MINERVA SURGICAL INC false 0001452965 --12-31 0001452965 2023-02-07 2023-02-07

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 7, 2023

 

 

Minerva Surgical, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-40919   26-3422906

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

4255 Burton Dr., Santa Clara, CA 95054

(Address of principal executive offices)

(855) 646-7874

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

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

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share   UTRS   The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

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

Emerging growth company  ☒

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

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On December 27, 2022, Minerva Surgical, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) for a private placement (the “Private Placement”) with Accelmed Partners II L.P. (“Accelmed”) and New Enterprise Associates 13, L.P. (each, a “Purchaser,” and collectively, the “Purchasers”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to sell to the Purchasers an aggregate of 146,627,565 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), at a purchase price of $0.2046 per Share, which represented a 25% premium to the trailing five-day volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock on December 23, 2022. See the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 28, 2022 (the “December 8-K”) for additional details regarding the Private Placement. On February 9, 2023, the Private Placement closed and the Company issued the Shares to the Purchasers, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $30 million before deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company.

Registration Rights Agreement

Also on February 9, 2023, pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Purchasers, pursuant to which the Company agreed, subject to certain exceptions, to register the Shares (the “Registrable Securities”) for resale.

Under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is obligated, subject to certain exceptions, to (i) file or confidentially submit a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) covering the resale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities no later than 30 days after the date on which the Required Holders (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) provide written notice to the Company of its request to file the registration statement, (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective no later than 60 days after the registration statement is first filed with the Commission, and (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) until the earlier of (A) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been publicly sold, or (B) the date that all the Shares cease to be Registrable Securities.

In the event that the Company fails to file (or confidentially submit) and obtain and maintain effectiveness of the registration statement, or if certain events occur with respect to the listing or trading of the Registrable Securities (such events, the “Registration Events”), the Company, subject to certain exceptions, must make payments to each holder of Registrable Securities, as liquidated damages, a cash sum calculated at a rate equal to 0.5% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities held by such holder on the date of the Registration Event.

The foregoing summary of the Registration Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registration Rights Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 3.02

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information contained above in Item 1.01 regarding the Private Placement is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company has offered and sold the Shares in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and corresponding provisions of state securities or “blue sky” laws. The Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the Commission or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. The sale of the Shares did not involve a public offering and was made without general solicitation or general advertising.


Item 5.01

Change in Control of Registrant

The information set forth in Item 1.01 regarding the Private Placement is incorporated herein by reference.

As a result of the Private Placement, Accelmed became our majority stockholder, owning approximately 69.3% of the Company’s Common Stock (based on 29,816,161 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 146,627,565 shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement). Accelmed’s purchase of Shares was funded with its working capital.

 

Item 5.02

Departure Of Directors or Certain Officers; Election Of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers

On February 7, 2023, the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company, in connection with and contingent upon the closing of the Private Placement, appointed Dr. Uri Geiger to the Board as a director of the Company, effective as of the closing of the Private Placement.

Dr. Geiger is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Accelmed Partners, a private equity investment firm he co-founded in 2009 focused on medical device companies. Prior to founding Accelmed Partners, Dr. Geiger served as the CEO of Exalenz Bioscience Ltd., a medical technology company, from May 2006 until December 2008. Prior to that, Dr. Geiger co-founded and was the CEO of GalayOr Networks, a developer of optical components from 2001 until 2003. Dr. Geiger was also the founding partner of Dragon Variation Fund in 2000, one of Israel’s first hedge funds, which was sold to Migdal in 2007. Dr. Geiger worked on Wall Street during the 1990s, where he gained a broad understanding of and significant experience in capital markets. Dr. Geiger was formerly an adjunct professor at Tel Aviv University’s Recanati School of Business where he lectured on private equity and venture capital and authored the books “Startup Companies and Venture Capital” and “From Concept to Wall Street.” Dr. Geiger served as the chairman of the board of Cogentix Medical from November 2016 until its sale in April 2018. He currently serves on the board of Strata Skin Sciences, Inc. and NeuroPace, Inc., since 2018 and January 2023, respectively, as well as a number of private medical device companies.

Neither Dr. Geiger nor any of his immediate family members has any direct or indirect material interest in any transaction, or transactions, required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, other than the Private Placement and the other transactions disclosed in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the December 8-K. In connection with his election, the Company and Dr. Geiger have entered into the Company’s standard indemnification agreement, the form of which was filed with the Commission on September 27, 2021, as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1. Dr. Geiger has indicated he will waive receiving cash or equity compensation under the Company’s outside director compensation policy for his role as a director but will be reimbursed for expenses associated with attending meetings of the Board and its committees.

 

Item 5.03.

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

On February 7, 2023, at a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company (the “Special Meeting”), the Company’s stockholders approved a reverse stock split of its common stock at a ratio in the range of 1-for-5 and 1-for-25, to be effected at the sole discretion of the Board pursuant to the proxy statement filed with the Commission on January 23, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement”).

At the Special Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to declassify the Board, permit the Company’s stockholders to call special meetings, eliminate supermajority voting requirements, permit the Company’s stockholders to act by written consent and to require stockholder approval for issuances of preferred stock, to


increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock, and update certain other miscellaneous provisions (collectively, the “Charter Amendments”). A description of the Charter Amendments was set forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement. The Charter Amendments became effective upon the filing of an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 7, 2023 (the “Restated Charter”).

Also at the Special Meeting, the stockholders approved the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Amended Bylaws”), effective February 7, 2023. The Amended Bylaws make conforming changes to those made in the Restated Charter and other clarifications.

The Board had previously approved the Charter Amendments and the Amended Bylaws subject to, and contingent upon the approval of the Charter Amendments and the Amended Bylaws by the stockholders at the Special Meeting.

The foregoing description of the Restated Charter and the Amended Bylaws are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Restated Charter, as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 7, 2023 and the full text of the Amended Bylaws, copies of which are filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On February 7, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time, the Special Meeting was held to consider certain proposals related to the Private Placement.

As of the close of business on January 17, 2023, the record date for the Special Meeting, there were 30,045,899 shares of Common Stock outstanding, each of which was entitled to one vote on each proposal at the Special Meeting. Present at the Special Meeting virtually or by proxy were holders of 21,798,042 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately 72.54% of the Common Stock issued and outstanding as of the close of business on the record date, which constituted a quorum to conduct business at the Special Meeting under the Company’s bylaws.

The following are the voting results of the proposals considered and voted upon at the Special Meeting, each of which is described in detail in the Proxy Statement. The number of votes cast for and against, and the number of abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to, each proposal are set forth below.

The following matters were proposed and acted on at the Special Meeting:

Proposal 1: To approve the issuance of the shares to be sold in the Private Placement, which would result in a “change of control” under the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 1, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,503,570   291,042   3,430

Proposal 2: To approve the Charter to declassify the Board.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 2, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,504,279   290,333   3,430


Proposal 3: To approve the Charter to permit the Company’s stockholders to call special meetings.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 3, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,489,852   304,760   3,430

Proposal 4: To approve the Charter to eliminate supermajority voting requirements.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 4, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,501,346   290,563   6,133

Proposal 5: To approve the Charter to permit the Company’s stockholders to act by written consent and to require stockholder approval for issuances of preferred stock.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 5, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,490,878   303,734   3,430

Proposal 6: To approve the Charter to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 6, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,079,546   715,066   3,430

Proposal 7: To approve an amendment to the Company’s existing amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of our common stock at a reverse stock split ratio not less than 1-for-5 and no greater than 1-for-25, with the exact split ratio, if approved and effected at all, to be set within that range at the discretion of the Board and publicly announced by the Company within 6 months after stockholder approval at the Special Meeting without further approval or authorization of the Company’s stockholders.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 7, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes

21,414,653   379,036   4,353   0

Proposal 8: To approve amended Bylaws of the Company to make conforming changes to those made in Proposals 2-6 and other clarifications.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 8, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,494,710   298,649   4,683


Proposal 9: To approve an amendment to the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder by 36,440,192 shares and make certain adjustments to the maximum annual number of shares to be reserved subject to annual “evergreen” increases.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 9, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,149,071   645,241   3,730

Proposal 10: To approve an amendment to the Company’s 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder by 3,644,019 shares and make certain adjustments to the maximum annual number of shares to be reserved subject to annual “evergreen” increases.

The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 10, and the vote was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

21,149,332   642,980   5,730

Proposal 11: To approve one or more adjournments of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, one or more of the other proposals to be voted on at the Special Meeting.

In light of the approval of Proposals 1-10, Proposal 11 described in the Proxy Statement (relating to the adjournment of the Special Meeting if necessary or appropriate) was rendered moot and was not presented at the Special Meeting.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On February 9, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing closing of the Private Placement. The full text of the press release issued in connection with the announcement is being filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

    No.    

  

Description

  3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Minerva Surgical, Inc., dated February 7, 2023.
  3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Minerva Surgical, Inc., dated February 7, 2023.
10.1    Registration Rights Agreement, dated February 9, 2023, by and between Minerva Surgical, Inc., Accelmed Partners II L.P. and New Enterprise Associates 13, L.P.
99.1    Press Release, dated February 9, 2023.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).


SIGNATURES

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

 

Date: February 9, 2023   Minerva Surgical, Inc.
        By:  

/s/ Todd Usen

            Todd Usen
            Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

a Delaware corporation

Minerva Surgical, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), does hereby certify as follows:

A. The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Company was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 3, 2008.

B. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) and has been duly approved by the consent of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with Section 211 of the DGCL.

C. The text of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

The name of the Company is Minerva Surgical, Inc.

ARTICLE II

The address of the Company’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 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 by the Company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

ARTICLE IV

Section 1. This Company is authorized to issue two classes of stock, to be designated, respectively, Common Stock and Preferred Stock. The total number of shares of stock that the Company shall have authority to issue is 315,000,000 shares, of which 300,000,000 shares are Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 15,000,000 shares are Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share.

Section 2. Each share of Common Stock outstanding as of the applicable record date shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on any matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders.

Section 3. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series pursuant to a resolution or resolutions providing for such issue duly adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock. Subject to the foregoing and limitations prescribed by law, the Board of Directors is further authorized to fix by resolution or resolutions the designations, powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of any series of Preferred Stock,


including, without limitation, authority to fix by resolution or resolutions the dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption price or prices, and liquidation preferences of any such series, and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of the foregoing. The Board of Directors is further authorized to increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of any such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series, subject to the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof stated in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the resolution of the Board of Directors originally fixing the number of shares of such series (as approved by the requisite stockholders). Except as may be otherwise specified by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, if the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock is so decreased, then the Company shall take all such steps as are necessary to cause the shares constituting such decrease to resume the status which they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.

Section 4. Except as otherwise required by law or provided in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon by law or pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock).

Section 5. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or 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 voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon, without a separate vote of the holders of the class or classes the number of authorized shares of which are being increased or decreased, unless a vote of any holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock is required pursuant to the terms of any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE V

Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, the number of directors that constitutes the entire Board of Directors of the Company shall be fixed only by resolution of the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. For the purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the term “Whole Board” shall mean the total number of authorized directorships whether or not there exist any vacancies or other unfilled seats in previously authorized directorships. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors of the Company shall be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal; except that if any such meeting shall not be so held, such election shall take place at a stockholders’ meeting called and held in accordance with the Bylaws and DGCL.

ARTICLE VI

Section 1. Subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office at any time, but only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors.

 

- 2 -


Section 2. Except as otherwise provided for or fixed by or pursuant to the provisions of ARTICLE IV hereof in relation to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances or except as otherwise provided by resolution of a majority of the Whole Board, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors, created in accordance with the Bylaws of the Company, and any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause shall be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. A person so elected by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

ARTICLE VII

Section 1. The Company is to have perpetual existence.

Section 2. The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Company.

Section 3. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, alter, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Company. The affirmative vote of at least a majority of the Whole Board shall be required in order for the Board of Directors to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Company’s Bylaws. The Company’s Bylaws may also be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders of the Company. Notwithstanding the above or any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws of the Company may not be amended, altered or repealed except in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws relating to amendments to the Bylaws. No Bylaw hereafter legally adopted, amended, altered or repealed shall invalidate any prior act of the directors or officers of the Company that would have been valid if such Bylaw had not been adopted, amended, altered or repealed.

Section 4. The election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Company shall so provide.

Section 5. No stockholder will be permitted to cumulate votes at any election of directors.

ARTICLE VIII

Section 1. Any action, including any vote required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Company, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a written consent setting forth the action so taken is signed by the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to be voted with respect to the subject matter thereof having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.

Section 2. Subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the Company may be called only by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board or by written notice to the Company signed by the holders of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such issue proposed therein. Only such business shall be considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been stated in the notice for such meeting.

 

- 3 -


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

ARTICLE IX

Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or as may hereafter be amended from time to time, a director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Company shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

Section 2. Subject to any provisions in the Bylaws of the Company related to indemnification of directors of the Company, the Company shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any director of the Company 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”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. The Company shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if the Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. The Company shall have the power to indemnify, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any officer, employee or agent of the Company who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

Section 4. Neither any amendment nor repeal of any Section of this ARTICLE IX, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company inconsistent with this ARTICLE IX, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this ARTICLE IX in respect of any matter occurring, or any Proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this ARTICLE IX, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.

ARTICLE X

Meetings of stockholders may be held within or outside of the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws may provide. The books of the Company may be kept (subject to any provision of applicable law) outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places or in such manner or manners as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws of the Company.

 

- 4 -


ARTICLE XI

The Company reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation.

 

- 5 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Minerva Surgical, Inc. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company on this 7th day of February 2023.

 

By:   /s/ Todd Usen
  Todd Usen
  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

- 6 -

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF

MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

(effective as of February 7, 2023)

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

             Page  

ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES

     1  

        

 

1.1

  REGISTERED OFFICE      1  
 

1.2

  OTHER OFFICES      1  

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

     1  
 

2.1

  PLACE OF MEETINGS      1  
 

2.2

  ANNUAL MEETING      1  
 

2.3

  SPECIAL MEETING      1  
 

2.4

  ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES      2  
 

2.5

  NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS      8  
 

2.6

  QUORUM      8  
 

2.7

  ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE      8  
 

2.8

  CONDUCT OF BUSINESS      9  
 

2.9

  VOTING      9  
 

2.10

  STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING      10  
 

2.11

  RECORD DATES      10  
 

2.12

  PROXIES      11  
 

2.13

  LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE      11  
 

2.14

  INSPECTORS OF ELECTION      11  

ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS

     12  
 

3.1

  POWERS      12  
 

3.2

  NUMBER OF DIRECTORS      12  
 

3.3

  ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS      12  
 

3.4

  RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES      12  
 

3.5

  PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE      13  
 

3.6

  REGULAR MEETINGS      13  
 

3.7

  SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE      13  
 

3.8

  QUORUM; VOTING      14  
 

3.9

  BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING      14  
 

3.10

  FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS      14  
 

3.11

  REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS      15  

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES

     15  
 

4.1

  COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS      15  
 

4.2

  COMMITTEE MINUTES      15  
 

4.3

  MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES      15  
 

4.4

  SUBCOMMITTEES      16  

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

     16  
 

5.1

  OFFICERS      16  
 

5.2

  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS      16  
 

5.3

  SUBORDINATE OFFICERS      16  

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  
  5.4  

REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS

     17  
  5.5   VACANCIES IN OFFICES      17  
  5.6   REPRESENTATION OF SECURITIES OF OTHER ENTITIES      17  

        

  5.7   AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS      17  

ARTICLE VI - STOCK

     17  
  6.1   STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES      17  
  6.2   SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES      18  
  6.3   LOST CERTIFICATES      18  
  6.4   DIVIDENDS      19  
  6.5   TRANSFER OF STOCK      19  
  6.6   STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS      19  
  6.7   REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS      19  

ARTICLE VII - MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE AND WAIVER

     19  
  7.1   NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS      19  
  7.2   NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS      19  
  7.3   NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL      20  
  7.4   WAIVER OF NOTICE      20  

ARTICLE VIII - INDEMNIFICATION

     20  
  8.1   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS      20  
  8.2   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY      21  
  8.3   SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE      21  
  8.4   INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS      21  
  8.5   ADVANCED PAYMENT OF EXPENSES      22  
  8.6   LIMITATION ON INDEMNIFICATION      22  
  8.7   DETERMINATION; CLAIM      23  
  8.8   NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS      23  
  8.9   INSURANCE      23  
  8.10   SURVIVAL      23  
  8.11   EFFECT OF REPEAL OR MODIFICATION      24  
  8.12   CERTAIN DEFINITIONS      24  

ARTICLE IX - GENERAL MATTERS

     24  
  9.1   EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS      24  
  9.2   FISCAL YEAR      24  
  9.3   SEAL      24  
  9.4   CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS      25  
  9.5   FORUM SELECTION      25  

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

     25  

 

 

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BYLAWS OF MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.

 

 

ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES

1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE

The registered office of Minerva Surgical, Inc. (the “Company”) shall be fixed in the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time.

1.2 OTHER OFFICES

The Company may at any time establish other offices.

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at a place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, determined by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”). The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Company’s principal executive office.

2.2 ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held each year. The Board of Directors shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and any other proper business, brought in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws, may be transacted. The Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board may cancel, postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled annual meeting at any time, before or after the notice for such meeting has been sent to the stockholders. For the purposes of these bylaws, the term “Whole Board” shall mean the total number of authorized directorships whether or not there exist any vacancies or other unfilled seats in previously authorized directorships.

2.3 SPECIAL MEETING

(a) A special meeting of the stockholders, other than as required by statute, may be called at any time by (i) the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, (ii) the chairperson of the Board of Directors, (iii) the chief executive officer, (iv) the president or (v) written notice to the Company signed by the holders of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such issue proposed therein. The Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board may cancel, postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting at any time, before or after the notice for such meeting has been sent to the stockholders.

 

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(b) The notice of a special meeting shall include the purpose for which the meeting is called. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of a majority of the Whole Board, the chairperson of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or the stockholders having called such meeting pursuant to Section 2.3(a). Nothing contained in this Section 2.3(b) shall be construed as limiting, fixing or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board of Directors may be held.

2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

(i) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors or the proposal of other business to be transacted by the stockholders at an annual meeting of stockholders may be made only (1) pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto); (2) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; (3) as may be provided in the certificate of designations for any class or series of preferred stock; or (4) by any stockholder of the Company who (A) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of the notice contemplated by Section 2.4(a)(ii); (B) is a stockholder of record on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the annual meeting; (C) is a stockholder of record on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting; (D) is a stockholder of record at the time of the annual meeting; and (E) complies with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(a).

(ii) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders by a stockholder pursuant to clause (4) of Section 2.4(a)(i), the stockholder must have given timely notice in writing to the secretary and any such nomination or proposed business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company no earlier than 8:00 a.m., local time, on the 120th day and no later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day prior to the day of the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders. However, if no annual meeting of stockholders was held in the preceding year, or if the date of the applicable annual meeting has been changed by more than 25 days from the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, then to be timely such notice must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company no earlier than 8:00 a.m., local time, on the 120th day prior to the day of the annual meeting and no later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was first made by the Company. In no event will the adjournment, rescheduling or postponement of any annual meeting, or any announcement thereof, commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. If the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least 10 days before the last day that a stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination pursuant to the foregoing provisions, then a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.4(a)(ii) will also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it is received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company no later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made. “Public announcement” means disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended and inclusive of rules and regulations thereunder, the “1934 Act”).

 

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(iii) A stockholder’s notice to the secretary must set forth:

(1) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director:

(A) such person’s name, age, business address, residence address and principal occupation or employment; the class and number of shares of the Company that are held of record or are beneficially owned by such person and a description of any Derivative Instruments (defined below) held or beneficially owned thereby or of any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares), the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, or to manage the risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of such person; and all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the contested election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to the Section 14 of the 1934 Act;

(B) such person’s written consent to being named in such stockholder’s proxy statement as a nominee of such stockholder and to serving as a director of the Company if elected;

(C) a reasonably detailed description of any direct or indirect compensatory, payment, indemnification or other financial agreement, arrangement or understanding that such person has, or has had within the past three years, with any person or entity other than the Company (including the amount of any payment or payments received or receivable thereunder), in each case in connection with candidacy or service as a director of the Company (a “Third-Party Compensation Arrangement”); and

(D) a description of any other material relationships between such person and such person’s respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert with them, on the one hand, and such stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert with them, on the other hand;

(2) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting:

(A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting;

(B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, if applicable, the text of any proposed amendment to these bylaws or the Company’s certificate of incorporation);

(C) the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting;

 

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(D) any material interest in such business of such stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert with them; and

(E) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and

(3) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:

(A) the name and address of such stockholder (as they appear on the Company’s books), of such beneficial owner and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them;

(B) for each class or series, the number of shares of stock of the Company that are, directly or indirectly, held of record or are beneficially owned by such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them;

(C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, and any other person or persons (including, in each case, their names) in connection with the proposal of such nomination or other business;

(D) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including, regardless of the form of settlement, any derivative, long or short positions, profit interests, forwards, futures, swaps, 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 their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, with respect to the Company’s securities (any of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”), or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding that has been made the effect or intent of which is to create or 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 their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, with respect to the Company’s securities;

(E) any rights to dividends on the Company’s securities owned beneficially by such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, that are separated or separable from the underlying security;

(F) any proportionate interest in the Company’s securities or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership;

 

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(G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with, them is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of the Company’s securities or Derivative Instruments, including, without limitation, any such interests held by members of the immediate family of such persons sharing the same household;

(H) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments in any principal competitor of the Company that are held by such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them;

(I) any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, in any contract with the Company, any affiliate of the Company or any principal competitor of the Company (in each case, including any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement);

(J) a representation and undertaking that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Company as of the date of submission of the stockholder’s notice and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to bring such nomination or other business before the meeting;

(K) a representation and undertaking that such stockholder or any such beneficial owner intends, or is part of a group that intends, to (x) deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or to elect each such nominee; or (y) otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination;

(L) any other information relating to such stockholder, such beneficial owner, or their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert with them, or director nominee or proposed business that, in each case, would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies in support of such nominee (in a contested election of directors) or proposal pursuant to Section 14 of the 1934 Act; and

(M) such other information relating to any proposed item of business as the Company may reasonably require to determine whether such proposed item of business is a proper matter for stockholder action.

(iv) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice (and any additional information submitted to the Company in connection therewith) must further be updated and supplemented (1) if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct as of the record date(s) for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement thereof and (2) to provide any additional information that the Company may reasonably request. Such update and supplement or additional information, if applicable, must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company, in the case of a request for additional information, promptly following a request therefor,

 

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which response must be delivered not later than such reasonable time as is specified in any such request from the Company or, in the case of any other update or supplement of any information, not later than five business days after the record date(s) for the meeting (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of the record date(s)), and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement thereof). The failure to timely provide such update, supplement or additional information shall result in the nomination or proposal no longer being eligible for consideration at the meeting.

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Except to the extent required by the DGCL, and subject to Section 2.3(a), special meetings of stockholders may be called only in accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and these bylaws. Only such business will be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as has been brought before the special meeting pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting. If the election of directors is included as business to be brought before a special meeting in the Company’s notice of meeting, then nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at such special meeting may be made by any stockholder who (i) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of the notice contemplated by this Section 2.4(b); (ii) is a stockholder of record on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the special meeting; (iii) is a stockholder of record on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting; (iv) is a stockholder of record at the time of the special meeting; and (v) complies with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.4(b). For nominations to be properly brought by a stockholder before a special meeting pursuant to this Section 2.4(b), the stockholder’s notice must be received by the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company no earlier than 8:00 a.m., local time, on the 120th day prior to the day of the special meeting and no later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the special meeting was first made. In no event will any adjournment, rescheduling or postponement of a special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice. A stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must comply with the applicable notice requirements of Section 2.4(a)(iii).

(c) Other Requirements.

(i) To be eligible to be a nominee by any stockholder for election as a director of the Company, the proposed nominee must provide to the secretary, in accordance with the applicable time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section 2.4(a)(ii) or Section 2.4(b):

(1) a signed and completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the secretary at the written request of the nominating stockholder, which form will be provided by the secretary within 10 days of receiving such request) containing information regarding such nominee’s background and qualifications and such other information as may reasonably be required by the Company to determine the eligibility of such nominee to serve as a director of the Company or to serve as an independent director of the Company;

(2) a written representation and undertaking that, unless previously disclosed to the Company, such nominee is not, and will not become, a party to any voting agreement, arrangement, commitment, assurance or understanding with any person or entity as to how such nominee, if elected as a director, will vote on any issue;

 

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(3) a written representation and undertaking that, unless previously disclosed to the Company, such nominee is not, and will not become, a party to any Third-Party Compensation Arrangement;

(4) a written representation and undertaking that, if elected as a director, such nominee would be in compliance, and will continue to comply, with the Company’s corporate governance guidelines as disclosed on the Company’s website, as amended from time to time; and

(5) a written representation and undertaking that such nominee, if elected, intends to serve a full term on the Board of Directors.

(ii) At the request of the Board of Directors, any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a director must furnish to the secretary the information that is required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice of nomination that pertains to such nominee.

(iii) No person will be eligible to be nominated by a stockholder for election as a director of the Company unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.4. No business proposed by a stockholder will be conducted at a stockholder meeting except in accordance with this Section 2.4.

(iv) The chairperson of the applicable meeting of stockholders will, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by these bylaws or that business was not properly brought before the meeting. If the chairperson of the meeting should so determine, then the chairperson of the meeting will so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination will be disregarded or such business will not be transacted, as the case may be.

(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.4, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear in person at the meeting to present a nomination or other proposed business, such nomination will be disregarded or such proposed business will not be transacted, as the case may be, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nomination or business may have been received by the Company and counted for purposes of determining a quorum. For purposes of this Section 2.4, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting, and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting.

(vi) Without limiting this Section 2.4, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.4, it being understood that (1) any references in these bylaws to the 1934 Act are not intended to, and will not, limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 2.4; and (2) compliance with clause (4) of Section 2.4(a)(i) and with Section 2.4(b) are the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than as provided in Section 2.4(c)(vii)).

 

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(vii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.4, the notice requirements set forth in these bylaws with respect to the proposal of any business pursuant to this Section 2.4 will be deemed to be satisfied by a stockholder if (1) such stockholder has submitted a proposal to the Company in compliance with Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; and (2) such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Company to solicit proxies for the meeting of stockholders. Subject to Rule 14a-8 and other applicable rules and regulations under the 1934 Act, nothing in these bylaws will be construed to permit any stockholder, or give any stockholder the right, to include or have disseminated or described in the Company’s proxy statement any nomination of a director or any other business proposal.

2.5 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 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.

2.6 QUORUM

The holders of a majority of the voting power of the capital stock of the Company issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

If, however, such quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (a) the chairperson of the meeting, or (b) the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the original meeting.

2.7 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the Company may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the

 

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adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 213(a) of the DGCL and Section 2.11 of these bylaws, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

2.8 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of business and discussion as seem to the chairperson in order. The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall be designated by the Board of Directors; in the absence of such designation, the chairperson of the Board of Directors, if any, or the chief executive officer (in the absence of the chairperson of the Board of Directors) or the president (in the absence of the chairperson of the Board of Directors and the chief executive officer), or in their absence any other executive officer of the Company, shall serve as chairperson of the stockholder meeting. The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date or time, whether or not a quorum is present.

2.9 VOTING

The stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.11 of these bylaws, subject to Section 217 (relating to voting rights of fiduciaries, pledgors and joint owners of stock) and Section 218 (relating to voting trusts and other voting agreements) of the DGCL.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the rules of the stock exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders and broker non-votes and abstentions will be considered for purposes of establishing a quorum. Except as otherwise required by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the rules of the stock exchange on which the securities of the Company are listed.

 

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2.10 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING

Any action, including any vote required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Company, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a written consent setting forth the action so taken is signed by the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to be voted with respect to the subject matter thereof having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted (as determined in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof).

Any action taken by written consent shall be delivered to the Company by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Company having custody of the records of proceedings of meetings of stockholders. Delivery made to the Company’s registered office shall be by hand, by nationally recognized overnight courier or electronic transmission. Every written consent shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless written consents signed by the requisite number of stockholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof are delivered to the Company, in the manner required by this Article 2, within 60 days of the first date on which a consent is so delivered to the Company in the manner required by this Article 2.

Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given by the Company to those stockholders who have not consented in writing. Any such consent shall be inserted in the minute book as if it were the minutes of a meeting of the stockholders.

2.11 RECORD DATES

In order that the Company may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors 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 of Directors 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 of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and 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.

If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by Chapter 1 of the DGCL, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Company in accordance with Section 2.10.

If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by Chapter 1 of the DGCL, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

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A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for 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 with the provisions of Section 213 of the DGCL and this Section 2.11 at the adjourned meeting.

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

2.12 PROXIES

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent, may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by a document or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL.

2.13 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE

The Company shall prepare, at least 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 10 days before the meeting date, 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. The Company shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least 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 Company’s principal place of business. In the event that the Company determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Company may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Company.

2.14 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Company shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment. The Company may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act.

 

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Such inspectors shall:

(a) ascertain the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each;

(b) determine the shares represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots;

(c) count all votes and ballots;

(d) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors; and

(e) certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting, and their count of all votes and ballots.

The inspectors of election shall perform their duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their ability and as expeditiously as is practical. If there are multiple inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS

3.1 POWERS

The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided in the DGCL or the certificate of incorporation.

3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall consist of one or more members, each of whom shall be a natural person. Unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, the number of directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the Whole Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS

Whether elected at an annual election of directors or to fill an interim vacancy, each director shall hold office until the next succeeding annual election or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. The certificate of incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors.

3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Company. A resignation is effective when the resignation is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events. A resignation which is conditioned upon the director failing to receive a specified vote for reelection as a director may provide that it is irrevocable. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, when one or more directors resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective.

 

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Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws or permitted in the specific case by resolution of the Board of Directors, and subject to the rights of holders of Preferred Stock, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by stockholders.

3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE

The Board of Directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS

Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.

3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE

Special meetings of the Board of Directors for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary or a majority of the Whole Board.

Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

(a) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(b) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(c) sent by facsimile;

(d) sent by electronic mail; or

(e) otherwise given by electronic transmission (as defined in Section 232 of the DGCL), directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number, electronic mail address or other contact for notice by electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Company’s records.

 

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If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile, (iii) sent by electronic mail or (iv) otherwise given by electronic transmission, it shall be delivered, sent or otherwise directed to each director, as applicable, at least 24 hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by United States mail, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least four days before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice may be communicated to the director. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Company’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting, unless required by statute.

3.8 QUORUM; VOTING

At all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

If the certificate of incorporation provides that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter, except as may otherwise be expressly provided herein or therein and denoted with the phrase “notwithstanding the final paragraph of Section 3.8 of the bylaws” or language to similar effect, every reference in these bylaws to a majority or other proportion of the directors shall refer to a majority or other proportion of the votes of the directors.

3.9 BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. Any person (whether or not then a director) may provide, whether through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that a consent to action will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event), no later than 60 days after such instruction is given or such provision is made and such consent shall be deemed to have been given for purposes of this Section 3.9 at such effective time so long as such person is then a director and did not revoke the consent prior to such time. Any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective.

3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.

 

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3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS

Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office by stockholders of the Company in the manner specified in the certificate of incorporation and applicable law. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of such director’s term of office.

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES

4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the Whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Company. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof 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 of Directors 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 of Directors or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Company, and may authorize the seal of the Company to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (a) 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 (b) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Company.

4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES

Each committee and subcommittee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings.

4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES

Meetings and actions of committees and subcommittees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

(a) Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone);

(b) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

(c) Section 3.7 (special meetings and notice);

(d) Section 3.8 (quorum; voting);

(e) Section 3.9 (action without a meeting); and

 

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(f) Section 7.4 (waiver of notice) with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee or subcommittee and its members for the Board of Directors and its members. However, (i) the time and place of regular meetings of committees or subcommittees may be determined either by resolution of the Board of Directors or by resolution of the committee or subcommittee; (ii) special meetings of committees or subcommittees may also be called by resolution of the Board of Directors or the committee or the subcommittee; and (iii) notice of special meetings of committees and subcommittees shall also be given to all alternate members who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee or subcommittee. The Board of Directors may adopt rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws.

Any provision in the certificate of incorporation providing that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter shall apply to voting in any committee or subcommittee, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

4.4 SUBCOMMITTEES

Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board of Directors 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.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

5.1 OFFICERS

The officers of the Company shall be a president and a secretary. The Company may also have, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a chairperson of the Board of Directors, a vice chairperson of the Board of Directors, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer or treasurer, one or more vice presidents, one or more assistant vice presidents, one or more assistant treasurers, one or more assistant secretaries and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS

The Board of Directors shall appoint the officers of the Company, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.

5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS

The Board of Directors may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers as the business of the Company may require. Each of such officers shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

 

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5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board of Directors or, for the avoidance of doubt, any duly authorized committee or subcommittee thereof or by any officer who has been conferred such power of removal.

Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice, in writing or by electronic transmission, to the Company. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Company under any contract to which the officer is a party.

5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company shall be filled by the Board of Directors or as provided in Section 5.3.

5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SECURITIES OF OTHER ENTITIES

The chairperson of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of this Company or any other person authorized by the Board of Directors or the chief executive officer, the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Company all rights incident to any and all shares or other securities of any other entity or entities, and all rights incident to any management authority conferred on the Company in accordance with the governing documents of any entity or entities, standing in the name of this Company, including the right to act by written consent. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

All officers of the Company shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Company as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI - STOCK

6.1 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES

The shares of the Company shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Company. Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of, the Company by any two officers of the Company

 

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representing the number of shares 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 has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Company with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. The Company shall not have power to issue a certificate in bearer form.

The Company may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly-paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Company in the case of uncertificated partly-paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully-paid shares, the Company shall declare a dividend upon partly-paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

6.2 SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES

If the Company is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the Company shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate that the Company shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a statement that the Company will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the registered owner thereof shall be given a notice, in writing or by electronic transmission, containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to this Section 6.2 or Sections 156, 202(a), 218(a) or 364 of the DGCL or with respect to this Section 6.2 a statement that the Company will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated stock and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.

6.3 LOST CERTIFICATES

Except as provided in this Section 6.3, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Company and cancelled at the same time. The Company may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Company may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Company a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

 

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6.4 DIVIDENDS

The Board of Directors, subject to any restrictions contained in the certificate of incorporation or applicable law, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of the Company’s capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the Company’s capital stock, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation. The Board of Directors may set apart out of any of the funds of the Company available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve.

6.5 TRANSFER OF STOCK

Transfers of record of shares of stock of the Company shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by an attorney duly authorized, and, if such stock is certificated, upon the surrender of a certificate or certificates for a like number of shares, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer.

6.6 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS

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

6.7 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS

The Company:

(a) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and notices and to vote as such owner; and

(b) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.

ARTICLE VII - MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE AND WAIVER

7.1 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner set forth in the DGCL.

7.2 NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS SHARING AN ADDRESS

Except as otherwise prohibited under the DGCL, without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Company under the provisions of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Company. Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Company, within 60 days of having been given written notice by the Company of its intention to send the single notice, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice. This Section 7.2 shall not apply to Sections 164, 296, 311, 312 or 324 of the DGCL.

 

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7.3 NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL

Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the Company is such as to require the filing of a certificate under the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

7.4 WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or 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 or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. 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. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII - INDEMNIFICATION

8.1 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the Company shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, 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 Company) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company, or is or was a director or officer of the Company serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with 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 Company, 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 Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of 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 Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.

 

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8.2 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the Company shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company, or is or was a director or officer of the Company serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) 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 Company; 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 Company 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.

8.3 SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE

To the extent that a present or former director or officer (for purposes of this Section 8.3 only, as such term is defined in Section 145(c)(1) of the DGCL) of the Company has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, 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. The Company may indemnify any other person who is not a present or former director or officer of the Company against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person to the extent he or she has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any suit or proceeding described in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein.

8.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS

Subject to the other provisions of this Article VIII, the Company shall have power to indemnify its employees and agents, or any other persons, to the extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate to any person or persons identified in subsections (1) through (4) of Section 145(d) of the DGCL the determination of whether employees or agents shall be indemnified.

 

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8.5 ADVANCED PAYMENT OF EXPENSES

Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by an officer or director of the Company in defending any Proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding upon receipt of a written request therefor (together with documentation reasonably evidencing such expenses) and an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or the DGCL. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents of the Company or by persons serving at the request of the Company as directors, officers, employees or agents of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Company deems appropriate. The right to advancement of expenses shall not apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to these bylaws, but shall apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) referenced in Section 8.6(b) or 8.6(c) prior to a determination that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to Section 8.8, no advance shall be made by the Company to an officer of the Company (except by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the Company, in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any Proceeding if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (a) by a vote of the directors who are not parties to such Proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (b) by a committee of such directors designated by the vote of the majority of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (c) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company.

8.6 LIMITATION ON INDEMNIFICATION

Subject to the requirements in Section 8.3 and the DGCL, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify any person pursuant to this Article VIII in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):

(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 1934 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);

(c) for any reimbursement of the Company 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 Company, as required in each case under the 1934 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 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);

 

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(d) initiated by such person, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by such person against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of Directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) otherwise required to be made under Section 8.7 or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; or

(e) if prohibited by applicable law.

8.7 DETERMINATION; CLAIM

If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VIII is not paid in full within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the written request therefor, the claimant shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. The Company shall indemnify such person against any and all expenses that are actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Company under this Article VIII, to the extent such person is successful in such action, and to the extent not prohibited by law. In any such suit, the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving that the claimant is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses.

8.8 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS

The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII 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 or any statute, bylaw, 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. The Company is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advancement of expenses, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law.

8.9 INSURANCE

The Company may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust 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 Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

8.10 SURVIVAL

The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VIII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

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8.11 EFFECT OF REPEAL OR MODIFICATION

A right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under a provision of the certificate of incorporation or a bylaw shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to or repeal or elimination of the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought, unless the provision in effect at the time of such act or omission explicitly authorizes such elimination or impairment after such action or omission has occurred.

8.12 CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Article VIII, references to the “Company” shall include, in addition to the resulting company, any constituent company (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 company, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving company as such person would have with respect to such constituent company if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the 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; 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 Company” as referred to in this Article VIII.

ARTICLE IX - GENERAL MATTERS

9.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS

Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any document or instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Company; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Company by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

9.2 FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Company shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors and may be changed by the Board of Directors.

9.3 SEAL

The Company may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board of Directors. The Company may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

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9.4 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term “person” includes a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and a natural person. Any reference in these bylaws to a section of the DGCL shall be deemed to refer to such section as amended from time to time and any successor provisions thereto.

9.5 FORUM SELECTION

Unless the Company 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, another State court in Delaware or the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, stockholder, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (c) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (a) through (d) above, any claim as to which such court determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of such court (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of such court within 10 days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than such court or for which such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction.

Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.5. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 9.5 shall apply to any action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the 1934 Act or any successor thereto.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders entitled to vote or by the Board of Directors.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of February 9, 2023 by and among Minerva Surgical, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and the undersigned purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchasers are parties to the Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 27, 2022 (the “Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Purchasers are purchasing shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, and pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement in order to grant certain rights to the Purchasers as set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and promises set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

1. Certain Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms, for all purposes of this Agreement, shall have the meanings specified in this Section 1. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement.

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Allowed Delay” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b)(ii).

Board” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in the State of New York are generally are open for use by customers on such day.

Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Company” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Effective Date” means the date that a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2.1(a) is first declared effective by the SEC.


Effectiveness Deadline” means, with respect to the Shelf Registration Statement or New Registration Statement, sixty (60) days following the Filing Date; provided, however, that if the Company is notified by the SEC (either orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) that the Shelf Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Deadline as to such Shelf Registration Statement shall be the fifth (5th) Business Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above; provided, further, that if the Effectiveness Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the SEC is closed for business, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the SEC is open for business; provided, further, that if the SEC is closed for operations due to a government shutdown or lapse in appropriations, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended by the same amount of days that the SEC remains closed for operations and provided, further, that if the Shelf Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement is reviewed by the SEC, the fifth (5th) Business Day following the completion of such review.

Effectiveness Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b)(i).

Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

Event Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

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

Filing Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Form S-3” means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or any successor or similar registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC that permits inclusion or incorporation of substantial information by reference to other documents filed by the Company with the SEC.

Free Writing Prospectus” means an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to an offer of Registrable Securities.

Holder” means any Purchaser or its permitted assignee owning or having the right to acquire Registrable Securities.

Liquidated Damages” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

New Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Participating Holder” means with respect to any registration, any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement.

Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or any other entity or organization.

 

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Prospectus” means the prospectus included in any Registration Statement (including a prospectus that discloses information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective Shelf Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A or Rule 430B promulgated under the Securities Act), all amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement, and all other material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

Register,” “registered” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement or document.

Registrable Securities” means (i) the Shares, and (ii) any shares of Common Stock issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, Shares, whether by merger, charter amendment or otherwise; provided, that the Holder has completed and delivered to the Company a selling stockholder questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex C (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) and any other information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Registrable Securities as the Company may, from time to time, reasonably request for inclusion in a Registration Statement pursuant to applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Shares or any such shares of Common Stock, and only with respect to such shares, shall cease to be Registrable Securities for all purposes hereunder upon the earliest to occur of the following: (a) the sale by any Person of such Shares or shares of Common Stock either pursuant to a registration statement under the Securities Act or under Rule 144, (b) such Shares or shares of Common Stock are transferred and new certificates for such Shares not bearing a legend restricting further transfer have been delivered by Company and subsequent public distribution of such Shares are eligible for sale without restriction by the Purchaser holding such security without any registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to Rule 144, including without any manner of sale or volume limitations, and without the requirement to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) (or any successor thereto) promulgated under the Securities Act, or (c) such Shares cease to be outstanding.

Registration Statement” means any registration statement of the Company that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement filed with, or to be filed with, the SEC under the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including pre- and post-effective amendments, and all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

Remainder Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Required Holders” means the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities outstanding from time to time.

Rule 144” means Rule 144 as promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar successor rule that may be promulgated by the SEC having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.

SEC Guidance” means any publicly-available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests of the SEC staff under the Securities Act; provided, that any such oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests are reduced to writing by the SEC.

 

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Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar successor federal statute and the rules and regulations thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect from time to time.

Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Transaction Agreements” means this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, the Lock-Up Agreements, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreement executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder.

2. Registration Rights.

2.1 Shelf Registration.

(a) Registration Statements. On or prior to such date that is thirty (30) days following the date on which the Required Holders provide written notice to the Company of its request to file a Registration Statement on Form S-3 pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) (the “Filing Deadline”), the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then available to the Company, on such form of registration statement as is then available to effect a registration for resale of the Registrable Securities), subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(c), for the resale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (the “Shelf Registration Statement”). Such Shelf Registration Statement shall, subject to the limitations of Form S-3, include the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities to be registered therein and shall contain (except if otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the SEC upon a review of such Shelf Registration Statement) the “Plan of Distribution” substantially in the form of Annex A and substantially the “Selling Stockholder” section in the form of Annex B, in each case, which may be modified to respond to comments, if any, provided by the SEC. To the extent the staff of the SEC does not permit all of the Registrable Securities to be registered on the Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) or for any other reason any Registrable Securities are not then included in a Registration Statement filed under this Agreement, the Company shall (i) inform each of the Participating Holders thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement as required by the SEC and/or (ii) withdraw the Shelf Registration Statement and file a new registration statement (a “New Registration Statement”), in either case covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered by the SEC, on Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering; provided, however, that prior to the filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance, including without limitation, the Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations D.29. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement as a secondary offering, unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Shares held by such Holders, subject to a determination by the SEC that certain Holders must be reduced first based on the number of Shares held by such Holders. In the event the Company amends the Shelf Registration Statement or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may be, under clauses (i) or (ii) above, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC, as promptly as allowed by the SEC or SEC Guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of securities in general, one or more Registration

 

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Statements on Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Shelf Registration Statement, as amended, or the New Registration Statement (the “Remainder Registration Statement”). In no event shall any Participating Holder be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement unless in response to a comment or request from the staff of the SEC or another regulatory agency; provided, however, that if the SEC requests that a Participating Holder be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement, such Holder will have an opportunity to withdraw from the Registration Statement.

(b) Effectiveness.

(i) The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have each Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable but in no event later than the Effectiveness Deadline (including filing with the SEC a request for acceleration of effectiveness in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act), and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement or New Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earlier of (A) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been publicly sold by the Holders, or (B) the date that all the Shares cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Effectiveness Period”); provided, that, the Company will not be obligated to update the Registration Statement and no sales may made under the applicable Registration Statement during any Allowed Delay of which the Holders have received notice. The Company shall notify the Participating Holders of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement by e-mail as promptly as practicable, and shall, if requested provide the Participating Holders with copies of the final Prospectus to be used in connection with the sale or other disposition of the securities covered thereby.

(ii) On not more than three occasions and for not more than forty-five (45) consecutive days or for a total of not more than ninety (90) days, in each case in any twelve (12) month period, the Company may suspend the use of any Prospectus included in any Registration Statement contemplated by this Section 2 if (A) the negotiation or consummation of a transaction by the Company is pending or an event has occurred, which negotiation, consummation or event, the Board reasonably believes, upon the advice of legal counsel, would require additional disclosure by the Company in the Registration Statement of material information that the Company has a bona fide business purpose for keeping confidential and the non-disclosure of which in the Registration Statement would be expected, in the reasonable determination of the Board, upon the advice of legal counsel, to cause the Registration Statement to fail to comply with applicable disclosure requirements, or (B) the Company determines in good faith, upon advice of legal counsel, that such suspension is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the related Prospectus so that such Registration Statement or Prospectus shall not include an 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, in the case of the Prospectus in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (an “Allowed Delay”); provided, that the Company shall promptly (1) notify each Participating Holder in writing of the commencement of an Allowed Delay, but shall not (without the prior written consent of a Participating Holder) disclose to such Participating Holder any material non-public information giving rise to an Allowed Delay, (2) advise the Participating Holders in writing to cease all sales under such Registration Statement until the end of the Allowed Delay and (3) use commercially reasonable efforts to terminate an Allowed Delay as promptly as practicable.

(c) In the event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall (i) register the resale of the Registrable Securities on another appropriate form reasonably acceptable to the Holders and (ii) undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 promptly after such form is available; provided, that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC.

 

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(d) If: (i) the initial Registration Statement is not filed with the SEC on or prior to the Filing Deadline, (ii) the initial Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement, as applicable, is not declared effective by the SEC (or otherwise does not become effective) for any reason on or prior to the Effectiveness Deadline, or (iii) an Allowed Delay applicable to a Required Registration Statement exceeds the length of the Allowed Delay, and, for purposes of clauses (i) and (ii), the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (iii) the date on which such Allowed Delay is exceeded, being referred to as an (“Event Date”), then in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty (“Liquidated Damages”), equal to 0.5% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities held by such Holder on the Event Date. The parties agree that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Purchase Agreement, no Liquidated Damages shall be payable (i) if as of the relevant Event Date, the Registrable Securities may be sold by the Holders without volume or manner of sale restrictions under Rule 144, as determined by counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and reasonably acceptable to the Holder and the Company’s transfer agent, (ii) to a Holder causing an Event that relates to or is caused by any action or inaction taken by such Holder, (iii) to a Holder in the event it is unable to lawfully sell any of its Registrable Securities because of possession of material non-public information or (iv) with respect to any period after the expiration of the Effectiveness Period (it being understood that this clause shall not relieve the Company of any Liquidated Damages accruing prior to the expiration of the Effectiveness Period). If the Company fails to pay any Liquidated Damages pursuant to this Section 2.1(d) in full within ten (10) Business Days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest on the amount of Liquidated Damages then owing to the Holder at a rate of 0.5% per month on an annualized basis (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder.

2.2 Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses associated with each Registration Statement, including filing and printing fees, the Company’s counsel and accounting fees and expenses, costs associated with clearing the Registrable Securities for sale under applicable state securities laws and listing fees, but excluding discounts, commissions, fees of underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers or similar securities industry professionals with respect to the Registrable Securities being sold.

2.3 Company Obligations. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will:

(a) prepare the required Registration Statement including all exhibits and financial statements required under the Securities Act to be filed therewith, and provide copies to and permit each Participating Holder to review each Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto prior to their filing with the SEC and a reasonable opportunity to furnish comments thereon (it being acknowledged and agreed that if a Participating Holder does not object to or comment on the aforementioned documents, then the Participating Holder shall be deemed to have consented to and approved the use of such documents);

(b) file with the SEC a Registration Statement relating to the Registrable Securities including all exhibits and financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith, and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act;

(c) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the distribution of all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby;

 

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(d) (i) notify the Participating Holders by facsimile or e-mail as promptly as practicable after any Registration Statement is declared effective or any post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is declared effective, and shall simultaneously provide the Participating Holders with copies of any related Prospectus to be used in connection with the sale or other disposition of the securities covered thereby (provided, that the Company will not have any obligation to provide any document pursuant to this clause that is available on the EDGAR system), (ii) promptly notify the Participating Holders no later than one (1) trading day following the date (A) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or any order by the SEC preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus or the initiation of any proceedings for such purposes, (B) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction and (C) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction;

(e) promptly notify the Participating Holders, at any time prior to the end of the Effectiveness Period, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the Prospectus includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing (provided that such notice shall not, without the prior written consent of a Participating Holder, disclose to such Participating Holder any material nonpublic information regarding the Company), and promptly prepare, file with the SEC and furnish to such Holder a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus as may be necessary so that such Prospectus shall not include an 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 in light of the circumstances then existing;

(f) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement such information as the Participating Holders reasonably request to be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities, and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement, Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment;

(g) furnish to each Participating Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, if requested by the Participating Holder, one (1) copy of any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement (other than any portion thereof which contains information for which the Company has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a Prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such other documents as such Participating Holder may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Participating Holder that are covered by such Registration Statement;

(h) on or prior to the date on which the Registration Statement is declared effective, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify, or cooperate with the Participating Holders and their respective counsel, in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws of those jurisdictions within the United States as any Participating Holder or their respective counsel reasonably request in writing and do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary or advisable to keep such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) in effect during the Effectiveness Period, provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to taxation or general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

 

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(i) within two (2) Business Days after a Registration Statement which covers Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to each Participating Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration Statement) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC;

(j) cooperate with each Participating Holder participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA or any other securities regulatory authority;

(k) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, Rule 172 under the Securities Act, file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, promptly inform the Participating Holders in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Participating Holders are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder; and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act;

(l) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(m) use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of all Registrable Securities on each securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted and on each inter-dealer quotation system on which any of the Common Stock is then quoted;

(n) if requested by a Holder, the Company shall (i) as soon as practicable, incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as a Holder reasonably requests to be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being offered or sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; (ii) as soon as practicable, make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) as soon as practicable, supplement or make amendments to any Registration Statement if reasonably requested by a Holder holding any Registrable Securities; and

(o) with a view to making available to the Purchasers the benefits of Rule 144 and any other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Purchasers to sell shares of Common Stock to the public without registration, the Company covenants and agrees to: (i) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, until the earlier of (A) the date as all of the Registrable Securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such Registrable Securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by Company and subsequent public distribution of such Shares shall not require registration under the

 

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Securities Act or (B) such date as all of the Registrable Securities shall have been resold; (ii) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act; and (iii) furnish to each Purchaser upon request, as long as such Purchaser owns any Registrable Securities, (A) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, (B) a copy of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and (C) such other information as may be reasonably requested in order to avail such Purchaser of any rule or regulation of the SEC that permits the selling of any such Registrable Securities without registration.

2.4 Obligations of the Purchasers.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, no Holder of Registrable Securities may include any of its Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless the Holder furnishes to the Company a completed and signed Selling Stockholder Questionnaire at least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement if such Purchaser elects to have any of its Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement; provided, however, the Company must notify the Holder of an anticipated filing of a Registration Statement at least fifteen (15) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement. Each Holder who intends to include any of its Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement shall promptly furnish the Company in writing such other information as the Company may reasonably request in writing. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or provided in response to a request for further information as described in this Section 2.4(a) will be used by the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement. The Company shall not be obligated to file more than one post-effective amendment or supplement in any sixty (60) day period following the date such Registration Statement is declared effective for the purposes of naming Holders as selling security holders who are not named in such Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness.

(b) Each Purchaser, by its acceptance of the Registrable Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement hereunder, unless such Purchaser has notified the Company in writing of its election to exclude all of its Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement. The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to (i) the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and any affiliate thereof, (ii) any FINRA affiliations, (iii) any natural persons who have the power to vote or dispose of the shares of Common Stock and (iv) any other information as may be requested by the SEC, FINRA or any state securities commission. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, it will not commence a disposition of Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder has received written confirmation from the Company of the availability of the Registration Statement.

(c) Each Purchaser agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of either (i) the commencement of an Allowed Delay pursuant to Section 2.1(b) or (ii) the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.3(d) and Section 2.3(e) hereof, such Purchaser will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities, until the Purchaser is advised by the Company that such dispositions may again be made and/or the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed and, if so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company or destroy (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in its possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

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2.5 Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Participating Holder and its officers, directors, members, employees, investment advisers and agents, successors and assigns, and each other person, if any, who controls such Participating Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expense (including reasonable attorney fees) (collectively, “Losses”), actually incurred, joint or several, to which they may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such Losses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any preliminary Prospectus or final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; or (ii) any violation by the Company or its agents of any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act applicable to the Company or its agents and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with such registration; and will reimburse such Participating Holder who sells Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement, and each such officer, director, employee, agent or member and each such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending against any such Loss or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Losses arise out of or are based upon (x) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in reliance upon or in conformity with information furnished by such Purchaser or any such controlling person in writing specifically for use in such Registration Statement or Prospectus (preliminary, final or summary) or any amendment or supplement thereto or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), (y) the use by a Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that such Prospectus is outdated or defective or (z) a Purchaser’s (or any other indemnified Person’s) failure to send or give a copy of the Prospectus or supplement (as then amended or supplemented), if required, pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule) to the Persons asserting an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of Registrable Securities to such Person if such statement or omission was corrected in such Prospectus or supplement.

(b) Indemnification by the Participating Holders. Each Purchaser agrees, severally but not jointly with any other Purchaser, to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company, its directors, officers, employees, stockholders, agents, and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) against any Losses (i) arising out of, based on, or resulting from any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission of a material fact required to be stated in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (preliminary, final or summary) or any amendment or supplement thereto or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, to the extent, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information furnished by such Purchaser to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or a document incorporated by reference into any of the foregoing; or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or

 

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supplement thereto or (ii) related to the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 2.5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification and (ii) permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party (provided, however, that such indemnified party shall, at the expense of the indemnified party, be entitled to counsel of its own choosing to monitor such defense); provided that, subject to the preceding sentence, any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall have the right to employ separate counsel and to participate in the defense of such claim, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Person unless (A) the indemnifying party has agreed to pay such fees or expenses, or (B) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such claim and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such person or (C) in the reasonable judgment of any such Person, based upon written advice of its counsel, a conflict of interest exists between such person and the indemnifying party with respect to such claims (in which case, if the Person notifies the indemnifying party in writing that such Person elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such claim on behalf of such Person); and provided, further, that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder, except to the extent that such failure to give notice shall materially adversely affect the indemnifying party in the defense of any such claim or litigation. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for fees or expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties. No indemnifying party will, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect of such claim or litigation. The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party, or any officer, director, employee, agent, affiliate, or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of the Shares.

(d) Contribution. If for any reason the indemnification provided for in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient to hold it harmless, other than as expressly specified therein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. 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 not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a Holder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 2.5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.

 

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3. Miscellaneous.

3.1 Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the choice of law principles thereof. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on each party hereto anywhere in the world by the same methods as are specified for the giving of notices under this Agreement. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit, action or proceeding and to the laying of venue in such court. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

3.2 Assignments and Transfers by Purchasers. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Purchasers and their respective successors and assigns. A Holder may transfer or assign, in whole or from time to time in part, to one or more persons its rights hereunder in connection with the transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to such person, provided that such Holder complies with all laws applicable thereto, and the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, and provides written notice of assignment to the Company promptly after such assignment is effected, and such person agrees in writing to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein.

3.3 Assignments and Transfers by the Company. This Agreement may not be assigned by the Company (whether by operation of law or otherwise), provided, however, that in the event that the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, share exchange or similar business combination transaction in which the Common Stock is converted into the equity securities of another Person, from and after the effective time of such transaction, such Person shall, by virtue of such transaction, be deemed to have assumed the obligations of the Company hereunder, the term “Company” shall be deemed to refer to such Person and the term “Registrable Securities” shall be deemed to include the securities received by the Holders in connection with such transaction unless such securities are otherwise freely tradable by the Holders after giving effect to such transaction.

3.4 Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement and the other Transaction Agreements constitute the full and entire understanding and agreement between the parties with regard to the subjects hereof and thereof. Any previous agreements among the parties relative to the specific subject matter hereof are superseded by this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended only by a writing signed by the Company and the Required Holders, provided that (i) this Agreement may not be amended with respect to any Purchaser without the written consent of such Purchaser unless such amendment applies to all Purchasers in the same fashion and (ii) the consent of each Purchaser is required for any amendment to Section 2.1(d), Section 2.5 or the definition of “Registrable Securities.” The Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company shall have obtained the written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act of the Required Holders.

3.5 Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made as set forth in Section 8.3 of the Purchase Agreement.

3.6 Third Parties. This Agreement does not create any rights, claims or benefits inuring to any person that is not a party hereto nor create or establish any third party beneficiary hereto; provided, that the indemnified parties are intended third party beneficiaries of Section 2.5.

 

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3.7 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

3.8 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

3.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

3.10 Delays or Omissions. It is agreed that no delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to any party upon any breach or default of any other party under this Agreement shall impair any such right, power or remedy, nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of any such breach or default, or any acquiescence therein, or of any similar breach or default thereafter occurring; nor shall any waiver of any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring. It is further agreed that any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character of any breach or default under this Agreement, or any waiver of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement must be in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in writing, and that all remedies, either under this Agreement, by law or otherwise, shall be cumulative and not alternative.

3.11 Consents. Any permission, consent, or approval of any kind or character under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.

3.12 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE THAT IRREPARABLE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT WERE NOT PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS SPECIFIC INTENT OR WERE OTHERWISE BREACHED. IT IS ACCORDINGLY AGREED THAT THE PARTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN INJUNCTION OR INJUNCTIONS, WITHOUT BOND, TO PREVENT OR CURE BREACHES OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TO ENFORCE SPECIFICALLY THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS HEREOF, THIS BEING IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER REMEDY TO WHICH THEY MAY BE ENTITLED BY LAW OR EQUITY, AND ANY PARTY SUED FOR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY DEFENSE THAT A REMEDY IN DAMAGES WOULD BE ADEQUATE.

3.13 Construction of Agreement. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed against either party as the drafter thereof.

3.14 Section References. Unless otherwise stated, any reference contained herein to a Section or subsection refers to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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3.15 Variations of Pronouns. All pronouns and all variations thereof shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, or neuter, singular or plural, as the context in which they are used may require.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

COMPANY:
MINERVA SURGICAL, INC.
By:   /s/ Todd Usen
Name:   Todd Usen
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

[Company Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

PURCHASER:
NEW ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATES 13, L.P.
By:   /s/ Louis Citron
Name:   Louis Citron
Title:   Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Legal Officer

 

[Purchaser Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

PURCHASER:
ACCELMED PARTNERS II L.P.
By:   Accelmed Partners II GP L.P.,
  its general partner
By:   Accelmed Partners II, LLC,
  its general partner
By:   /s/ Uri Geiger
Name:   Uri Geiger
Title:   Managing Partner

 

[Purchaser Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Annex A

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”), par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Securities”); to permit the resale of these Securities by the holders from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the Securities. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the Securities.

The selling stockholders, which as used herein includes donees, pledgees, transferees or other successors-in-interest selling the Securities or interests in the Securities received after the date of this prospectus from a selling stockholder as a gift, pledge, partnership distribution or other transfer, may, from time to time, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of their Securities or interests in shares of the Securities on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the Securities are traded or in private transactions. These dispositions may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.

Sales of the Securities by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus may be made from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, on any exchange or quotation system on which shares of our Common Stock may be listed or quoted, in negotiated transactions or in a combination of any such methods of sale, at fixed prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The Securities may be offered directly, to or through agents designated from time to time or to or through brokers or dealers, or through any combination of these methods of sale. The methods by which the Securities may be sold include:

 

   

block trades (which may involve crosses) in which the broker or dealer will attempt to sell the Securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resales by the broker or dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus;

 

   

exchange distributions or secondary distributions in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker or dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

   

the settlement of short sales;

 

   

a combination of any of the foregoing methods of sale; and

 

   

any other method permitted by applicable law.


An agent, broker or dealer may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or the purchasers of the Securities for whom such brokers or dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principals, or both (which compensation as to a particular broker or dealer might be in excess of customary commissions). A member firm of an exchange on which our shares of Common Stock are traded may be engaged to act as the selling stockholders’ agent in the sale of Securities by the selling stockholders.

In connection with distributions of the Securities offered by this prospectus or otherwise, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with brokers or dealers or other financial institutions with respect to our Common Stock. In connection with these transactions, the brokers or dealers or other financial institutions may engage in short sales of our Common Stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume with the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders may also sell our Common Stock short to effect its hedging transactions and deliver the Securities covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling stockholders may also loan or pledge the Securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such Securities.

In addition, any of the Securities covered by this prospectus that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of the Securities offered by it pursuant to this prospectus will be the purchase price of the shares less discounts or commissions, if any. The selling stockholders reserve the right to accept and, together with its agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of the Securities to be made directly or through agents.

To the extent required, the Securities to be sold, the name of the selling stockholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agents, dealers or underwriters, any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

Each broker-dealer that receives the Securities for its own account pursuant to this prospectus must acknowledge that it will deliver the prospectus in connection with any sale of the Securities. If required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented on a continual basis to describe a specific plan of distribution. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the selling stockholders, brokers and dealers for purposes of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, if applicable.

In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the Securities offered by this prospectus may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with as part of such sale.

The selling stockholders and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to certain provisions of the Exchange Act. The Exchange Act rules include Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our Common Stock by the selling stockholders and any other such person. In addition, Regulation M of the Exchange Act may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our Common Stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the Securities. In addition, the anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of the securities in the market. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the Securities and the ability of any person to engage in market-making activities with respect to the securities.


The selling stockholders and any brokers, dealers, agents or others that participate with the selling stockholders in the distribution of the Securities offered by this prospectus may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any underwriting discounts, commissions or fees received by such persons and any profit on the resale of the Securities purchased by such persons may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. If any of the selling stockholders is deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, it will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. We will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the selling stockholders, brokers and dealers for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, if applicable.

There can be no assurance that the selling stockholders will sell any or all of the Securities offered hereby.

We will bear all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The fees and expenses of registration to be borne by us referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include registration, filing and qualification fees, word processing, duplicating, printers’ and accounting fees, listing fees, messenger and delivery expenses, all fees and expenses of complying with state securities or blue sky laws, fees and disbursements of our counsel. We estimate that the total expenses payable by us in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part will be $[___]. We will indemnify the selling stockholders against liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act. We may be indemnified by the selling stockholders against liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act, that may arise from any written information furnished to us by the selling stockholders specifically for use in this prospectus.

Any underwriter, dealers and agents engaged by the selling stockholders may engage in transactions with us or the selling stockholders, or perform services for us or the selling stockholders, in the ordinary course of business.


Annex B

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The Securities being offered by the selling stockholders are those issued to the selling stockholders pursuant to that certain Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 27, 2022 by and among us and the selling stockholders. We are registering these Securities in order to permit the selling stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time.

The table below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Securities by each of the selling stockholders. The second column lists the number of the Securities beneficially owned by each selling stockholder, based on its ownership of the Securities.

The amounts listed in the third and fourth columns reflect the number of shares being offered by each selling stockholder and the number of shares remaining following the sale of such shares, respectively. The amounts listed do not assume sales by any other selling stockholder and are subject to the maximum number of shares that may be resold under this prospectus.

The selling shareholders may sell all, some or none of their Securities in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”

[Selling Stockholder Table to be Included]


Annex C

Selling Stockholder Notice and Questionnaire

The undersigned beneficial owner of Registrable Securities understands that the Company has filed or intends to file with the SEC a Registration Statement for the registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of a Registration Rights Agreement, dated February 9, 2023 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), among the Company and the Holders named therein. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below. All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.

In order to sell or otherwise dispose of any Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, a beneficial owner of Registrable Securities generally will be required to be named as a selling stockholder in the related prospectus or a supplement thereto (as so supplemented, the “Prospectus”), deliver the Prospectus to purchasers of Registrable Securities (including pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) and be bound by the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement (including certain indemnification provisions, as described below). Any beneficial owner of Registrable Securities wishing to include its Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement must deliver to the Company a properly completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire.

Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus. Accordingly, beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.

NOTICE

The undersigned beneficial owner (the “Selling Stockholder”) of Registrable Securities hereby gives notice to the Company of its intention to have its Registrable Securities owned by it and listed below in Item (3), unless otherwise specified in Item (3), included for resale in the Registration Statement. The undersigned, by signing and returning this Notice and Questionnaire, understands and agrees that it will be bound by the terms and conditions of this Notice and Questionnaire and the Registration Rights Agreement.

The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate:


QUESTIONNAIRE

 

1.  Name.

(a)   Full Legal Name of Selling Stockholder:

 

______________________________________________

(b)   Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable SecuritiesListed in Item 3 below Item 3 below:

 

______________________________________________

(c)   Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectlyalone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the securities covered by the questionnaire):

 

______________________________________________

2.  Address for Notices to Selling Stockholder.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Telephone: ______________________________________

Fax: ____________________________________________

Contact Person: ___________________________________

Email address of Contact Person: _______________________

 

3.  Beneficial Ownership of Registrable Securities.

(a)   Type and Number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned:

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

(b) Number of shares of Common Stock to be registered pursuant to this Notice for resale:

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

 

______________________________________________

4.  Broker-Dealer Status.

(a)   Are you a broker-dealer?

Yes _____ No _____


  (b)

If “yes” to Section 4(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as compensation for investment banking services to the Company?

Yes _____ No _____

Note: If no, the SEC’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

 

  (c)

Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?

Yes _____ No _____

Note: If yes, provide a narrative explanation below:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 

  (d)

If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you bought the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities?

Yes _____ No _____

Note: If no, the SEC’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

 

5.

Beneficial Ownership of Other Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling Stockholder. Except as set forth below in this Item 5, the undersigned is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the Registrable Securities listed above in Item 3.

Type and amount of other securities beneficially owned:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 

6.

Relationships with the Company. Except as set forth below, neither the undersigned nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% of more of the equity securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.

State any exceptions here:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________


7. Plan of Distribution. The undersigned has reviewed the form of Plan of Distribution attached as Annex A to the Registration Rights Agreement, and hereby confirms that, except as set forth below, the information contained therein regarding the undersigned and its plan of distribution is correct and complete.

State any exceptions here:

                                                                                            
                                                                                            

The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the effective date of any applicable Registration Statement. All notices hereunder and pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement shall be made in writing, by hand delivery, confirmed or facsimile transmission, first-class mail or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery at the address set forth below. In the absence of any such notification, the Company shall be entitled to continue to rely on the accuracy of the information in this Notice and Questionnaire.

By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items (1) through (7) above and the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation or amendment of any such Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

By signing below, the undersigned acknowledges that it understands its obligation to comply, and agrees that it will comply, with the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, particularly Regulation M in connection with any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement. The undersigned also acknowledges that it understands that the answers to this Questionnaire are furnished for use in connection with Registration Statements filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and any amendments or supplements thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act.

The undersigned hereby acknowledges and is advised of the following Interpretation A.65 of the July 1997 SEC Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations regarding short selling:

“An Issuer filed a Form S-3 registration statement for a secondary offering of common stock which is not yet effective. One of the selling stockholders wanted to do a short sale of common stock “against the box” and cover the short sale with registered shares after the effective date. The issuer was advised that the short sale could not be made before the registration statement become effective, because the shares underlying the short sale are deemed to be sold at the time such sale is made. There would, therefore, be a violation of Section 5 if the shares were effectively sold prior to the effective date.”

By returning this Questionnaire, the undersigned will be deemed to be aware of the foregoing interpretation.

I confirm that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the foregoing statements (including the answers to this Questionnaire) are correct.

[Signature page follows.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.

 

[____________________]
By:  
Name:  
Title:  
Dated:   [____________________]

PLEASE EMAIL A .PDF COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE TO: [                 ]

Exhibit 99.1

Minerva Surgical Closes $30 Million Private Placement of Common Stock

Santa Clara, Calif. – February 9, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Minerva Surgical, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTRS) (Minerva Surgical or the Company), a women’s health company focused on the treatment of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB), announced today that it has closed on the sale of 146,627,565 shares of its common stock in a private placement, led by Accelmed Partners (Accelmed), with participation by New Enterprise Associates, at an offering price of $0.2046 per share. Accelmed is now the controlling stockholder of Minerva Surgical.

Gross proceeds of the private placement are approximately $30 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other expenses payable by Minerva Surgical. Piper Sandler acted as sole placement agent for the private placement.

Minerva Surgical intends to use the net proceeds from the private placement, together with existing cash and cash equivalents, to support operations, research and development activities, working capital and other general corporate purposes. With the proceeds from the private placement, Minerva Surgical expects to extend its cash runway for at least the next 12 months.

“We are pleased to announce the closing of this private placement and are excited to welcome Accelmed in furthering our mission,” said Todd Usen, Minerva Surgical’s Chief Executive Officer. “This investment provides us with the cash runway to enter a new chapter of growth and continue to serve the uterine healthcare needs of women with our best-in-class surgical products.”

“We are excited to acquire a controlling stake in Minerva Surgical and are looking forward to working with management to improve its operational performance and build a meaningful women’s health platform” said Dr. Uri Geiger, Managing Partner of Accelmed.

The securities issued and sold in the private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), or any state’s securities laws, and have been issued and sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. The securities may not be offered or sold, except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Minerva Surgical has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registering the resale of the shares of common stock issued in this private placement.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.


Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations of future events and trends, which affect or may affect the Company’s business, strategy, operations or financial performance, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, registration of the shares of common stock being issued and sold in the private placement, the Company’s use of proceeds from the private placement and management’s beliefs regarding the Company’s cash runway following the closing of the private placement. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Actual results may differ materially from these statements and from actual or future events due to a variety of factors, including: the Company may experience disruptions in its business due to the private placement and the transaction contemplated thereby; and any use of proceeds may not occur as expected. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in this press release can be found in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2022, and available at www.SEC.gov. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or review any estimate, projection, or forward-looking statement. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business.

About Minerva Surgical, Inc.

Minerva Surgical is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing minimally invasive solutions to meet the distinct uterine healthcare needs of women. The Company has established a broad product line of commercially available, minimally invasive alternatives to hysterectomy, which are designed to address the most common causes of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) in most uterine anatomies. The Minerva Surgical solutions can be used in a variety of medical treatment settings and aim to address the drawbacks associated with alternative treatment methods and to preserve the uterus by avoiding unnecessary hysterectomies.

About Accelmed Partners.

Accelmed is a U.S.-based private equity firm focused on acquiring and investing in U.S. commercial stage, lower middle market HealthTech companies. Since 2009, Accelmed has deployed over half a billion dollars into companies spanning medical devices, diagnostics, digital health and technology-enabled healthcare services. Accelmed seeks to accelerate value and scale innovation across the HealthTech field by bringing to bear the team’s industry experience, operational and financial expertise, and strong global relationships. For more information, please visit www.accelmed.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Mike Clapper

mike.clapper@minervasurgical.com

804-295-7676


INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Caroline Corner

investors@minervasurgical.com

415-202-5678

RELATED LINKS

https://www.aubandme.com

https://www.minervasurgical.com