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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 15, 2023

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   47-2286244

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300

South San Francisco, California 94080

(650) 566-1420

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

 

 

J. Kevin Judice, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300

South San Francisco, California 94080

(650) 566-1402

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

 

 

Copies to:

 

Amanda L. Rose, Esq.

Robert A. Freedman, Esq.

Matthew S. Rossiter, Esq.

Chelsea Anderson, Esq.

Fenwick & West LLP

555 California Street

San Francisco, California 94104

(415) 875-2300

 

Mary Riley

General Counsel

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300

South San Francisco, California 94080

(650) 566-1402

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:  ☒

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

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

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I. D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

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

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
Emerging growth company       

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

 


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statement contains two prospectuses:

 

   

a base prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities from time to time in one or more offerings; and

 

   

a sales agreement prospectus supplement covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $150,000,000 of our common stock that may be issued and sold under an ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement dated March 15, 2022 with BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (the “Sales Agreement”).

The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the Sales Agreement are set forth in the sales agreement prospectus supplement immediately follows the base prospectus.


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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

Common Stock, Preferred Stock,

Debt Securities, Warrants, Subscription Rights and Units

 

 

From time to time, we may offer shares of our common stock or preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities, in any combination, together or separately, in one or more offerings, in amounts, at prices and on the terms that we will determine at the time of the offering and which will be set forth in a prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

You should read this prospectus, the information incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference in this prospectus, and any applicable prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus carefully before you invest.

Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “DICE.” On March 14, 2023 the last reported sales price for our common stock was $28.41 per share. None of the other securities we may offer are currently traded on any securities exchange. The applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on The Nasdaq Global Market or any securities market or exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus.

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus before investing in our securities.

 

 

Common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights and/or units may be sold by us to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents designated from time to time. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters or agents and any applicable fees, discounts or commissions, details regarding over-allotment options, if any, and the net proceeds to us will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is March 15, 2023


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

About this Prospectus

     1  

Prospectus Summary

     2  

Risk Factors

     4  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     5  

Where You Can Find More Information

     7  

Incorporation of Information by Reference

     8  

Use of Proceeds

     9  

Plan of Distribution

     10  

Description of Capital Stock

     12  

Description of Debt Securities

     18  

Description of Warrants

     26  

Description of Subscription Rights

     29  

Description of Units

     30  

Legal Matters

     30  

Experts

     30  

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), using a “shelf” registration process as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Under this shelf registration process, from time to time, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

We have provided to you in this prospectus a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration process, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offering. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and the prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement; provided that, if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Neither we, nor any agent, underwriter or dealer have authorized anyone to give you any information or to make any representation other than the information and representations contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We and any agent, underwriter or dealer take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. You may not imply from the delivery of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, nor from a sale made under this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, that our affairs are unchanged since the date of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or any sale of a security. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement may only be used where it is legal to sell the securities.

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO OFFER AND SELL SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADDITIONAL PROSPECTUS OR A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “DICE,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and our other filings with the SEC listed below under the heading “Incorporation of Information by Reference.” This summary may not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in securities. You should read the entire prospectus and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors” and the financial data and related notes and other information incorporated by reference, before making an investment decision. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Our Company

We are a biopharmaceutical company leveraging our proprietary technology platform to build a pipeline of novel oral therapeutic candidates to treat chronic diseases in immunology and other therapeutic areas. We are initially focused on developing oral therapeutics against well-validated targets in immunology, with the goal of achieving comparable potency to their systemic biologic counterparts, which have demonstrated the greatest therapeutic benefit to date in these disease areas. Our platform, which we refer to as DELSCAPE, is designed to discover selective oral small molecules with the potential to modulate protein-protein interactions (“PPIs”) as effectively as systemic biologics. We believe there is a significant unmet medical need for convenient oral therapies in chronic immunological diseases that offer the therapeutic benefits of systemic biologics.

Our lead therapeutic candidate, DC-806, is an oral antagonist of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecule, interleukin-17 (“IL-17”), which is a validated drug target implicated in a variety of immunology indications.

We also are developing oral therapeutic candidates targeting a4ß7 integrin for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”) and evaluating oral therapeutic candidates targeting aVß1/aVß6 integrin for the treatment of fibrosis. Additionally, in July 2022, we regained worldwide rights to a previously partnered oral immuno-oncology program, small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitors discovered using our DELSCAPE platform. Leveraging DELSCAPE, we are also evaluating other novel and validated immunology targets, including interleukin-23 (“IL-23”), tumor necrosis factor a (“TNFa”), neonatal Fc receptor (“FcRn”), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (“TSLP”), among other potential targets, with a view toward advancing one or more programs into clinical development.

The Securities We May Offer

With this prospectus, we may offer common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities in any combination. Each time we offer securities with this prospectus, we will provide offerees with a prospectus supplement that will contain the specific terms of the securities being offered. The following is a summary of the securities we may offer with this prospectus.

Common Stock

We may offer shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

Preferred Stock

We may offer shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, in one or more series. Our board of directors or a committee designated by the board will determine the dividend, voting, conversion and

 

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other rights of the series of shares of preferred stock being offered. Each series of preferred stock will be more fully described in the particular prospectus supplement that will accompany this prospectus, including redemption provisions, rights in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or the winding up, voting rights and rights to convert into common stock.

Debt Securities

We may offer general obligations, which may be secured or unsecured, senior or subordinated and convertible into shares of our common stock or preferred stock. In this prospectus, we refer to the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities together as the “debt securities.” Our board of directors will determine the terms of each series of debt securities being offered.

We will issue the debt securities under an indenture between us and a trustee. In this document, we have summarized general features of the debt securities from the indenture. We encourage you to read the indenture, which is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Warrants

We may offer warrants for the purchase of debt securities, shares of preferred stock or shares of common stock. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Our board of directors will determine the terms of the warrants.

Subscription Rights

We may offer subscription rights for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. We may issue subscription rights independently or together with other securities. Our board of directors will determine the terms of the subscription rights.

Units

We may offer units consisting of some or all of the securities described above, in any combination, including common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities. The terms of these units will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The description of the terms of these units in the related prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable form of unit and unit agreement for complete information with respect to these units.

* * *

We were formed as corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 14, 2013, under the name DiCE Molecules Corporation. In November 2014, we formed DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC and completed a corporate reorganization pursuant to which DiCE Molecules Corporation was effectively succeeded by DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC. In September 2021, DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC converted into a Delaware corporation and changed its name to DICE Therapeutics, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 566-1402. Our website address is www.dicetherapeutics.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference. Investors should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our securities.

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of securities will contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in our securities. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus supplement or appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference, and may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and documents incorporated herein by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential” and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 as well as those discussed in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any free writing prospectus. Moreover, we operate in a competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, among other things, statements about:

 

   

our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to complete the development and commercialization of our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

the success, cost and timing of our therapeutic candidate development activities and planned clinical trials;

 

   

the scope and timing of our pipeline expansion efforts;

 

   

the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

future agreements and partnerships with third parties in connection with the commercialization of our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

the estimated market size for, and the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of, our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

 

   

the success of competing therapies that are or may become available;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain key management and technical personnel;

 

   

our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce intellectual property protection for our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

our use of our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities;

 

   

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

 

   

our expectations regarding the impact of the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, including inflation, pandemics and geopolitical conflict, and their potentially material adverse impact on our business and the execution of our preclinical studies and clinical trials.

 

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The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this prospectus. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this prospectus to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as required by law. We intend the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith or the documents incorporated by reference therein. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith and the documents incorporated by reference therein. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and are required to file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and various other information about us. You may also inspect the documents described herein at our principal executive offices, 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, during normal business hours.

Information about us is also available at our website at www.dicetherapeutics.com. However, the information on our website is not a part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

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INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those other documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. A Current Report (or portion thereof) furnished, but not filed, on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of any offering of securities made by this prospectus:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2023;

 

   

our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 10, 2023;

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on September 10, 2021 under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021; and

 

   

filings we make with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement.

We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of such documents that has been incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus incorporates). Written or oral requests for copies should be directed to DICE Therapeutics, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 566-1402. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” for information concerning how to obtain copies of materials that we file with the SEC.

Any statement contained in this prospectus, or in a document, all or a portion of which is incorporated by reference, shall be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not, except as so modified or superseded, constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds to us from the sale of our securities under this prospectus. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include funding research and clinical development, increasing our working capital, reducing indebtedness, acquisitions or investments in businesses, products or technologies that are complementary to our own and capital expenditures. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities. Pending their use as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds to us from this offering in marketable securities that may include investment-grade interest-bearing securities, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities covered by this prospectus to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale by them, and may also sell the securities to investors directly or through agents. We will name any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We have reserved the right to sell or exchange securities directly to investors on our own behalf in jurisdictions where we are authorized to do so. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

 

   

at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities being offered by this prospectus. We may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities. Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, an agent will be acting on a best-efforts basis, and a dealer will purchase securities as a principal for resale at varying prices to be determined by the dealer.

If we utilize an underwriter in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement that the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we, or the purchasers of securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent, may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.

We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement any compensation we pay to underwriters, dealers, or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer shall be fair and reasonable. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to reimburse them for certain expenses. We may grant underwriters who participate in the distribution of our securities under this prospectus an option to purchase additional securities in connection with the distribution.

The securities we offer under this prospectus may or may not be listed through The Nasdaq Global Market or any other securities exchange. To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their option to purchase additional securities. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization

 

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transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

We may engage in at the market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. In addition, we may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and they may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in these sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. The financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.

We will file a prospectus supplement to describe the terms of any offering of our securities covered by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will disclose:

 

   

the terms of the offer;

 

   

the names of any underwriters, including any managing underwriters, as well as any dealers or agents;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities from us;

 

   

the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities;

 

   

any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

   

any options under which underwriters, if any, may purchase additional securities from us;

 

   

any underwriting discounts, commissions or other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, and any commissions paid to agents;

 

   

in a subscription rights offering, whether we have engaged dealer-managers to facilitate the offering or subscription, including their name or names and compensation;

 

   

any public offering price; and

 

   

other facts material to the transaction.

We will bear all or substantially all of the costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of our securities under this prospectus. The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business.

Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise or the securities are sold by us to an underwriter in a firm commitment underwritten offering. The applicable prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the second business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

The following description summarizes the most important terms of our capital stock. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws, which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware law.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share. Our board of directors is authorized, without stockholder approval, to issue additional shares of our capital stock.

As of December 31, 2022, there were 47,707,691 shares of our common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

Common Stock

Dividend Rights

Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and then only at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine. Our ability to pay dividends is prohibited by the terms of our Loan and Security Agreement, dated April 13, 2021, as amended by that certain Joinder and First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement, dated June 27, 2022, with Silicon Valley Bank, and may be restricted by any future credit agreement or any future debt or preferred equity securities of us or our subsidiaries. For more information about our dividend policy, see the section entitled “Dividend Policy” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Voting Rights

Except as otherwise expressly provided in our restated certificate of incorporation or as required by applicable law, on any matter that is submitted to a vote by our stockholders, holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share of common stock. Our restated certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our restated certificate of incorporation. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock are able to elect all of our directors. Our restated certificate of incorporation established a classified board of directors, divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors will be elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms.

No Preemptive or Similar Rights

Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights, and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.

Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions

Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock and any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights of and the payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

 

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Preferred Stock

As of December 31, 2022, we had no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

Our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any of their qualifications, limitations or restrictions, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors is also able to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Stock Options

As of December 31, 2022, we had outstanding options to purchase an aggregate 3,660,697 shares of our common stock, with a weighted-average exercise price of $18.57 per share.

Warrants

As of December 31, 2022, a warrant to purchase 42,349 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $14.43 per share was outstanding. The outstanding warrant expires on June 26, 2032. If we make certain additional borrowings under our senior secured term loan facility, the number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrant will increase by up to 21,174 shares of our common stock in the aggregate, depending on the amount borrowed.

Registration Rights

Pursuant to the terms of our investors’ rights agreement, certain of our stockholders are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares under the Securities Act, as described below. We refer to these shares collectively as registrable securities.

Demand Registration Rights

If the holders of a majority of the then-outstanding registrable securities (or a lesser percent if the anticipated aggregate offering price of such shares to be registered, net of underwriting discounts and commissions, would exceed $7,500,000), request the registration under the Securities Act of such holders’ registrable securities, we are obligated to provide notice of such request to all holders of registration rights and, as expeditiously as possible, file a Form S-1 registration statement under the Securities Act covering all registrable securities that the initiating holders requested to be registered and any additional registrable securities requested to be included in such registration by any other holders. We are only required to file two registration statements that are declared effective upon exercise of these demand registration rights. We may postpone taking action with respect to such filing not more than once during any 12-month period for a period of not more than 90 days, if after receiving a request for registration, we furnish to the holders requesting such registration a certificate signed by our Chief Executive Officer stating that, in the good faith judgment of our board of directors, it would be seriously detrimental to us and our stockholders.

 

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Form S-3 Registration Rights

The holders of at least $2.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the then-outstanding registrable securities can request that we register all or part of their shares on Form S-3 if we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3. The stockholders may only require us to effect two registration statements on Form S-3 in a 12-month period. We may postpone taking action with respect to such filing not more than once during any 12- month period for a period of not more than 90 days, if after receiving a request for registration, we furnish to the holders requesting such registration a certificate signed by our Chief Executive Officer stating that, in the good faith judgment of our board of directors, it would be seriously detrimental to us and our stockholders.

Piggyback Registration Rights

If we register any of our securities for public sale in cash, holders of then-outstanding registrable securities or their permitted transferees will have the right to include their registrable securities in the registration statement. However, this right does not apply to a registration relating to any of our employee benefit plans, a corporate reorganization or transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act, a registration that requires information that is not substantially the same as the information required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of the registrable securities, or a registration in which the only common stock being registered is common stock issuable upon conversion of debt securities that are also being registered or issuable upon the exercise of warrants. In an underwritten offering, if the total number of securities requested by stockholders to be included in the offering exceeds the number of securities to be sold (other than by us) that the underwriters determine in their reasonable discretion is compatible with the success of the offering, then we will be required to include only that number of securities that the underwriters and us, in our sole discretion, determine will not jeopardize the success of the offering. If the underwriters determine that less than all the registrable securities requested to be registered can be included in the offering, the number of registrable shares to be registered will be allocated among holders of our registrable securities, in proportion to the amount of registrable securities owned by each such holder. However, the number of shares to be registered by holders of registrable securities cannot be reduced unless all other securities (other than as offered by us) are first entirely excluded. The number of registrable securities included in the offering may not be reduced below 20% of the total number of securities included in such offering, except for in connection with an initial public offering, in which case the underwriters may exclude these holders entirely.

Expenses of Registration Rights

We generally will pay all expenses, other than underwriting discounts and selling commissions incurred in connection with each of the registrations described above, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the selling holders.

Expiration of Registration Rights

The registration rights described above will expire, with respect to any particular holder of these rights, on the earliest to occur of (i) upon a deemed liquidation event, as defined in our certificate of incorporation or (ii) at such time all of our registrable securities issuable or issued upon conversion of the preferred units held by and issuable to such holder (and its affiliates) may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 during any ninety (90) day period.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company. These provisions, which are summarized below, may have the effect of

 

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discouraging takeover bids. They are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Law

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date on which the person became an interested stockholder unless:

 

   

prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

   

the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, (i) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

at or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66.67% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction or series of transactions together resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We also anticipate that Section 203 may also discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Anti-takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Restated Bylaws

Our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws include a number of provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control of our company, including the following:

 

   

Board of directors vacancies. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws authorize only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors is permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions may prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors but promotes continuity of management.

 

   

Classified board. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws provide that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors, each with staggered three-year terms. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.

 

 

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Stockholder action; special meetings of stockholders. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock is not able to amend our restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our restated bylaws. Further, our restated bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or our President, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.

 

   

Advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and director nominations. Our restated bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our restated bylaws also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions might also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

 

   

No cumulative voting. The DGCL provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting.

 

   

Directors removed only for cause. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may remove directors only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.

 

   

Amendment of charter provisions. Any amendment of the above provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation requires approval by holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.

 

   

Issuance of undesignated preferred stock. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock enables our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means.

 

   

Choice of forum. Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the DGCL, our restated certificate of incorporation or our restated bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable. Our restated bylaws also provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act (“Federal Forum Provision”). While there can be no assurance that

 

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federal or state courts will follow the holding of the Delaware Supreme Court which recently found that such provisions are facially valid under Delaware law or determine that the Federal Forum Provision should be enforced in a particular case, application of the Federal Forum Provision means that suits brought by our stockholders to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act must be brought in federal court and cannot be brought in state court. Neither the exclusive forum provision nor the Federal Forum Provision applies to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all claims brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, actions by our stockholders to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder also must be brought in federal court. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to our exclusive forum provisions, including the Federal Forum Provision. These provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of their choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, or the underwriters of any offering giving rise to such dispute, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and other employees and underwriters of any offering giving rise to such claims.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219 and its telephone number is (800) 937-5449.

The Nasdaq Global Market Listing

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “DICE.”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

We will issue the debt securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement under an indenture to be entered into between us and the trustee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of the debt securities will include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”), as in effect on the date of the indenture. We have filed a copy of the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement in which this prospectus is included. The indenture will be subject to and governed by the terms of the Trust Indenture Act. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will represent our direct, unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured indebtedness.

We may issue the debt securities in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. We will describe the particular terms of each series of debt securities in a prospectus supplement relating to that series, which we will file with the SEC. The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered will specify the particular amounts, prices and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:

 

   

the title of the series;

 

   

the aggregate principal amount, and, if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding;

 

   

the issue price or prices, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

   

any limit on the aggregate principal amount;

 

   

the date or dates on which principal is payable;

 

   

the interest rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates;

 

   

the date or dates from which interest, if any, will be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable;

 

   

the place or places where principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, is payable;

 

   

the terms and conditions upon which we may, or the holders may require us to, redeem or repurchase the debt securities;

 

   

the denominations in which such debt securities may be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of that number;

 

   

whether the debt securities are to be issuable in the form of certificated securities (as described below) or global securities (as described below);

 

   

the portion of principal amount that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date if other than the principal amount of the debt securities;

 

   

the currency of denomination;

 

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the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, will be made;

 

   

if payments of principal and, if applicable, premium or interest, on the debt securities are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than the currency of denomination, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

 

   

if amounts of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index, then the manner in which such amounts will be determined;

 

   

the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral provided for such debt securities;

 

   

any addition to or change in the covenants and/or the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture;

 

   

any events of default, if not otherwise described below under “Events of Default”;

 

   

the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion into or exchange for shares of our common stock or preferred stock;

 

   

any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents; and

 

   

the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to our other indebtedness.

We may issue discount debt securities that provide for an amount less than the stated principal amount to be due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of the indenture. We may also issue debt securities in bearer form, with or without coupons. If we issue discount debt securities or debt securities in bearer form, we will describe material U.S. federal income tax considerations and other material special considerations which apply to these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may issue debt securities denominated in or payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units. If we do, we will describe the restrictions, elections, and general tax considerations relating to the debt securities and the foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Debt securities offered under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement will be subordinated in right of payment to certain of our outstanding senior indebtedness. In addition, we will seek the consent of the holders of any such senior indebtedness prior to issuing any debt securities under this prospectus to the extent required by the agreements evidencing such senior indebtedness.

Registrar and Paying Agent

The debt securities may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange at the corporate trust office of the security registrar or at any other office or agency that we maintain for those purposes. In addition, the debt securities may be presented for payment of principal, interest and any premium at the office of the paying agent or at any office or agency that we maintain for those purposes.

 

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Conversion or Exchange Rights

Debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock. The terms and conditions of conversion or exchange will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms will include, among others, the following:

 

   

the conversion or exchange price;

 

   

the conversion or exchange period;

 

   

provisions regarding the convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities, including who may convert or exchange;

 

   

events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price;

 

   

provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of the debt securities; and

 

   

any anti-dilution provisions, if applicable.

Registered Global Securities

If we decide to issue debt securities in the form of one or more global securities, then we will register the global securities in the name of the depositary for the global securities or the nominee of the depositary, and the global securities will be delivered by the trustee to the depositary for credit to the accounts of the holders of beneficial interests in the debt securities.

The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the depositary arrangement for debt securities of a series that are issued in global form. None of us, the trustee, any payment agent or the security registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to these beneficial ownership interests.

No Protection in the Event of Change of Control

The indenture does not have any covenants or other provisions providing for a put or increased interest or otherwise that would afford holders of our debt securities additional protection in the event of a recapitalization transaction, a change of control or a highly leveraged transaction. If we offer any covenants or provisions of this type with respect to any debt securities covered by this prospectus, we will describe them in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Covenants

Unless otherwise indicated in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, our debt securities will not have the benefit of any covenants that limit or restrict our business or operations, the pledging of our assets or the incurrence by us of indebtedness. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any material covenants in respect of a series of debt securities.

 

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Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

The form of indenture provides that we will not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer, sell or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:

 

   

we are the surviving person of such merger or consolidation, or if we are not the surviving person, the person formed by the consolidation or into or with which we are merged or the person to which our properties and assets are conveyed, transferred, sold or leased, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia or a corporation or comparable legal entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and has expressly assumed all of our obligations, including the payment of the principal of and, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities and the performance of the other covenants under the indenture; and

 

   

immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the transaction on a pro forma basis, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, has occurred and is continuing under the indenture.

Events of Default

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following events will be events of default under the indenture with respect to debt securities of any series:

 

   

we fail to pay any principal or premium, if any, when it becomes due;

 

   

we fail to pay any interest within 30 days after it becomes due;

 

   

we fail to observe or perform any other covenant in the debt securities or the indenture for 90 days after written notice specifying the failure from the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series; and

 

   

certain events involving bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of us or any of our significant subsidiaries.

The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the debt securities of any series of any default, except in payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities of a series, if the trustee considers it to be in the best interest of the holders of the debt securities of that series to do so.

If an event of default (other than an event of default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) occurs, and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may accelerate the maturity of the debt securities. If this happens, the entire principal amount, plus the premium, if any, of all the outstanding debt securities of the affected series plus accrued interest to the date of acceleration will be immediately due and payable. At any time after the acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on such acceleration is obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of such series may rescind and annul such acceleration if:

 

   

all events of default (other than nonpayment of accelerated principal, premium or interest) have been cured or waived;

 

   

all lawful interest on overdue interest and overdue principal has been paid; and

 

   

the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree.

 

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In addition, if the acceleration occurs at any time when we have outstanding indebtedness that is senior to the debt securities, the payment of the principal amount of outstanding debt securities may be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of any amounts due under the senior indebtedness, in which case the holders of debt securities will be entitled to payment under the terms prescribed in the instruments evidencing the senior indebtedness and the indenture.

If an event of default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occurs, the principal, premium and interest amount with respect to all of the debt securities of any series will be due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or the holders of the debt securities of that series.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series will have the right to waive any existing default or compliance with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities of that series and to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain limitations specified in the indenture.

No holder of any debt security of a series will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the indenture or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

 

   

the holder gives to the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default;

 

   

the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series make a written request and offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee to institute a proceeding as trustee;

 

   

the trustee fails to institute a proceeding within 60 days after such request; and

 

   

the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series do not give the trustee a direction inconsistent with such request during such 60-day period.

These limitations do not, however, apply to a suit instituted for payment on debt securities of any series on or after the due dates expressed in the debt securities.

We will periodically deliver certificates to the trustee regarding our compliance with our obligations under the indenture.

Modification and Waiver

From time to time, we and the trustee may, without the consent of holders of the debt securities of one or more series, amend the indenture or the debt securities of one or more series, or supplement the indenture, for certain specified purposes, including:

 

   

to provide that the surviving entity following a change of control permitted under the indenture will assume all of our obligations under the indenture and debt securities;

 

   

to provide for certificated debt securities in addition to uncertificated debt securities;

 

   

to comply with any requirements of the SEC under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;

 

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to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or make any other change that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any holder; and

 

   

to appoint a successor trustee under the indenture with respect to one or more series.

From time to time we and the trustee may, with the consent of holders of at least a majority in principal amount of an outstanding series of debt securities, amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities series, or waive compliance in a particular instance by us with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities. We may not, however, without the consent of each holder affected by such action, modify or supplement the indenture or the debt securities or waive compliance with any provision of the indenture or the debt securities in order to:

 

   

reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement, or waiver to the indenture or such debt security;

 

   

reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest or reduce the amount of or postpone the date for payment of sinking fund or analogous obligations;

 

   

reduce the principal of or change the stated maturity of the debt securities;

 

   

make any debt security payable in money other than that stated in the debt security;

 

   

change the amount or time of any payment required or reduce the premium payable upon any redemption, or change the time before which no such redemption may be made;

 

   

waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities or a redemption payment;

 

   

waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt securities or change any provision with respect to redemption of debt securities; or

 

   

take any other action otherwise prohibited by the indenture to be taken without the consent of each holder affected by the action.

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

The indenture permits us, at any time, to elect to discharge our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities by following certain procedures described in the indenture. These procedures will allow us either:

 

   

to defease and be discharged from any and all of our obligations with respect to any debt securities except for the following obligations (which discharge is referred to as “legal defeasance”):

 

  1.

to register the transfer or exchange of such debt securities;

 

  2.

to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities;

 

  3.

to compensate and indemnify the trustee; or

 

  4.

to maintain an office or agency in respect of the debt securities and to hold monies for payment in trust; or

 

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to be released from our obligations with respect to the debt securities under certain covenants contained in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be contained in the applicable supplemental indenture (which release is referred to as “covenant defeasance”).

In order to exercise either defeasance option, we must irrevocably deposit with the trustee or other qualifying trustee, in trust for that purpose:

 

   

money;

 

   

U.S. Government Obligations (as described below) or Foreign Government Obligations (as described below) that through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money; or

 

   

a combination of money and/or U.S. Government Obligations and/or Foreign Government Obligations sufficient in the written opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent accountants to provide money;

that, in each case specified above, provides a sufficient amount to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the debt securities of the series, on the scheduled due dates or on a selected date of redemption in accordance with the terms of the indenture.

In addition, defeasance may be effected only if, among other things:

 

   

in the case of either legal or covenant defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel, as specified in the indenture, stating that as a result of the defeasance neither the trust nor the trustee will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940;

 

   

in the case of legal defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that, or there has been a change in any applicable federal income tax law with the effect that (and the opinion shall confirm that), the holders of outstanding debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes solely as a result of such legal defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, including as a result of prepayment, and at the same times as would have been the case if legal defeasance had not occurred;

 

   

in the case of covenant defeasance, we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the outstanding debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if covenant defeasance had not occurred; and

 

   

certain other conditions described in the indenture are satisfied.

If we fail to comply with our remaining obligations under the indenture and applicable supplemental indenture after a covenant defeasance of the indenture and applicable supplemental indenture, and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any undefeased event of default, the amount of money and/or U.S. Government Obligations and/or Foreign Government Obligations on deposit with the trustee could be insufficient to pay amounts due under the debt securities of the affected series at the time of acceleration. We will, however, remain liable in respect of these payments.

 

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The term “U.S. Government Obligations” as used in the above discussion means securities that are direct obligations of or non-callable obligations guaranteed by the United States of America for the payment of which obligation or guarantee the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged.

The term “Foreign Government Obligations” as used in the above discussion means, with respect to debt securities of any series that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, (1) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agent or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by that government, which in either case under clauses (1) or (2), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer.

Regarding the Trustee

We will identify the trustee with respect to any series of debt securities in the prospectus supplement relating to the applicable debt securities. You should note that if the trustee becomes a creditor of ours, the indenture and the Trust Indenture Act limit the rights of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee and its affiliates may engage in, and will be permitted to continue to engage in, other transactions with us and our affiliates. If, however, the trustee acquires any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee, in the exercise of its rights and powers, must use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to that provision, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of the debt securities, unless they have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity or security.

No Individual Liability of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers or Directors

Each indenture provides that no incorporator and no past, present or future stockholder, officer or director of our company or any successor corporation in those capacities will have any individual liability for any of our obligations, covenants or agreements under the debt securities or such indenture.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

We may issue warrants for the purchase of our debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or any combination thereof. Warrants may be issued independently or together with our debt securities, preferred stock or common stock and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants. The warrant agent will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. This summary of certain provisions of the warrants is not complete. For the terms of a particular series of warrants, you should refer to the prospectus supplement for that series of warrants and the warrant agreement for that particular series.

Debt Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase debt securities will describe the terms of the debt warrants, including the following:

 

   

the title of the debt warrants;

 

   

the offering price for the debt warrants, if any;

 

   

the aggregate number of the debt warrants;

 

   

the designation and terms of the debt securities, including any conversion rights, purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants;

 

   

if applicable, the date from and after which the debt warrants and any debt securities issued with them will be separately transferable;

 

   

the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a debt warrant and the exercise price for the warrants, which may be payable in cash, securities or other property;

 

   

the dates on which the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence and expire;

 

   

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the debt warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

whether the debt warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

   

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

   

the antidilution provisions of the debt warrants, if any;

 

   

the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the debt warrants;

 

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any provisions with respect to the holder’s right to require us to repurchase the debt warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and

 

   

any additional terms of the debt warrants, including procedures and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise, and settlement of the debt warrants.

Debt warrant certificates will be exchangeable for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations. Debt warrants may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their debt warrants, holders of debt warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise and will not be entitled to payment of principal or any premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise.

Equity Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants to purchase our common stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following:

 

   

the title of the warrants;

 

   

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

   

the aggregate number of warrants;

 

   

the designation and terms of the common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

   

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

   

the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the exercise price for the warrants;

 

   

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and expire;

 

   

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

   

the antidilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

   

the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 

   

any provisions with respect to a holder’s right to require us to repurchase the warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and

 

   

any additional terms of the warrants, including procedures and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants.

 

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Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled:

 

   

to vote, consent, or receive dividends;

 

   

receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or

 

   

exercise any rights as stockholders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

We may issue subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. These subscription rights may be offered independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the stockholder receiving the subscription rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.

The prospectus supplement relating to any subscription rights we offer, if any, will, to the extent applicable, include specific terms relating to the offering, including some or all of the following:

 

   

the price, if any, for the subscription rights;

 

   

the exercise price payable for our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities upon the exercise of the subscription rights;

 

   

the number of subscription rights to be issued to each stockholder;

 

   

the number and terms of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities which may be purchased per each subscription right;

 

   

the extent to which the subscription rights are transferable;

 

   

any other terms of the subscription rights, including the terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the subscription rights;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which the subscription rights shall expire;

 

   

the extent to which the subscription rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities or an over-allotment privilege to the extent the securities are fully subscribed; and

 

   

if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement which may be entered into by us in connection with the offering of subscription rights.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any subscription rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription rights. We urge you to read the applicable subscription rights certificate and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units consisting of some or all of the securities described above, in any combination, including common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities. The terms of these units will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The description of the terms of these units in the related prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable form of unit and unit agreement for complete information with respect to these units.

LEGAL MATTERS

Fenwick & West LLP, San Francisco, California, will issue an opinion about certain legal matters with respect to the securities. Any underwriters or agents will be advised about legal matters relating to any offering by their own counsel.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as set forth in their report which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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LOGO

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Subscription Rights

Units

 

 
PROSPECTUS

March 15, 2023

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

LOGO

Up to $150,000,000

Common Stock

 

 

We have entered into an ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofA”) and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel” and, together with BofA, the “sales agents”) relating to shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 from time to time through BofA and Stifel acting as our agents.

Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “DICE.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on March 14, 2023 was $28.41 per share.

Sales of shares of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The sales agents are not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of securities, but will act as a sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between the sales agents and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

The sales agents will be entitled to compensation at a fixed commission rate up to 3.0% of the gross sales price per share sold. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, the sales agents will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of the sales agents will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agents with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). See “Plan of Distribution” for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to the sales agents.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties referenced under the heading “Risk Factors” on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement as well as those contained in any accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize in connection with this offering, and in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

BofA Securities   Stifel

 

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is March 15, 2023.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-1  

Where You Can Find More Information

     S-2  

Incorporation by Reference

     S-3  

Prospectus Supplement Summary

     S-4  

The Offering

     S-5  

Risk Factors

     S-7  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-9  

Use of Proceeds

     S-11  

Dividend Policy

     S-12  

Dilution

     S-13  

Plan of Distribution

     S-15  

Legal Matters

     S-17  

Experts

     S-17  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell shares of our common stock. Under this prospectus supplement, we may from time to time sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering.

This prospectus supplement describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

We have not, and the sales agents have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, or if permitted, any related free writing prospectus to which we have referred you. Neither we nor the sales agents take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information others may give you. We are not, and the sales agents are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and, if permitted, any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision.

When we refer to “DICE,” “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Registrant,” the “Company” and “our company” in this prospectus supplement, we mean DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, unless otherwise specified. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein may contain additional trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other companies.

 

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov.

Our web site address is www.dicetherapeutics.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus supplement.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement through the SEC’s website, as provided above, or at our principal executive offices, 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, during normal business hours.

 

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INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those other documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement, and the accompanying prospectus, and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. A Current Report (or portion thereof) furnished, but not filed, on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of any offering of securities made by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2023;

 

   

our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 10, 2023;

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on September 10, 2021 under Section  12 of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021; and

 

   

filings we make with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement, of which this prospectus supplement is a part, and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement.

We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of such documents that has been incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus supplement incorporates). Written or oral requests for copies should be directed to DICE Therapeutics, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 566-1402. See the section of this prospectus supplement entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” for information concerning how to obtain copies of materials that we file with the SEC.

Information about us is also available at our website at www.dicetherapeutics.com. However, the information on our website is not a part of this prospectus supplement and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

Our Company

We are a biopharmaceutical company leveraging our proprietary technology platform to build a pipeline of novel oral therapeutic candidates to treat chronic diseases in immunology and other therapeutic areas. We are initially focused on developing oral therapeutics against well-validated targets in immunology, with the goal of achieving comparable potency to their systemic biologic counterparts, which have demonstrated the greatest therapeutic benefit to date in these disease areas. Our platform, which we refer to as DELSCAPE, is designed to discover selective oral small molecules with the potential to modulate protein-protein interactions (“PPIs”) as effectively as systemic biologics. We believe there is a significant unmet medical need for convenient oral therapies in chronic immunological diseases that offer the therapeutic benefits of systemic biologics.

Our lead therapeutic candidate, DC-806, is an oral antagonist of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecule, interleukin-17 (“IL-17”), which is a validated drug target implicated in a variety of immunology indications.

We also are developing oral therapeutic candidates targeting a4ß7 integrin for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”) and evaluating oral therapeutic candidates targeting aVß1/aVß6 integrin for the treatment of fibrosis. Additionally, in July 2022, we regained worldwide rights to a previously partnered oral immuno-oncology program, small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitors discovered using our DELSCAPE platform. Leveraging DELSCAPE, we are also evaluating other novel and validated immunology targets, including interleukin-23 (“IL-23”), tumor necrosis factor a (“TNFa”), neonatal Fc receptor (“FcRn”), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (“TSLP”), among other potential targets, with a view toward advancing one or more programs into clinical development.

Company Information

We were formed as corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 14, 2013, under the name DiCE Molecules Corporation. In November 2014, we formed DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC and completed a corporate reorganization pursuant to which DiCE Molecules Corporation was effectively succeeded by DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC. In September 2021, DiCE Molecules Holdings, LLC converted into a Delaware corporation and changed its name to DICE Therapeutics, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 566-1402. Our website address is www.dicetherapeutics.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement. We have included our website address in this prospectus supplement solely as an inactive textual reference. Investors should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.

 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common Stock offered by us

Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000.

 

Common Stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

Up to 52,987,522 shares (as more fully described in the notes following this table), assuming sales of 5,279,831 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $28.41 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common shares on The Nasdaq Global Market on March 14, 2023. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the number of shares that are sold and the sales price under this offering.

 

Plan of Distribution

“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through our sales agents, BofA and Stifel. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

Use of Proceeds

We currently intend to use the net proceeds, if any, from this offering primarily for general corporate purposes, which may include funding research and clinical development, working capital and capital expenditures. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Risk Factors

Investing in our common stock involves significant risks. See the disclosure under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and under similar headings in other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

 

The Nasdaq Global Market Symbol

“DICE”

The number of shares of our common stock shown above to be outstanding after this offering is based on 47,707,691 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022, and excludes:

 

   

3,660,697 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2022, with a weighted-average exercise price of $18.57 per share;

 

   

1,201,900 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options granted after December 31, 2022, with a weighted-average exercise price of $32.05 per share;

 

   

246,650 shares of common stock subject to restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted after December 31, 2022;

 

   

42,349 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of a common stock warrant outstanding as of December 31, 2022, with an exercise price of $14.43 per share; and

 

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5,172,871 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock-based compensation plans, consisting of (i) 4,415,628 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (“2021 EIP”) as of December 31, 2022 (which number of shares does not include the stock options to purchase shares of our common stock or the RSUs granted after December 31, 2022) and (ii) 757,243 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“2021 ESPP”) as of December 31, 2022.

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus supplement does not assume or give effect to any exercise of outstanding options or the warrant after December 31, 2022.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors described below and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, any amendment or update thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.

Risks Relating to this Offering

If you purchase shares of our common stock sold in this offering, you may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of your shares. In addition, we may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may result in additional dilution to you.

The price per share of our common stock being offered may be higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 5,279,831 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $28.41 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on March 14, 2023, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $150,000,000, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, new investors in this offering will incur immediate dilution of $14.90 per share. For a more detailed discussion of the foregoing, see the section entitled “Dilution” below. To the extent outstanding stock options or warrants are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors. In addition, to the extent we need to raise additional capital in the future and we issue additional shares of common stock or securities convertible or exchangeable for our common stock, our then existing stockholders may experience dilution and the new securities may have rights senior to those of our common stock offered in this offering.

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds,” and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund research and clinical development, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. Additionally, we may use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to expand our current business by in-licensing or acquiring, as the case may be, commercial products, product candidates, technologies, compounds, other assets or complementary businesses, using cash or shares of our common stock. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term or long-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our stockholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

 

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The actual number of shares we will issue under the Sales Agreement, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.

Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the sales agents at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold by the sales agents after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of the common shares during the sales period and limits we set with the sales agents. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued.

The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings”, and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.

Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential” and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 as well as those discussed in this prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus. Moreover, we operate in a competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus supplement may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement include, among other things, statements about:

 

   

our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to complete the development and commercialization of our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

the success, cost and timing of our therapeutic candidate development activities and planned clinical trials;

 

   

the scope and timing of our pipeline expansion efforts;

 

   

the timing of and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

future agreements and partnerships with third parties in connection with the commercialization of our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

the estimated market size for, and the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of, our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

our commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy;

 

   

the success of competing therapies that are or may become available;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain key management and technical personnel;

 

   

our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce intellectual property protection for our therapeutic candidates;

 

   

our use of our existing resources, including cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities;

 

   

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

 

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our expectations regarding the impact of the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, including inflation, pandemics and geopolitical conflict, and their potentially material adverse impact on our business and the execution of our preclinical studies and clinical trials; and

 

   

our anticipated use of the net proceeds from this offering.

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus supplement relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this prospectus supplement. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this prospectus supplement to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations, except as required by law. We intend the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act.

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

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We may issue and sell shares of our common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $150,000,000 from time to time pursuant to the Sales Agreement. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. There can be no assurance that we will sell any shares under or fully utilize the Sales Agreement with the sales agents as a source of financing.

We currently intend to use any net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus supplement primarily to fund research and clinical development, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. Additionally, we may use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to expand our current business by in-licensing or acquiring, as the case may be, commercial products, product candidates, technologies, compounds, other assets or complementary businesses, using cash or shares of our common stock. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so.

The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the progress of our clinical trials and other development efforts and other factors described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, as well as the amount of cash used in our operations. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds. Pending their use as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds to us from this offering in marketable securities that may include investment-grade interest-bearing securities, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our ability to pay dividends is prohibited by the terms of our Loan and Security Agreement, dated April 13, 2021, as amended by that certain Joinder and First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement, dated June 27, 2022, with Silicon Valley Bank, and may be restricted by any future credit agreement or any future debt or preferred equity securities of us or our subsidiaries.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the price per share you pay in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. Our net tangible book value of our common stock as of December 31, 2022 was approximately $567.0 million, or approximately $11.88 per share of common stock based upon 47,707,691 shares outstanding. Net tangible book value per share is equal to our total tangible assets, less our total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022.

After giving effect to the sale of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150,000,000 at an assumed offering price of $28.41 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on March 14, 2023, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2022 would have been $716.0 million, or $13.51 per share of common stock. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $1.63 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $14.90 per share to new investors in this offering.

The following table illustrates this calculation on a per share basis. The as-adjusted information is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual price to the public, the actual number of shares sold and other terms of the offering determined at the time shares of our common stock are sold pursuant to this prospectus supplement. The as-adjusted information assumes that all of our common stock in the aggregate amount of $150,000,000 is sold at the assumed offering price of $28.41 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on March 14, 2023. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices.

 

Assumed public offering price per share

      $ 28.41  

Net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2022

   $ 11.88     

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to the offering

     1.63     
  

 

 

    

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to the offering

        13.51  
     

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors participating in the offering

      $ 14.90  
     

 

 

 

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 47,707,691 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022. The number of shares outstanding as December 31, 2022, and excludes:

 

   

3,660,697 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2022, with a weighted-average exercise price of $18.57 per share;

 

   

1,201,900 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options granted after December 31, 2022, with a weighted-average exercise price of $32.05 per share;

 

   

246,650 shares of common stock subject to RSUs granted after December 31, 2022;

 

   

42,349 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of a common stock warrant outstanding as of December 31, 2022, with an exercise price of $14.43 per share; and

 

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5,172,871 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock-based compensation plans, consisting of (i) 4,415,628 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 EIP as of December 31, 2022 (which number of shares does not include the stock options to purchase shares of our common stock or the RSUs granted after December 31, 2022) and (ii) 757,243 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 ESPP as of December 31, 2022.

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus supplement does not assume or give effect to any exercise of outstanding options or the warrant after December 31, 2022.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into an ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, as our sales agents, under which we may offer and sell from time to time our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000. The sales agents may act as agents on our behalf or purchase shares of our common stock as principal.

Sales, if any, of common stock under the Sales Agreement may be made in transactions that are deemed to be “at the market offerings” pursuant to Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, ordinary brokers’ transactions on or through The Nasdaq Global Market or any other market venue where the securities may be traded, in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, or through a combination of any such methods of sale. The sales agents may also sell our common stock by any other method permitted by law.

The securities may be sold at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

We will designate the maximum amount of common stock to be sold through the sales agents on a daily basis or otherwise as we and the sales agents agree and the minimum price per share at which such common stock may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the sales agents will use their commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal sales and trading practices and applicable law and regulations to sell on our behalf all of the designated shares of common stock. We may instruct the sales agents not to sell any common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We or any sales agent, with respect to itself only, may suspend the offering of our common stock by notifying the other party.

The sales agents will provide to us written confirmation following the close of trading on The Nasdaq Global Market each day on which shares of common stock are sold under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares of common stock sold on such day, the gross sales proceeds and the compensation payable by us to the sales agents. We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of common stock sold through the sales agents under the Sales Agreement, the net proceeds to us (before expenses) and the compensation paid by us to the sales agents in connection with the sales of the shares of common stock.

We will pay each sales agent a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross sales price per share of common stock sold through such agent under the Sales Agreement. We have also agreed to reimburse the sales agents for certain of their expenses.

Settlement of any sales of common stock will occur on the second business day following the date on which such sales were made (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading). There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement. Sales of our common stock as contemplated in this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC or by such other means as we and the sales agents may agree.

The offering of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all of our shares of common stock subject to the Sales Agreement, or (ii) termination of the Sales Agreement by us or by the sales agents as provided therein.

In connection with the sale of the shares of common stock on our behalf, each of the sales agents will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to each of the sales agents will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts.

 

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We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the several sales agents against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.

This summary of the material provisions of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part.

The sales agents and their affiliates have from time to time provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking, fiduciary and advisory services for us for which they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and expenses. The sales agents and their affiliates may from time to time engage in other transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Fenwick & West LLP, San Francisco, California, will pass upon certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby on behalf of DICE Therapeutics, Inc. BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated are being represented in connection with this offering by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as set forth in their report which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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LOGO

Up to $150,000,000

Common Stock

 

 

 
PROSPECTUS    SUPPLEMENT

BofA Securities

Stifel

March 15, 2023

 

 

 


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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered:

 

SEC registration fee(1)

   $ 16,530  

FINRA filing fee

   $ 225,500  

Printing and engraving*

     *  

Legal fees and expenses*

     *  

Accounting fees and expenses*

     *  

Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses*

     *  

Miscellaneous expenses*

     *  
  

 

 

 

Total*

   $ *  

 

(1)

Represents registration fee applicable to amount included in prospectus supplement for $150,000,000 in shares of common stock. Additional registration fees deferred in reliance upon Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

*

These fees and expenses depend on the type of securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time.

 

Item 15.

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations. The terms of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that eliminate the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as a director, except liability for the following:

 

   

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

 

   

acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (regarding unlawful dividends or stock purchases); or

 

   

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

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s restated bylaws provide that:

 

   

the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions;

 

   

the Registrant may indemnify its other employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law;

 

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the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to its directors and executive officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; and

 

   

the rights conferred in the restated bylaws are not exclusive.

The Registrant has entered, and intends to continue to enter, into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers to provide these directors and executive officers additional contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws and to provide additional procedural protections. At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or executive officer of the Registrant for which indemnification is sought. The indemnification provisions in the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation, restated bylaws and the indemnification agreements entered into or to be entered into between the Registrant and each of its directors and executive officers may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant’s directors and executive officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

The Registrant currently carries liability insurance for its directors and officers.

 

Item 16.

Exhibits

The exhibits listed below are filed (except where otherwise indicated) as part of this Registration Statement.

 

 

        INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE  

EXHIBIT

NUMBER

  

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION

  

FORM

    

FILE NO.

    

EXHIBIT

    

FILING
DATE

    

FILED

HEREWITH

 
1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement               
1.2    ATM Equity OfferingTM Sales Agreement, dated March 15, 2023, by and among DICE Therapeutics, Inc., BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus  & Company, Incorporated                  X  
3.1    Restated Certificate of Incorporation      10-Q        001-40794        3.1        11/12/2021     
3.2    Restated Bylaws      8-K        001-40794        3.1        11/17/2022     
4.1    Form of Common Stock Certificate      S-1        333-259061        4.1        08/25/2021     
4.2    Warrant to Purchase Stock, by and between DICE Therapeutics, Inc. and Silicon Valley Bank, dated as of June 27, 2022      10-Q        001-40794        4.1        08/11/2022     
4.3    Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated August  20, 2021, by and among DICE Therapeutics, Inc. and certain of its stockholders      S-1        333-259061        4.2        08/27/2021     
4.4    Form of Debt Security                  X  
4.5    Form of Indenture                  X  
4.6*    Form of Warrant               

 

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INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

EXHIBIT

NUMBER

  

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION

  

FORM

    

FILE
NO.

    

EXHIBIT

    

FILING
DATE

    

FILED

HEREWITH

 
4.7*    Form of Warrant Agreement               
4.8*    Form of Preferred Stock Certificate               
4.9*    Form of Subscription Rights Certificate               
4.10*    Form of Unit               
4.11*    Form of Unit Agreement               
5.1    Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP                  X  
23.1    Consent of independent registered public accounting firm                  X  
23.2    Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)                  X  
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page hereto)                  X  
25.1**    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939               
25.2**    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939               
107    Filing Fee Table                  X  

 

*

To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and incorporated herein by reference.

**

To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.

 

Item 17.

Undertakings

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

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

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

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

 

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(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that subparagraphs (i), (ii), and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

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(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(d) If and when applicable, the Registrant hereby further undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of South San Francisco, State of California, on March 15, 2023.

 

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

By:  

/s/ J. Kevin Judice, Ph.D

  J. Kevin Judice, Ph.D
  Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints J. Kevin Judice and Scott Robertson, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, proxies and agents, each with full power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) increasing the number of securities for which registration is sought), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, proxies and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact, proxies and agents, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

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

 

SIGNATURE

  

TITLE

 

DATE

/s/ J. Kevin Judice, Ph.D.

J. Kevin Judice, Ph.D

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Scott Robertson

Scott Robertson

  

Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Accounting and Financial Officer)

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Richard Scheller, Ph.D.

Richard Scheller, Ph.D.

  

Chair and Director

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Lisa Bowers

Lisa Bowers

  

Director

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Mittie Doyle, M.D.

Mittie Doyle, M.D.

  

Director

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Jim Scopa

Jim Scopa

  

Director

  March 15, 2023


Table of Contents

SIGNATURE

  

TITLE

 

DATE

/s/ Jake Simson, Ph.D.

Jake Simson, Ph.D.

  

Director

  March 15, 2023

/s/ Sharon Tetlow

Sharon Tetlow

  

Director

  March 15, 2023

Exhibit 1.2

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

Common Stock

($0.0001 par value)

ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT

March 15, 2023

BofA Securities, Inc.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

 

c/o

BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

787 7th Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofA”) or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel”), as sales agents and/or principal (each, an “Agent”, and collectively, the “Agents”), shares (the “Shares) of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate gross sales price not to exceed $150,000,000, on the terms set forth in this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement. The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell Shares directly to the Agent as principal it will enter into a separate written Terms Agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”), in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(k) hereof. References herein to “this Agreement” or to matters contained “herein” or “hereunder”, or words of similar import, mean this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement.

The Company has prepared and filed or will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement”, as defined under Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on Form S-3, covering the public offering and sale of certain securities of the Company, including the Shares, under the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). The “Registration Statement”, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”); provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B(f)(2)”), including the exhibits and schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. The base prospectus filed as part of such automatic shelf registration statement, as amended in the form in which it has been filed most recently with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b) or 3(c) hereof, including the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, is referred to herein as the “Base Prospectus”. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). Such final prospectus supplement, as amended by the prospectus supplement filed most recently with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b), 3(c) or 3(n)


hereof, as the case may be, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus Supplement”. The Base Prospectus, as amended by the Prospectus Supplement and any applicable pricing supplement thereto, in the form the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement and any such pricing supplement are first furnished to the Agents for use in connection with the offering and sale of Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means, with respect to any offer and sale of Shares, the time immediately prior to the first contract of sale for such Shares, or such other time as agreed by the Company and the applicable Agent.

“General Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus, if any, issued prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent Prospectus filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b), 3(c) or 3(n) hereof that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the number of Shares and the initial offering price per Share, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved by the Agents or, in the case of a specific offer and sale of Shares, the applicable Agent pursuant to Section 3(l) hereof that is furnished to the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by communications between the Company and the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “made,” “stated” or “referred to” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time relating to the particular Shares; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time relating to the particular Shares.

 

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Section 1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to the Agents at the date of this Agreement, each Registration Statement Amendment Date (as defined in Section 3(o) hereof), each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3(n) hereof), each Company Earnings Report Date (as defined in Section 3(o) hereof), each Request Date (as defined in Section 3(o) hereof), each Applicable Time and each Settlement Date (as defined in Section 2(h) hereof) (collectively, a “Representation Date”), and agrees with the Agents, as follows:

(i) Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement under Rule 405 and the Shares have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Agents pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each of any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and is identical to the electronically transmitted copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time or at any Settlement Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At each Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at any Settlement Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, do not and will 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. The preceding sentences of this Section 1(ii) do not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Agent in writing expressly for use therein.

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Shares made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including, without limitation, the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

 

 

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(iv) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163, (D) at the date of this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and (E) at each Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

(v) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Shares, (C) at the date of this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any Terms Agreement and (D) at each Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(vi) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial filing of the Company’s initial registration statement with the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person (as defined below) authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(vii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(viii) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except, in the case of unaudited interim consolidated financial statements, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the exclusion of certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission. The supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, if any, present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

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(ix) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

(x) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, as applicable, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X), if any, (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(xii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit or equity incentive plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, except as have been duly and validly waived.

(xiii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiv) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, except as have been duly and validly waived. The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Shares will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder.

 

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(xv) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.

(xvi) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity except, in the case of clause (ii) above, for such violation that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xvii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, partners, collaborators or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xix) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xx) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (“FINRA”).

(xxi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents, exemptions and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Governmental Licenses and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the Company as a holder of any permit, except where the failure to so fulfill or perform, or the occurrence of such event, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxiii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or have valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights to practice and use all technology, patents and patent applications, copyrights, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, trade names, service names and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) in each case, owned or otherwise controlled by the Company or its subsidiaries and used in their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as under development (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”). To the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ respective business and the proposed conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (“Disclosure Documents”) do not currently and will not upon

 

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commercialization infringe, or misappropriate or otherwise conflict with any valid intellectual property rights of a third party, except any such infringement, misappropriation or other conflict that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no rights of third parties to any of the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries is free and clear of all liens, security interests, or encumbrances. To the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries are not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to pay a royalty, grant a license, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there is no pending action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party, and the Company is not in receipt of any threatened in writing action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party: (A) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, except any such pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, except any such pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; or (C) claiming infringement or misappropriation of the third party’s rights with respect to any of the Company’s products, proposed products, or processes, except any such pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with the material terms of each material agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries, and all such agreements are in full force and effect, except any non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there are no material defects of form in the preparation or filing of any of the issued patents or patent applications included in the Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to obtain executed nondisclosure, confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements with their employees, and except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, to the Company’s knowledge no employee of the Company is in or has been in violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to the Intellectual Property and such employee’s employment with the Company. All patents and patent applications with respect to the Company’s products, proposed products, or processes have been duly and properly filed and maintained. To the Company’s knowledge, the duty of candor and disclosure as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Intellectual Property have been complied with; and in all foreign offices having similar requirements during the prosecution of the United States and foreign patents and patent applications, as applicable, included in the Intellectual Property owned by the Company have been complied with.

(xxiv) Clinical Data and Regulatory Compliance. The preclinical tests, clinical trials, and other studies (collectively, “Studies”) that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the protocols, procedures and controls approved, as necessary, by applicable Governmental Entities and/or Institutional Review Boards for such Studies and all applicable laws, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and its implementing regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, and 312; each description of the results of such Studies is accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly presents the data derived from such Studies, and the Company and its subsidiaries have no knowledge of any other Studies the results of which are inconsistent with, or otherwise call into question, the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; the Company and its subsidiaries have made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as may be required by the United States Food and Drug Administration or any committee thereof or from any other U.S. or foreign government or drug regulatory agency(collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”); neither the Company nor

 

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any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of, or correspondence from, any Regulatory Agency or health care facility Institutional Review Board requiring the termination, suspension or modification of any clinical trials that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; and the Company and its subsidiaries have each operated and currently are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Regulatory Agencies.

(xxv) Compliance with Healthcare Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries: (i) along with its employees, officers and directors, and to the Company’s knowledge, independent contractors and agents, have complied with and are in compliance in all material respects with applicable provisions of the health care laws, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.; the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and any similar federal, state and local laws and regulations of any governmental authority including the Regulatory Agencies applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, sale, distribution, storage, import, export or disposal of any of the Company’s products or product candidates (collectively the “Health Care Laws”); (ii) have not received any United States Food and Drug Administration Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, including any notified body alleging or asserting non-compliance with (A) any Health Care Laws or (B) or any licenses, approvals, clearances, exemptions, CE Certificates of Conformity, permits, registrations, authorizations, and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Health Care Laws (“Regulatory Authorizations”); (iii) possess all Regulatory Authorizations required to conduct its business as currently conducted and such Regulatory Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in violation, in any material respect, of any term of any such Regulatory Authorizations; (iv) have fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Regulatory Authorizations and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Regulatory Authorization; (v) have not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action (“Proceeding”) from any governmental authority including any Regulatory Agency or any other third party alleging a material violation of any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations or limiting, suspending, modifying, or revoking any material Regulatory Authorizations, and has no knowledge that any governmental authority including any Regulatory Agencies or any other third party is considering any Proceeding; (vi) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations (“Reports”) and that all such Reports were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were materially corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); (vii) along with its employees, officers and directors, and to the Company’s knowledge, independent contractors and agents, is not a party to or has any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreements, deferred prosecution agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, plans of correction or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental authority including any Regulatory Agencies; and (viii) along with its employees, officers and directors, and to the Company’s knowledge, independent contractors and agents, has not been excluded, suspended or debarred from, or otherwise ineligible for participation in any government health care program or human clinical research.

(xxvi) Environmental Laws. (A) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements thereunder, (C) there are no pending or, to the

 

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Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) , to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(xxvii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act) (such rules and regulations (the “1934 Act Regulations”) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxviii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxix) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed or a timely extension is accordance with the applicable law has been requested thereof and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided or the amount of which would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, and have paid all taxes due and payable pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company in accordance with GAAP. No tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company (nor does the Company have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company). The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income and corporation tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xxx) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute and comparable size engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(xxxi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxxii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

(xxxiii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws (together with the FCPA, the “Anti-Corruption Laws”) including, without limitation, offering, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of any money, or anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA), any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of any public international organization, or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the Anti-Corruption Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws.

(xxxiv) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxv) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, any director, officer, or employee thereof, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are, currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union,

 

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His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Persons, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in any direct or indirect dealings or transactions with any Person or in any country or territory that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(xxxvi) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Agent and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Agent.

(xxxvii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xxxviii) No Rated Debt. No securities issued or guaranteed by, or loans to, the Company are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act).

(xxxix) Data Privacy and Security Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all times have been, in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to data privacy and security and Sensitive Data (defined below) that have been in effect and that have been announced as of the date hereof as becoming effective within 15 months after the date hereof, including without limitation the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), HIPAA, HITECH Act, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679), and the GDPR as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). The Company and its subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Sensitive Data (the “Policies”). At all times since inception, the Company and its subsidiaries have provided all required notices of its Policies and obtained all necessary consents from individuals. None of the disclosures made or contained in any of the Policies have been inaccurate, misleading, deceptive, incomplete, or in violation of any Privacy Laws or Policies. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) Protected Health Information as defined by HIPAA; and (iv) any other information that constitutes “personal data”, “personal information”, “personally identifiable information”, “nonpublic personal information”, “customer proprietary network information”, “individually identifiable health information”, “protected health information”, or similar information under Privacy Laws, and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of a natural person, or his or her family, device, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. “Sensitive Data” means all confidential, proprietary, or otherwise sensitive information (including Personal Data). The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any other agreement referred to in this Agreement will not result in a breach of violation of any Privacy Laws or Policies. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary: (i) has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any fact, event, or condition that would be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently participating in, subject to, conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.

 

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(xl) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. (A) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been no actual or reasonably suspected security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, Sensitive Data, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology, including any such equipment or technology maintained or provided by any third parties to Company or its subsidiaries (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”); (B) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any fact, event or condition that could result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; and (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented all appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data, including as is customary under applicable regulatory or industry standards. The Company and its subsidiaries comply and have at all times complied with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, Policies, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unlawful or unauthorized use, access, destruction, loss, alteration, misappropriation or modification.

(xli) Listing. The Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the 1934 Act and are listed on The Nasdaq Global Market. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the 1934 Act or delisting the Shares from The Nasdaq Global Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or The Nasdaq Global Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all listing requirements of The Nasdaq Global Market.

(xlii) ERISA Compliance. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in “at risk status” (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in “endangered status” or “critical status” (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA); (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following

 

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events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s or its Controlled Group affiliates’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company’s “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xliii) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Agent as to the matters covered thereby.

(xliv) No Commissions. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries are a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Agents for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of any Shares.

Any certificate signed by any officer or other authorized signatory of the Company and delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agents as to the matters covered thereby.

Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell Shares through the applicable Agent acting as sales agent or directly to the applicable Agent or Agents acting as principal from time to time. Sales of the Shares, if any, through Agent acting as sales agent or directly to an Agent acting as principal will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on Nasdaq or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

(b) The Shares are to be sold to an Agent on an agented basis on any day (other than a day on which Nasdaq is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time)(each, a “Trading Day”) on which (i) the Company has instructed such Agent to make such sales and (ii) the Company has satisfied its covenants and conditions specified in Sections 4 and 5 hereof. On any Trading Day, the Company may sell Shares through the only one Agent and, if it determines to do so, shall instruct the applicable Agents by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by such Agent) (a “Sales Notice”) as to the maximum number of Shares to be sold on such Trading Day and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions specified herein (including, without limitation, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations, contained herein and the satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 5 hereof), such Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations, to sell all of the Shares so designated by the Company as sales agent in accordance with such instruction. On any Trading Day, the Company shall give at least one business day’s prior written notice by telecopy or email to the Agents as to any change of the Agent through whom sales of Shares as sales agent will be made. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing limitation shall not apply to sales solely to employees or security holders of the Company or its subsidiaries or to a trustee or other person acquiring Shares for the accounts of such persons in which either BofA or Stifel is acting for the Company in a capacity other than as Agent under this Agreement. The Company and the Agents each acknowledge and agree that (A) there can be no assurance that any Agent will be successful in selling any Shares and (B) the Agents will not incur any liability or obligation to the Company if they fail to sell Shares for any reason other than a failure to use their respective commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations, to sell such Shares as required by this Agreement.

 

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(c) The Company or the Agent through whom the sale of Shares are to be made as sales agent on any Trading Day may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the receiving party), suspend the offering of Shares with respect to which such Agent is acting as sales agent for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold, or with respect to Shares that the Company has agreed to sell, hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.

(d) The gross sales price of any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement by the applicable Agent acting as sales agent of the Company shall be equal to, in the discretion of such Agent but subject to the specific instructions of the Company, the market price prevailing at the time of sale for the Shares sold by such Agent on Nasdaq or otherwise, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The compensation payable to an Agent for sales of Shares with respect to which such Agent acts as sales agent shall be up to 3.0% of the gross sales price for such Shares. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any Governmental Entity or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such sales (the “Net Proceeds”). The applicable Agent shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable if any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence will be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company engages an Agent as sales agent for the sale of Shares that would constitute a “distribution” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act, the Company and such Agent will agree to compensation for such Agent that is customary for such sales.

(e) If acting as sales agent hereunder, the applicable Agent shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading on Nasdaq on each Trading Day on which Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth the number of Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of the Shares, the aggregate Net Proceeds to the Company and the aggregate compensation payable by the Company to such Agent with respect to such sales.

(f) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate gross sales price or number, as the case may be, of Shares offered or sold pursuant to this Agreement, or which are the subject of instructions to an Agent as sales agent pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, exceed the aggregate gross sales price or number, as the case may be, of Shares (i) referred to in the preamble paragraph of this Agreement, as reduced by prior sales of Shares under this Agreement, (ii) available for sale under the Registration Statement or (iii) duly authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company or approved for listing on Nasdaq, and, in each case referred to in clause (ii) and (iii), notified to the Agents in writing. In addition, under no circumstances shall any Shares with respect to which an Agent acts as sales agent be offered or sold, or be the subject of instructions to an Agent as sales agent pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, at a price lower than the minimum price therefor duly authorized from time to time by the Company and notified to the Agents in writing. The Agents shall have no responsibility for maintaining records with respect to Shares available for sale under the Registration Statement or for determining the aggregate gross sales price, number or minimum price of Shares duly authorized by the Company.

(g) If the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the 1934 Act are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Shares, the Company shall promptly notify the Agents and future offers and sales of Shares through the Agents on an agented basis under this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party.

(h) Settlement for sales of Shares will occur on the second business day that is also a Trading Day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless another date shall be agreed to in writing by the Company and the applicable Agent (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date for the sale of Shares through an Agent as sales agent, such Shares shall be delivered by the Company to such Agent in book-entry form to such Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company against payment by such Agent of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company. If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Shares through an Agent as sales agent on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (i) indemnify and hold such Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) pay such Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default, however, should such default be entirely the fault of such Agent, the foregoing sentence shall not apply.

 

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(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer or sell, or instruct an Agent to offer or sell, any Shares through an Agent as sales agent (and, by notice to the Agents given by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email), shall cancel any instructions for any such offer or sale of any Shares prior to the commencement of the periods referenced below), and the Agents shall not be obligated to make any such offer or sale of Shares, (i) during any period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information or (ii) except as provided in Section 2(j) hereof, at any time during the period commencing on the 10th business day prior to the time the Company issues a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other operating results for a fiscal period or periods (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K (a “Filing Time”) that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same fiscal period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement.

(j) Notwithstanding clause (ii) of Section 2(i) hereof, if the Company wishes to offer or sell Shares to an Agent as sales agent at any time during the period from and including an Earnings Announcement through and including the corresponding Filing Time, the Company shall first (i) prepare and deliver to such Agent (with a copy to counsel for the Agents) a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes substantially the same financial and related information (together with management’s discussion and analysis thereof) that was included in such Earnings Announcement (other than any earnings projections and similar forward-looking data and officers’ quotations) (each, an “Earnings 8-K”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Agent, and, prior to its filing, obtain the written consent of such Agent to such filing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) provide such Agent with the officers’ certificate, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letter specified in Section 3(o), (p) and (q), respectively, hereof, (iii) afford such Agent the opportunity to conduct a due diligence review in accordance with Section 3(t) hereof prior to filing such Earnings 8-K and (iv) file such Earnings 8-K with the Commission. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that (A) the delivery of any officers’ certificate, opinion or letter of counsel or accountants’ letter pursuant to this Section 2(j) shall not relieve the Company from any of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the obligation to deliver officers’ certificates, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letters as provided in Section 3(o), (p) and (q), respectively, hereof, and (B) this Section 2(j) shall in no way affect or limit the operation of clause (i) of Section 2(i) hereof, which shall have independent application.

(k) The Agents shall not have any obligation to purchase Shares as principal, whether from the Company or otherwise, unless the Company and the applicable Agent agree as set forth below. Shares purchased from the Company by the applicable Agent, individually or in a syndicate, as principal shall be made in accordance with terms agreed upon between the Agents and the Company as evidenced by a Terms Agreement. The applicable Agent’s commitment to purchase Shares from the Company as principal shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company, and performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations, herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. At the time of each Terms Agreement, the applicable Agent shall specify the requirements, if any, for the officers’ certificate, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letter pursuant to Section 3(o), (p) and (q), respectively, hereof. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement and a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement shall control.

Section 3. Covenants. The Company agrees with the Agents:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c) hereof, will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Agents promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Shares shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed (other than an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of an offering of securities unless related to an offering of Shares, as to which the Company will only be obligated to notify the applicable Agent), (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the

 

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issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of any Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with any offering of Shares. In connection with a Terms Agreement, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, a pricing supplement with respect to the offer and sale of Shares covered by such Terms Agreement. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof promptly. In the event of any issuance of a notice of objection, by the Commission, the Company shall take all necessary action to permit offers and sales of Shares by or through the Agents, including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new shelf registration statement relating thereto. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares prior to the time the initial Prospectus Supplement is filed with the Commission or the time any subsequent Prospectus Supplement that increases gross offering price or number of Shares that may offered and sold under this Agreement from that referenced in the immediately preceding Prospectus Supplement filed with the Commission.

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of sales of Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Agents or counsel to the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will 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, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Agents or, in the case of a an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent as principal, such Agent written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Agents or such Agents, as the case may be, with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use commercially reasonable efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as possible if the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, or counsel for the Agents shall reasonably object.

(c) Filing or Use of Amendments and Supplements. The Company will give the Agents or, in the case of an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent as principal, written notice of its intention to file or use (i) any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than an amendment or supplement thereto relating solely to the offering of securities unless related to an offering of Shares), whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, or (ii) any new Prospectus Supplement that includes information in addition to the information referred to in Section 3(n) hereof or (iii) a pricing supplement disclosing the offer and sale of Shares covered by a Terms Agreement, will furnish the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, with copies of any such document a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, or counsel for the Agents shall reasonably object.

 

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(d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Agents and counsel for the Agents, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts; provided, however that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document to the Agents or its counsel to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

(e) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Agents or, in the case of an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent as principal, the Agents, without charge, upon execution of this Agreement and thereafter during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, may reasonably request. The Company will also furnish, upon request of the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) to each exchange or market on which sales of Shares were made as may be required by the rules and regulations of such exchange or market. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished in accordance with this Section will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(f) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods prescribed by, and meeting the requirements of, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of the net proceeds from the sale of any Shares as may be required under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, including, if applicable, Rule 463 of the 1933 Act Regulations.

(g) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Agents or, in the case of an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent as principal, the Agents to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Agents or such Agent, as the case may be, may, from time to time, designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the sale of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(h) Earnings Statement. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Agents the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act, which requirement may be satisfied by publicly filing the requirement information on EDGAR.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(j) Listing. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Shares on, and satisfy the requirements of, Nasdaq.

(k) Notice of Certain Actions. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Agents, unless it gives the Agents at least three business days’ prior written notice, (i) directly or indirectly offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap, agreement or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to

 

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(A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock or restricted stock units granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock or options to purchase shares of Common Stock or restricted stock units granted pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (E) any shares of Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in privately negotiated transactions to vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Shares hereby and which are not issued for capital raising purposes; provided, that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued under this clause (E) shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to giving effect to such issuance. Upon receipt of any written notice contemplated above, an Agent may suspend its activity under this Agreement for such period of time as deemed reasonably appropriate by such Agent.

(l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the applicable Agent, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to by the applicable Agent as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the applicable Agent and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to file such amendment or supplement if there are no pending Shares to be delivered to the applicable Agent on a Settlement Date and the Company believes that it is in its best interests not to file such amendment or supplement.

(m) No Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company agrees that neither it nor any affiliate of the Company will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any Shares or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

(n) Update of Activity under this Agreement. The Company shall disclose (i) in each Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company in respect of any fiscal quarterly period (which, in the case of an Annual Report on Form 10-K, would mean the last quarterly period of the fiscal year) in which sales of Shares were made by or through an Agent under this Agreement (each date on which any such document or amendment thereto is filed, a “Company Periodic Report Date”), or (ii) to the extent required by applicable law and/or interpretations of the Commission, in Prospectus Supplements for each such fiscal quarterly period, the number of Shares sold by or through the Agents under this Agreement during such fiscal quarterly period and the net proceeds received by the Company and the aggregate compensation paid by the Company to the Agents with respect to such sales.

(o) Delivery of Future Officers’ Certificates. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, (B) promptly after each (i) date on which the Registration Statement shall be amended or a new registration statement relating to the Shares shall become effective or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (1) by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of securities, including the Shares, (2) in connection with the filing of a Prospectus Supplement that contains solely the information referred to in Section 3(n) hereof, or (3) in connection with the filing of any Current Report on Form 8-K (other than an Earnings

 

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8-K and any other Current Report on Form 8-K which contains financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data, including any Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 2.02 of such form that is considered “filed” under the 1934 Act) (each such date, a “Registration Statement Amendment Date”), (ii) date on which an Earnings 8-K shall be filed with the Commission as contemplated by Section 2(j) hereof (a “Company Earnings Report Date”) and (iii) Company Periodic Report Date, and (C) promptly after each reasonable request by the Agents (each date of any such request by the Agents, a “Request Date”), the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent an officers’ certificate, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agents, as the case may be, to the effect that the statements contained in the officers’ certificate referred to in Section 5(f) hereof that was last furnished to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agents, as the case may be, are true and correct as of the date of such certificate as though made at and as of the date of such certificate (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented at the date of such certificate) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in Section 5(f) hereof that, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented at the date of such certificate. As used in this Section 3(o), to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished a certificate under this Section 3(o) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Sales Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Sales Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents a certificate under this Section 3(o), then before the Company delivers the Sales Notice or the applicable Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents a certificate under this Section 3(o), dated the date of the Sales Notice. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Agent shall be obligated to sell any Shares pursuant to such Sales Notice until a certificate required by this Section 3(o) shall have been provided to the Agents.

(p) Delivery of Future Opinions and Letters of Counsel. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent as principal on a Settlement Date and (B) promptly after each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent the written opinions and letters of each of counsel to the Company (who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent, as the case may be,) and counsel to the Agents, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agents, as the case may be, of the same tenor as the respective opinions and letters referred to in Section 5(b) and 5(c)(i)(b), as applicable, hereof but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such opinion and letter or, in lieu of any such opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such opinion and letter to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent, as the case may be, shall furnish the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent, as the case may be, with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent, as the case may be, may rely on such counsel’s last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion and letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter authorizing reliance). As used in this Section 3(p), to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished any written opinions and letters of counsel under this Section 3(p) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Sales Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Sales Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a

 

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Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents written opinions and letters of counsel under this Section 3(p), then before the Company delivers the Sales Notice or the applicable Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents written opinions and letters of counsel under this Section 3(p), dated the date of the Sales Notice. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Agent shall be obligated to sell any Shares pursuant to such Sales Notice until written opinions and letters of counsel required by this Section 3(p) shall have been provided to the Agents.

(q) Delivery of Future Accountants’ Letters. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent as principal on a Settlement Date and (B) promptly after each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, the Company will cause its independent accountants to furnish to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent a letter, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent, as the case may be, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 5(d) hereof but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter. As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale. The requirement to cause the independent accountant to furnish a letter to the Agent under this Section 3(q) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Sales Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Sales Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not cause the independent accountant to furnish the Agents with a letter from the independent accountant under this Section 3(q), then before the Company delivers the Sales Notice or the applicable Agent sells any Shares, the Company shall cause the independent accountant to furnish the Agents with written a letter from the independent accountant under this Section 3(q), dated the date of the Sales Notice. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Agent shall be obligated to sell any Shares pursuant to such Sales Notice until the written a letter from the independent accountant required by this Section 3(q) shall have been provided to the Agents.

(r) Trading in the Common Stock. The Company consents to the Agents trading in the Company’s Common Stock for their own account and for the account of their clients at the same time as sales of Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.

(s) Non-Consummation Offer. If, to the knowledge of the Company, any filing required by Rule 424 in connection with an offering of Shares shall not have been made or the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall not be true and correct on the applicable Settlement Date, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Shares from or through an Agent the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.

(t) Due Diligence Review. The Company will cooperate with any due diligence review reasonably requested by the Agents or counsel for the Agents, fully and in a timely manner, in connections with offers and sales of Shares from time to time, including, without limitation, and upon reasonable notice, providing information and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices.

(u) Renewal Deadline. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), this Agreement is still in effect or any Shares purchased by an Agent as principal remain unsold, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Agents and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Agents. If, at the time the Company intends to file such a new automatic shelf registration statement, it is not eligible to do so, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Agents, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement on the proper form relating to the Shares, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such new shelf registration statement

 

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to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Agents of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

(v) Ceasing Eligibility For Use of Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If, at any time, during the term of this Agreement or otherwise when Shares purchased by an Agent as principal remain unsold, the Company receives a notice from the Commission pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Agents, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Shares, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable and (iv) promptly notify the Agents of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the Registration Statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

Section 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Agents to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Shares, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Agents, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (such fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate), (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Shares, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of sales of Shares (such fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate), (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Shares on Nasdaq, (x) the reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses of the Agents, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Agents in connection with this Agreement and the Registration Statement and ongoing services in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder and (xi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for the sale of Shares caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of Section 1(a)(ii) hereof.

Section 5. Conditions of Agents’ Obligations. The obligations of the Agents hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof at each Representation Date, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement and Filing of Prospectus. The Company shall have filed the Registration Statement with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and the Registration Statement became effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462(e). The Company shall have filed with the Commission the Prospectus on or prior to the date of this Agreement and any subsequent Base Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement prior to any Applicable Time and related Settlement Date, as applicable, in each case in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b), and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, in

 

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the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company shall have complied with any and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agents. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares as specified in Section 3(a) hereof.

(b) Opinion of Counsel for the Agents. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, the Agents shall have received the favorable written opinion or opinions of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Agents, dated such date, with respect to such matters as the Agents may reasonably request. In giving such opinion or opinions, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the laws of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Agents. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(c) Opinion of Counsel to the Company. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, the Agents shall have received (i) (a) the favorable written opinion and (b) a negative assurances letter of Fenwick & West LLP, counsel to the Company and (ii) opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents and to such further effect as the Agents may reasonably request.

(d) Accountants’ Letter. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, the Agents shall have received a letter from Ernst & Young LLP, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(e) Officer’s Certificate on Size of ATM Program. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, the Company shall have furnished to the Agents a certificate of an executive officer of the Company, dated such date, in a form satisfactory to the Agents, stating the minimum gross sales price per share for sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the maximum number of Shares that may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement or, alternatively, the maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and specify the number of Shares that have been approved for listing subject to official notice of issuance, on Nasdaq.

(f) Officers’ Certificate for the Company. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, there shall not have been, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change, and the Agents shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated such date, to the effect that (A) there has been no such Material Adverse Change, (B) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date, (C) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on or prior to such date and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

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(g) Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on Nasdaq.

(h) Additional Documents. Prior to the initial offering of any Shares hereunder, counsel for the Agents shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to render the opinions or make the statements requested by the Agents, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the covenants, obligations or conditions, contained herein; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Agents and counsel for the Agents.

(i) Termination of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement may be terminated by the applicable Agents by notice to the Company at any time, and any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except the provisions of Sections 1, 3(h), 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 and 16 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

Section 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of the Agents. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, their respective affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (each, an “Affiliate”)), selling agents, officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls an Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of any offering of Shares (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agents), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company by the Agents in writing expressly for use therein.

 

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(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Agent, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the information furnished to the Company by such Agent in writing expressly for use therein.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agents, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the prior written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for documented fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) hereof effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

Section 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent, on the other hand, from the applicable offering of Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

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The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the applicable offering of Shares shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, bear to the total commissions or underwriting discounts received by the applicable Agent, on the other hand.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the applicable Agent and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the applicable Agents were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total commissions or underwriting discounts received by such Agent in connection with Shares placed or underwritten by it for sale to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and an Agent’s Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors shall have the same rights to contribution as such Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Agents’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Shares placed or underwritten by it in the applicable offering.

Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of an Agent or its Affiliates, selling agents, officers or directors or any person controlling such Agent, or the Company or its officers or directors, or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.

Section 9. Termination.

(a) This ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement may be terminated for any reason, at any time, by either the Company or an Agent, as to itself, upon the giving of three (3) days prior written notice to the other parties hereto.

(b) The applicable Agent may terminate a Terms Agreement to which they are a party, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date, (i) if there has been, in such judgment of such Agent, since the time of execution of such Terms Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of Shares contemplated by such Terms Agreement or to enforce contracts for the sale of

 

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such Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or Nasdaq, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Entity, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to the systems of Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(c) If the Company and two or more Agents enter into a Terms Agreement pursuant to which such Agents agree to purchase Shares from the Company as principal and one or more of such Agents shall fail at the Settlement Date to purchase the Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase (the “Defaulted Shares”), then the nondefaulting Agents shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one of them or one or more other Agents or underwriters to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Shares in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; provided, however, that if such arrangements shall not have been completed within such 24-hour period, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Shares does not exceed 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, the nondefaulting Agents shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective initial purchase obligation bears to the purchase obligations of all nondefaulting Agents; or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Shares exceeds 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, such Terms Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any nondefaulting Agent.

No action taken pursuant to this Section 9(c) shall relieve any defaulting Agent from liability in respect of its default. In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of such Terms Agreement, either the nondefaulting Agents or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Settlement Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

(d) In the event of any termination under this Section 9, neither party will have any liability to the other party hereto, except that (i) the Agents shall be entitled to any commissions earned in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof, (ii) if at the time of termination (a) an Agent shall own any Shares purchased by it as principal or (b) an offer to purchase any Shares has been accepted by the Company but the Settlement Date has not occurred, the covenants set forth in Section 3 hereof shall remain in effect until such Shares are resold or so delivered, as the case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in Section 3(h) hereof, the provisions of Section 4 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreements set forth in Sections 6 and 7 hereof, and the provisions of Sections 8, 13, 14, 15 and 16 hereof shall remain in effect.

Section 10. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Agents shall be directed to them c/o BofA, One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, Attention: ATM Execution (email: dg.atm_execution@bofa.com), with a copy to ECM Legal (email: dg.ecm_legal@bofa.com); and c/o Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, California 94104, Attention: General Counsel; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94104, attention of Chief Financial Officer; with a copy to Fenwick & West LLP at 555 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94104, attention of Matthew Rossiter.

Section 11. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) each purchase and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the respective initial public offering prices of Shares, if any, and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent, on the other hand, (b) the Agents have not assumed and will not assume any advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or other affiliates with respect to any offering of Shares or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the applicable Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries or other

 

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affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (c) the Agents and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (d) the Agents have not provided any legal, accounting, financial, regulatory or tax advice to the Company or any other person or entity with respect to any offering of Shares and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

Section 12. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States

For purposes of this Section 12, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Section 13.Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Agents and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Agents, their respective Affiliates and selling agents, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Agents, their respective Affiliates and selling agents, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Shares shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

Section 14. Trial by Jury. Each of the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), and the Agents hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 15. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

Section 16. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Each of the Company and the Agent agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of

 

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America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to a party’s address set forth in Section 11 hereof shall be effective service of process upon such party for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court. Each of the Company and the Agents irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

Section 18. Counterparts and Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.

Section 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Agents and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
DICE Therapeutics, Inc.
By:   /s/ Scott Robertson
  Name: Scott Robertson
  Title: Chief Business and Financial Officer

 

Accepted as of the date hereof:

BofA Securities, Inc.

By:

 

/s/ Greg Butz

 

Name: Greg Butz

 

Title: Managing Director

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

By:

 

/s/ Nick Oust

 

Name: Nick Oust

 

Title: Managing Director

 

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Annex I

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

Common Stock

($0.0001 par value)

FORM OF TERMS AGREEMENT

[BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036]

[Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

787 7th Avenue

New York, New York 10019]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, on the basis of the representations and warranties, and subject to the terms and conditions, stated herein and in the ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, dated March 15, 2023 (the “Sales Agreement”), among the Company and BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated [(the “Agent”)], to issue and sell to [the Agent] [BofA Securities, Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated] as principal for resale ([collectively,] the “Underwriter[s]”), and the Underwriter[s severally] agree[s] to purchase from the Company the shares of Common Stock specified in the Schedule A hereto (the “[Initial] Securities”) [, and to grant to the Underwriter[s] the option to purchase the additional shares of Common Stock specified in the Schedule A hereto (the “Option Securities”, and together with the Initial Securities, the “Securities”)]*,[in each case] * on the terms specified in Schedule A hereto. Capitalized terms but and not defined herein have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Sales Agreement.

[The Company grants an option to the Underwriter[s, severally and not jointly, ]to purchase up to an additional [●] Option Securities at the price per share set forth in Schedule A hereto, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Underwriter[s] to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the [several] Underwriter[s] [is][are] then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Underwriter[s], but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Settlement Date (as defined below). [If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as [BofA] [Stifel] in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that the officers’ certificate, opinions and letter of counsel and accountants’ letter referred to in Section 3(o), (p) and (q), respectively, of the Sales Agreement are required to be delivered by or on behalf of the Company on the Settlement Date.]*

Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Cooley LLP, 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001, Attention: Daniel I. Goldberg, Esq., or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (or third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 9(c) of the Sales Agreement), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Settlement Date”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriter[s], payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Underwriter[s] to the Company.

 

A-1


Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Underwriter[s for their respective accounts for the Securities to be purchased by them]. [It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized [BofA] [Stifel] as representative of the Underwriters, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. [BofA] [Stifel], individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Settlement Date or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.]

Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not related solely to the Agents, as agents of the Company, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if each such provision had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth in the Sales Agreement shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Applicable Time [and any Date of Delivery].

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriter[s] and the Company in accordance with its terms.

THIS TERMS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

Very truly yours,

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Accepted as of the date hereof:

 

[Underwriters[s]

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

* Include only if the Underwriter[s][has][have] an option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock from the Company.

 

A-2


Schedule A

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount of
[Initial] Securities to
Be Purchased
     [Principal Amount of
Option Securities to
Be Purchased]
 

[_______]

   $ [______]      $ [______]  

[_______]

     [______]        [______]  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total:

   $ [______]      $ [______]  

[Price to Public:

$[__.__] per share]

Purchase Price by the Underwriter[s]:

$[__.__] per share

Method of Delivery of the [Initial] Securities [and Option Securities]:

[To the account or accounts at The Depository Trust Company specified by the Underwriter[s] via DWAC in return for payment of the purchase price.]

 

A-3

Exhibit 4.4

FORM OF DEBT SECURITY

[Face of Security]

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

[If applicable, insert—FOR PURPOSES OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT PROVISIONS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, THE ISSUE PRICE OF THIS SECURITY IS     % OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AT STATED MATURITY SET FORTH BELOW (ITS “PRINCIPAL AMOUNT”), THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT IS     % OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, THE YIELD TO MATURITY IS     % AND THE ISSUE DATE IS                     ]

[IF THE SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY, INSERT—THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL SECURITY. IT IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY (AS HEREINAFTER DEFINED) OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]

 

No.                              $
                         CUSIP No.

DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to, or registered assigns, the principal sum of          Dollars on                      [if Security is to bear interest prior to maturity, insert—, and to pay interest thereon from                      or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on                      and                      in each year, commencing                     , at the rate of     % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment [if applicable, insert—, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand]. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest, which shall be the                      or                      (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Record Date and may either be paid to the Person this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. [If the Security is not to bear interest prior to maturity, insert—The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal and any overdue premium shall bear interest at the rate of     % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue principal or premium shall be payable on demand. [Any such interest on overdue principal or premium which is not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of     % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest on interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date of such demand until the amount so demanded is paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue interest shall be payable on demand.]].

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and [any such] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in                      in such coin or currency of [the United States of America] as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts[; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Register].

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been manually executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

 

Dated:     DICE Therapeutics, Inc.
    By  

 

      [Title]

 

Attest and Countersign

 

Secretary

 

2


[Reverse of Security.]

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture dated as of                 , (herein called the “Indenture,” which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and                 , as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations or rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [, limited in aggregate principal amount to $                ].

[If the Security is to be subordinated, insert—The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, expressly subordinated and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture) of the Company. This Security is issued subject to such provisions of the Indenture, and each Holder of this Security, by accepting the same, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions and authorizes and directs the Trustee on the Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate such subordination as provided in the Indenture and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.]

The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days’, and no more than 60 days, notice provided in the manner set forth in the Indenture, [(1) on in any year commencing with the year and ending with the year at the Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and (2)] at any time [on or after], as a whole or in part, at the election of the principal the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount): If redeemed [on or before ,                 %, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated,

 

Year

   Redemption Price    Year    Redemption Price
        
        
        

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount together in the case of any such redemption with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities of record at the close of business on the relevant record dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.

[If the Security is to be redeemable in part, insert—In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]

[If the Security is to be subject to repayment at the option of the Holder, insert—To be repaid at the option of the Holder, the Company must receive this Security, with the form of “Option to Elect Repayment” hereon duly completed, at an office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in (or at such other place of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holder of this Security) not less than nor more than days prior to the Repayment Date. The exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable.]

[If the Security is not to be subject to redemption at the option of the Company, insert—The Securities are not redeemable at the option of the Company prior to Maturity.]

[If the Security is not to be an Original Issue Discount Security, insert—If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.]

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series under the Indenture to be affected at any time by the Company with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.


The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent of waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series , the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to it, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 90 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

[If the Security is to be in registered form, insert—As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and, thereupon one or more new Securities of this series, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.]

[The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form in denominations of $ [and any integral multiple] [or increments of $ in excess] thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.]

[No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.]

[Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.]

[If the Security is a Global Security, insert—“Global Security” and “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities evidencing all or a part of a series of Securities, issued to the Depositary (as hereinafter defined) for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or its nominee. “Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as the Depositary by the Company.

No holder of any beneficial interest in this Security held on its behalf by a Depositary or a nominee of such Depositary shall have any rights under the Indenture with respect to such Global Security, and such Depositary or nominee may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall impair, as between a Depositary and such holders of beneficial interests, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of the Depositary as Holder of any Security.

This Security is exchangeable, in whole but not in part, for Securities registered in the names of Persons other than the Depositary or its nominee or in the name of a successor to the Depositary or a nominee of such successor depositary only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for this Note or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, in either case, a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days, (ii) the Company in its discretion at any time determines not to have all of the Securities of this series represented by one or more Global Security or Securities and notifies the Trustee thereof, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities of this series. If this Security is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence, it shall be exchangeable for Securities issuable in authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Depositary holding this Security shall direct. Subject to the foregoing, this Security is not exchangeable, except for a Security or Securities of the same aggregate denominations to be registered in the name of such Depositary or its nominee or in the name of a successor to the Depositary or a nominee of such successor depositary.]

 

4


[The Indenture entitles Holders to receive annual reports with respect to the Trustee’s eligibility and qualifications to serve as Trustee by filing their names and addresses with the Trustee for that purpose within two years preceding and mailing of any such annual report.]

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) or interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture of any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

This Security, including without limitation the obligation of the Company contained herein to pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on this Security in accordance with the terms hereof and of the Indenture, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

[Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.]

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

                                                                 , as

[Authenticating Agent for] the Trustee

By    
  Authorized Officer

 

5

Exhibit 4.5

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

And

                             , as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of                 ,


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE 1 – DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1  

1.1 DEFINITIONS

     1  

1.2. OTHER DEFINITIONS

     4  

1.3. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT

     4  

1.4. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

     4  

ARTICLE 2 – THE SECURITIES

     5  

2.1. ISSUABLE IN SERIES

     5  

2.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS OF SERIES OF SECURITIES

     5  

2.3. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION

     6  

2.4. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT

     7  

2.5. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD ASSETS IN TRUST

     7  

2.6. SECURITYHOLDER LISTS

     8  

2.7. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE

     8  

2.8. REPLACEMENT SECURITIES

     8  

2.9. OUTSTANDING SECURITIES

     9  

2.10. WHEN TREASURY SECURITIES DISREGARDED; DETERMINATION OF HOLDERS’ ACTION

     9  

2.11. TEMPORARY SECURITIES

     9  

2.12. CANCELLATION

     9  

2.13. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; DEFAULTED INTEREST; COMPUTATION OF INTEREST

     9  

2.14. CUSIP NUMBER

     10  

2.15. PROVISIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES

     10  

2.16. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS

     11  

ARTICLE 3 – REDEMPTION

     11  

3.1. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE

     11  

3.2. SELECTION BY TRUSTEE OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED

     11  

3.3. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION

     11  

3.4. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION

     12  

3.5. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE

     12  

3.6. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART

     12  

ARTICLE 4 – COVENANTS

     12  

4.1. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES

     12  

4.2. SEC REPORTS

     13  

4.3. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS

     13  

4.4. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

     13  

4.5. CORPORATE EXISTENCE

     13  

ARTICLE 5 – SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

     13  

5.1. LIMITATION ON CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS

     13  

5.2. SUCCESSOR PERSON SUBSTITUTED

     14  

ARTICLE 6 – DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     14  

6.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     14  

6.2. ACCELERATION

     15  

6.3. REMEDIES

     15  

6.4. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     15  

6.5. CONTROL BY MAJORITY

     15  

6.6. LIMITATION ON SUITS

     16  

6.7. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT

     16  

6.8. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE

     16  

6.9. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM

     16  

6.10. PRIORITIES

     17  

6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS

     17  

ARTICLE 7 – TRUSTEE

     17  

7.1. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE

     17  

7.2. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE

     18  

7.3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE

     18  

7.4. TRUSTEE’S DISCLAIMER

     18  

7.5. NOTICE OF DEFAULT

     19  

 

i


7.6. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS

     19  

7.7. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY

     19  

7.8. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE

     19  

7.9. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR CONVERSION

     20  

7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION

     20  

7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY

     20  

7.12. PAYING AGENTS

     20  

ARTICLE 8 – AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

     21  

8.1. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS

     21  

8.2. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS

     21  

8.3. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT

     22  

8.4. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS

     22  

8.5. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES

     22  

8.6. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC.

     22  

ARTICLE 9 – DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

     22  

9.1. DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

     22  

9.2. LEGAL DEFEASANCE

     23  

9.3. COVENANT DEFEASANCE

     23  

9.4. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE

     23  

9.5. DEPOSITED MONEY AND U.S. AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     24  

9.6. REINSTATEMENT

     24  

9.7. MONEYS HELD BY PAYING AGENT

     25  

9.8. MONEYS HELD BY TRUSTEE

     25  

ARTICLE 10 – MISCELLANEOUS

     25  

10.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS

     25  

10.2. NOTICES

     25  

10.3. COMMUNICATIONS BY HOLDERS WITH OTHER HOLDERS

     26  

10.4. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     26  

10.5. STATEMENT REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE AND OPINION

     26  

10.6. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS

     27  

10.7. BUSINESS DAYS; LEGAL HOLIDAYS; PLACE OF PAYMENT

     27  

10.8. GOVERNING LAW

     27  

10.9. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS

     27  

10.10. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS

     27  

10.11. SUCCESSORS

     27  

10.12. MULTIPLE COUNTERPARTS

     27  

10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC.

     27  

10.14. SEVERABILITY

     27  

10.15. SECURITIES IN A FOREIGN CURRENCY OR IN EUROS

     28  

10.16. JUDGMENT CURRENCY

     28  

 

ii


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

 

TIA SECTION

   INDENTURE SECTION

310(a)(1)(2)(5)

   7.10

310(a)(3)(4)

   Inapplicable

310(b)

   7.8; 7.10

310(c)

   Inapplicable

311(a)(b)

   7.11

311(c)

   Inapplicable

312(a)

   2.6

312(b)(c)

   10.3

313(a)(b)

   7.6

313(c)

   7.6; 10.2

313(d)

   7.6

314(a)

   4.2; 4.4; 10.2

314(b)

   N/A

314(c)(1)(2)

   10.4; 10.5

314(c)(3)

   Inapplicable

314(d)

   Inapplicable

314(e)

   10.5

314(f)

   Inapplicable

315(a)

   7.1, 7.2

315(b)

   7.5; 10.2

315(c)

   7.1

315(d)

   7.1; 7.2

315(e)

   6.11

316(a)(last sentence)

   2.10

316(a)(1)(A)

   6.5

316(a)(1)(B)

   6.4

316(a)(2)

   8.2

316(b)

   6.7

316(c)

   8.4

317(a)(1)

   6.8

317(a)(2)

   6.9

317(b)

   2.5; 7.12

318(a)

   10.1

Note: This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

 

 

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INDENTURE, dated as of                 ,                 , by and between DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Issuer (the “Company”) and                 , a                  organized under the laws of                 , as Trustee (the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”), as herein provided, up to such principal amount as may from time to time be authorized in or pursuant to one or more resolutions of the Board of Directors or by supplemental indenture.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company in accordance with its terms have been done, and the execution and delivery thereof have been in all respects duly authorized by the parties hereto.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities of a Series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE 1 –

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

1.1 DEFINITIONS.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person which, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.

“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, co-registrar or agent for service of notices and demands.

“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee duly authorized to act therefor.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification which has been delivered to the Trustee.

“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, partnership interests or any other participation, right or other interest in the nature of an equity interest in such Person or any option, warrant or other security convertible into any of the foregoing.

“Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces such party pursuant to Article 5 of this Indenture, and thereafter means the successor and any other primary obligor on the Securities.

“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be its Chief Executive Officer or its Chief Financial Officer.

“Company Request” means any written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any Vice President, its Chief Financial Officer or its Treasurer and attested to by its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.

“Default” means any event that is, or that with the passing of time or giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Depository” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the Person designated as Depository for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency

 

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registered under the Exchange Act, until a successor Depository shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depository” shall mean each Person who is then a Depository hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, such Persons.

“Dollars” means the currency of the United States of America.

“Euro” means the single currency of participating member states of the economic and monetary union as contemplated in the Treaty on European Union.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America.

“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by, or acting as an agency or instrumentality of, such government, the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) and (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied as in effect in the United States of America from time to time.

“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2, evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee, and bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.15(c) (or such other legend(s) as may be applied to such Securities in accordance with Section 2.2(24)).

“Holder” or “Securityholder” means the Person in whose name a Security is registered on the Registrar’s books.

“Indebtedness” means (without duplication), with respect to any Person, any indebtedness at any time outstanding, secured or unsecured, contingent or otherwise, which is for borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof), or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments, or representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property (excluding any balances that constitute accounts payable or trade payables, and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business), if and to the extent any of the foregoing indebtedness would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time.

“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

“Lien” means, with respect to any property or assets of any Person, any mortgage or deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, security interest, lien, charge, easement, encumbrance, preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever on or with respect to such property or assets (including, without limitation, any capitalized lease obligation, conditional sales or other title retention agreement having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security, or an installment of principal, becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, notice of option to elect payment or otherwise.

“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company, or any other officer designated by the Board of Directors, as the case may be.

“Officers’ Certificate” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Senior or Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer or any Treasurer of such Person, that shall comply with applicable provisions of this Indenture.

 

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“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government (including any agency or political subdivision thereof).

“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to this Indenture.

“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the corporate trust department or division of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as constituted from time to time, or any successor performing substantially the same functions.

“Securities” means the securities that are issued under this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time pursuant to this Indenture.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2.

“Significant Subsidiary” means (i) any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the date hereof, or (ii) any group of direct or indirect Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken together as a group, would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the date hereof.

“Stated Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security, or such installment of principal or interest, is due and payable, and when used with respect to any other Indebtedness, means the date specified in the instrument governing such Indebtedness as the fixed date on which the principal of such Indebtedness, or any installment of interest thereon, is due and payable.

“Subsidiary” of any specified Person means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association or other business entity, whether now existing or hereafter organized or acquired, (i) in the case of a corporation, of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors thereof is held, directly or indirectly, by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries; or (ii) in the case of a partnership, joint venture, association or other business entity, with respect to which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries has the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such entity by contract or otherwise, or if in accordance with GAAP such entity is consolidated with such Person for financial statement purposes.

“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Section 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture (except as provided in Section 8.3).

“Trustee” means the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it pursuant to this Indenture, and thereafter means the successor, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means direct non-callable obligations of, or non-callable obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America for the payment of which obligation or guarantee the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged.

 

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1.2. OTHER DEFINITIONS.

The definitions of the following terms may be found in the sections indicated as follows:

 

TERM

        

DEFINED IN SECTION

“Bankruptcy Law”

     6.1

“Business Day”

     10.7

“Covenant Defeasance”

     9.3

“Custodian”

     6.1

“Event of Default”

     6.1

“Journal”

     10.15

“Judgment Currency”

     10.16

“Legal Defeasance”

     9.2

“Legal Holiday”

     10.7

“Market Exchange Rate”

     10.15

“New York Paying Agent”

     2.4

“Paying Agent”

     2.4

“Place of Payment”

     10.7

“Registrar”

     2.4

“Required Currency”

     10.16

“Service Agent”

     2.4

1.3. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT.

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the portion of such provision required to be incorporated herein in order for this Indenture to be qualified under the TIA is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“Commission” means the SEC.

“Indenture securities” means the Securities.

“Indenture securityholder” means a Holder or Securityholder.

“Indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

“Indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

“Obligor on the indenture securities” means the Company.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined in the TIA by reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule have the meanings therein assigned to them.

1.4. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it herein, whether defined expressly or by reference;

(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(3) “or” is not exclusive;

 

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(4) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;

(5) words used herein implying any gender shall apply to each gender; and

(6) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

ARTICLE 2 –

THE SECURITIES

2.1. ISSUABLE IN SERIES.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is $                ,                 ,                 . The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to the authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, Stated Maturity, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, PROVIDED, that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

2.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS OF SERIES OF SECURITIES.

At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2(1) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2(2) through 2.2(24)) by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, in each case, pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution:

(1) the title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);

(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 8.5);

(3) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

(4) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

(5) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;

(6) the place or places where the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series shall be payable, or the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

(7) if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(9) the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof, and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

(10) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

(11) the forms of the Securities of the Series in bearer (if to be issued outside of the United States of America) or fully registered form (and, if in fully registered form, whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities);

 

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(12) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

(13) the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, including, but not limited to, the Euro, and, if such currency of denomination is a composite currency other than the Euro, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

(14) the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series will be made;

(15) if payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

(16) the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

(17) the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral provided for the Securities of the Series;

(18) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Articles 4 or 5 that applies to Securities of the Series;

(19) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series, any provision for the payment of additional interest or liquidated damages in connection with any Event of Default, and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

(20) the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion of the Securities into or exchange of the Securities for shares of common stock, preferred stock, other debt securities or warrants for common stock, preferred stock or other securities of any kind of the Company that apply to Securities of the Series;

(21) any Trustees, depositories, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;

(22) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the Securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to other Indebtedness of the Company;

(23) if applicable, that the Securities of the Series, in whole or any specified part, shall be defeasible pursuant to Article 9; and

(24) any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 8.1, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series).

All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time, and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, however, the authorized principal amount of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.

2.3. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION.

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by two Officers of the Company or an Officer and an Assistant Secretary of the Company. Each such signature may be either manual or facsimile. The Company’s seal may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or reproduced on the Securities and may be in facsimile form.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture. The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

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The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of any Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised in writing by outside counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents shall reasonably determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability, or cause it to have a conflict of interest with respect to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Any appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument signed by an authorized officer of the Trustee, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Company. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

2.4. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT.

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any Series of Securities (i) an office or agency where such Securities may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“Registrar”), (ii) an office or agency where such Securities may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”) (PROVIDED that the Company shall at all times maintain a Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, State of New York (the “New York Paying Agent”), and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the register for the Securities maintained by the Registrar), and (iii) an office or agency where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Securities and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may have one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office, or to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee as set forth in Section 10.2. If the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it for the payment of principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities and hold it as a separate trust fund. The Company may change any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or any other Agent without notice to any Securityholder.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office of the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of such designation or rescission, and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar or Paying Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, or agent for service of notices and demands, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued. The Company designates , as the New York Paying Agent, with offices at .

2.5. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD ASSETS IN TRUST.

The Trustee as Paying Agent shall, and the Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that each Paying Agent shall, hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of any Series of Securities or the Trustee all assets held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, such Series of Securities (whether such assets have

 

7


been distributed to it by the Company or any other obligor on such Series of Securities), and the Company and the Paying Agent shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Company (or any other obligor on such Series of Securities) in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and account for any assets disbursed, and the Trustee may, at any time during the continuance of any payment default with respect to any Series of Securities, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and to account for any assets distributed. Upon distribution to the Trustee of all assets that shall have been delivered by the Company to the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for such assets.

2.6. SECURITYHOLDER LISTS.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee as of each regular record date for the payment of interest on the Securities of a Series and before each related Interest Payment Date, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

2.7. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.

When Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar with a request to register the transfer thereof, the Registrar shall register the transfer as requested if the requirements of applicable law are met, and when such Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar with a request to exchange them for an equal principal amount of other authorized denominations of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall make the exchange as requested. To permit transfers and exchanges, upon surrender of any Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 2.4, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request.

If Securities are issued as Global Securities, the provisions of Section 2.15 shall apply.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Registrar or a co-registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar or a co-registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

Any exchange or transfer shall be without charge, except that the Company may require payment by the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation to a transfer or exchange, but this provision shall not apply to any exchange pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or 8.5. The Trustee shall not be required to register transfers of Securities of any Series, or to exchange Securities of any Series, for a period of 15 days before the record date for selection for redemption of such Securities. The Trustee shall not be required to exchange or register transfers of Securities of any Series called or being called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of such Security being redeemed in part.

2.8. REPLACEMENT SECURITIES.

If a mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or if the Holder of a Security presents evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee that the Security has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. An indemnity bond may be required by the Company or the Trustee that is sufficient in the reasonable judgment of the Company or the Trustee, as the case may be, to protect the Company, the Trustee or any Agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The Company may charge such Holder for the Company’s out-of-pocket expenses in replacing a Security, including the fees and expenses of the Trustee. Every replacement Security shall constitute an original additional obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.

 

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2.9. OUTSTANDING SECURITIES.

Securities outstanding at any time are all Securities authenticated by the Trustee, except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.9 as not outstanding.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8 (other than a mutilated Security surrendered for replacement), it ceases to be outstanding until the Company and the Trustee receive proof satisfactory to each of them that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser. A mutilated Security ceases to be outstanding upon surrender of such Security and replacement thereof pursuant to Section 2.8.

If a Paying Agent holds on a Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity money sufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on, Securities payable on that date, and is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders thereof pursuant to the terms of this Indenture (PROVIDED, that if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made), then on and after that date such Securities cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

A Security does not cease to be outstanding solely because the Company or an Affiliate holds the Security.

2.10. WHEN TREASURY SECURITIES DISREGARDED; DETERMINATION OF HOLDERS’ ACTION.

In determining whether the Holders of the required aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any Series have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, the Securities of any Series owned by the Company or any other obligor on such Securities, or by any Affiliate of any of them, shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Securities of such Series which the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities of such Series so owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to the Securities of such Series and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of such Series, or an Affiliate of any of them.

2.11. TEMPORARY SECURITIES.

Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, temporary Securities. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form, and shall carry all rights, of definitive Securities, but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, definitive Securities in exchange for temporary Securities without charge to the Holder.

2.12. CANCELLATION.

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption or registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any sinking fund payment, shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee or, at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent, and no one else, shall cancel, and at the written request of the Company shall dispose of, all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation. If the Company shall acquire any of the Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to this Section 2.12. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section 2.12, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture.

2.13. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; DEFAULTED INTEREST; COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 2.2 with respect to any Series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest, as provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the terms of such Series.

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Securities, it shall pay the defaulted amounts, plus any interest payable on defaulted amounts pursuant to Section 4.1, to the Persons who are Securityholders on a subsequent special record date, which date shall be the 15th day next preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of defaulted interest, or the next succeeding

 

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Business Day if such date is not a Business Day. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed to each Securityholder, with a copy to the Trustee, a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest, and interest payable on such defaulted interest, if any, to be paid.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series, interest on the Securities of each Series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

2.14. CUSIP NUMBER.

The Company in issuing the Securities may use one or more “CUSIP” numbers, and, if the Company does so, the Trustee shall use the CUSIP number(s) in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders, PROVIDED, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number(s) printed in the notice or on the Securities, and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and that any such redemption or exchange shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of any such numbers.

2.15. PROVISIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES.

(a) A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, and the Depository for such Global Securities or Securities.

(b) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 and in addition thereto, if, and only if the Depository (i) at any time is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and (ii) a successor Depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the date the Company is so informed in writing or becomes aware of the same, the Company promptly will execute and deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Request for the authentication and delivery of such definitive Securities (which the Company will promptly execute and deliver to the Trustee) and an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable, will authenticate and deliver definitive Securities, without charge, registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depository shall direct in writing (pursuant to instructions from its direct and indirect participants or otherwise) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms. Upon the exchange of a Global Security for definitive Securities, such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for definitive Securities, as provided in this Section 2.15(b), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.

(c) Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to, and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a Person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”

(d) The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

(e) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, any Global Security shall be made to the Depository or its nominee in its capacity as the Holder thereof.

(f) Except as provided in Section 2.15(e) above, the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a Person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of any Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depository (which may be in the form of a participants’ list for such Series) with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, PROVIDED, that until the Trustee is so provided with a written statement, it may treat the Depository or any other Person in whose name a Global Security is registered as the owner of such Global Security for the purpose of receiving payment of the principal of, and any premium and (subject to Section 2.13) any interest on, such Global Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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2.16. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS.

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and any agent of the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of the principal of, and any premium and (subject to Section 2.13) any interest on, such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Registrar or any agent of the Company, the Trustee or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

ARTICLE 3 –

REDEMPTION

3.1. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE.

The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities, or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof, prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities or the related Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company elects to redeem all or part of such Series of Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the Redemption Date and the principal amount of Securities to be redeemed at least 45 days (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) before the Redemption Date. Any such notice may be canceled at any time prior to notice of such redemption being mailed to any Holder, and shall thereby be void and of no effect.

3.2. SELECTION BY TRUSTEE OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series of Securities by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if fewer than all of the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of a Series to be redeemed pro rata, by lot or by any other method that the Trustee considers fair and appropriate (unless the Company specifically directs the Trustee otherwise) and, if such Securities are listed on any securities exchange, by a method that complies with the requirements of such exchange.

The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of a Series outstanding and not previously called for redemption, and shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed at least 35 but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date. Securities of a Series in denominations of $1,000 may be redeemed only in whole. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of a Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of a Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2(10), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities called for redemption.

3.3. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days, and no more than 60 days, before a Redemption Date, the Company shall mail, or cause to be mailed, a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed at his or her last address as the same appears on the registry books maintained by the Registrar. The notice shall identify the Securities to be redeemed and shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date;

(2) the redemption price, and that such redemption price shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date;

(3) if any Security of a Series is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Security of a Series to be redeemed and that, after the Redemption Date and upon surrender of such Security of a Series, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued;

(4) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(5) that Securities of a Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price, and the place or places where each such Security is to be surrendered for such payment;

 

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(6) that, unless the Company defaults in making the redemption payment, interest on the Securities of a Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on the Redemption Date, and the only remaining right of the Holders of such Securities is to receive payment of the redemption price upon surrender to the Paying Agent of the Securities redeemed;

(7) if fewer than all of the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Securities of a Series (or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal amount of Securities of a Series to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Securities of a Series to be outstanding after such partial redemption.

(8) the CUSIP number, if any, printed on the Securities being redeemed; and

(9) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Securities.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at the Company’s sole expense.

3.4. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.

Once the notice of redemption described in Section 3.3 is mailed, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption Date and at the redemption price, plus interest, if any, accrued to the Redemption Date. Upon surrender to the Trustee or Paying Agent, such Securities of a Series shall be paid at the redemption price, plus accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; PROVIDED, that if the Redemption Date is after a regular interest payment record date and on or prior to the next Interest Payment Date, the accrued interest shall be payable to the Holder of the redeemed Securities registered on the relevant record date, as specified by the Company in the notice to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.1.

3.5. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.

On or prior to the Redemption Date (but no later than 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time on such date), the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date other than Securities or portions thereof called for redemption on that date which have been delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation.

On and after any Redemption Date, if money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, Securities called for redemption shall have been made available in accordance with the preceding paragraph and the Company and the Paying Agent are not prohibited from paying such moneys to Holders, the Securities called for redemption will cease to accrue interest and the only right of the Holders of such Securities will be to receive payment of the redemption price of and, subject to the proviso in Section 3.4, accrued and unpaid interest on such Securities to the Redemption Date. If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid, interest will be paid, from the Redemption Date until such redemption payment is made, on the unpaid principal of the Security and any interest or premium, if any, not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case, at the rate and in the manner provided in the Securities.

3.6. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART.

Upon surrender of a Security of a Series that is redeemed in part, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate, for a Holder a new Security of the same Series equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

ARTICLE 4 –

COVENANTS

4.1. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES.

The Company shall pay the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, each Series of Securities on the dates and in the manner provided in such Securities and this Indenture.

An installment of principal or interest shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay such installment and is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders pursuant to the terms of this Indenture or otherwise.

The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal, and overdue interest, to the extent lawful, at the rate specified in the Series of Securities.

 

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4.2. SEC REPORTS.

The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after the filing of the same with the SEC, copies of the quarterly and annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports, if any, which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each such report or document will be deemed to be so delivered to the Trustee if the Company files such report or document with the SEC through the SEC’s EDGAR database no later than the time such report or document is required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding that the Company may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC, to the extent permitted, and provide the Trustee with, such quarterly and annual reports and such information, documents and other reports specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company will also comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a).

4.3. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS.

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead (as a defense or otherwise) or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension, usury or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of, and/or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company hereby expressly waives (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

4.4. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE.

(a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate which complies with TIA Section 314(a)(4) stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during such fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and that there is no default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or her knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which payments on account of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities is prohibited, or if such event has occurred, a description of the event and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

(b)(i) If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (ii) if any Holder seeks to exercise any remedy hereunder with respect to a claimed Default under this Indenture or the Securities, within five Business Days after the Company becoming aware of such occurrence the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying such event, notice or other action and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

4.5. CORPORATE EXISTENCE.

Subject to Article 5, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, in accordance with the organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or its corporate existence, if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.

ARTICLE 5 –

SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

5.1. LIMITATION ON CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS.

(a) The Company will not, in any transaction or series of transactions, merge or consolidate with or into, or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets (as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in one transaction or a series of related transactions), to any Person or Persons, unless at the time of and after giving effect thereto

 

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(i) either (A) if the transaction or series of transactions is a merger or consolidation, the Company shall be the surviving Person of such merger or consolidation, or (B) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which the properties and assets of the Company are transferred (any such surviving Person or transferee Person being the “Surviving Entity”) shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or a corporation or comparable legal entity organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and shall expressly assume by a supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company (including, without limitation, the obligation to pay the principal of, and premium and interest, if any, on, the Securities and the performance of the other covenants) under the Securities of each Series and this Indenture, and in each case, this Indenture shall remain in full force and effect; and (ii) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro forma basis (including, without limitation, any Indebtedness incurred or anticipated to be incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) In connection with any consolidation, merger or transfer of assets contemplated by this Section 5.1, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer, and the supplemental indenture in respect thereto,

comply with this Section 5.1, and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction or transactions have been complied with.

5.2. SUCCESSOR PERSON SUBSTITUTED.

Upon any consolidation, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1 above, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company is merged or to which such transfer is made, shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter (except with respect to any such transfer which is a lease) the predecessor corporation shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE 6 –

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

6.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

“Events of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

(1) there is a default in the payment of any principal of, or premium, if any, on, the Securities when the same becomes due and payable at Maturity, upon acceleration, redemption or otherwise;

(2) there is a default in the payment of any interest on any Security of a Series when the same becomes due and payable, and the Default continues for a period of 30 days;

(3) the Company defaults in the observance or performance of any other covenant in the Securities of a Series or in this Indenture for 90 days after written notice from the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then outstanding, which notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a “Notice of Default”;

(4) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(A) commences a voluntary case,

(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

(E) generally is not paying its debts as they become due;

(5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

(A) is for relief against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;

 

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(B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; or

(C) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 consecutive days; or

(6) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2(19).

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

The Trustee may withhold notice of any Default (except in the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities) to the Holders of the Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 7.5. When a Default is cured, it ceases to exist.

6.2. ACCELERATION.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding (other than an Event of Default arising under Section 6.1(4) or (5)) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by written notice to the Company, or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that Series then outstanding by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare that the entire principal amount of all the Securities of that Series then outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of acceleration are immediately due and payable, in which case such amounts shall become immediately due and payable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that after such acceleration but before a judgment or decree based on such acceleration is obtained by the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may rescind and annul such acceleration and its consequences if (i) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, interest or premium, if any, that has become due solely because of the acceleration, have been cured or waived, (ii) to the extent the payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest and overdue principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, has been paid and (iii) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto. In case an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(4) or (5) with respect to the Company occurs, such principal, premium, if any, and interest amount with respect to all of the Securities of that Series shall be due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities of that Series.

6.3. REMEDIES.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of that Series, or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Securities of that Series or this Indenture.

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Securities of that Series or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Securityholder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

6.4. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

Subject to Sections 6.2, 6.7 and 8.2, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series then outstanding have the right to waive any existing Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series or compliance with any provision of this Indenture (with respect to such Series) or the Securities of such Series. Upon any such waiver, such Default with respect to such Series shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default with respect to such Series arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereto. This Section 6.4 shall be in lieu of TIA Section 316(a)(1)(B), and TIA Section 316(a)(1)(B) is hereby expressly excluded from this Indenture and Section as permitted by the TIA.

6.5. CONTROL BY MAJORITY.

Subject to Sections 6.2, 6.7 and 8.2, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series then outstanding may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee by this Indenture with respect to such Series. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow

 

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any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, or that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of another Securityholder, or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability; PROVIDED, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. This Section 6.5 shall be in lieu of TIA Section 316(a)(1)(A), and TIA Section 316(a)(1)(A) is hereby expressly excluded from this Indenture and Section as permitted by the TIA.

6.6. LIMITATION ON SUITS.

Subject to Section 6.7, a Securityholder may not institute any proceeding or pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Securities of a Series unless:

(1) the Holder gives to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

(2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then outstanding make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

(3) such Holder or Holders offer to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4) the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer of indemnity; and

(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then outstanding.

A Securityholder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Securityholder, or to obtain a preference or priority over another Securityholder.

6.7. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Security of a Series to receive payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Security of such Series on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Security of such Series, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, is absolute and unconditional, and shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the Holder.

6.8. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE.

If an Event of Default in payment of principal, interest or premium, if any, specified in Section 6.1(1) or (2) with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company (or any other obligor on the Securities of that Series) for the whole amount of unpaid principal and premium, if any, and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and premium, if any, and, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate then borne by the Securities of that Series, and such further amounts as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, as set forth in Section 7.7.

6.9. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM.

The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents, and take other actions (including sitting on a committee of creditors), as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Securityholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor on the Securities), any of their respective creditors or any of their respective property, and the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after deduction of its charges and expenses to the extent that any such charges and expenses are not paid out of the estate in any such proceedings, and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

 

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Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities of a Series or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceedings.

6.10. PRIORITIES.

If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

FIRST: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.7;

SECOND: to Securityholders for amounts then due and unpaid for the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities in respect of which, or for the benefit of which, such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities; for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

THIRD: to the Company.

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Securityholders pursuant to this Section 6.10. At least 15 days before such record date, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.

6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the Securities of a Series then outstanding.

ARTICLE 7 –

TRUSTEE

7.1. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE.

(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the same circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(1) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no covenants or obligations shall be implied in this Indenture against the Trustee.

(2) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture, but, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(1) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.1.

(2) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(3) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Sections 6.2 and 6.5.

(d) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds, or otherwise incur any financial liability, in the performance of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

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(e) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section 7.1 shall govern every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee.

(f) The Trustee and Paying Agent shall not be liable for interest on any money received by either of them, except as the Trustee and Paying Agent may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by the law.

(g) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care set forth in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (f) of this Section 7.1 and in Section 7.2 with respect to the Trustee.

7.2. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.

(a) Subject to Section 7.1:

(1) The Trustee may rely on, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

(2) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, or both, which shall conform to the provisions of Section 10.5. The Trustee shall be protected and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion.

(3) The Trustee may act through agents and attorneys, and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed by it with due care.

(4) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it reasonably believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers.

(5) The Trustee may consult with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, which may be counsel to the Company, and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

(6) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby.

(7) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any fact or matter (including, without limitation, a Default or Event of Default) unless such fact or matter is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee.

(8) Unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in the Securities of a Series or the related Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, the Trustee shall not have any responsibility with respect to reports, notices, certificates or other documents filed with it hereunder, except to make them available for inspection, at reasonable times, by Securityholders, it being understood that delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (except as set forth in Section 4.4).

7.3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities, and may make loans to, accept deposits from, perform services for or otherwise deal with the Company, or any Affiliate thereof, with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee, however, shall be subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

7.4. TRUSTEE’S DISCLAIMER.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities (except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture and authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder), and the Trustee shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the sale of Securities or any money paid to the Company pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its certificates of authentication.

 

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7.5. NOTICE OF DEFAULT.

If a Default or an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series, and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of the Default or the Event of Default, as the case may be, within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default (except if such Default or Event of Default has been validly cured or waived before the giving of such notice). Except in the case of a Default or an Event of Default in payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the Board of Directors of the Trustee, the executive committee or any trust committee of such board and/or its Responsible Officers in good faith determine(s) that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of that Series.

7.6. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS.

If and to the extent required by the TIA, within 60 days after April 1 of each year, commencing the April 1 following the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder a brief report dated as of such April 1 that complies with TIA Section 313(a). The Trustee also shall comply with TIA Sections 313(b) and 313(c).

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders shall be filed with the SEC and any stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange or any delisting thereof, and the Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 313(d).

7.7. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its services. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee within 45 days after receipt of request for all reasonable out-of-pocket disbursements and expenses incurred or made by it in connection with its duties under this Indenture, including the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

The Company shall indemnify the Trustee for, and hold it harmless against, any and all loss or liability incurred by it in connection with the acceptance or performance of its duties under this Indenture including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim asserted against the Trustee for which it may seek indemnity.

The failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not however relieve the Company of its obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company need not reimburse the Trustee for any expense or indemnify it against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee through its negligence or bad faith. To secure the payment obligations of the Company in this Section 7.7, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee except such money or property held in trust to pay the principal of, interest and premium, if any, on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(4) or (5) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

For purposes of this Section 7.7, the term “Trustee” shall include any trustee appointed pursuant to this Article 7.

7.8. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE.

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company in writing at least 90 days in advance of such resignation.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by notifying the removed Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee with respect to that Series with the consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series at its election if:

(1) the Trustee fails to comply with, or ceases to be eligible under, Section 7.10;

(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent, or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee, under any Bankruptcy Law;

(3) a Custodian or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

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(4) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.

(5) If the Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee, with respect to any Series of Securities for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint, by Board Resolution, a successor Trustee.

If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

If the Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Securityholder of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately following such delivery, (i) the retiring Trustee with respect to one or more Series shall, subject to its rights under Section 7.7, transfer all property held by it as Trustee with respect to such Series to the successor Trustee, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and (iii) the successor Trustee with respect to such Series shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series shall mail notice of its succession to each Securityholder of such Series.

7.9. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR CONVERSION.

If the Trustee, or any Agent, consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust assets to, another corporation, subject to Section 7.10, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee or Agent, as the case may be.

7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION.

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Sections 310(a)(1), (2) and (5) in every respect. The Trustee (or in the case of a Trustee that is a Person included in a bank holding company system, the related bank holding company) shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b), including the provision in Section 310(b)(1). In addition, if the Trustee is a Person included in a bank holding company system, the Trustee, independently of such bank holding company, shall meet the capital requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(2). If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.10, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Article 7.

7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY.

The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.

7.12. PAYING AGENTS.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to it and the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 7.12:

(1) that it will hold all sums held by it as agent for the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any obligor on the Securities) in trust for the benefit of Holders of the Securities or the Trustee;

(2) that it will at any time during the continuance of any Event of Default, upon written request from the Trustee, deliver to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by it together with a full accounting thereof; and

(3) that it will give the Trustee written notice within three Business Days after any failure of the Company (or by any obligor on the Securities) in the payment of any installment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the Securities when the same shall be due and payable.

 

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ARTICLE 8 –

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

8.1. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS.

The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without notice to or consent of any Securityholder:

(1) to comply with Section 5.1;

(2) to provide for certificated Securities in addition to uncertificated Securities;

(3) to comply with any requirements of the SEC under the TIA;

(4) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or to make any other change herein or in the Securities that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

(5) to provide for the issuance of, and establish the form and terms and conditions of, Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture; or

(6) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series, and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee.

The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture, and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture which adversely affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture.

8.2. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS.

(a) The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series with the written consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series affected by such amendment or supplement without notice to any Securityholder. The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each such Series affected by such amendment or supplement may waive compliance by the Company in a particular instance with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such Series without notice to any Securityholder. Subject to Section 8.4, without the consent of each Securityholder affected, however, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not:

(1) reduce the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver to this Indenture or the Securities;

(2) reduce the rate of, or change the time for payment of, interest on any Security;

(3) reduce the principal, or change the Stated Maturity, of any Security, or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(4) make any Security payable in money other than that stated in the Security;

(5) change the amount or time of any payment required by the Securities, or reduce the premium payable upon any redemption of the Securities, or change the time before which no such redemption may be made;

(6) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(7) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any Securities;

(8) make any changes in Section 6.6 or this Section 8.2, except to increase any percentage of Securities the Holders of which must consent to any matter; or

(9) take any other action otherwise prohibited by this Indenture to be taken without the consent of each Holder affected thereby.

(b) Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a Board Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the receipt by the Trustee of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Securityholders as aforesaid and of the documents described in Section 8.6, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such

 

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supplemental indenture, unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.

(c) It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

After an amendment or supplement under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Securityholders a notice briefly describing the amendment or supplement. Any failure of the Company to mail any such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any supplemental indenture.

8.3. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.

Every amendment to, or supplement of, this Indenture or the Securities shall comply with the TIA as then in effect.

8.4. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS.

Until an amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent conclusive and binding upon such Holder and every subsequent Holder of the same Security or portion thereof, and of any Security issued upon the transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in place thereof, even if notation of the consent is not made on any such Security. Any such Holder or subsequent Holder, however, may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security, if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver, which record date shall be at least 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement or waiver, or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.

After an amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective, it shall bind every Securityholder, unless it makes a change described in any of clauses (1) through (9) of Section 8.2. In that case, the amendment, supplement, waiver or other action shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security; PROVIDED, that any such waiver shall not impair or affect the right of any Holder to receive payment of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, a Security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates without the consent of such Holder.

8.5. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES.

If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Security of any Series, the Trustee may request the Holder of such Security to deliver it to the Trustee. In such case, the Trustee shall place an appropriate notation on such Security about the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, the Company, in exchange for such Security, may issue, and the Trustee shall authenticate, a new security that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Security shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

8.6. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC.

The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article 8 if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may, but need not, sign it. In signing or refusing to sign such amendment, supplement or waiver the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and, subject to Section 7.1, shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Company may not sign an amendment or supplement until the Board of Directors of the Company approves it.

ARTICLE 9 –

DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

9.1. DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE.

 

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The Company may terminate its obligations under the Securities of any Series and this Indenture with respect to such Series, except the obligations referred to in the last paragraph of this Section 9.1, if there shall have been canceled by the Trustee, or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than any Securities of such Series that are asserted to have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that shall have been replaced as provided in Section 2.8) and the Company has paid all sums payable by it hereunder or deposited all required sums with the Trustee.

After such delivery the Trustee upon request shall acknowledge in a writing prepared by or on behalf of the Company the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Securities of such Series and this Indenture, except for those surviving obligations specified below.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company in Sections 7.7, 9.5 and 9.6 shall survive.

9.2. LEGAL DEFEASANCE.

The Company may at its option, by Board Resolution, be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Securities of any Series on the date upon which the conditions set forth in Section 9.4 below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the Securities of such Series and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, subject to Section 9.6, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, as are delivered to it by the Company), except for the following, which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders of outstanding Securities of such Series to receive solely from the trust funds described in Section 9.4 and as more fully set forth in such section, payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of such Series when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to the Securities of such Series under Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder (including claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.7) and (D) this Article 9. Subject to compliance with this Article 9, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 9.2 with respect to the Securities of any Series notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 9.3 below with respect to the Securities of such Series.

9.3. COVENANT DEFEASANCE.

At the option of the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company shall be released from its obligations with respect to the outstanding Securities of any Series under Sections 4.2 through 4.5, inclusive, and Section 5.1, with respect to the outstanding Securities of such Series, on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 9.4 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified section or portion thereof, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such specified Section or portion thereof or by reason of any reference in any such specified section or portion thereof to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of any Series shall be unaffected thereby.

9.4. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE.

The following shall be the conditions to application of Section 9.2 or Section 9.3 to the outstanding Securities of a Series:

(1) the Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.10 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article 9 applicable to it) as funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of, and accrued interest and premium, if any, on, the outstanding Securities of such Series at the Stated Maturity of such principal, interest or premium, if any, or on dates for payment and redemption of such principal, interest and premium, if any, selected in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of the Securities of such Series;

(2) no Event of Default or Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, or shall have occurred and be continuing at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the longest preference period under any Bankruptcy Law

 

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applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit as specified in the Opinion of Counsel identified in paragraph (8) below (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);

(3) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the TIA with respect to any securities of the Company;

(4) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(5) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that, as a result of such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, neither the trust nor the Trustee will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(6) in the case of an election under Section 9.2, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling to the effect that or (ii) there has been a change in any applicable Federal income tax law with the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such Series or Persons in their positions will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes solely as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, including as a result of prepayment, and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

(7) in the case of an election under Section 9.3, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance, and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(8) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Article 9 relating to either the Legal Defeasance under Section 9.2 or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 9.3 (as the case may be) have been complied with;

(9) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit under clause (1) was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Company or others; and

(10) the Company shall have paid, or duly provided for payment under terms mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee, all amounts then due to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.7.

9.5. DEPOSITED MONEY AND U.S. AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

All money, U.S. Government Obligations and Foreign Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 9.4 in respect of the outstanding Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, accrued interest and premium, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations and Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 9.4 or the principal, interest and premium, if any, received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Article 9 to the contrary notwithstanding, but subject to payment of any of its outstanding fees and expenses, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held by the Trustee as provided in Section 9.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

9.6. REINSTATEMENT.

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations in accordance with Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 or 9.4 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article 9 until such time

 

24


as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 or 9.4; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, or accrued interest or premium, if any, on, any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money, U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

9.7. MONEYS HELD BY PAYING AGENT.

In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Company, be paid to the Trustee, or, if sufficient moneys have been deposited pursuant to Section 9.1, to the Company, and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

9.8. MONEYS HELD BY TRUSTEE.

Any moneys deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Company in trust for the payment of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, any Security that are not applied but remain unclaimed by the Holder of such Security for two years after the date upon which the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, such Security shall have respectively become due and payable shall be repaid to the Company upon Company Request, or if such moneys are then held by the Company in trust, such moneys shall be released from such trust; and the Holder of such Security entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for the payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trustee or any such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may, at the expense of the Company, either mail to each Securityholder affected, at the address shown in the register of the Securities maintained by the Registrar, or cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published each Business Day and of general circulation in the City of New York, New York, a notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing or publication, any unclaimed balance of such moneys then remaining will be repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company or the release of any money held in trust by the Company, Securityholders entitled to the money must look only to the Company for payment as general creditors, unless applicable abandoned property law designates another Person.

ARTICLE 10 –

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, the required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the TIA which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.

10.2. NOTICES.

Any notice or communication shall be given in writing and delivered in Person, sent by facsimile (and receipt confirmed by telephone or electronic transmission report), delivered by commercial courier service or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

If to the Company:

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Copy to:

Fenwick & West LLP

555 California Street

San Francisco, CA 94104

Attention: Robert Freedman

 

25


If to the Trustee:

The Company or the Trustee by written notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. Any notice or communication to the Company or the Trustee shall be deemed to have been given or made as of the date so delivered if personally delivered; when receipt is confirmed by telephone or electronic transmission report, if sent by facsimile; and three Business Days after mailing if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid (except that a notice of change of address shall not be deemed to have been given until actually received by the addressee).

Any notice or communication mailed to a Securityholder shall be mailed to such Securityholder by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at such Securityholder’s address shown on the register kept by the Registrar.

Failure to mail, or any defect in, a notice or communication to a Securityholder shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders. If a notice or communication to a Securityholder is mailed in the manner provided above, it shall be deemed duly given, three Business Days after such mailing, whether or not the addressee receives it.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service, or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impossible to mail any notice as required by this Indenture, then such method of notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient mailing of such notice.

In the case of Global Securities, notices or communications to be given to Securityholders shall be given to the Depository, in accordance with its applicable policies as in effect from time to time.

In addition to the manner provided for in the foregoing provisions, notices or communications to Securityholders shall be given by the Company by release made to Reuters Economic Services and Bloomberg Business News.

10.3. COMMUNICATIONS BY HOLDERS WITH OTHER HOLDERS.

Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or any other Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and any other Person shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

10.4. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

(1) an Officers’ Certificate (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 10.5 below) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(2) an Opinion of Counsel (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 10.5 below) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

10.5. STATEMENT REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE AND OPINION.

Each certificate and opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Section 4.4) shall include:

(1) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(3) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, it or he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable it or him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such covenant or condition has been complied with.

 

26


10.6. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at meetings of Securityholders. The Registrar and Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.

10.7. BUSINESS DAYS; LEGAL HOLIDAYS; PLACE OF PAYMENT.

A “Business Day” is a day that is not a Legal Holiday. A “Legal Holiday” is a Saturday, a Sunday, a federally-recognized holiday or a day on which banking institutions are not authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to be open in the State of New York.

If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a Place of Payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. “Place of Payment” means the place or places where the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, the Securities of a Series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 2.2. If the regular record date is a Legal Holiday, the record date shall not be affected.

10.8. GOVERNING LAW.

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.

10.9. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan, security or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof. No such indenture, loan, security or debt agreement may be used to interpret this Indenture.

10.10. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.

A director, officer, employee, stockholder or incorporator, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. Such waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Securities.

10.11. SUCCESSORS.

All covenants and agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind the Company’s successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not. All agreements of the Trustee, any additional trustee and any Paying Agents in this Indenture shall bind their respective successors and assigns.

10.12. MULTIPLE COUNTERPARTS.

The parties may sign multiple counterparts of this Indenture. Each signed counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all of them together represent one and the same agreement.

10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC.

The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

10.14. SEVERABILITY.

Each provision of this Indenture shall be considered separable, and if for any reason any provision which is not essential to the effectuation of the basic purpose of this Indenture or the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and a Holder shall have no claim therefor against any party hereto.

 

27


10.15. SECURITIES IN A FOREIGN CURRENCY OR IN EUROS.

Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars (including Euros), then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, in the case of Euros, Market Exchange Rate shall mean the rate of exchange determined by the Commission of the European Union (or any successor thereto) as published in the Official Journal of the European Union (such publication or any successor publication, the “Journal”). If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, in the case of Euros, the rate of exchange as published in the Journal, as of the most recent available date, or quotations or, in the case of Euros, rates of exchange from one or more major banks in New York City or in the country of issue of the currency in question or, in the case of Euros, in Luxembourg or such other quotations or, in the case of Euros, rates of exchange as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in the Trustee’s sole discretion, and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.

10.16. JUDGMENT CURRENCY.

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, or other amount on, the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures, the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a Business Day, in which instance, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures, the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the Business Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)) in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

28


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

By:

 

 

  Name:  

 

  Title:  

 

 

[Name of Trustee]

By:

 

 

  Name:  

 

  Title:  

 

 

By:

 

 

  Name:  

 

  Title:  

 

 

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Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

March 15, 2023

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

400 East Jamie Court, Suite 300

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

At your request, we have examined the automatically effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 ASR filed by DICE Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 15, 2023 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the offering and sale from time to time of (i) shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) one or more series of debt securities (the “Debt Securities”) issuable pursuant to an indenture (the “Indenture”) by and between the Company and a financial institution to be identified therein as trustee (the “Trustee”), (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), (v) subscription rights to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities (the “Subscription Rights”), and/or (vi) units consisting of any combination of such foregoing securities described in clauses (i) through (v) above (the “Units”). The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” The Securities may be sold from time to time by the Company as set forth in the Registration Statement, the prospectus contained within the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) and supplements to the Prospectus.

We advise you that we have also examined (i) the sales agreement prospectus filed, together with the Registration Statement and Prospectus, with the Commission on March 15, 2023 (the “Sales Agreement Prospectus”) relating to the sale by the Company through BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofA”) and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel” and, together with BofA, the “Sales Agents”), from time to time of shares of Common Stock (the “Placement Shares”) having an aggregate maximum offering price of up to $150,000,000 pursuant to the Registration Statement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus for the sale of the Placement Shares included in the Registration Statement, and (ii) that certain ATM Equity OfferingTM Sales Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2023, by and between the Company and the Sales Agents (the “Sales Agreement”).

In connection with our opinions expressed below we have examined originals or copies of the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”) and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws” and, together with the Restated Certificate, as each may be amended, modified or restated, the “Charter Documents”), certain corporate proceedings of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and stockholders relating to the Registration Statement, the Company’s Restated Certificate and Bylaws, and such other agreements, documents, certificates and statements of the Company, its transfer agent and public or government officials, as we have deemed advisable, and have examined such questions of law as we have considered necessary. We have assumed, and express no opinion as to, the genuineness of all signatures on documents submitted to us, the authenticity and completeness of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals and completeness of all documents submitted to us as copies, the legal capacity of all persons or entities (except for the Company) executing the same, the absence of any undisclosed termination, modification, waiver or amendment to any document reviewed by us, the absence of any other extrinsic agreements or documents that might change or affect the interpretation or terms of documents we have reviewed, and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all such documents where due authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. In giving our opinion, we have also relied upon a good standing certificate regarding the Company issued by the Delaware Secretary of State dated March 15, 2023 and a management certificate addressed to us and dated of even date herewith executed by the Company containing certain factual representations (the “Management Certificate”).


We also have assumed that any certificates or instruments representing the Securities, including the Placement Shares, will be, when issued, properly signed by authorized officers of the Company, and, in the case of Debt Securities, properly authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to the intended recipients with the intent that the Company be bound thereby. Furthermore, with respect to the Company’s uncertificated capital stock, we assume that issued Common Stock, including any Placement Shares, will not be reissued by the Company in uncertificated form until any previously issued stock certificate representing such issued Common Stock has been surrendered to the Company in accordance with Section 158 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, and that the Company will properly register the transfer of the Common Stock to the purchasers of such Common Stock on the Company’s record of uncertificated securities. We also have assumed that the Indenture at the time of execution, authentication, issuance and delivery of the Debt Securities will be a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.

As to matters of fact relevant to this opinion, we have relied solely upon our examination of the documents referred to above and the Management Certificate and have assumed the current accuracy and completeness of the information obtained from the documents referred to above and the representations and warranties made by representatives of the Company to us, including but not limited to those set forth in the Management Certificate. We have made no independent investigation or other attempt to verify the accuracy of any of such information or to determine the existence or non-existence of any other factual matters.

We are admitted to practice law in the State of California and we render this opinion only with respect to, and express no opinion herein concerning the application or effect of the laws of any jurisdiction other than (i) the existing laws of the State of California, (ii) the Delaware General Corporation Law, and (iii) solely with respect to whether or not the Debt Securities are the valid and binding obligations of the Company, the existing laws of the state of New York (clauses (i) through (iii) collectively, the “Applicable Laws”). To the extent that any Warrant Agreement, Subscription Rights Agreement or Unit Agreement (each as defined below) is governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California, our opinion expressed below assumes that Internal California Law (as defined below) will exclusively apply to and govern such Warrant Agreement, Subscription Rights Agreement or Unit Agreement, without regard to any interpretation or construction that might be indicated by the laws stated as governing any such Warrant Agreement, Subscription Rights Agreement or Unit Agreement. As used herein “Internal California Law means the internal laws of the State of California applicable to a contract made by California residents in the State of California that selects California law as the governing law of such contract, without regard to any laws or equitable principles regarding choice of law, conflict of laws or public policies that might make any other law(s) applicable. Without limitation, we express no opinion with respect to the federal laws of the United States of America or the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state or any local or regional laws.

In connection with our opinions expressed below, we have assumed that, (i) at or prior to the time of the delivery of any of the Securities, including the Placement Shares, there will not have occurred any change in the law or the facts affecting the validity of the Securities, (ii) if any Debt Securities are issued, such Debt Securities will only be issued pursuant to the Indenture in the form filed with the Registration Statement as an exhibit and that there will not have occurred any change in law affecting the enforceability of the Debt Securities or the Indenture, (iii) all applicable covenants binding on or applicable to the Company restricting the issuance of Debt Securities will have been validly waived, (iv) the Registration Statement and any amendments (including any necessary post-effective amendments) automatically became effective upon filing under the Securities Act, (v) at the time of the offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, including the Placement Shares, no stop order suspending the Registration Statement’s effectiveness will have been issued and remain in effect, (vi) no future amendments will be made to the Charter Documents that would be in conflict with or inconsistent with the Company’s right and ability to issue the Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, (vii) at the time of each offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, the Company will have a sufficient number of authorized and unissued and unreserved shares of the applicable class or series of its capital stock included in (or purchasable upon exercise or conversion of) the Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, so issued and sold (after taking into account all other outstanding securities of the Company which may require the Company to issue shares of such applicable class or series) to be able to issue all such shares, and (viii) all purchasers of Securities, including without limitation the purchasers of the Placement Shares, will timely pay in full to the Company all amounts they have agreed to pay to purchase such Securities, including the Placement Shares, as approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, and that the purchase price of any Securities, including the Placement Shares, that are shares of capital


stock will not be less than the par value thereof. We also have assumed that the terms of any Debt Securities to be established subsequent to the date hereof, the issuance and delivery of Securities, including the Placement Shares, subsequent to the date hereof and the compliance by the Company with the terms of such Securities, including the Placement Shares, will not violate any applicable law (including, without limitation, any law relating to usury or similar laws) or result in a violation of any provision of any of the Charter Documents or of any instrument or agreement then binding upon the Company or any restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.

This opinion is qualified by, and is subject to, and we render no opinion with respect to, the following limitations and exceptions to the enforceability of the Debt Securities:

 

  (1)

The effect of the laws of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, assignment for the benefit of creditors, and other similar laws now or hereinafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, including the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent transfers or preferential transfers.

 

  (2)

The effect of general principles of equity and similar principles, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, public policy and unconscionability, and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

  (3)

The effect of laws relating to usury or permissible rates of interest for loans, forbearances or the use of money.

We express no opinion regarding the effectiveness of any waiver or stay, extension or of unknown future rights. Further, we express no opinion regarding the effect of provisions relating to indemnification, exculpation or contribution to the extent such provisions may be held unenforceable as contrary to federal or state securities laws or public policy.

The Company has informed us that the Company intends to issue the Securities, including without limitation the Placement Shares, from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis. This opinion is limited to the Applicable Laws, including the rules and regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date hereof. We are basing this opinion on our understanding that, prior to issuing any Securities, excluding the Placement Shares, in connection with the Registration Statement, the Company will advise us in writing of the terms thereof and other information material thereto, will afford us an opportunity to review the operative documents pursuant to which such Securities are to be issued (including the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable supplement to the Prospectus, as then in effect) and will file such supplement or amendment to this opinion (if any) as we may reasonably consider necessary or appropriate with respect to such Securities. However, we undertake no responsibility to monitor the Company’s future compliance with applicable laws, rules or regulations of the Commission or other governmental body. In particular, except with respect to the Placement Shares, we assume that the Company will obtain the requisite approval of the Board and the requisite approval of its stockholders, if required by the laws of the State of Delaware and the Charter Documents, or if necessary because the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized but unissued and unreserved shares of its capital stock at the time of issuance to comply with any Securities. Except with respect to the Placement Shares, we also assume the Company will timely file any and all supplements to the Registration Statement and Prospectus as are necessary to comply with applicable laws in effect from time to time and duly amend its Restated Certificate to increase the authorized number of shares of its capital stock as necessary if the number of such shares to be sold pursuant to the Registration Statement would cause the Company to issue more such shares than it has authorized and unissued and unreserved.

With respect to our opinion expressed in paragraph (7) below, we have assumed that, upon the issuance of any of the Placement Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and reserved for future issuance will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Certificate of Incorporation, as then in effect.


Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and exceptions contained herein, we are of the following opinion:

1. With respect to the shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the Registration Statement (other than the Placement Shares), when (i) the issuance of and the terms of the offering of such shares of Common Stock and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws and (ii) if required, certificates representing the shares of Common Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered either (a) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Common Stock, upon payment of the consideration therefor (in an amount not less than the par value of the Common Stock) provided for therein and approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, or (b) upon conversion or exercise of any other security of the Company, in accordance with the terms of such security or the instrument governing such security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board, for the consideration approved by the Board (in an amount not less than the par value per share of the Common Stock), then such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

2. With respect to any particular series of shares of Preferred Stock registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (i) the issuance and terms of such shares of Preferred Stock, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, including the adoption of a certificate of designation relating to such Preferred Stock conforming to the Company’s Restated Certificate and Bylaws and the Delaware General Corporation Law (a “Certificate”) and the filing of such Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (or the filing of an amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to similar effect), have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws and (ii) if required, certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered either (a) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, upon payment of the consideration therefor (in an amount not less than the par value per share of such Preferred Stock) provided for therein and approved by the Board or (b) upon conversion or exercise of any other security of the Company, in accordance with the terms of such security or the instrument governing such security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board, for the consideration approved by the Board (in an amount not less than the par value per share of the Preferred Stock), then such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3. With respect to any Debt Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (i) the issuance of such Debt Securities has been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (ii) an Indenture relating to such Debt Securities in the form filed with the Registration Statement as an exhibit has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by each of the Company (by duly authorized officers of the Company) and the Trustee, (iii) the form and terms of the Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the Indenture pursuant to resolutions duly adopted by the Board and as set forth in an officer’s certificate or supplemental indenture duly authorized by the Board in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws and duly executed by an authorized officer of the Company, and (iv) instruments representing such Debt Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and any supplement thereto, and issued, sold and delivered in the manner and for the consideration approved by the Board and stated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any prospectus supplement relating thereto (as amended as of the date of such issuance, sale and delivery), any applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement and upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then the Debt Securities will be validly issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

4. With respect to any Warrants registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (i) the issuance and terms of such Warrants, the terms, execution and delivery of the warrant agreement relating to the Warrants (“Warrant Agreement”), the terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (ii) the Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company, and (iii) such Warrants have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Warrant Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration


therefor provided for therein and approved by the Board, such Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

5. With respect to any Subscription Rights registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (i) the issuance and terms of such Subscription Rights, the terms, execution and delivery of the subscription rights agreement relating to the Subscription Rights (“Subscription Rights Agreement”), the terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the Charter Documents and Applicable Laws, (ii) the Subscription Rights Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company, and (iii) such Subscription Rights have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Subscription Rights Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein and approved by the Board, such Subscription Rights will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

6. With respect to any Units registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, when (i) the conditions outlined in the immediately preceding paragraphs (1) through (5) that apply to the Securities that make up such Units are all met, (ii) the issuance and terms of such Units, the terms, execution and delivery of the unit purchase agreement relating to such Units (“Unit Agreement”), the terms of the offering thereof and related matters have been duly authorized by all required corporate action of the Board and, if required, of the stockholders of the Company, (iii) the Unit Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company, and (iv) such Units have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company by duly authorized officers of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Unit Agreement and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein and approved by the Board, such Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

7. The Placement Shares, to be issued and sold by the Company, have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued, sold and delivered in the manner of and for consideration (of not less than par value per share of the Common Stock) in the manner contemplated by the Sales Agreement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus and in accordance with the resolutions duly adopted and to be duly adopted by the Board and to be duly adopted by the Placement Committee of the Board with respect to the offer, sale and issuance of the Placement Shares, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to all references to us, if any, in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Sales Agreement Prospectus constituting parts thereof and any amendments thereto. In giving this consent we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the Securities Act or by the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

[Concluding Paragraph Follows on Next Page]

 

5


This opinion is intended solely for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose. In providing this letter, we are opining only as to the specific legal issues expressly set forth above, and no opinion shall be inferred as to any other matter or matters. This opinion is rendered on, and speaks only as of, the date of this letter first written above, is based solely on our understanding of facts in existence as of such date after the aforementioned examination and does not address any potential changes in facts, circumstance or law that may occur after the date of this opinion letter. We assume no obligation to advise you of any fact, circumstance, event or change in the law or the facts that may hereafter be brought to our attention whether or not such occurrence would affect or modify any of the opinions expressed herein.

 

Very truly yours,
/S/ FENWICK & WEST LLP
FENWICK & WEST LLP

 

6

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in the Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of DICE Therapeutics, Inc. for the registration of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants, Subscription Rights and Units, and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 15, 2023, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of DICE Therapeutics, Inc., included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Jose, California

March 15, 2023

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Fee Filing Tables

Form S-3

(Form Type)

DICE Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1 – Newly Registered Securities

                 
      Security
Type
   Security
Class
Title
   Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward
Rule
   Amount
Registered
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit
  Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price
   Fee
Rate
   Amount of
Registration
Fee
 

Newly Registered Securities

                 

Fees to be

Paid

   Equity    Common stock,

par value $0.0001

per share

   Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Equity    Preferred stock,

par value $0.0001
per share

   Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Debt    Debt securities    Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Other    Warrants    Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Other    Subscription

Rights

   Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Other    Units    Rule 456(b)
and
Rule 457(r)
              
                 
     Equity       Rule 457(o)
and
Rule 457(r)
   $150,000,000(1)   N/A(2)   $150,000,000    $0.00011020    $16,530
                 

Fees

Previously

Paid

                     
 

Carry Forward Securities

                 

Carry

Forward

Securities

                     
           
     Total Offering Amounts      $150,000,000        
           
     Total Fees Previously Paid             
           
     Total Fee Offsets             
           
     Net Fee Due        $16,530          
(1)

There is being registered hereunder an unspecified number of shares of (a) common stock, (b) preferred stock, (c) debt securities, (d) warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities of the Registrant, (e) subscription rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities of the Registrant, and (f) units, consisting of some or all of these securities in any combination, as may be sold from time to time by the Registrant. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder. There is also being registered hereunder an unspecified number of shares of common stock, preferred stock and debt securities as shall be issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities that provide for such issuance. In no event will the aggregate offering price of all types of securities issued by the Registrant pursuant to this registration statement exceed $150,000,000. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction.

(2)

The proposed maximum offering price per share and proposed maximum aggregate offering price for each type of security will be determined from time to time by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.