant make a Transfer (a) to any government agency; (b) to any tenant, subtenant or occupant of other space in the Property (unless Landlord does not have comparable space available for lease in the Building); (c) to any entity with whom Landlord shall have negotiated for space in the Property in the six (6) months immediately preceding such proposed Transfer (unless Landlord does not have comparable space available for lease in the Building); or (d) if any part of the rent payable under such Transfer instrument shall be based in whole or in part on the net income or profits of any Transferee in accordance with Code section 512(b)(3)(B)(ii), any successor provision thereto or any guidance promulgated thereunder.

13.8    Restrictions on Subleases. In addition to the other requirements set forth in this Lease and notwithstanding any other provision of this Lease, subleases or licenses of less than all of the Premises shall only be permitted under the following terms and conditions: (a) the layout of both the subleased premises and the remainder of the Premises must comply with Legal Requirements and be approved by Landlord, including all requirements concerning access and egress and any modifications necessary to have the Premises function as a multi-tenant space rather than as a single tenant space; (b) each subleased premises shall be separately physically demised from the remainder of the Premises, and Tenant shall pay all costs thereof; and (c) there shall be no more than one (1) sublease in effect in the Premises at any given time.

13.9    No Release. No Transfer shall relieve Tenant of its primary obligation as Tenant hereunder, and Tenant shall remain fully and primarily liable under this Lease. No Transfer shall reduce or increase Landlord’s obligations under this Lease.

13.10    Investment Policies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Tenant may not enter into any Transfer with any person or entity if the identity of such person or entity is inconsistent with the written investment policies of Landlord and/or Landlord’s parent (as the same may change from time to time) as provided to Tenant by Landlord prior to Landlord’s receipt of Tenant’s notice of such proposed Transfer, and any such Transfer shall be void ab initio. The provisions of this Section 13.10 shall apply to all Transferees, including Affiliates and Successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 13.10 shall be of no further force and effect if Landlord and/or Fee Owner are no longer affiliates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

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14.

INSURANCE; INDEMNIFICATION; EXCULPATION

14.1    Tenants Insurance. Tenant shall procure, pay for and keep in force throughout the Term (and for so long thereafter as Tenant remains in occupancy of the Premises) commercial general liability insurance and such other insurance specified on Exhibit 10 attached hereto

14.2    Indemnification. Except to the extent caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or any of the other Landlord Parties, to the fullest extent permitted by Legal Requirements, Tenant shall defend, indemnify and save the Landlord Parties harmless from and against any and all Claims asserted by or on behalf of any person, firm, corporation or public authority arising from (a) Tenant’s breach of any covenant or obligation under this Lease; (b) any injury to or death of any person, or loss of or damage to property, sustained or occurring in, upon, at or about the Premises; (c) any injury to or death of any person, or loss of or damage to property (i) arising out of the use or occupancy of the Premises by any of the Tenant Parties and/or (ii) caused by or arising from the negligence or willful misconduct of any of the Tenant Parties; and (d) on account of or based upon any work or thing whatsoever done (other than by Landlord or any of the Landlord Parties) at the Premises during the Term and during the period of time, if any, prior to the Term Commencement Date that any of the Tenant Parties may have been given access to the Premises, and for so long thereafter as Tenant remains in occupancy of the Premises. Tenant shall require its subtenants and any other occupants of the Premises to provide similar indemnities in favor of the Landlord Parties in a form acceptable to Landlord.

14.3    Property of Tenant. Tenant covenants and agrees that, to the maximum extent permitted by Legal Requirements, all of Tenant’s Property at the Premises shall be at the sole risk and hazard of Tenant, and that if the whole or any part thereof shall be damaged, destroyed, stolen or removed from any cause or reason whatsoever, no part of said damage or loss shall be charged to, or borne by, Landlord, except, subject to Section 14.5 hereof, to the extent such damage or loss is due to the negligence or willful misconduct of any of the Landlord Parties.

14.4    Limitation of Landlords Liability for Damage or Injury. Landlord shall not be liable for any injury or damage to persons or property resulting from fire, explosion, falling plaster, steam, gas, air contaminants or emissions, electricity, electrical or electronic emanations or disturbance, water, rain or snow or leaks from any part of the Building or from the pipes, appliances, equipment or plumbing works or from the roof, street or sub-surface or from any other place or caused by dampness, vandalism, malicious mischief or by any other cause of whatever nature, except to the extent caused by or due to the negligence or willful misconduct of any of the Landlord Parties, and then, where notice and an opportunity to cure are appropriate (i.e., where Tenant has an opportunity to know or should have known of such condition sufficiently in advance of the occurrence of any such injury or damage resulting therefrom as would have enabled Landlord to prevent such damage or loss had Tenant notified Landlord of such condition) only after (i) notice to Landlord of the condition claimed to constitute negligence or willful misconduct, and (ii) the expiration of a reasonable time after such notice has been received by Landlord without Landlord having commenced to take all reasonable and practicable means to cure or correct such condition; and pending such cure or correction by Landlord, Tenant shall take all reasonably prudent temporary measures and safeguards to prevent any injury, loss or damage to persons or property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall any of the Landlord Parties be liable for any loss which is covered by insurance policies actually carried or required to be so carried by this Lease; nor shall any of the Landlord Parties be liable for any acts, omissions or negligence of other tenants or persons in the Building or damage caused by operations in construction of any private, public, or quasi-public work; nor shall any of the Landlord Parties be liable for any latent defect in the Premises or in the Building.

 

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14.5    Waiver of Subrogation; Mutual Release. Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, Landlord and Tenant each hereby waives on behalf of itself and its property insurers (none of which shall ever be assigned any such claim or be entitled thereto due to subrogation or otherwise) any and all rights of recovery, claim, action, or cause of action against the other and its agents, officers, servants, partners, shareholders, or employees (collectively, the “Related Parties”) for any loss or damage (excluding rights of recovery, claims, actions, and causes of action relating to damage to the roof of the Building caused by Tenant but including rights of recovery, claims, actions, and causes of action relating to damage to the roof of the Building caused by any Casualty (hereinafter defined)) that may occur to or within the Premises or the Building or any improvements thereto, or any personal property of such party therein which is insured against under any property insurance policy actually being maintained by the waiving party from time to time, even if not required hereunder, or which would be insured against under the terms of any insurance policy required to be carried or maintained by the waiving party hereunder, whether or not such insurance coverage is actually being maintained, including, in every instance, such loss or damage that may be caused by the negligence of the other party hereto and/or its Related Parties. Tenant hereby waives on behalf of itself and its liability insurers (none of which shall ever be assigned any such claim or be entitled thereto due to subrogation or otherwise) any and all rights of recovery, claim, action, or cause of action against Landlord and/or its Related Parties for any liability, loss or damage that is insured against under any liability insurance policy actually being maintained by Tenant from time to time, even if not required hereunder, or which would be insured against under the terms of any insurance policy required to be carried or maintained by Tenant hereunder, whether or not such insurance coverage is actually being maintained, including, in every instance, such loss or damage that may be caused by the negligence of Landlord and/or its Related Parties. Landlord and Tenant each agrees to cause appropriate clauses to be included in its insurance policies necessary to implement the foregoing provisions.

14.6    Tenants Acts—Effect on Insurance. Tenant shall not do or permit any Tenant Party to do any act or thing upon the Premises or elsewhere in the Building which will invalidate or be in conflict with any insurance policies or warranties covering the Building and the fixtures and property therein; and shall not do, or permit to be done, any act or thing upon the Premises which shall subject Landlord to any liability or responsibility for injury to any person or persons or to property by reason of any business or operation being carried on upon said Premises or for any other reason. If by reason of Tenant’s use of the Premises or the failure of Tenant to comply with the provisions of this Lease, the insurance rate applicable to any policy of insurance shall at any time thereafter be higher than it otherwise would be, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord upon demand for that part of any insurance premiums which shall have been charged because of such use or failure by Tenant, together with interest at the Default Rate until paid in full, within thirty (30) days after receipt of an invoice therefor.

14.7    Landlords Insurance. Landlord shall take out and maintain in force throughout the Term hereof, in a company or companies authorized, qualified or approved to do business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: (a) property insurance on the Building (exclusive of foundations, Tenant’s Property (as defined in Exhibit 10), Tenant-Insured Improvements (as defined in Exhibit 10) and alterations made by other tenants or occupants) in an amount equal to the full replacement value of the Building (exclusive of foundations and those items set forth in the preceding parenthetical in this sentence), covering fire, vandalism, malicious mischief, extended coverage and so-called “special form” or special cause of loss property insurance; and (b) commercial general liability insurance against claims of bodily injury, personal injury and property damage arising out of Landlord’s operation of the Building in such amount as a prudent owner of similar property would carry or as otherwise required by any Mortgagee. The foregoing insurance may be maintained in the form of a blanket policy covering the Building as well as other properties owned by Landlord and Landlord’s affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 14.7, Landlord shall have the right to self-insure all or any portion of the coverages required by this Section 14.7.

 

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15.

CASUALTY; TAKING

15.1    Damage. If the Premises are damaged in whole or part because of fire or other insured casualty (“Casualty”), or if the Premises are subject to a taking in connection with the exercise of any power of eminent domain, condemnation, or purchase under threat or in lieu thereof (any of the foregoing, a “Taking”), then unless this Lease is terminated in accordance with Section 15.2 below, Landlord shall restore the base Building to substantially the same condition as existed upon issuance of the certificate of occupancy therefor, or in the event of a partial Taking which affects the Building and the Premises, restore the remainder of the Building and the Premises not so Taken to substantially the same condition as is reasonably feasible. Subject to delays due to any act or omission by any of the Tenant Parties which causes an actual delay in the performance of Landlord’s obligations (a “Tenant Delay”), and subject further to rights of Mortgagees, Legal Requirements then in existence and to delays for adjustment of insurance proceeds or Taking awards, as the case may be, Landlord shall use diligent efforts to substantially complete such restoration within one (1) year after Landlord’s receipt of all required permits therefor. Upon substantial completion of such restoration by Landlord, Tenant shall use diligent efforts to complete restoration of all Tenant-Insured Improvements to substantially the same condition as existed immediately prior to such Casualty or Taking, as the case may be, as soon as reasonably possible. Tenant agrees to cooperate with Landlord in such manner as Landlord may reasonably request to assist Landlord in collecting insurance proceeds due in connection with any Casualty which affects the Premises or the Building. In no event shall Landlord be required to expend more than the Net (hereinafter defined) insurance proceeds Landlord receives for damage to the Premises and/or the Building or the Net Taking award attributable to the Premises and/or the Building. “Net” means the insurance proceeds or Taking award actually paid to Landlord (and not paid over to a Mortgagee) less all costs and expenses, including adjusters and attorney’s fees, of obtaining the same. In the fiscal year in which a Casualty occurs, there shall be included in Operating Costs Landlord’s deductible under its property insurance policy. Except as Landlord may elect pursuant to this Section 15.1, under no circumstances shall Landlord be required to repair any damage to, or make any repairs to or replacements of, any Tenant-Insured Improvements.

15.2    Termination Rights.

(a)    Landlord’s Termination Rights. Landlord may terminate this Lease upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Tenant if (i) any material portion of the Building or any material means of access thereto is subject to a Taking; or (ii) more than thirty-five percent (35%) of the Building is damaged by Casualty.

(b)    Tenant’s Termination Right. If Landlord is so required but fails to complete restoration of the Premises within the time frames and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 15.1 above, then Tenant may terminate this Lease upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Landlord; provided, however, that if Landlord completes such restoration within thirty (30) days after receipt of any such termination notice, such termination notice shall be null and void and this Lease shall continue in full force and effect. The remedies set forth in this Section 15.2(b) and in Section 15.2(c) below are Tenant’s sole and exclusive rights and remedies based upon Landlord’s failure to complete the restoration of the Premises as set forth herein.

(c)    Either Party May Terminate. In the case of any Casualty or Taking affecting the Premises and occurring during the last twelve (12) months of the Term, then (i) if such Casualty or Taking results in more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the floor area of the Premises being unsuitable for the Permitted Uses, or (ii) the damage to the Premises costs more than $250,000 to restore, then either Landlord or Tenant shall have the option to terminate this Lease upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other. In addition, if any Mortgagee does not release sufficient insurance proceeds to cover the cost of Landlord’s restoration work, Landlord shall notify Tenant thereof. In such event, unless Landlord agrees in writing to cover the difference, Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease by written notice to the other within thirty (30) days after such notice. Furthermore, if the estimated time for Landlord to complete Landlord’s restoration work exceeds one (1) year from the date on which Landlord receives all required permits therefor, either Landlord or Tenant shall have the option to terminate this Lease upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other.

 

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(d)    Automatic Termination. In the case of a Taking of the entire Premises, then this Lease shall automatically terminate as of the date of possession by the Taking authority.

(e)    Tenant shall assign to Landlord all of its right, title and interest in and to the insurance proceeds for Tenant’s Fitout and any other Alterations (a) if the Term shall expire prior to the completion of Tenant’s restoration pursuant to Section 15.1 above, or (ii) if this Lease is terminated pursuant to any provision of this Lease prior to the completion of Tenant’s restoration pursuant to Section 15.1 above, in each case equal to the sum of (A) the unamortized amounts paid pursuant to the Work Letter by Landlord for Tenant’s Fitout, and (B) the unamortized costs of any portion of and any other Alterations that were not designated for removal pursuant to Article 11.

(f)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Tenant may not terminate this Lease pursuant to this Article 15 if the Casualty in question was caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any of the Tenant Parties.

15.3    Taking for Temporary Use. If the Premises are Taken for temporary use, this Lease and Tenant’s obligations, including the payment of Rent, shall continue, except for such obligations of Tenant incapable of performance in the absence of possession of the Premises. For purposes hereof, a “Taking for temporary use” shall mean a Taking of ninety (90) days or less.

15.4    Disposition of Awards. Except for any separate award for Tenant’s movable trade fixtures, relocation expenses, and unamortized leasehold improvements paid for by Tenant (provided that the same may not reduce Landlord’s award), all Taking awards to Landlord or Tenant shall be Landlord’s property without Tenant’s participation, and Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord Tenant’s interest, if any, in such award. Tenant may pursue its own claim against the Taking authority.

16.    ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATE. Tenant shall at any time and from time to time upon not less than ten (10) business days’ prior notice from Landlord, execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord a statement in writing certifying that to Tenant’s actual knowledge, this Lease is unmodified and in full force and effect (or if there have been modifications, that the same is in full force and effect as modified and stating the modifications), and the dates to which Rent has been paid in advance, if any, stating whether or not Landlord is in default in performance of any covenant, agreement, term, provision or condition contained in this Lease and, if so, specifying each such default, and such other facts as Landlord may reasonably request, it being intended that any such statement delivered pursuant hereto may be relied upon by Landlord, any prospective or actual capital partner, any party to the SOMA REA and/or any REA, any prospective purchaser of the Building or any portion thereof or of any interest of Landlord therein, any Mortgagee or prospective Mortgagee thereof, any lessor or prospective lessor thereof, any lessee or prospective lessee thereof, or any prospective assignee of any Mortgagee. Time is of the essence with respect to any such requested certificate, Tenant hereby acknowledging the importance of such certificates in mortgage financing arrangements, prospective sales and the like.

 

17.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

17.1    Prohibition. Except for de minimis quantities of standard office supplies and cleaning materials stored in compliance with Environmental Laws (hereinafter defined) and in proper containers, Tenant shall not, without the prior written consent of Landlord, which may be withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion, bring or permit to be brought or kept in, at or on the Premises or elsewhere in the Building (i) any inflammable, combustible or explosive fluid, material, chemical or substance; or (ii) any Hazardous Material (hereinafter defined). Landlord shall have the right, from time to time, to inspect the Premises for compliance with the terms of this Section 17.1 at Tenant’s sole cost and expense.

 

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17.2    Environmental Laws. For purposes hereof, “Environmental Laws” shall mean all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations of any local, state or federal governmental authority having jurisdiction concerning environmental, health and safety matters, including but not limited to any discharge by any of the Tenant Parties into the air (including indoor air and outdoor air), surface water, sewers, soil or groundwater of any Hazardous Material (hereinafter defined) whether within or outside the Premises, including (a) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1251 et seq., (b) the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq., (c) the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq., (d) the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, 15 U.S.C. Section 2601 et seq., (e) Chapter 21C of the General Laws of Massachusetts, and (f) Chapter 21E of the General Laws of Massachusetts. Tenant, at its sole cost and expense, shall comply with (i) all Environmental Laws, and (ii) any rules, requirements and safety procedures of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the City of Cambridge and any insurer of the Building or the Premises with respect to Tenant’s use, storage and disposal of any Hazardous Materials.

17.3    Hazardous Material Defined. As used herein, the term “Hazardous Material” means asbestos, oil or any hazardous, radioactive or toxic substance, material or waste or petroleum derivative which is or becomes regulated by any Environmental Law, including live organisms, viruses and fungi, medical waste and any so-called “biohazard” materials, and any materials on the right to know list of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The term “Hazardous Material” includes oil and/or any material or substance which is (i) designated as a “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “oil,” “hazardous waste” or toxic substance under any Environmental Law or (ii) contains any component now or hereafter designated as such.

17.4    Hazardous Materials Indemnity. Tenant hereby covenants and agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Landlord Parties harmless from and against any and all Claims against any of the Landlord Parties arising out of contamination of any part of the Property or other adjacent property, or exacerbation of any contamination of any part of the Property or adjacent property, which contamination or exacerbation, as the case may be, arises as a result of: (i) the presence of Hazardous Material in the Premises, the presence of which is caused by any act or omission of any of the Tenant Parties, or (ii) from a breach by Tenant of its obligations under this Article 17. This indemnification of the Landlord Parties by Tenant includes reasonable costs incurred in connection with any investigation of site conditions or any cleanup, remedial, removal or restoration work or any other response action required by any federal, state or local governmental agency or political subdivision because of Hazardous Material present in the soil, soil vapor, or ground water at, on or under, or any indoor air in, the Building based upon the circumstances identified in the first sentence of this Section 17.4. In the event Tenant’s indemnity obligations under both Section 14.2 above and this Section 17.4 apply, the broader indemnity shall be applicable.

17.5    Hazardous Materials prior to Term Commencement Date. Tenant shall not have any responsibility for Hazardous Materials on the Property, if any, prior to the Term Commencement Date; provided, however, that with respect to the testing, remediation or removal of any material or substance located in, on, at or under the Building or the Property on the Term Commencement Date and which, as of the Term Commencement Date, is not considered, as a matter of law, to be a Hazardous Material, but which is subsequently determined to be a Hazardous Material as a matter of law, the costs thereof may be included in Operating Costs.

 

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18.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

18.1    Rules and Regulations. Tenant will faithfully observe and comply with all reasonable rules and regulations promulgated from time to time with respect to the Building, the Property and construction within the Property (collectively, the “Rules and Regulations”). The current version of the Rules and Regulations is attached hereto as Exhibit 11. Tenant shall not be bound by any modifications or additions to such Rules and Regulations unless and until Tenant receives notice thereof from Landlord. In the case of any conflict between the provisions of this Lease and any future rules and regulations, the provisions of this Lease shall control. Nothing contained in this Lease shall be construed to impose upon Landlord any duty or obligation to enforce the Rules and Regulations or the terms, covenants or conditions in any other lease as against any other tenant and Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant for violation of the same by any other tenant, its servants, employees, agents, contractors, visitors, invitees or licensees; provided, however, Landlord agrees to enforce the Rules and Regulations against all tenants unaffiliated with Landlord in a non-discriminatory manner.

18.2    Energy Conservation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Landlord may institute, upon written notice to Tenant, such policies, programs and measures as may be necessary, required, or expedient for the conservation and/or preservation of energy or energy services and/or the resiliency of the Building (with respect to flooding or otherwise), including such policies, programs and measures as may be necessary to achieve and/or maintain any LEED or similar certification (collectively, the “Conservation Program”), provided, however, that, except to the extent required by Legal Requirements, the Conservation Program does not, by reason of such policies, programs and measures, reduce the level of energy or energy services being provided to the Premises below the level of energy or energy services then being provided in comparable combination institutional, office and retail buildings in the Kendall Square area, or as may be necessary or required to comply with Legal Requirements or standards or the other provisions of this Lease. Upon receipt of such notice, Tenant shall comply with the Conservation Program and reasonable reporting requirements relating thereto.

18.3    Recycling. Upon written notice, Landlord may establish policies, programs and measures for composting and/or the recycling of paper, products, plastic, tin and other materials (a “Recycling Program”). Upon receipt of such notice, Tenant will comply with the Recycling Program at Tenant’s sole cost and expense.

 

19.

LAWS AND PERMITS.

19.1    Legal Requirements. Tenant shall be responsible at its sole cost and expense for complying with (and keeping the Premises in compliance with) all Legal Requirements which are applicable to Tenant’s particular use or occupancy of, or Tenant’s Fitout or Alterations made by or on behalf of Tenant to, the Premises as distinguished from those required for general office use. In addition, Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole expense, comply with the “tenant” obligations pursuant to that certain Parking and Traffic Demand Management Plan dated March 11, 2016, as amended by that certain PTDM Ordinance – Amendment – Final Decision dated July 27, 2020 (as the same may be further amended, the “PTDM”) including the obligations to: designate a liaison to work with the employee transportation coordinator designated by Landlord; join the Charles River TMA (or replacement shuttle service provider); provide Tenant’s employees and patrons with access to the Charles River TMA’s programs and EZ Ride shuttle service (or equivalent shuttle service) fare free; offer an emergency ride home program to all employees who commute by non-SOV mode at least three days per week and who are eligible to park in the Parking Areas; allow employees to set aside pre-tax funds as allowed under the Commuter Choice provisions of the Federal Tax Code; and offer and provide the subsidy options described therein) and Tenant shall provide information to Landlord in connection with any reporting requirements thereunder and cooperate with Landlord in encouraging employees to seek alternate modes of transportation. All employee-related programs promulgated pursuant to the PTDM shall be available to all benefitted employees of Tenant who are eligible to use the Parking Areas and to all full-time contract employees of Tenant. Tenant is encouraged to allow flexible work schedules within typical work hours for employees in order to reduce peak impacts of commuting and to work with the Cambridge Office of Workforce Development to expand employment opportunities for Cambridge residents (see also Section 25.14 below). Tenant shall furnish all data and information to governmental authorities, with a copy to Landlord, as required in accordance with Legal Requirements as they relate to Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises or the Building. If Tenant receives notice of any violation of Legal Requirements applicable to the Premises or the Building, it shall give prompt notice thereof to Landlord. Nothing contained in this Section 19.1 shall be construed to expand the uses permitted hereunder beyond the Permitted Uses.

 

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19.2    Required Permits. Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, apply for, seek and obtain all necessary state and local licenses, permits and approvals needed for the operation of Tenant’s business in the Premises (collectively, the “Required Permits”) as soon as reasonably possible and in any event prior to operating its business in the Premises. Tenant shall thereafter maintain all Required Permits. Tenant, at Tenant’s expense, shall at all times comply with the terms and conditions of each such Required Permit. Landlord shall reasonably cooperate with Tenant, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, in connection with its application for Required Permits. Within ten (10) days of a request by Landlord, which request shall be made not more than once during each period of twelve (12) consecutive months during the Term hereof unless otherwise requested by any Mortgagee or unless Landlord reasonably suspects that Tenant has violated the provisions of this Article 19, Tenant shall furnish Landlord with copies of all Required Permits that Tenant has obtained, together with a certificate certifying that such permits are all of the permits that Tenant has obtained with respect to the Premises.

 

20.

DEFAULT.

20.1    Events of Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default” hereunder by Tenant:

(a)    If Tenant fails to make any payment of Rent or any other payment required hereunder, as and when due (a “Monetary Default”), and such failure shall continue for a period of five (5) business days after notice thereof from Landlord to Tenant; provided, however, an Event of Default shall occur hereunder without any obligation of Landlord to give any notice if (i) Tenant fails to make any payment on or before the due date therefor, and (ii) Landlord has given Tenant written notice under this Section 20.1(a) on two (2) or more occasions during the twelve (12) month interval preceding such failure by Tenant;

(b)    If Tenant shall fail to timely perform its obligations under the Work Letter and such failure continues for fifteen (15) days after notice thereof;

(c)    If Tenant shall vacate all or substantially all of the Premises without having a permitted Transfer in full force and effect with respect to such vacated space (except during reasonable periods during which 50% or more of the Premises are being renovated), or if Tenant shall abandon the Premises (whether or not the keys shall have been surrendered or the Rent shall have been paid);

(d)    If Tenant shall fail to execute and deliver to Landlord an estoppel certificate pursuant to Article 16 above or a subordination and attornment agreement pursuant to Article 22 below, within the timeframes set forth therein and such failure continues for five (5) days after notice thereof;

(e)    If Tenant shall fail to maintain any insurance required hereunder;

(f)    If Tenant shall fail to deliver a replacement Letter of Credit as required under Article 7 above;

(g)    If any Tenant Party causes any release of Hazardous Materials in, on or near the Property;

(h)    If Tenant shall make a Transfer in violation of the provisions of Article 13 above, or if any event shall occur or any contingency shall arise whereby this Lease, or the term and estate thereby created, would (by operation of law or otherwise) devolve upon or pass to any person, firm or corporation other than Tenant, except as expressly permitted under Article 13 hereof;

(i)    If Tenant fails to comply with the provisions of Article 2, Section 4.2 and/or the last sentence of Section 9.7 above, and such failure shall continue for a period of three (3) days after notice thereof from Landlord to Tenant; provided, however, an Event of Default shall occur hereunder without any obligation of Landlord to give any notice if (i) Tenant fails to comply with the provisions of Article 2 or Section 4.2 above, and (ii) Landlord has given Tenant written notice under this Section 20.1(i) on more than one (1) occasion during the twelve (12) month interval preceding such failure by Tenant;

 

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(j)    The failure by Tenant to observe or perform any of the covenants or provisions of this Lease to be observed or performed by Tenant, other than as specified above, and such failure continues for more than thirty (30) days after notice thereof from Landlord; provided, further, that if the nature of Tenant’s default is such that more than thirty (30) days are reasonably required for its cure, then Tenant shall not be deemed to be in default if Tenant shall commence such cure within said thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently prosecute such cure to completion, which completion shall occur not later than one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of such notice from Landlord regardless of the reason for lack of completion;

(k)    Tenant shall be involved in financial difficulties as evidenced by an admission in writing by Tenant of Tenant’s inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or by the making or offering to make a composition of its debts with its creditors;

(l)    Tenant shall make an assignment or trust mortgage, or other conveyance or transfer of like nature, of all or a substantial part of its property for the benefit of its creditors,

(m)    An attachment on mesne process, on execution or otherwise, or other legal process shall issue against Tenant or its property and a sale of any of its assets shall be held thereunder;

(n)    Any judgment, attachment or the like in excess of $100,000 shall be entered, recorded or filed against Tenant in any court, registry, etc. and Tenant shall fail to pay such judgment within thirty (30) days after the judgment shall have become final beyond appeal or to discharge or secure by surety bond such lien, attachment, etc. within sixty (60) days of such entry, recording or filing, as the case may be;

(o)    The leasehold hereby created shall be taken on execution or by other process of law and shall not be revested in Tenant within sixty (60) days thereafter;

(p)    A receiver, sequesterer, trustee or similar officer shall be appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of all or any part of Tenant’s Property and such appointment shall not be vacated within sixty (60) days; or

(q)    Any proceeding shall be instituted by or against Tenant pursuant to any of the provisions of any Act of Congress or State law relating to bankruptcy, reorganizations, arrangements, compositions or other relief from creditors, and, in the case of any proceeding instituted against it, if Tenant shall fail to have such proceedings dismissed or stayed within sixty (60) days or if Tenant is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent as a result of any such proceeding.

Wherever “Tenant” is used in subsections (k) - (q) inclusive of this Section 20.1, it shall be deemed to include any parent entity of Tenant and any guarantor of any of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease.

Tenant shall reimburse Landlord, within thirty (30) days after demand, for up to $2,000.00 of Landlord’s reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including legal fees and costs) incurred in connection with the preparation and delivery of each notice of default delivered pursuant to this Section 20.1 (which notice of default may include such demand for payment).

20.2    Remedies. Upon an Event of Default, Landlord may, by notice to Tenant, elect to terminate this Lease; and thereupon (and without prejudice to any remedies which might otherwise be available to Landlord, including for arrears of Rent or preceding breach of covenant or agreement and without prejudice to Tenant’s liability for damages as hereinafter stated), upon the giving of such notice, this Lease shall terminate as of the date specified therein as though that were the Expiration Date. Upon such termination, Landlord shall have the right to draw down the entire Letter of Credit and apply the proceeds thereof to its damages hereunder. Without being taken or deemed to be guilty of any manner of trespass or conversion, and without being liable to indictment, prosecution or damages therefor, Landlord may, by lawful process, enter into and upon the Premises (or any part thereof in the name of the whole); repossess the same, as of its former estate; and expel Tenant and those claiming under Tenant. The words “re-entry” and “re-enter” as used in this Lease are not restricted to their technical legal meanings.

 

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20.3    Damages - Termination.

(a)    Upon the termination of this Lease under the provisions of this Article 20, Tenant shall pay to Landlord Rent up to the time of such termination, shall continue to be liable for any preceding breach of covenant, and in addition, shall pay to Landlord as damages, at the election of Landlord, either:

(i)    the amount (discounted to present value at the rate of five percent (5%) per annum) by which, at the time of the termination of this Lease (or at any time thereafter if Landlord shall have initially elected damages under Section 20.3(a)(ii) below), (x) the aggregate of Rent projected over the period commencing with such termination and ending on the Expiration Date, exceeds (y) the aggregate projected rental value of the Premises for such period, taking into account a reasonable time period during which the Premises shall be unoccupied, plus all Reletting Costs (hereinafter defined); or

(ii)    amounts equal to Rent which would have been payable by Tenant had this Lease not been so terminated, payable upon the due dates therefor specified herein following such termination and until the Expiration Date, provided, however, if Landlord shall re-let the Premises during such period, that Landlord shall credit Tenant with the net rents received by Landlord from such re-letting, such net rents to be determined by first deducting from the gross rents as and when received by Landlord from such re-letting the expenses incurred or paid by Landlord in terminating this Lease, as well as the expenses of re-letting, including altering and preparing the Premises for new tenants, brokers’ commissions, and all other similar and dissimilar expenses properly chargeable against the Premises and the rental therefrom (collectively, “Reletting Costs”), it being understood that any such re-letting may be for a period equal to or shorter or longer than the remaining Term at Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion without otherwise affecting this remedy; and provided, further, that (x) in no event shall Tenant be entitled to receive any excess of such net rents over the sums payable by Tenant to Landlord hereunder and (y) in no event shall Tenant be entitled in any suit for the collection of damages pursuant to this Section 20.3(a)(ii) to a credit in respect of any net rents from a re-letting except to the extent that such net rents are actually received by Landlord prior to the commencement of such suit. If the Premises or any part thereof should be re-let in combination with other space, then proper apportionment on a square foot area basis shall be made of the rent received from such re-letting and of the expenses of re-letting.

(b)    In calculating the amount due under Section 20.3(a)(i), above, there shall be included, in addition to the Base Rent, all other considerations agreed to be paid or performed by Tenant, including Tenant’s Share of Operating Costs and Tenant’s Tax Share of Taxes, on the assumption that all such amounts and considerations would have increased at the rate of five percent (5%) per annum for the balance of the full term hereby granted.

(c)    Suit or suits for the recovery of such damages, or any installments thereof, may be brought by Landlord from time to time at its election, and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require Landlord to postpone suit until the date when the Term would have expired if it had not been terminated hereunder.

(d)    Nothing herein contained shall be construed as limiting or precluding the recovery by Landlord against Tenant of any sums or damages to which, in addition to the damages particularly provided above, Landlord may lawfully be entitled by reason of any Event of Default hereunder.

20.4    Landlords Self-Help; Fees and Expenses. If Tenant shall default in the performance of any covenant on Tenant’s part to be performed in this Lease contained, including the obligation to maintain the Premises in the required condition pursuant to Section 10.1 above, Landlord may, upon reasonable advance notice, except that no notice shall be required in an emergency, immediately, or at any time thereafter, perform the same for the account of Tenant. Tenant shall pay to Landlord upon demand therefor any costs incurred by Landlord in connection therewith, together with interest at the Default Rate until paid in full. In addition, Tenant shall pay all of Landlord’s costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred (i) in enforcing any obligation of Tenant under this Lease or (ii) as a result of Landlord or any of the Landlord Parties being made party to any litigation pending by or against any of the Tenant Parties.

 

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20.5    Waiver of Redemption, Statutory Notice and Grace Periods. Tenant does hereby waive and surrender all rights and privileges which it might have under or by reason of any present or future Legal Requirements to redeem the Premises or to have a continuance of this Lease for the Term hereby demised after being dispossessed or ejected therefrom by process of law or under the terms of this Lease or after the termination of this Lease as herein provided. Except to the extent prohibited by Legal Requirements, any statutory notice and grace periods provided to Tenant by law are hereby expressly waived by Tenant.

20.6    Landlords Remedies Not Exclusive. The specified remedies to which Landlord may resort hereunder are cumulative and are not intended to be exclusive of any remedies or means of redress to which Landlord may at any time be lawfully entitled, and Landlord may invoke any remedy (including the remedy of specific performance) allowed at law or in equity as if specific remedies were not herein provided for, in all event without prejudice to any and all remedies contained in this Lease.

20.7    No Waiver. Neither party’s failure to seek redress for violation, or to insist upon the strict performance, of any covenant or condition of this Lease, or any of the Rules and Regulations promulgated hereunder, shall prevent a subsequent act, which would have originally constituted a violation, from having all the force and effect of an original violation. The receipt by Landlord of Rent with knowledge of the breach of any covenant of this Lease shall not be deemed a waiver of such breach. The failure of Landlord to enforce any of such Rules and Regulations against Tenant and/or any other tenant in the Building shall not be deemed a waiver of any such Rules and Regulations. No provisions of this Lease shall be deemed to have been waived by either party unless such waiver shall be in writing signed by such party against whom a waiver is claimed. No payment by Tenant or receipt by Landlord of a lesser amount than the Rent herein stipulated shall be deemed to be other than on account of the stipulated Rent, nor shall any endorsement or statement on any check or any letter accompanying any check or payment as Rent be deemed an accord and satisfaction, and Landlord may accept such check or payment without prejudice to Landlord’s right to recover the balance of such Rent or pursue any other remedy in this Lease provided.

20.8    Restrictions on Tenants Rights. During the continuation of any Event of Default,(a) Landlord shall not be obligated to provide Tenant with any notice pursuant to Sections 2.3 and 2.6 above; and (b) Tenant shall not have the right to make, nor to request Landlord’s consent or approval with respect to, any Alterations.

20.9    Landlord Default. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Lease, Landlord shall in no event be in default in the performance of any of Landlord’s obligations under this Lease unless Landlord shall have failed to perform such obligations within thirty (30) days (or such additional time as is reasonably required to correct any such default, provided Landlord commences cure within 30 days and diligently pursues the same to completion) after written notice by Tenant to Landlord properly specifying wherein Landlord has failed to perform any such obligation. Tenant shall not have the right to terminate or cancel this Lease or to withhold rent or to set-off or deduct any claim or damages against rent as a result of any default by Landlord or breach by Landlord of its covenants or any warranties or promises hereunder, except in the case of a wrongful eviction of Tenant from the Premises (constructive or actual) by Landlord, and then only if the same continues after notice to Landlord thereof and an opportunity for Landlord to cure the same as set forth above. In addition, Tenant shall not assert any right to deduct the cost of repairs or any monetary claim against Landlord from rent thereafter due and payable under this Lease.

 

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21.    SURRENDER;

ABANDONED PROPERTY; HOLD-OVER.

21.1    Surrender.

(a)    Upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, Tenant shall (i) peaceably quit and surrender to Landlord the Premises broom clean, in good order, repair and condition excepting only ordinary wear and tear and damage by fire or other insured Casualty; (ii) remove all of Tenant’s Property (including all signage and cabling) and, to the extent specified by Landlord in accordance with Section 11.1(e) above, Alterations made by Tenant, and (iii) repair any damages to the Premises or the Building caused by the installation or removal of Tenant’s Property and/or such Alterations. Tenant’s obligations under this Section 21.1(a) shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.

(b)    No act or thing done by Landlord during the Term shall be deemed an acceptance of a surrender of the Premises, and no agreement to accept such surrender shall be valid, unless in writing signed by Landlord. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties in writing, no employee of Landlord or of Landlord’s agents shall have any power to accept the keys of the Premises prior to the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease. The delivery of keys to any employee of Landlord or of Landlord’s agents shall not operate as a termination of this Lease or a surrender of the Premises.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, remove from the Premises, prior to the end of the Term, any item installed by or for Tenant and which, pursuant to Legal Requirements, must be removed therefrom before the Premises may be used by a subsequent tenant.

(d)    Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord any warranties in effect on the last day of the Term with respect to any fixtures and Alterations remaining in the Premises. Tenant shall provide Landlord with copies of any such warranties prior to the expiration of the Term (or, if the Lease is earlier terminated, within five (5) days thereafter).

21.2    Abandoned Property. After the expiration or earlier termination hereof, if Tenant fails to remove any property from the Building or the Premises which Tenant is obligated by the terms of this Lease to remove within five (5) business days after written notice from Landlord, such property (the “Abandoned Property”) shall be conclusively deemed to have been abandoned, and may either be retained by Landlord as its property or sold or otherwise disposed of in such manner as Landlord may see fit. If any item of Abandoned Property shall be sold, Tenant hereby agrees that Landlord may receive and retain the proceeds of such sale and apply the same, at its option, to the expenses of the sale, the cost of moving and storage, any damages to which Landlord may be entitled under Article 20 hereof or pursuant to law, and to any arrears of Rent.

21.3    Holdover. If any of the Tenant Parties holds over after the end of the Term, Tenant shall be deemed a tenant-at-sufferance subject to the provisions of this Lease; provided that whether or not Landlord has previously accepted payments of Rent from Tenant, (i) Tenant shall pay Base Rent at 150% of the highest rate of Base Rent payable during the Term, (ii) Tenant shall continue to pay to Landlord all additional rent, and (iii) Tenant shall be liable for all damages, including lost business and consequential damages, incurred by Landlord as a result of such holding over, Tenant hereby acknowledging that Landlord may need the Premises after the end of the Term for other tenants and that the damages which Landlord may suffer as the result of Tenant’s holding over cannot be determined as of the Execution Date. Nothing contained herein shall grant Tenant the right to holdover after the expiration or earlier termination of the Term. Nothing herein shall in any way affect Tenant’s status as a tenant-at-sufferance during any holdover period.

 

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22.    SUBORDINATION;

MORTGAGES AND MASTER LEASE.

22.1    Subordination. Tenant’s rights and interests under this Lease shall be (i) subject and subordinate to any existing or future ground or master lease (including the Master Lease (hereinafter defined)), and to any mortgages, deeds of trust, overleases, or similar instruments covering the Premises, the Building and/or the Land or any portion thereof or Landlord’s interest therein and to all advances, modifications, renewals, replacements, and extensions thereof (each of the foregoing, a “Mortgage”), or (ii) if any Mortgagee elects, prior to the lien of any present or future Mortgage. Tenant further shall attorn to and recognize any successor landlord, whether through foreclosure or otherwise, as if the successor landlord were the originally named landlord. At Tenant’s request, Landlord shall request that any existing or future Mortgagee execute a commercially reasonable subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement with respect to this Lease; provided that Landlord shall have no liability to Tenant and the subordination of this Lease as provided in this Article 22 shall be unaffected if it is unable to obtain any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 22.1 shall be self-operative and no further instrument shall be required to effect such subordination or attornment; however, Tenant agrees to execute, acknowledge and deliver such instruments, confirming such subordination and attornment in such form as shall be requested by any such holder within ten (10) business days of request therefor. Tenant shall provide to Landlord, at no cost to Landlord, any other instrument(s) that may be necessary in order to record and/or file the same with the Registry.

22.2    Mortgagee Notices. Tenant shall give each Mortgagee the same notices given to Landlord concurrently with the notice to Landlord, and each Mortgagee shall have a reasonable opportunity to cure a Landlord default after the expiration of Landlord’s applicable notice and/or cure periods if Landlord fails to do so, and Mortgagee’s curing of any of Landlord’s default shall be treated as performance by Landlord.

22.3    Mortgagee Liability. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that if any Mortgage shall be foreclosed, (a) the liability of the Mortgagee and its successors and assigns shall exist only so long as such Mortgagee or purchaser is the owner of the Premises, and such liability shall not continue or survive after further transfer of ownership; and (b) such Mortgagee and its successors or assigns shall not be(i) liable for any act or omission of any prior lessor under this Lease; (ii) liable for the performance of Landlord’s covenants pursuant to the provisions of this Lease which arise and accrue prior to such entity succeeding to the interest of Landlord under this Lease or acquiring such right to possession; (iii) subject to any offsets or defense which Tenant may have at any time against Landlord; (iv) bound by any base rent or other sum which Tenant may have paid previously for more than one (1) month in advance; or (v) liable for the performance of any covenant of Landlord under this Lease which is capable of performance only by the original Landlord.

22.4    Mortgagee Consent. Tenant acknowledges that, where applicable, any consent or approval hereafter given by Landlord may be subject to the further consent or approval of a Mortgagee; and the failure or refusal of such Mortgagee to give such consent or approval shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Lease contained, constitute reasonable justification for Landlord’s withholding its consent or approval, Subject to the terms and conditions of the Mortgage in question, Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to enforce any obligation of a Mortgagee to grant its approval within the time periods, if any, specified in such Mortgage, provided, however, in no event shall Landlord be required to commence litigation in connection therewith.

22.5    Master Lease. This Lease and all of its terms, covenants, representations, warranties, agreements and conditions are in all respects subject and subordinate to any existing or future ground or master lease of any portion of the Property including the Premises, including that certain Master Lease Agreement dated as of February 20, 2020 by and between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (in such capacity, “Fee Owner”), as landlord, and Landlord, as tenant (as it may be amended from time to time, the “Master Lease”), a redacted copy of which has been delivered to Tenant. Tenant acknowledges notice and full knowledge of all of the terms, covenants and conditions of the Master Lease. With respect to the Master Lease, Tenant shall execute and deliver to Landlord simultaneously with its execution and delivery of this Lease, a Recognition, Non-Disturbance and Attornment Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 12 and made a part hereof.

23.    QUIET ENJOYMENT. Landlord covenants that so long as Tenant keeps and performs each and every covenant, agreement, term, provision and condition herein contained on the part and on behalf of Tenant to be kept and performed, Tenant shall peaceably and quietly hold, occupy and enjoy the Premises during the Term from and against the claims of all persons lawfully claiming by, through or under Landlord subject, nevertheless, to the covenants, agreements, terms, provisions and conditions of this Lease, any matters of record or of which Tenant has knowledge and to any Mortgage to which this Lease is subject and subordinate, as hereinabove set forth.

 

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24.    NOTICES. Any notice, consent, request, bill, demand or statement hereunder (each, a “Notice”) by either party to the other party shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when either delivered by hand or by nationally recognized overnight courier or refused, as the case may be (in either case with evidence of delivery or refusal thereof) and addressed as follows:

 

If to Landlord:

   MIT 314 Main Street Leasehold LLC
c/o MIT Cambridge Real Estate LLC
One Broadway, Suite 09-200
Cambridge, MA 02142
Attention: President

With a copy to:

   MIT Investment Management Company
One Broadway, Suite 09-200
Cambridge, MA 02142
Attention: Director of Real Estate Legal Services

With a copy by email to:

   RELegal@mitimco.mit.edu

If to Tenant:

  

Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

245 Main Street

Cambridge, MA 02142

Attention: Brad Dahms, CFO

with a copy to:

   Dain, Torpy, Le Ray, Wiest & Garner, P.C.
745 Atlantic Avenue, 5th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
Attention: Theseus Pharmaceuticals

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any notice from Landlord to Tenant regarding ordinary business operations (e.g., exercise of a right of access to the Premises, maintenance activities, invoices, etc.) may also be given by written notice delivered by electronic mail to any person at the Premises whom Landlord reasonably believes is authorized to receive such notice on behalf of Tenant without copies as specified above. Either party may at any time change the address or specify an additional address for such Notices by delivering or mailing, as aforesaid, to the other party a notice stating the change and setting forth the changed or additional address, provided such changed or additional address is within the United States and is not a post office box. Notices shall be effective upon the date of receipt or refusal thereof. Any notice given by an attorney on behalf of Landlord shall be considered as given by Landlord and shall be fully effective. Any notice given by an attorney on behalf of Tenant shall be considered as given by Tenant and shall be fully effective.

 

25.    MISCELLANEOUS.

25.1    Separability. If any provision of this Lease or portion of such provision or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is for any reason held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Lease (or the remainder of such provision) and the application thereof to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

25.2    Captions; Interpretation. The captions are inserted only as a matter of convenience and for reference, and in no way define, limit or describe the scope of this Lease nor the intent of any provisions thereof. The normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Lease or any exhibits or amendments hereto. Words of any gender used in this Lease shall be held and construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular number shall be held to include the plural, unless the context otherwise requires. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the use of the word “including” or “include” in this Lease shall be deemed to mean “including without limitation” or “include without limitation” in each instance.

 

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25.3    Broker. Tenant and Landlord each warrants and represents that it has dealt with no broker in connection with the consummation of this Lease other than CBRE, Inc. and Newmark Group, Inc. (collectively, “Broker”). Tenant and Landlord each agrees to defend, indemnify and save the other harmless from and against any Claims arising in breach of its representation and warranty set forth in the immediately preceding sentence. Landlord shall be solely responsible for the payment of any brokerage commissions to Broker.

25.4    Entire Agreement. This Lease, Lease Summary Sheet and Exhibits 1-12 attached hereto and incorporated herein contain the entire and only agreement between the parties and any and all statements and representations, written and oral, including previous correspondence and agreements between the parties hereto, are merged herein. Tenant acknowledges that all representations and statements upon which it relied in executing this Lease are contained herein and that Tenant in no way relied upon any other statements or representations, written or oral. This Lease may not be modified orally or in any manner other than by written agreement signed by the parties hereto, provided that no amendment or modification may be effected by text message, electronic mail or similar communication. Each reference in this Lease to any of the terms and titles contained in any Exhibit attached to this Lease shall be deemed and construed to incorporate the data stated under that term or title in such Exhibit. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them as set forth in the Lease Summary Sheet which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

25.5    Governing Law; Personal Jurisdiction. This Lease is made pursuant to, and shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and any applicable local municipal rules, regulations, by-laws, ordinances and the like. Any litigation relating to this Lease shall be brought in the state or federal courts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and each party consents to personal jurisdiction in such courts.

25.6    Tenant Representations. Tenant hereby guarantees, warrants and represents to Landlord that (i) Tenant is duly incorporated or otherwise established or formed and validly existing under the laws of its state of incorporation, establishment or formation, (ii) Tenant has and is duly qualified to do business in the state in which the Property is located, (iii) Tenant has full corporate, partnership, trust, limited liability company or other appropriate power and authority to enter into this Lease and to perform all of Tenant’s obligations hereunder, (iv) each person (and all of the persons if more than one signs) signing this Lease on behalf of Tenant is duly and validly authorized to do so; and (v) neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Lease, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will violate or conflict with any provision of documents or instruments under which Tenant is constituted or to which Tenant is a party.

25.7    Expenses Incurred by Landlord Upon Tenant Requests. Tenant shall, upon demand, reimburse Landlord for all reasonable expenses, including legal fees, incurred by Landlord in connection with all requests by Tenant for consents, approvals or execution of collateral documentation related to this Lease, including costs incurred by Landlord in the review and approval of Tenant’s plans and specifications in connection with proposed Alterations (other than Tenant’s Fitout) to be made by Tenant to the Premises or in connection with requests by Tenant for Landlord’s consent to make a Transfer. Such costs shall be deemed to be additional rent under this Lease.

25.8    Survival. Without limiting any other obligation of Tenant which may survive the expiration or prior termination of the Term, all obligations on the part of Tenant to indemnify, defend, or hold Landlord harmless, as set forth in this Lease (including Section 14.2 hereof) shall survive the expiration or prior termination of the Term.

 

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25.9    Limitation of Liability. Tenant shall neither assert nor seek to enforce any claim against Landlord or any of the Landlord Parties, or the assets of any of the Landlord Parties, for breach of this Lease or otherwise, other than against Landlord’s interest in the Property, and Tenant agrees to look solely to such interest for the satisfaction of any liability of Landlord under this Lease. This Section 25.9 shall not limit any right that Tenant might otherwise have to obtain injunctive relief against Landlord. Landlord and Tenant specifically agree that in no event shall (a) any of the Landlord Parties or any of their respective officers, directors, managers, members, trustees, employees or representatives ever be personally liable for any obligation under this Lease, (b) Landlord or any of the other Landlord Parties be liable for consequential, incidental or punitive damages or for lost profits whatsoever in connection with this Lease, (c) any officer, director, trustee, employee or representative of Tenant or of any of the other Tenant Parties ever be personally liable for any obligation under this Lease, and (d) except in connection with a breach of Tenant’s obligations under Article 17 above or as provided in Section 21.3 above, Tenant or any of the other Tenant Parties be liable for consequential, indirect, special, incidental or punitive damages or for lost profits whatsoever in connection with this Lease.

25.10    Binding Effect. The covenants, agreements, terms, provisions and conditions of this Lease shall bind and benefit the successors and assigns of the parties hereto with the same effect as if mentioned in each instance where a party hereto is named or referred to, except that no violation of the provisions of Article 13 hereof shall operate to vest any rights in any successor or assignee of Tenant. A facsimile, PDF or other electronic signature on this Lease shall be equivalent to, and have the same force and effect as, an original signature. This Lease may be executed in counterparts which, taken together, shall constitute a single instrument.

25.11    Landlord Obligations upon Transfer. Upon any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Building, Landlord shall be entirely freed and relieved from the performance and observance accruing thereafter of all covenants and obligations hereunder on the part of Landlord to be performed and observed, it being understood and agreed in such event (and it shall be deemed and construed as a covenant running with the land) that the person succeeding to Landlord’s ownership shall thereupon and thereafter assume, and perform and observe, any and all of such covenants and obligations of Landlord, except as otherwise agreed in writing.

25.12    Grants of Interest. Tenant shall not grant any security interest whatsoever in (a) any fixtures within the Premises or (b) any item paid in whole or in part by Landlord (including Landlord’s Contribution without the consent of Landlord. Tenant shall notify Landlord within ten (10) business days after the filing of any UCC statement relating to Tenant’s Property.

25.13    No Air Rights. No rights to any view or to light or air over any property, whether belonging to Landlord or any other person, are granted to Tenant by this Lease. If at any time any windows of the Premises are temporarily darkened or the light therefrom is obstructed by reason of any repairs, improvements, maintenance or cleaning in or about the Property, the same shall be without liability to Landlord and without any reduction or diminution of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease.

25.14    Office of Workforce Development. Tenant hereby covenants and agrees that it shall notify the City of Cambridge Office of Workforce Development of all new job opportunities in the Premises as they become available.

25.15    Intentionally Omitted.

 

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25.16    Financial Information. Tenant shall deliver to Landlord, within thirty (30) days after Landlord’s reasonable request (which request shall not be made more than once in any calendar year; provided that the foregoing limitation shall not apply if Tenant is in default or in connection with a proposed capital transaction (i.e., a sale, financing or refinancing of the Property or any portion hereof or any interest therein or a capital investment in the Landlord entity)), Tenant’s most recently completed balance sheet and related statements of income, shareholder’s equity and cash flows statements (audited if available) reviewed by an independent certified public accountant and certified by an officer of Tenant as being true and correct in all material respects. Any such financial information may be relied upon by any actual or potential lessor, purchaser, or mortgagee of the Property or any portion thereof. At Tenant’s request, Landlord shall execute a commercially reasonable confidentiality agreement with respect to such financial statements if they are not publicly available.

25.17    Measurements. Landlord shall have the right to measure the Building and/or the Premises in accordance with the Building’s then-current version of the Standard Method of Measurement for Office Buildings (ANSI/BOMA) (or if such standard is no longer in use, using an industry-standard method of measurement reasonably selected by Landlord), and to make an appropriate adjustment to Base Rent, Tenant’s Share and Tenant’s Tax Share. Tenant shall execute an agreement confirming such measurements and adjustments within ten (10) business days after Landlord’s request therefor. Tenant’s failure to execute and return any such agreement proposed by Landlord, or to provide written objection to the statements contained therein, within ten (10) business days after the date of Tenant’s receipt thereof, shall be deemed an approval by Tenant of Landlord’s determination of such figures as set forth therein.

25.18    OFAC. Tenant warrants and represents, as of the date hereof and throughout the Term that it is not owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any person or government from countries or other areas that are subject to economic, trade, sectoral, or transactional sanctions imposed by the United States Government, and that neither Tenant nor any of its owners, directors, officers or group companies appears on any lists of known or suspected terrorists, terrorist organizations or other prohibited persons made publicly available or published by any agency of the government of the United States or any other jurisdiction in which Tenant is doing business, including but not limited to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Tenant shall notify Landlord immediately if these circumstances change.

25.19    Confidentiality. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that the terms of this Lease are confidential. Disclosure of the terms hereof could adversely affect the ability of Landlord to negotiate other leases with respect to the Building and may impair Landlord’s relationship with other tenants of the Building. Tenant agrees that it and its partners, officers, directors, employees, brokers, and attorneys, if any, shall not disclose the terms and conditions of this Lease to any other person or entity without the prior written consent of Landlord, which may be given or withheld by Landlord, in Landlord’s sole discretion, except as required for financial disclosures or securities filings, as required by the order of any court or public body with authority over Tenant, or in connection with any litigation between Landlord and Tenant with respect to this Lease. It is understood and agreed that damages alone would be an inadequate remedy for the breach of this provision by Tenant, and Landlord shall also have the right to seek specific performance of this provision and to seek injunctive relief to prevent its breach or continued breach. Landlord and Tenant agree that no press or other publication release or communication to the general public concerning this Lease will be issued without the other party’s prior written approval.

25.20    Security. Tenant acknowledges that security devices and services, if any, while intended to deter crime, may not in given instances prevent theft or other criminal acts. Landlord shall not be liable for injuries or losses caused by criminal acts of third parties, and Tenant assumes the risk that any security device or service may malfunction or otherwise be circumvented by a criminal. If Tenant desires protection against such criminal acts, then Tenant shall, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, obtain appropriate insurance coverage. Tenant is solely responsible for securing access to the Premises. Tenant’s security programs and equipment for the Premises shall be coordinated with Landlord and subject to Landlord’s reasonable approval.

 

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25.21    Time.

(a)    Time is of the essence as to the performance of Landlord’s and Tenant’s obligations under this Lease. Except as expressly set forth herein, any time period which ends on a non-business day shall be extended to the first subsequent business day (except in no event shall Tenant’s obligations under Section 21 above be extended in accordance with this Section 23.21).

(b)    “Force Majeure” shall mean any fire, act of God, lightning, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, washout, explosion, epidemic, pandemic (including the current coronavirus pandemic), governmental or quasi-governmental act (including current or future construction moratorium, any moratorium in the issuance of required permits or in the scheduling or performance of required inspections, or any quarantine or shelter-in-place order or other government imposed access restrictions), strike, lockout, or other labor or industrial dispute, civil disturbance, any future order or regulation of any court, governmental body or regulatory body claiming jurisdiction, act of the public enemy, war, acts of terrorism, riot, sabotage, blockade, embargo, failure or inability by the exercise of reasonable diligence to secure materials, supplies or labor through ordinary sources by reason of shortages or priority or similar regulation or order of any government or regulatory body or otherwise, or any other cause reasonably beyond the control of the performing party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, the time period for Tenant or Landlord to fulfill its non-monetary obligations under this Lease, to the extent actually delayed or interrupted by any event of Force Majeure, shall be extended for the duration of such event of Force Majeure; provided, however (i) in no event shall financial inability be deemed to be, or be a cause of, an event of Force Majeure, (ii) in no event shall any Force Majeure in any way affect, suspend, reduce or abate the obligation of Tenant timely to pay all Rent and other charges payable by Tenant pursuant to the terms of this Lease, and (iii) in no event shall any Force Majeure in any way affect, reduce or abate the obligation of either party to maintain in full force and effect the insurance required by this Lease.

25.22    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. TENANT AND LANDLORD WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OR TO HAVE A JURY PARTICIPATE IN RESOLVING ANY DISPUTE, WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT ARISING OUT OF THIS LEASE OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT, OR AGREEMENT EXECUTED OR DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO.

25.23    Bankruptcy. In the event a debtor, trustee or debtor in possession under the Bankruptcy Code, or another person with similar rights, duties and powers under any other Legal Requirements, proposes to cure any Tenant default under this Lease or to assume or assign Tenant’s interest under this Lease, and is obliged to provide adequate assurance to Landlord that (a) a default shall be cured, (b) Landlord shall be compensated for its damages arising from any breach of this Lease, and (c) future performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease shall occur, then such adequate assurances shall include any or all of the following, as designated by Landlord in its sole and absolute discretion: (i) those acts specified in the Bankruptcy Code or other Legal Requirements as included within the meaning of “adequate assurance,” even if this Lease does not concern a shopping center or other facility described in such Legal Requirements; (ii) a prompt cash payment to compensate Landlord for any monetary defaults or actual damages arising directly from a breach of this Lease; (iii) a cash deposit in an amount at least equal to the then-current amount of the Letter of Credit; or (iv) the assumption or assignment of all of Tenant’s interest and obligations under this Lease.

 

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25.24    MBTA. Tenant acknowledges that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (“MIT”), in its capacity as owner in fee simple of the Property as of July 13, 2020, made the covenant and agreement set forth in Exhibit 13 attached hereto and made a part hereof. Tenant acknowledges that (a) the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (“MBTA”) red line tunnel runs by the Building along Main Street, (b) the MBTA red line’s Kendall/MIT Station is served by 2 nearby entrances on the south side of Main Street, and (c) the MBTA red line provides public transportation to the Greater Boston area and the Building and is active every day of the year. The proximity of the red line and the Kendall/MIT Station to the Building is a benefit to the Kendall Square community and those who live and work therein, and the convergence near such public transportation of the various uses found in the Building and nearby buildings is typical in an urban environment. Neither the operation of the active red line and/or Kendall/MIT Station by the MBTA, nor the proximity thereof to the Building, shall give rise to (i) any claim, demand, lawsuit or cause of action against Landlord, MIT or the MBTA, or (ii) any right to terminate the Lease. Tenant shall reasonably cooperate with Landlord, Fee Owner and the MBTA in connection with requests for information and/or execution of documentation in furtherance of the foregoing.

25.25    Not Binding Until Executed. This Lease shall have no binding force or effect, shall not constitute an offer or an option for the leasing of the Premises, nor confer any right or impose any obligations upon either party until execution and delivery of this Lease by both parties.

[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have executed this Lease as of the Execution Date.

LANDLORD

MIT 314 MAIN STREET LEASEHOLD LLC

By: MIT Cambridge Real Estate LLC, its manager

 

By:  

/s/ Seth D. Alexander

  Seth D. Alexander, President, and not individually

TENANT

THESEUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.,

 

By:  

/s/ Brad Dahms

  Name: Brad Dahms
  Title: CFO

[TENANT TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF SIGNATORY’S AUTHORITY PRIOR TO EXECUTION]

 

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Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated July 20, 2021 (except for Note 14(c), as to which the date is September 30, 2021), in Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-259549) and related Prospectus of Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. dated September 30, 2021 for the registration of shares of its common stock.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

September 30, 2021