U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

☒   QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended: December 31, 2017

 

OR

 

☐    TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from ______________ to ______________

 

Commission File Number 333-170781

 

Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Nevada   27-3425913
( State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization )
  ( IRS Employer
Identification No. )

 

11 Commerce Drive, First Floor, Cranford, NJ 07016

( Address of principal executive offices and zip code )

 

(908) 967-6677

( Registrant’s telephone number, including area code )

 

 

( Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report )

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to filed such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒   No ☐

 

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.

 

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes ☐  No ☒

 

As of February 7, 2018, there were 9,975,518 of common stock, $0.001 par value, of the registrant issued and outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

FORM 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS

December 31, 2017

 

    Page
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION:  
     
Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited)  
   Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017 1
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 2
  Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 3
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 4
  Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 5
     
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 12
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 15
Item 4. Controls and Procedures 15
     
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Legal Proceedings 16
Item 1A. Risk Factors 16
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 16
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities 16
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 16
Item 5. Other Information 16
Item 6. Exhibits 16
   
  SIGNATURES 17

 

 

 

 

 EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and unless the context otherwise requires the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC and Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc., taken as a whole.

 

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that express our intentions, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions or any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements due to numerous factors discussed from time to time in this report and in other documents which we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, such statements could be affected by risks and uncertainties related to:

 

our ability to raise funds for general corporate purposes and operations, including our clinical trials;
the commercial feasibility and success of our technology;
our ability to recruit qualified management and technical personnel;
the success of our clinical trials;
our ability to obtain and maintain required regulatory approvals for our products; and
the other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and elsewhere in this report.

 

The foregoing list does not contain all of the risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and except as may be required under applicable securities laws; we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the filing date of this report.

 

 

 

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

(Unaudited)

 

    December 31,     September 30,  
    2017     2017  
ASSETS            
Current Assets:            
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 7,370,697     $ 3,204,108  
Prepaid expenses     110,817       220,246  
Total Current Assets     7,481,514       3,424,354  
                 
Property and Equipment, Net of Accumulated Depreciation of $8,054 and $7,412     2,594       3,236  
                 
Other Assets:                
Deposits     2,167       2,167  
In-process research and development     19,400,000       19,400,000  
Goodwill     1,586,796       1,586,796  
Total Other Assets     20,988,963       20,988,963  
                 
Total Assets   $ 28,473,071     $ 24,416,553  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
Current Liabilities:                
Accounts payable   $ 561,160     $ 602,431  
Accrued expenses     616,213       560,918  
Accrued compensation     1,203,376       1,063,000  
Accrued interest – related parties     45,401       42,209  
Notes payable – related parties     172,970       172,970  
Due to related party     17,637       27,637  
Total Current Liabilities     2,616,757       2,469,165  
                 
Commitments and Contingencies                
                 
Stockholders’ Equity:                
Preferred stock – $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding            
Common stock – $0.001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 9,975,518 and 8,345,844 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017, respectively     9,976       8,346  
Additional paid-in capital     56,813,704       49,660,242  
Accumulated deficit     (30,967,366 )     (27,721,200 )
Total Stockholders’ Equity     25,856,314       21,947,388  
                 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity   $ 28,473,071     $ 24,416,553  

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  1  

 

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016

(Unaudited)

 

    Three Months Ended  
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2017     2016  
             
Revenues   $     $  
                 
Operating Expenses                
Research and development     606,521       1,411,159  
General and administrative     2,346,240       1,132,183  
Stock-based compensation expense – general and administrative     290,021       241,514  
Total Operating Expenses     3,242,782       2,784,856  
                 
Operating Loss     (3,242,782 )     (2,784,856 )
                 
Other Income (Expense), Net                
Gain on revaluation of derivative warrant liability           622,186  
Interest expense     (3,384 )     (13,228 )
Total Other Income (Expense), Net     (3,384 )     608,958  
                 
Loss before Income Taxes     (3,246,166 )     (2,175,898 )
Income tax benefit            
                 
Net Loss   $ (3,246,166 )   $ (2,175,898 )
                 
Net Loss Per Share - Basic and Diluted   $ (0.38 )   $ (0.44 )
                 
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding                
Basic and diluted     8,605,046       4,903,425  

    

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  2  

 

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017

(Unaudited)

 

                Additional           Total  
    Preferred     Common Stock     Paid-In     Accumulated     Stockholders’  
    Stock     Shares     Amount     Capital     Deficit     Equity  
                                     
Balance, October 1, 2017   $        —       8,345,844     $ 8,346     $ 49,660,242     $ (27,721,200 )   $ 21,947,388  
Issuance of common stock in registered direct offering, net of costs of $525,566           1,280,360       1,280       5,481,243             5,482,523  
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of warrants           289,314       290       1,124,858             1,125,148  
Issuance of common stock for release agreement           60,000       60       257,340             257,400  
Stock-based compensation expense                       290,021             290,021  
Net loss                             (3,246,166 )     (3,246,166 )
                                                 
Balance, December 31, 2017   $       9,975,518     $ 9,976     $ 56,813,704     $ (30,967,366 )   $ 25,856,314  

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  3  

 

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016

(Unaudited)

 

    2017     2016  
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:            
Net loss   $ (3,246,166 )   $ (2,175,898 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:                
Gain on revaluation of derivative warrant liability           (622,186 )
Stock-based compensation expense     290,021       241,514  
Issuance of common stock for release agreement     257,400        
Depreciation     642       672  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
Prepaid expenses     109,429       154,958  
Accounts payable     (41,271 )     76,709  
Accrued expenses     55,295       888,961  
Accrued compensation     140,376       107,250  
Accrued interest, related parties     3,192       13,228  
Due to related party     (10,000 )      
Net Cash Used In Operating Activities     (2,441,082 )     (1,314,792 )
                 
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:                
Proceeds from notes payable - related parties           820,000  
Proceeds from common stock warrant exercises     1,125,148        
Net proceeds from registered direct offering     5,482,523        
Net proceeds from private placements           247,205  
Net Cash Provided By Financing Activities     6,607,671       1,067,205  
                 
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents     4,166,589       (247,587 )
Cash and Cash Equivalents - Beginning of Period     3,204,108       294,351  
                 
Cash and Cash Equivalents - End of Period   $ 7,370,697     $ 46,764  
                 
Supplemental Disclosures Of Cash Flow Information and Non-cash Transactions:                
Interest paid   $ 192     $  
Reclassification of derivative warrant liability to additional paid-in capital   $     $ 149,209  
Par value of common stock issued upon cashless exercise of warrants   $ 17     $  

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  4  

 

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016

(Unaudited)

 

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS, BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Business

 

Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Citius” or the “Company”) is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of critical care products targeting unmet needs with a focus on anti-infectives, cancer care and unique prescription products. The Company was founded as Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a Massachusetts limited liability company, on January 23, 2007. On September 12, 2014, Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC entered into a Share Exchange and Reorganization Agreement with Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly Trail One, Inc.), a publicly traded company incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada. Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Citius.

 

On March 30, 2016, Citius acquired Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc. (“LMB”) as a wholly-owned subsidiary (see “Acquisition of Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc.” below).

 

Citius is subject to a number of risks common to companies in the pharmaceutical industry including, but not limited to, risks related to the development by Citius or its competitors of research and development stage products, market acceptance of its products, competition from larger companies, dependence on key personnel, dependence on key suppliers and strategic partners, the Company’s ability to obtain additional financing and the Company’s compliance with governmental and other regulations.

 

Acquisition of Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc.

 

On March 30, 2016, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock of Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc. (“LMB”) by issuing 1,942,456 shares of its common stock. As of March 30, 2016, the stockholders of LMB received approximately 41% of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company. In addition, the Company converted the outstanding common stock warrants of LMB into 243,020 common stock warrants of the Company and converted the outstanding common stock options of LMB into 77,252 common stock options of the Company.

 

The net assets of LMB acquired, including identifiable intangible assets of $19,400,000 related to in-process research and development, amounted to $17,428,277.

 

The fair value of LMB’s net assets acquired on the date of the acquisition, based on management’s analysis of the $17,482,093 fair value of the shares of common stock issued, the $1,071,172 fair value of the common stock warrants issued, and the $461,808 fair value of the vested portion of the common stock options issued was $19,015,073.

 

The Company recorded goodwill of $1,586,796 for the excess of the purchase price of $19,015,073 over the net assets acquired of $17,428,277.

 

In-process research and development represents the value of LMB’s leading drug candidate which is an antibiotic solution used to treat catheter-related bloodstream infections (Mino-Lok™) and is expected to be amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of eight years commencing upon revenue generation. Goodwill represents the value of LMB’s industry relationships and its assembled workforce. Goodwill will not be amortized but will be tested at least annually for impairment.

 

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Preparation  — The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the operations of Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC, and LMB. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information, without being audited, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary to make the financial statements not misleading have been included. Operating results for the three months ended December 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending September 30, 2018. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

  5  

 

 

There have been no recently issued accounting pronouncements that have had or are expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

Use of Estimates  — Our accounting principles require our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates having relatively higher significance include the accounting for acquisitions, stock-based compensation, valuation of warrants, and income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in estimates may occur.

 

Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Common Share  — Basic and diluted net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss in each period by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during such period. For the periods presented, common stock equivalents, consisting of options, warrants and convertible securities were not included in the calculation of the diluted loss per share because they were anti-dilutive.

 

Income Taxes  — We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences or events that have been included in our condensed consolidated financial statements and/or tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are based upon the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and liabilities and for loss and credit carryforwards using enacted tax rates expected to be in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

 

We provide reserves for potential payments of tax to various tax authorities related to uncertain tax positions when management determines that it is probable that a loss will be incurred related to these matters and the amount of the loss is reasonably determinable.

 

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“the Act”), was signed into law by the President of the United States. The Act includes a number of changes, including the lowering of the U.S. corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018, and the establishment of a territorial-style system for taxing foreign-source income of domestic multinational corporations. The Company has determined and completed the accounting for certain income tax effects of Act in the current reporting period. As the Company records a valuation allowance for its entire deferred income tax asset, there was no impact to the reported amounts in these financials statements as a result of the Act.

 

2. GOING CONCERN UNCERTAINTY AND MANAGEMENT’S PLAN

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company experienced negative cash flows from operations of $2,441,082 for the three months ended December 31, 2017. The Company has generated no operating revenue to date and has principally raised capital through the issuance of debt and equity instruments to finance its operations. At December 31, 2017, the Company had limited capital to fund its operations. This raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

The Company plans to raise capital through equity financings from outside investors as well as raise additional funds from existing investors and continued borrowings under related party debt agreements. There is no assurance, however, that the Company will be successful in raising the needed capital and, if funding is available, that it will be available on terms acceptable to the Company. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of the above uncertainty.

 

3. PATENT AND TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

LMB has a patent and technology license agreement with Novel Anti-Infective Therapeutics, Inc., (“NAT”) to develop and commercialize Mino-Lok™ on an exclusive, worldwide sub licensable basis, as amended. Since May 2014, LMB has paid an annual maintenance fee of $30,000 that increases over five years to $90,000, until commercial sales of a product subject to the license commence. Since the acquisition of LMB, the Company recorded maintenance fee expense of $50,000 and $45,000 during the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, under the terms of this agreement. There was no maintenance fee expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

  6  

 

 

LMB will also pay annual royalties on net sales of licensed products, with royalties ranging from the mid-single digits to the low double digits. In limited circumstances in which the licensed product is not subject to a valid patent claim and a competitor is selling a competing product, the royalty rate is in the low-single digits. After a commercial sale is obtained, LMB must pay minimum aggregate annual royalties of $100,000 in the first commercial year which is prorated for a less than 12-month period, increasing $25,000 per year to a maximum of $150,000 annually. LMB must also pay NAT up to $1,390,000 upon achieving specified regulatory and sales milestones. Finally, LMB must pay NAT a specified percentage of payments received from any sub licensees.

 

Unless earlier terminated by NAT, based on the failure to achieve certain development and commercial milestones, the license agreement remains in effect until the date that all patents licensed under the agreement have expired and all patent applications within the licensed patent rights have been cancelled, withdrawn or expressly abandoned.

 

4. NOTES PAYABLE – RELATED PARTIES

 

The aggregate principal balance as of December 31, 2017 consists of notes payable held by our Chairman, Leonard Mazur, in the amount of $160,470 and notes payable held by our Chief Executive Officer, Myron Holubiak, in the amount of $12,500. Notes with an aggregate principal balance of $104,000 accrue interest at the prime rate plus 1.0% per annum and notes with an aggregate principal balance of $68,970 accrue interest at 12% per annum.

 

Interest expense on notes payable – related parties was $3,192 and $13,228, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

5. DERIVATIVE WARRANT LIABILITY

 

Derivative financial instruments are recognized as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet and measured at fair value. At December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the Company had no outstanding warrants that were considered to be derivative instruments although the Company did have such warrants outstanding during the three months ended December 31, 2016.

 

The Company performed valuations of these warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model which value was also compared to a Binomial Option Pricing Model for reasonableness. The Black-Scholes option pricing model requires input of assumptions including the risk-free interest rates, volatility, expected life and dividends. Selection of these inputs involves management’s judgment and may impact net loss. Due to our limited operating history and limited number of sales of our common stock, we estimate our volatility based on a number of factors including the volatility of comparable publicly traded pharmaceutical companies. The volatility factor used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model has a significant effect on the resulting valuation of the derivative liabilities on our balance sheet. The volatility calculated at December 31, 2016 was 76%. We used a risk-free interest rate of 1.93%, estimated lives of 4.02 to 4.32 years, which were the remaining contractual lives of the warrants subject to “down round” provisions, and no dividends to our common stock.

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2016, anti-dilution rights related to warrants to purchase 583,334 shares of common stock expired which resulted in a reclassification from derivative warrant liability to additional paid-in capital of $149,209.

 

The table below presents the changes in the derivative warrant liability, which is measured at fair value on a recurring basis and classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy:

 

   

Three Months

Ended

December 31,

2017

   

Three Months

Ended

December 31,

2016

 
Derivative warrant liability, beginning of period   $     $ 1,681,973  
Fair value of warrants issued            
Total realized/unrealized gains included in net loss           (622,186 )
Reclassification of liability to additional paid-in capital           (149,209 )
Derivative warrant liability, end of period   $     $ 910,578  

 

  7  

 

 

6. COMMON STOCK, STOCK OPTIONS AND WARRANTS

 

Common Stock

 

On June 9, 2017, the Company affected a 1-for-15 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock, $0.001 par value. Under the terms of the reverse stock split, fractional shares issuable to stockholders were rounded up to the nearest whole share, resulting in a reverse split slightly less than 1-for-15 in the aggregate. All per share amounts and number of shares (other than authorized shares) in these consolidated financial statements and related notes have been retroactively restated to reflect the reverse stock split.

 

2016 Private Offering

 

In October 2016, the Company commenced an offering (the “2016 Offering”) of units at a price of $6.00 per unit (the “2016 Offering Units”). Each 2016 Offering Unit consists of (i) one share of common stock and (ii) a warrant to purchase one share of common stock (the “2016 Offering Warrants”) at an exercise price of $8.25 exercisable for five years from the date of issuance.  The placement agent for the 2016 Offering will receive a 10% cash commission on the gross proceeds of each sale of the 2016 Offering Units.  In addition, on each closing the placement agent will also receive (i) an expense allowance equal to 3% of the proceeds of the sale, and (ii) warrants to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal to 10% of the 2016 Offering Units sold at an exercise price of $8.25 per share.

 

On November 23, 2016, the Company sold 65,000 of the 2016 Offering Units for gross proceeds of $390,000.  The estimated fair value of the warrants included in the 2016 Offering Units sold to the investors was $234,505. Additionally, a warrant to purchase 6,500 shares of common stock was granted to the placement agent pursuant to the above pricing terms. The estimated fair value of the warrant granted to the placement agent was $23,451. The placement agent was paid commissions and an expense allowance of $50,700. Other costs of the placement were $156,896 including deferred offering costs of $64,801.

 

On June 8, 2017, the Company entered into release agreements with the investors in the 2016 Offering where each investor released the Company from the restrictions on certain corporate actions that were included in the unit purchase agreements. In connection with the release agreements the Company repriced the sale of the units to $4.125 per unit and repriced the warrants to an exercise price of $4.125 per share on August 8, 2017.

 

2017 Public Offering and Release Agreement

 

On August 8, 2017, the Company closed a public offering of 1,648,484 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 1,648,484 shares of common stock at an offering price of $4.125 per share and $0.01 per warrant. The warrants have a per share exercise price of $4.125, are exercisable immediately and will expire five years from the date of issuance.  The gross proceeds from this offering were $6,802,469, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses of $685,573. The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 247,272 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 247,272 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments. On August 8, 2017, the underwriters partially exercised the over-allotment and purchased the additional 247,272 warrants. The estimated fair value of the 1,895,756 warrants issued to the investors was $4,160,195 and the estimated fair value of the 65,940 warrants issued to the underwriters was $142,419.

 

On November 7, 2017, the Company entered into a release agreement with the underwriter. The Company had previously granted a right of first refusal to underwrite all equity and debt offerings for a period of twelve months following completion of the 2017 public offering (“Right of First Refusal”). Under the release, the Company agreed to pay the underwriter $100,000 in cash and issue 60,000 shares of restricted common stock with a fair value of $257,400 in exchange for a full release from all obligations related to the Right of First Refusal. The Company expensed the $357,400 cost of the release agreement during the three months ended December 31, 2017.

 

2017 Registered Direct/Private Placement Offering

 

On December 19, 2017, the Company closed a registered direct offering with several institutional and accredited investors for the purchase of 1,280,360 shares of common stock at $4.6925 per share for gross proceeds of $6,008,089. Simultaneously, the Company issued privately to the investors 640,180 immediately exercisable five and a half year warrants at $4.63 per share. The Company paid the placement agent for the offering a fee of 7% of the gross proceeds totaling $420,566 and issued the placement agent 89,625 immediately exercisable five year warrants at $5.8656 per share. The Company also reimbursed the placement agent for $85,000 in expenses and incurred $20,000 in other expenses. Net proceeds from the offering were $5,482,523.

 

The estimated fair value of the 640,180 warrants issued to the investors was $2,407,276 and the estimated fair value of the 89,625 warrants issued to the placement agent was $316,071.

 

Unit Purchase Options

 

On April 7, 2017, the Company issued a three-year Unit Purchase Option Agreement to a consultant for the purchase of 38,000 units at a purchase price of $9.00 per unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $9.00 per share which expires on the earlier of three years after exercise of the Unit Purchase Option Agreement or April 7, 2023. The consultant provided the Company with business development and financing assistance for the three months ended June 30, 2017. The Company estimated the fair value of the unit purchase option agreement at $104,138 and expensed it during the year ended September 30, 2017.

 

  8  

 

 

On June 29, 2017, the Company issued a three-year Unit Purchase Option Agreement to a consultant for the purchase of 62,667 units at a purchase price of $9.00 per unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $9.00 per share which expires on the earlier of three years after exercise of the Unit Purchase Option Agreement or June 29, 2022. The consultant provided the Company with business development and financing assistance through December 31, 2017. The Company estimated the fair value of the unit purchase option agreement at $193,860 and recorded it as a prepaid expense at June 30, 2017. The Company recorded an expense of $96,930 for this agreement during the year ended September 30, 2017 and expensed the remaining balance of $96,930 during the three months ended December 31, 2017.

 

Stock Options

 

On September 12, 2014, the Board of Directors adopted the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”) and reserved 866,667 shares of common stock for issuance to employees, directors and consultants. On September 12, 2014, the stockholders approved the plan. Pursuant to the 2014 Plan, the Board of Directors (or committees and/or executive officers delegated by the Board of Directors) may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, other stock-based awards and cash-based awards. As of December 31, 2017, there were options to purchase an aggregate of 861,039 shares of common stock outstanding under the 2014 Plan, options to purchase 4,829 shares were exercised, and 799 shares remain available for future grants.

 

The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Due to its limited operating history and limited number of sales of its Common Stock, the Company estimated its volatility in consideration of a number of factors including the volatility of comparable public companies. The Company uses historical data, as well as subsequent events occurring prior to the issuance of the consolidated financial statements, to estimate option exercises and employee terminations within the valuation model. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant commensurate with the expected term assumption. The expected term of stock options granted, all of which qualify as “plain vanilla,” is based on the average of the contractual term (generally 10 years) and the vesting period. For non-employee options, the expected term is the contractual term.

 

A summary of option activity under the 2014 Plan as of December 31, 2017 and the changes during the three months then ended is presented below:

 

Options   Shares    

 

Weighted-

Average

Exercise

Price

   

Weighted-

Average

Remaining

Contractual

Term

 

Aggregate

Intrinsic

Value

 
Outstanding at October 1, 2017     861,039     $ 6.69     8.37 years   $ 208,151  
Granted                        
Exercised                        
Forfeited or expired                        
Outstanding at December 31, 2017     861,039     $ 6.69     8.12 years   $ 347,559  
Exercisable at December 31, 2017     524,598     $ 7.76     7.24 years   $ 251,308  

  

Stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $290,021 and $241,514, respectively.

 

At December 31, 2017, unrecognized total compensation cost related to unvested awards of $940,560 is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.71 years.

 

  9  

 

 

Warrants

 

As of December 31, 2017, the Company has reserved shares of common stock for the exercise of outstanding warrants. The following table summarizes the warrants outstanding:

 

    Exercise price     Number     Expiration Dates
Investor Warrants   $ 9.00       226,671     September 12, 2019
Placement Agent Unit Warrants     9.00       90,668     September 12, 2019
Placement Agent Share Warrants     9.00       66,667     September 12, 2019
Investor Warrants     9.00       202,469     March 19, 2020 – September 14, 2020
Investor Warrants     9.00       307,778     November 5, 2020 – April 25, 2021
LMB Warrants     6.15       90,151     June 12, 2019 – March 2, 2021
LMB Warrants     9.90       8,155     September 30, 2019 – January 8, 2020
LMB Warrants     20.70       17,721     November 3, 2019 – March 6, 2020
LMB Warrants     7.50       73,883     August 18, 2020 – March 14, 2021
LMB Warrants     13.65       53,110     March 24, 2022 – April 29, 2022
Financial Advisor Warrants     3.00       25,833     August 15, 2021
2016 Offering Warrants     4.125       128,017     November 23, 2021 – February 27, 2022
2016 Offering Placement Agent Warrants     4.125       12,802     November 23, 2021 – February 27, 2022
Convertible Note Warrants     9.75       40,436     September 12, 2019
2017 Public Offering Warrants     4.125       1,622,989     August 2, 2022
2017 Public Offering Underwriter Warrants     4.5375       65,940     February 2, 2023
2017 Registered Direct/Private Placement Offering Investor Warrants     4.63       640,180     June 19, 2023
2017 Registered Direct/Private Placement Offering Placement Agent Warrants     5.8656       89,625     December 19, 2022
              3,763,095      

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2017, 40,834 of the Financial Advisor Warrants were exercised on a cashless basis resulting in the issuance of 16,547 shares of common stock and 272,767 of the 2017 Public Offering Warrants were exercised at $4.125 per share for net proceeds of $1,125,148.

 

See Note 6 (2017 Registered Direct/Private Placement Offering) for a description of the 2017 registered direct/private placement offering warrants and the registered direct/private placement offering placement agent warrants.

 

At December 31, 2017, the weighted average remaining life of all of the outstanding warrants is 4.09 years, all warrants are exercisable, and the aggregate intrinsic value for the warrants outstanding was $20,667. 

 

Common Stock Reserved 

 

A summary of common stock reserved for future issuances as of December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017 is as follows:

 

    December 31, 2017     September 30, 2017  
2014 Stock Incentive Plan options outstanding     861,039       861,039  
2014 Stock Incentive Plan available for future grants     799       799  
Warrants outstanding     3,763,095       3,346,891  
Unit purchase options outstanding     201,334       201,334  
Total     4,826,267       4,410,063  

 

7. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

As of December 31, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the Company owed $17,637 and $27,637, respectively, to a company affiliated through common ownership for the expenses the related party paid on the Company’s behalf and services performed by the related party.

 

Our Chairman of the Board, Leonard Mazur, is the cofounder and Vice Chairman of Akrimax Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Akrimax”), a privately held pharmaceutical company specializing in producing cardiovascular and general pharmaceutical products. The Company leases office space from Akrimax (see Note 8).

 

The Company has outstanding debt due to Leonard Mazur (Chairman of the Board) and Myron Holubiak (Chief Executive Officer) (see Note 4).

 

  10  

 

 

In connection with the 2017 Registered Direct/Private Placement Offering, Mr. Mazur purchased 213,106 shares of common stock at $4.6925 per share and received 106,553 warrants exercisable at $4.63 per share (See Note 6).

 

General and administrative expense for each of the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 includes $12,000 paid to a financial consultant who is a stockholder of the Company.

 

8. OPERATING LEASE

 

LMB leases office space from Akrimax (see Note 7) in Cranford, New Jersey at a monthly rental rate of $2,167 pursuant to an agreement which currently expires on October 31, 2018. Rent expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $6,501 in each period.

 

9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

On February 7, 2018, the Company held its annual stockholders meeting. The stockholders elected seven directors to serve until the 2019 annual meeting, ratified the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm, and approved the 2018 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan.

 

 

  11  

 

 

Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2017 should be read together with our unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report and in conjunction with the audited financial statements of Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017. The following discussion contains “forward-looking statements” that reflect our future plans, estimates, beliefs and expected performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated and expressed in such forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors. We caution that assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions or beliefs about future events may, and often do, vary from actual results and the differences can be material. Please see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

Historical Background

 

Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Citius” or the “Company”) is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of critical care products targeting unmet needs with a focus on anti-infectives, cancer care and unique prescription products. On September 12, 2014, we acquired Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Citius Pharmaceuticals, LLC was founded in Massachusetts in January 2007.

 

On March 30, 2016, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock of Leonard-Meron Biosciences, Inc. (“LMB”) by issuing 1,942,956 shares of its common stock. As of March 30, 2016, the stockholders of LMB received approximately 41% of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company. In addition, the Company converted the outstanding common stock warrants of LMB into 243,020 common stock warrants and converted the outstanding common stock options of LMB into 77,252 common stock options. Management estimated the fair value of the purchase consideration to be $19,015,073.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company acquired net assets of $17,428,277, including identifiable intangible assets of $19,400,000 related to in-process research and development. The Company recorded goodwill of $1,586,796 for the excess of the purchase price over the net assets acquired.

 

In-process research and development represents the value of LMB’s leading drug candidate, which is an antibiotic solution used to treat catheter-related bloodstream infections.  Goodwill represents the value of LMB’s industry relationships and its assembled workforce. In-process research and development is expected to be amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of eight years commencing upon revenue generation. Goodwill will not be amortized, but will be tested at least annually for impairment.

 

Through December 31, 2017, the Company has devoted substantially all of its efforts to product development, raising capital, building infrastructure through strategic alliances and coordinating activities relating to its proprietary products. On July 1, 2016, the Company announced that it was discontinuing Suprenza, its first commercial product, and was focusing on the Phase 3 development of Mino-Lok™, an antibiotic lock solution used to treat patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections, and the Phase 2b development of Hydro-Lido for hemorrhoids. The Company has not yet realized any revenues from its planned principal operations. 

 

Patent and Technology License Agreement

 

LMB has a patent and technology license agreement with Novel Anti-Infective Therapeutics, Inc., (“NAT”) to develop and commercialize Mino-Lok™ on an exclusive, worldwide sub-licensable basis, as amended. Since May 2014, LMB has paid an annual maintenance fee of $30,000 that increases over five years to $90,000, until commercial sales of a product subject to the license commence. LMB will also pay annual royalties on net sales of licensed products, with royalties ranging from the mid-single digits to the low double digits. In limited circumstances in which the licensed product is not subject to a valid patent claim and a competitor is selling a competing product, the royalty rate is in the low-single digits. After a commercial sale is obtained, LMB must pay minimum aggregate annual royalties that increase in subsequent years. LMB must also pay NAT up to $1,390,000 upon achieving specified regulatory and sales milestones. Finally, LMB must pay NAT a specified percentage of payments received from any sub licensees.

 

  12  

 

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Three months ended December 31, 2017 compared with the three months ended December 31, 2016

 

    Three Months Ended December 31, 2017     Three Months Ended December 31, 2016  
Revenues   $     $  
                 
Operating expenses:                
Research and development     606,521       1,411,159  
General and administrative     2,346,240       1,132,183  
Stock-based compensation expense     290,021       241,514  
Total operating expenses     3,242,782       2,784,856  
Operating loss     (3,242,782 )     (2,784,856 )
Gain on revaluation of derivative warrant liability             622,186  
Interest expense     (3,384 )     (13,228 )
Net loss   $ (3,246,166 )   $ (2,175,898 )

 

Revenues

 

We did not generate any revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

Research and Development Expenses

 

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, research and development expenses were $606,521 as compared to $1,411,159 during the three months ended December 31, 2016. The $804,638 decrease in 2017 was primarily due to a decrease of $782,452 in costs incurred by LMB on the development of Mino-Lok™. We expect that research and development expenses will increase in 2018 as we commence our Phase 3 trials of Mino-Lok™ and are actively seeking to raise additional capital in order to fund our research and development efforts.

 

General and Administrative Expenses

 

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, general and administrative expenses were $2,346,240 as compared to $1,132,183 during the three months ended December 31, 2016. The $1,214,057 increase in 2017 was primarily due to increased compensation costs, increased consulting fees incurred for financing activities and corporate development services, and increased investor relations fees. In addition, we incurred $357,400 in settlement costs for the termination of the right of first refusal agreement with the underwriter of our 2017 Public Offering.

 

Stock-based Compensation Expense

 

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, stock-based compensation expense was $290,021 as compared to $241,514 for the three months ended December 31, 2016. The $48,507 increase in expense includes the expense for options assumed in the acquisition of LMB, as well as recent grants to new directors and new employees.

 

Other Income (Expense)

 

There was no gain on revaluation of derivative warrant liability for the three months ended December 31, 2017 as there were no warrants classified as derivative warrants during the period. Gain on revaluation of derivative warrant liability for the three months ended December 31, 2016 was $622,186. The fair value of the derivative warrant liability fluctuates with changes in our stock price, volatility, remaining lives of the warrants, and interest rates. The gain for the three months ended December 31, 2016 was primarily due to a decrease in the fair value of our stock from $9.45 per share at September 30, 2016 to $6.60 per share at December 31, 2016.

 

Interest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $3,384 as recent borrowings from our Chairman were converted to common stock on August 8, 2017. Interest expense on the notes payables acquired in the acquisition of LMB and recent borrowings from our Chairman was $13,228 for the three months ended December 31, 2016.

 

Net Loss

 

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, we incurred a net loss of $3,246,166 compared to a net loss for the three months ended December 31, 2016 of $2,175,898. The $1,070,268 increase in the net loss was primarily due to the increase of $1,214,057 in general and administrative expenses and the $622,186 decrease in the gain on the revaluation of derivative warrant liability offset by the $804,638 decrease in research and development expenses.

 

  13  

 

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

Going Concern Uncertainty and Working Capital

 

Citius has incurred operating losses since inception and incurred a net loss of $3,246,166 for the three months ended December 31, 2017. At December 31, 2017, Citius had an accumulated deficit of $30,967,366. Citius’ net cash used in operations during the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $2,441,082.

 

Our independent registered accountants report on our September 30, 2017 consolidated financial statements contains an emphasis of a matter regarding substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern and that the consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern and do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets, or the amounts and classification of liabilities that may result if we do not continue as a going concern.

 

As of December 31, 2017, Citius had working capital of $4,864,757. Our limited working capital was attributable to the operating losses incurred by the Company since inception offset by our capital raising activities, including our December 2017 registered direct/private placement offering. At December 31, 2017, Citius had cash and cash equivalents of $7,370,697 available to fund its operations. The Company’s primary sources of cash flow since inception have been from financing activities. During the three months ended December 31, 2017, the Company received net proceeds of $6,607,671 from the issuance of equity and the exercise of warrants (as further discussed below). Our primary uses of operating cash were for product development and commercialization activities, employee compensation, consulting fees, legal and accounting fees, insurance and investor relations expenses.

 

On December 19, 2017, the Company closed a registered direct offering with several institutional and accredited investors for the purchase of 1,280,360 shares of common stock at $4.6925 per share for gross proceeds of $6,008,089 and, in a simultaneous private placement, issued the investors 640,180 immediately exercisable five and a half year warrants at $4.63 per share. The Company paid the placement agent for the offering a fee of 7% of the gross proceeds totaling $420,566 and issued the placement agent 89,625 immediately exercisable five year warrants at $5.8656 per share. The Company also reimbursed the placement agent for $85,000 in expenses and incurred $20,000 in other expenses. Net proceeds from the offering were $5,482,523.

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2017, an aggregate of 272,767 of the 2017 Public Offering Warrants were exercised at $4.125 per share for net proceeds of $1,125,148.

 

We expect that we will have sufficient funds to continue our operations for the next six months from December 31, 2017. We plan to raise additional capital in the future to support our operations. There is no assurance, however, that we will be successful in raising the needed capital or that the proceeds will be received in a timely manner to fully support our operations.

 

Inflation

 

Our management believes that inflation has not had a material effect on our results of operations.

 

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

We do not have any off balance sheet arrangements.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

The preparation of our financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the amounts of revenues and expenses recorded during the reporting periods. We base our estimates on historical experience, where applicable and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from our estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

 

Our critical accounting policies and use of estimates are discussed in, and should be read in conjunction with, the annual consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017 as filed with the SEC.

 

  14  

 

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the specified time periods and accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

 

Our Chief Executive Officer (who is our Principal Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer (who is our Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer), evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2017. In designing and evaluating disclosure controls and procedures, we recognize that any disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objective. As of December 31, 2017, based on the evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures, and in light of the material weaknesses found in our internal controls, our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective. In our assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, we determined that control deficiencies existed that constituted material weaknesses, as described below:

 

1)       lack of documented policies and procedures;

2)       the financial reporting function is carried out by consultants; and

3)       ineffective separation of duties due to limited staff.

 

In light of the conclusion that our internal controls over financial reporting were ineffective as of December 31, 2017, we have applied procedures and processes as necessary to ensure the reliability of our financial reporting in regards to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, the Company believes, based on its knowledge, that: (i) this Quarterly Report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading with respect to the periods covered by this report; and (ii) the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the periods presented in this Quarterly Report.

 

Changes In Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2017 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

  15  

 

 

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

 

None.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

There has been no change in the Company’s risk factors since the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on December 13, 2017.

 

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

None.

 

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

 

None.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Other Information

 

None.

 

Item 6.  Exhibits

 

10.1   Release Agreement, dated November 7, 2017, between Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Aegis Capital Corp.*
     
10.2   Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan*
     
31.1   Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a).*
     
31.2   Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a).*
     
32.1   Certification of the Principal Executive and Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.*
     
EX-101.INS   XBRL INSTANCE DOCUMENT
EX-101.SCH   XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA DOCUMENT
EX-101.CAL   XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION CALCULATION LINKBASE
EX-101.DEF   XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION DEFINITION LINKBASE
EX-101.LAB   XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABELS LINKBASE
EX-101.PRE   XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE

 

* Filed herewith.

  16  

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

  CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
     
Date: February 14, 2018 By: /s/  Myron Holubiak
    Myron Holubiak
   

Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

     
Date: February 14, 2018 By: /s/ Jaime Bartushak
    Jaime Bartushak
   

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

 

17

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

Release AGREEMENT

 

This Release Agreement (“ Release ) by and between Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (“ Citius ”) and Aegis Capital Corp. (“ Aegis ” and together with Citius, each a “ Party ” and collectively the “ Parties ”) is dated and effective as of the 7th day of November, 2017.

 

WHEREAS, Citius and Aegis are Parties to that certain Underwriting Agreement dated August 3, 2017 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) and that certain engagement letter dated April 3, 2017 (the “ Engagement Letter ”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, Citius retained Aegis as representative of the underwriters named therein, relating to a firm commitment underwritten public offering of Citius common stock and warrants;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 7.3 of the Underwriting Agreement and as referenced in the Engagement Letter, Aegis received an irrevocable right of first refusal for each and every future public and private equity and debt offering, including all equity linked financings (a “ Future Transaction ”) for a period of twelve (12) months after the date the Offering is completed (the “ Right of First Refusal ”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties now wish to release Citius from any all obligations related to the Right of First Refusal, including Section 7.3 of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1.   Release of all obligations under Section 7.3 Right of First Refusal . The Parties acknowledge and agree that, upon receipt by Aegis and its designees of the Consideration (as defined below), Citius is released from any and all obligations in Section 7.3 in the Underwriting Agreement and otherwise related to the Right of First Refusal. Citius may retain, engage or solicit any investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor, underwriter and/or placement agent in a Future Transaction without any notification to or consent from Aegis and has no obligation to engage Aegis in any manner in any such Future Transaction.

 

2.   Consideration for Release . Citius agrees that in exchange for the release above it will pay $100,000 in cash to Aegis and issue an aggregate of 60,000 shares of restricted common equity to the designees of Aegis listed on Schedule A hereto (the “ Consideration ”).

 

3.   Engagement Termination . The Parties acknowledge that, upon receipt by Aegis and its designees of the Consideration, any ongoing engagement between the Parties with respect to Aegis acting as investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor, underwriter and/or placement agent, whether pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, Engagement Letter or otherwise, has been terminated.

 

4.   Survival of Terms . For the avoidance of doubt, the Parties acknowledge that the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement intended to survive its performance or termination, including, but not limited to, Sections 2, 3, 5, 7.1, 8 and 9 are not effected by this Release and remain in full force and effect.

 

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Release Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

  CITIUS PHARMCEUTICALS, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Myron Z. Holubiak
  Name: Myron Holubiak
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
     
  AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Thomas J. Higgins
  Name: Thomas J. Higgins
  Title: Managing Director, Investment Banking

 

[Signature Page to Release Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Schedule A

Aegis Designees

 

Name   Number of Shares  
Harry Ioannou     12,000  
David Bocchi     12,000  
Zachary Hirsch     12,000  
Robert Eide     12,000  
Phillip Michals     6,000  
Raffaele Gambardella     6,000  
Total:     60,000  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.2

 

CITIUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

2018 omnibus STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Approved by the Board: December 12, 2017

Approved by the Stockholders: February 7, 2018

 

1.   Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel; to provide additional incentives to Employees, Directors and Consultants to contribute to the successful performance of the Company and any Subsidiary of the Company; to promote the growth of the market value of the Company’s Common Stock; to align the interests of Grantees with those of the Company’s stockholders; and to promote the success of the Company’s business.

 

2.   Definitions . The following definitions shall apply as used herein and in all individual Award Agreements except as a term may be otherwise defined in an individual Award Agreement. In the event a term is separately defined in an individual Award Agreement, such definition shall supersede the definition contained in this Section 2.

 

(a)  “ Administrator ” means the Plan Administrator as described in Section 4.

 

(b)  “ Applicable Laws ” means the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under applicable provisions of federal and state securities laws, the corporate laws of Nevada, and, to the extent other than Nevada, the corporate law of the state of the Company’s incorporation, the Code, the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, and the rules of any non-U.S. jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents therein.

 

(c)  “ Assumed ” means that pursuant to a Corporate Transaction either (i) the Award is expressly affirmed by the Company or (ii) the contractual obligations represented by the Award are expressly assumed (and not simply by operation of law) by the successor entity or its Parent in connection with the Corporate Transaction with appropriate adjustments to the number and type of securities of the successor entity or its Parent subject to the Award and the exercise or purchase price thereof which at least preserves the compensation element of the Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction as determined in accordance with the instruments evidencing the agreement to assume the Award.

 

(d)  “ Award ” means the grant of an Option, SAR, Dividend Equivalent Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, or other right or benefit under the Plan.

 

(e)  “ Award Agreement ” means the written agreement evidencing the grant of an Award executed by the Company and the Grantee, including any amendments thereto.

 

(f)  “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

 

 

(g)  “ Cause ” means, with respect to the termination by the Company or a Related Entity of a Grantee’s Continuous Service:

 

(i)  that such termination is for “Cause” as such term (or word of like import) is expressly defined in a then-effective written employment agreement, consulting agreement, service agreement or other similar agreement between the Grantee and the Company or such Related Entity, provided, however, that with regard to any agreement that defines “Cause” on the occurrence of or in connection with a Corporate Transaction, such definition of “Cause” shall not apply until a Corporate Transaction actually occurs; or

 

(ii)  in the absence of such then-effective written agreement and definition, is based on, in the determination of the Administrator: (A) the Grantee’s performance of any act, or failure to perform any act, in bad faith and to the detriment of the Company or a Related Entity; (B) the Grantee’s dishonesty, intentional misconduct or material breach of any agreement with the Company or a Related Entity; (C) the Grantee’s material breach of any noncompetition, confidentiality or similar agreement with the Company or a Related Entity, as determined under such agreement; (D) the Grantee’s commission of a crime involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or physical or emotional harm to any person; (E) if the Grantee is an Employee or Consultant, the Grantee’s engaging in acts or omissions constituting gross negligence, misconduct or a willful violation of a Company or a Related Entity policy which is or is reasonably expected to be materially injurious to the Company and/or a Related Entity; or (F) if the Grantee is an Employee, the grantee’s failure to follow the reasonable instructions of the Board or such grantee’s direct supervisor, which failure, if curable, is not cured within ten (10) days after notice to such grantee or, if cured, recurs within one hundred eighty (180) days.

 

(h)  “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute.

 

(i)  “ Committee ” means any committee composed of members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

 

(j)  “ Common Stock ” means the Company’s voting common stock, par value $0.001 per share.

 

(k)  “ Company ” means Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Nevada corporation, or any successor entity that adopts the Plan in connection with a Corporate Transaction.

 

(l)  “ Consultant ” means any person (other than an Employee or a Director, solely with respect to rendering services in such person’s capacity as a Director) who is engaged by the Company or any Related Entity to render consulting or advisory services to the Company or such Related Entity.

 

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(m)  “ Continuous Service ” means that the provision of services to the Company or a Related Entity in any capacity of Employee, Director or Consultant is not interrupted or terminated. In jurisdictions requiring notice in advance of an effective termination as an Employee, Director or Consultant, Continuous Service shall be deemed terminated upon the actual cessation of providing services to the Company or a Related Entity notwithstanding any required notice period that must be fulfilled before a termination as an Employee, Director or Consultant can be effective under Applicable Laws. A Grantee’s Continuous Service shall be deemed to have terminated either upon an actual termination of Continuous Service or upon the entity for which the Grantee provides services ceasing to be a Related Entity. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any approved leave of absence, (ii) transfers among the Company, any Related Entity, or any successor in any capacity of Employee, Director or Consultant, or (iii) any change in status as long as the individual remains in the service of the Company or a Related Entity in any capacity of Employee, Director or Consultant (except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement). An approved leave of absence for purposes of this Plan shall include sick leave, military leave, or any other authorized personal leave, so long as the Company or Related Entity has a reasonable expectation that the individual will return to provide services for the Company or Related Entity, and provided further that the leave does not exceed six (6) months, unless the individual has a statutory or contractual right to re-employment following a longer leave. For purposes of each Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan, if such leave exceeds three (3) months, and reemployment upon expiration of such leave is not guaranteed by statute or contract, then the Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Statutory Stock Option beginning on the day three (3) months and one (1) day following the expiration of such three (3) month period.

 

(n)  “ Corporate Transaction ” means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Administrator shall determine under parts (iv) and (v) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive:

 

(i)  a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state in which the Company is incorporated;

 

(ii)  the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

(iii)  the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

 

(iv)  any reverse merger or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse merger (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse merger) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the Shares outstanding immediately prior to such merger are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such merger or the initial transaction culminating in such merger; or

 

(v)  acquisition in a single or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities.

 

(o)  “ Covered Employee ” means an Employee who is a “covered employee” under Section 162(m)(3) of the Code.

 

(p)  “ Data ” has the meaning set forth in Section 22 of this Plan.

 

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(q)  “ Director ” means a member of the Board or the board of directors of any Related Entity.

 

(r)  “ Disability ” means a “disability” (or word of like import) as defined under the long-term disability policy of the Company or the Related Entity to which the Grantee provides services regardless of whether the Grantee is covered by such policy. If the Company or the Related Entity to which the Grantee provides service does not have a long-term disability plan in place, “Disability” means that a Grantee is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions of the position held by the Grantee by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period of not less than ninety (90) consecutive days. A Grantee will not be considered to have incurred a Disability unless he or she furnishes proof of such impairment sufficient to satisfy the Administrator.

 

(s)  “ Disqualifying Disposition ” means any disposition (including any sale) of Common Stock received upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option before either (i) two years after the date the Employee was granted the Incentive Stock Option, or (ii) one year after the date the Employee acquired Common Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option. If the Employee has died before such stock is sold, these holding period requirements do not apply and no Disqualifying Disposition can occur thereafter.

 

(t)  “ Dividend Equivalent Right ” means a right entitling the Grantee to compensation measured by dividends paid with respect to Common Stock.

 

(u)  “ Employee ” means any person, including an Officer or Director, who is in the employ of the Company or any Related Entity, subject to the control and direction of the Company or any Related Entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance. The payment of a director’s fee by the Company or a Related Entity shall not be sufficient to make such person an “Employee” of the Company or a Related Entity.

 

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

 

(w)  “ Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows.

 

(i)  If the Common Stock is listed on one or more established stock exchanges or national market systems, including without limitation The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market, or The NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Common Stock is listed (as determined by the Administrator) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(ii)  If the Common Stock is regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such system or by such securities dealer on the date of determination, but if selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

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(iii)  In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock of the type described in (i) and (ii), above, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith by application of a reasonable valuation method consistently applied and taking into consideration all available information material to the value of the Company in a manner in compliance with Section 409A of the Code, or in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, in a manner in compliance with Section 422 of the Code.

 

(x)  “ Grantee ” means an Employee, Director or Consultant who receives an Award under the Plan.

 

(y)  “ Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(z)  “ Non-Statutory Stock Option ” means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(aa) “ Officer ” means a person who is an officer of the Company or a Related Entity within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(bb) “ Option ” means an option to purchase Shares pursuant to an Award Agreement granted under the Plan.

 

(cc) “ Parent ” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

(dd) “ Performance-Based Compensation ” means any Award that the Administrator grants pursuant to Section 6(d) of the Plan that is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(ee) “ Performance Period ” means the time period during which specified performance criteria and/or continued status as an Employee must be met as determined by the Administrator.

 

(ff) “ Plan ” means this Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

(gg) “ Post-Termination Exercise Period ” means the period specified in the Award Agreement of not less than thirty (30) days commencing on the date of termination (other than termination by the Company or any Related Entity for Cause) of the Grantee’s Continuous Service, or such longer period as may be applicable upon death or Disability.

 

(hh) “ Related Entity ” means any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.

 

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(ii)  “ Restricted Stock ” means Shares issued under the Plan to the Grantee for such consideration, if any, and subject to such restrictions on transfer, rights of first refusal, repurchase provisions, forfeiture provisions, and other terms and conditions as established by the Administrator.

 

(jj) “ Restricted Stock Units ” means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon the passage of time or the attainment of performance criteria established by the Administrator and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of cash, Shares or other securities as established by the Administrator.

 

(kk) “ Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor thereto.

 

(ll) “ SAR ” means a stock appreciation right entitling the Grantee to Shares or cash compensation, as established by the Administrator, measured by appreciation in the value of Common Stock.

 

(mm) “ Share ” means a share of the Common Stock.

 

(nn) “ Subsidiary ” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

(oo)  “ Tax Obligations ” means all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, or other tax-related liabilities related to a Grantee’s participation in the Plan and the receipt of any benefits hereunder, as determined under the Applicable Laws.

 

3.   Stock Subject to the Plan .

 

(a)  Subject to adjustment as described in Section 13 below, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to all Awards (including Incentive Stock Options) is Two Million (2,000,000) Shares. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

 

(b)  Any Shares covered by an Award (or portion of an Award) which is forfeited, canceled or expires (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) shall be deemed not to have been issued for purposes of determining the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan, except that the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed the number specified in Section 3(a). Shares that actually have been issued under the Plan pursuant to an Award shall not be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for future issuance under the Plan, except that if unvested Shares are forfeited or repurchased by the Company, such Shares shall become available for future grant under the Plan. In the event any Option or other Award granted under the Plan is exercised through the tendering of Shares (either actually or through attestation), or in the event tax withholding obligations are satisfied by tendering or withholding Shares, any Shares so tendered or withheld shall not again be available for awards under the Plan. To the extent that cash in lieu of Shares is delivered upon the exercise of an SAR pursuant to Section 6(m), the Company shall be deemed, for purposes of applying the limitation on the number of shares, to have issued the greater of the number of Shares which it was entitled to issue upon such exercise or on the exercise of any related Option. Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options shall not be available for awards under the Plan.

 

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4.   Administration of the Plan .

 

(a)   Plan Administrator .

 

(i)   Administration with Respect to Directors and Officers . With respect to grants of Awards to Directors or Employees who are also Officers or Directors of the Company, the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee designated by the Board, which Committee shall be constituted in such a manner as to satisfy the Applicable Laws and to permit such grants and related transactions under the Plan to be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act in accordance with Rule 16b-3. Once appointed, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board.

 

(ii)   Administration With Respect to Consultants and Other Employees . With respect to grants of Awards to Employees or Consultants who are neither Directors nor Officers of the Company, the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee designated by the Board, which Committee shall be constituted in such a manner as to satisfy the Applicable Laws. Once appointed, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board.

 

(iii)   Administration With Respect to Covered Employees . Notwithstanding the foregoing, grants of Awards to any Covered Employee intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be made only by a Committee (or subcommittee of a Committee) which is comprised solely of two or more non-Employee Directors who are eligible under the provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code to serve on a committee making Awards qualifying as Performance-Based Compensation. In the case of such Awards granted to Covered Employees, references to the “Administrator” or to a “Committee” shall be deemed to be references to such Committee or subcommittee.

 

(b)   Multiple Administrative Bodies . The Plan may be administered by different bodies with respect to Directors, Officers, Consultants, and Employees who are neither Directors nor Officers.

 

(c)   Powers of the Administrator . Subject to Applicable Laws and the provisions of the Plan (including any other powers given to the Administrator hereunder), and except as otherwise provided by the Board, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its discretion:

 

(i)  to select the Employees, Directors and Consultants to whom Awards may be granted from time to time hereunder;

 

(ii)  to determine whether and to what extent Awards are granted hereunder;

 

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(iii)  to determine the number of Shares or the amount of other consideration to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;

 

(iv)  to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;

 

(v)  to determine the type, terms and conditions of any Award granted hereunder;

 

(vi)  to establish additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures to accommodate the rules or laws of applicable non-U.S. jurisdictions and to afford Grantees favorable treatment under such rules or laws; provided, however, that no Award shall be granted under any such additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures with terms or conditions which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan;

 

(vii)  to amend the terms of any outstanding Award granted under the Plan, provided that any amendment that would adversely affect the Grantee’s rights under an outstanding Award shall not be made without the Grantee’s written consent; provided, however, that an amendment or modification that may cause an Incentive Stock Option to become a Non-Statutory Stock Option shall not be treated as adversely affecting the rights of the Grantee;

 

(viii)  to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards, including without limitation, any notice of award or Award Agreement, granted pursuant to the Plan;

 

(ix)  to institute an option exchange program;

 

(x)  to make other determinations as provided in this Plan; and

 

(xi)  to take such other action, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator deems appropriate.

 

The express grant in the Plan of any specific power to the Administrator shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Administrator; provided that the Administrator may not exercise any right or power reserved to the Board. Any decision made, or action taken, by the Administrator or in connection with the administration of this Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in the Plan.

 

(d)   Indemnification . In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or as Officers or Employees of the Company or a Related Entity, members of the Board and any Officers or Employees of the Company or a Related Entity to whom authority to act for the Board, the Administrator or the Company is delegated shall be defended and indemnified by the Company to the extent permitted by law on an after-tax basis against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or any Award granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by the Company) or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to such liabilities, costs, and expenses as may arise out of, or result from, the bad faith, gross negligence, willful misconduct, or criminal acts of such persons; provided, however, that within thirty (30) days after the institution of such claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, such person shall offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at the Company’s expense to defend the same.

 

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5.   Eligibility . Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors, and Consultants of the Company and any Related Entity. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees of the Company or a Related Entity. An Employee, Director, or Consultant who has been granted an Award may, if otherwise eligible, be granted additional Awards. Awards may be granted to such Employees, Directors, or Consultants who are residing in non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Administrator may determine from time to time.

 

6.   Terms and Conditions of Awards .

 

(a)   Types of Awards . The Administrator is authorized under the Plan to award any type of arrangement to an Employee, Director or Consultant that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan and that by its terms involves or might involve the issuance of (i) Shares, (ii) cash or (iii) an Option, an SAR, or similar right with a fixed or variable price related to the Fair Market Value of the Shares and with an exercise or conversion privilege related to the passage of time, the occurrence of one or more events, or the satisfaction of performance criteria or other conditions. Such awards include, without limitation, Options, SARs, sales or bonuses of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights. An Award may consist of one such security or benefit, or two (2) or more of them in any combination or alternative.

 

(b)   Designation of Award . Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrator. The type of each Award shall be designated in the Award Agreement. In the case of an Option, the Option shall be designated as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Statutory Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, an Option will qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under the Code only to the extent the $100,000 limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is not exceeded. The $100,000 limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is calculated based on the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to Options designated as Incentive Stock Options which become exercisable for the first time by a Grantee during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Related Entity). For purposes of this calculation, Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the grant date of the relevant Option. Any Option granted which fails to satisfy the requirements of the Applicable Laws for treatment as an Incentive Stock Option shall be a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

(c)   Conditions of Award . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator shall determine the provisions, terms, and conditions of each Award including, but not limited to, the Award vesting schedule, repurchase provisions, rights of first refusal, forfeiture provisions, form of payment (cash, Shares, or other consideration) upon settlement of the Award, payment contingencies, and satisfaction of any performance criteria that may be established by the Administrator.

 

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(d)   Performance-Based Awards . If the Administrator determines at the time an Award is granted to an Employee that the Employee is, or is likely to be, as of the end of the Company’s tax year in which the Company would claim a tax deduction in connection with such Award, a Covered Employee, then the Administrator may include in the Award certain provisions so that the Award will qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation will be subject to the following provisions:

 

(i)  The Awards will be subject to the achievement of certain performance criteria as the Administrator may determine. The performance criteria established by the Administrator may be based on any one of, or combination of, the following criteria:

 

(A) Net earnings or net income (before or after taxes);

 

(B) Earnings per share;

 

(C) Net sales growth;

 

(D) Net operating profit;

 

(E) Return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, equity, or sales);

 

(F) Cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and cash flow return on capital);

 

(G) Cash flow per share;

 

(H) Earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and/or amortization;

 

(I) Gross or operating margins;

 

(J) Productivity ratios;

 

(K) Share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return);

 

(L) Expense targets or ratios;

 

(M) Charge-off levels;

 

(N) Improvement in or attainment of revenue levels;

 

(O) Deposit growth;

 

(P) Margins;

 

(Q) Operating efficiency;

 

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(R) Operating expenses;

 

(S) Economic value added;

 

(T) Improvement in or attainment of expense levels;

 

(U) Improvement in or attainment of working capital levels;

 

(V) Debt reduction;

 

(W) Capital targets; and

 

(X) Consummation of acquisitions, dispositions, projects or other specific events or transactions.

 

The Administrator may provide in any grant of an Award that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude any of the following events that occurs during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs, (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles or regulations, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results, (d) any reorganization and restructuring programs, (e) Extraordinary Items for the applicable Performance Period, (f) mergers, acquisitions or divestitures, and (g) foreign exchange gains and losses. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees, any such inclusions or exclusions shall be prescribed in the grant in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility. For this purpose “Extraordinary Items” means extraordinary, unusual, and/or nonrecurring items of gain or loss as defined under United States generally accepted accounting principles.

 

(ii)  Before the 90th day of the applicable Performance Period (or, if the Performance Period is less than one year, no later than the number of days which is equal to 25% of such Performance Period), the Administrator will determine the duration of the Performance Period, the performance criteria on which performance will be measured, and the amount and terms of payment/vesting upon achievement of the such criteria.

 

(iii)  Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Administrator will certify in writing whether the applicable performance criteria have been achieved for the Awards for such Performance Period. A Grantee will be eligible to receive payment pursuant to an Award for a Performance Period only if the performance criteria for such Performance Period are achieved. In determining the amounts earned by a Grantee pursuant to an Award intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Administrator will have the right to (A) reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Administrator may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period, (B) determine what actual Award, if any, will be paid in the event of a Corporate Transaction or in the event of a termination of employment following a Corporate Transaction prior to the end of the Performance Period, and (C) determine what actual Award, if any, will be paid in the event of a termination of employment other than as the result of a Grantee’s death or Disability prior to a Corporate Transaction and prior to the end of the Performance Period to the extent an actual Award would have otherwise been achieved had the Grantee remained employed through the end of the Performance Period.

 

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(iv)  Payment of the Award to a Grantee shall be paid following the end of the Performance Period, or if later, the date on which any applicable contingency or restriction has ended.

 

(v)  Sections 6(d)(i) though 6(d)(iv) above are not required for an Award of Options or SARs. However, any of those provisions may be included in an Award of Options or SARs at the discretion of the Administrator.

 

(vi)  To the extent that the Administrator determines as of the date of grant of an Award that (A) the Award is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, and (B) the Award is not exempt from the application of Section 162(m) of the Code, such Award shall not be effective until any stockholder approval required under Section 162(m) of the Code has been obtained.

 

(e)   Acquisitions and Other Transactions . The Administrator may issue Awards under the Plan in settlement, assumption or substitution for, outstanding awards or obligations to grant future awards in connection with the Company or a Related Entity acquiring another entity, an interest in another entity or an additional interest in a Related Entity whether by merger, stock purchase, asset purchase or other form of transaction.

 

(f)   Deferral of Award Payment . The Administrator may establish one or more programs under the Plan to permit selected Grantees the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of consideration upon exercise of an Award, satisfaction of performance criteria, or other event that absent the election would entitle the Grantee to payment or receipt of Shares or other consideration under an Award. The Administrator may establish the election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for payments of, and accrual of interest or other earnings, if any, on amounts, Shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions, rules and procedures that the Administrator deems advisable for the administration of any such deferral program.

 

(g)   Separate Programs . The Administrator may establish one or more separate programs under the Plan for the purpose of issuing particular forms of Awards to one or more classes of Grantees on such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator from time to time.

 

(h)   Individual Award Limit . No Grantee may be granted an Award of Options or SARs in any calendar year with respect to more than One Million (1,000,000) Shares, or an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, or other Awards that are valued with reference to shares covering more One Million (1,000,000) Shares. The foregoing limitations shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization pursuant to Section 13 below. To the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code or the regulations thereunder, in applying the foregoing limitations with respect to a Grantee, if any Option or SAR is canceled, the canceled Option or SAR shall continue to count against the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Options and SARs may be granted to the Grantee. For this purpose, the repricing of an Option (or in the case of an SAR, the base amount on which the stock appreciation is calculated is reduced to reflect a reduction in the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock) shall be treated as the cancellation of the existing Option or SAR and the grant of a new Option or SAR.

 

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(i)   Early Exercise . An Award Agreement may, but need not, include a provision whereby the Grantee may elect at any time while an Employee, Director or Consultant to exercise any part or all of the Award prior to full vesting of the Award. Any unvested Shares received pursuant to such exercise may be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the Company or a Related Entity or to any other restriction the Administrator determines to be appropriate.

 

(j)   Term of Award . The term of each Award shall be the term stated in the Award Agreement, provided, however, that the term shall be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof. However, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Grantee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Related Entity, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be five (5) years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the specified term of any Award shall not include any period for which the Grantee has elected to defer the receipt of the Shares or cash issuable pursuant to the Award.

 

(k)   Transferability of Awards . Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, no award may be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Grantee, only by the Grantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Grantee may designate one or more beneficiaries of the Grantee’s Award in the event of the Grantee’s death on a beneficiary designation form provided by the Administrator.

 

(l)   Time of Granting Awards . The date of grant of an Award shall for all purposes be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination to grant such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator.

 

(m)   Stock Appreciation Rights . An SAR may be granted (i) with respect to any Option granted under this Plan, either concurrently with the grant of such Option or at such later time as determined by the Administrator (as to all or any portion of the Shares subject to the Option), or (ii) alone, without reference to any related Option. Each SAR granted by the Administrator under this Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions. Each SAR granted to any participant shall relate to such number of Shares as shall be determined by the Administrator, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 13. In the case of an SAR granted with respect to an Option, the number of Shares to which the SAR pertains shall be reduced in the same proportion that the holder of the Option exercises the related Option. The exercise price of an SAR will be determined by the Administrator at the date of grant but may not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject thereto on the date of grant. Subject to the right of the Administrator to deliver cash in lieu of Shares (which, as it pertains to Officers and Directors of the Company, shall comply with all requirements of the Exchange Act), the number of Shares which shall be issuable upon the exercise of an SAR shall be determined by dividing:

 

(i)  the number of Shares as to which the SAR is exercised multiplied by the amount of the appreciation in such Shares (for this purpose, the “appreciation” shall be the amount by which the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the SAR on the exercise date exceeds (1) in the case of an SAR related to an Option, the exercise price of the Shares under the Option or (2) in the case of an SAR granted alone, without reference to a related Option, an amount which shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant, subject to adjustment under Section 13); by

 

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(ii)  the Fair Market Value of a Share on the exercise date.

 

In lieu of issuing Shares upon the exercise of an SAR, the Administrator may elect to pay the holder of the SAR cash equal to the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of any or all of the Shares which would otherwise be issuable. No fractional Shares shall be issued upon the exercise of an SAR; instead, the holder of the SAR shall be entitled to receive a cash adjustment equal to the same fraction of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the exercise date or to purchase the portion necessary to make a whole share at its Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. The exercise of an SAR related to an Option shall be permitted only to the extent that the Option is exercisable under Section 11 on the date of surrender. Any Incentive Stock Option surrendered pursuant to the provisions of this Section 6(m) shall be deemed to have been converted into a Non-Statutory Stock Option immediately prior to such surrender.

 

(n)   Compliance with Section 409A of the Code . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any Award that is not exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code shall contain such provisions so that such Award will comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Such restrictions, if any, shall be determined by the Administrator and contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award.

 

7.   Award Exercise or Purchase Price, Consideration and Taxes .

 

(a)   Exercise or Purchase Price . The exercise or purchase price, if any, for an Award shall be as follows.

 

(i)  In the case of an Incentive Stock Option:

 

(1)  granted to an Employee who, at the time of the grant of such Incentive Stock Option owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Related Entity, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant; or

 

(2)  granted to any Employee other than an Employee described in the preceding paragraph, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

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(ii)  In the case of a Non-Statutory Stock Option, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one-hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

(iii)  In the case of Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the exercise or purchase price, if any, shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

(iv)  In the case of other Awards, such price as is determined by the Administrator.

 

(v)  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7(a), in the case of an Award issued pursuant to Section 6(e), above, the exercise or purchase price for the Award shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the relevant instrument evidencing the agreement to issue such Award.

 

(b)   Consideration . Subject to Applicable Laws, the consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise or purchase of an Award, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator. In addition to any other types of consideration the Administrator may determine, the Administrator is authorized to accept as consideration for Shares issued under the Plan the following:

 

(i)  cash;

 

(ii)  check;

 

(iii)  delivery of Grantee’s promissory note with such recourse, interest, security, and redemption provisions as the Administrator determines as appropriate (but only to the extent that the acceptance or terms of the promissory note would not violate an Applicable Law); provided, however, that interest shall compound at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of interest necessary to avoid (A) the imputation of interest income to the Company and compensation income to the Grantee under any applicable provisions of the Code, and (B) the classification of the Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes;

 

(iv)  surrender of Shares or delivery of a properly executed form of attestation of ownership of Shares as the Administrator may require which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender or attestation equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Award shall be exercised;

 

(v)  with respect to Options, payment through a broker-dealer sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the Grantee (A) shall provide written instructions to a broker-dealer acceptable to the Company to effect the immediate sale of some or all of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company sufficient funds to cover the aggregate exercise price payable for the purchased Shares and (B) shall provide written directives to the Company to deliver the certificates (or other evidence satisfactory to the Company to the extent that the Shares are uncertificated) for the purchased Shares directly to such broker-dealer in order to complete the sale transaction;

 

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(vi)  with respect to Options, payment through a “net exercise” such that, without the payment of any funds, the Grantee may exercise the Option and receive the net number of Shares equal to (i) the number of Shares as to which the Option is being exercised, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Fair Market Value per Share (on such date as is determined by the Administrator) less the Exercise Price per Share, and the denominator of which is such Fair Market Value per Share;

 

(vii)  past or future services actually or to be rendered to the Company or a Related Entity;

 

(viii)  any combination of the foregoing methods of payment; or

 

(ix)  any other method approved by the Administrator.

 

The Administrator may at any time or from time to time, by adoption of or by amendment to the standard forms of Award Agreement described in Section 4(c)(iv), or by other means, grant Awards which do not permit all of the foregoing forms of consideration to be used in payment for the Shares or which otherwise restrict one or more forms of consideration.

 

8.   Notice to Company of Disqualifying Disposition . Each Employee who receives an Incentive Stock Option must agree to notify the Company in writing immediately after the Employee makes a Disqualifying Disposition of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.

 

9.   Tax Withholding .

 

(a)  Prior to the delivery of any Shares or cash pursuant to an Award (or the exercise thereof), or at such other time as the Tax Obligations are due, the Company, in accordance with the Code and any Applicable Laws, shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Grantee to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy all Tax Obligations. The Administrator may condition such delivery, payment, or other event pursuant to an Award on the payment by the Grantee of any such Tax Obligations.

 

(b)  The Administrator, pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may designate the method or methods by which a Grantee may satisfy the Tax Obligations. As determined by the Administrator from time to time, these methods may include one or more of the following:

 

(i)  paying cash;

 

(ii)  electing to have the Company withhold cash or Shares deliverable to the Grantee having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld;

 

(iii)  delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount required to be withheld or remitted, provided the delivery of such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences as the Administrator determines;

 

  16  

 

 

(iv)  selling a sufficient number of Shares otherwise deliverable to the Grantee through such means as the Administrator may determine (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the Tax Obligations required to be withheld;

 

(v)  retaining from salary or other amounts payable to the Grantee cash having a sufficient value to satisfy the Tax Obligations; or

 

(vi)  any other means which the Administrator determines to both comply with Applicable Laws, and to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan.

 

The amount of Tax Obligations will be deemed to include any amount that the Administrator determines may be withheld at the time the election is made, not to exceed the amount determined by using the maximum federal, state, local and foreign marginal income tax rates applicable to the Grantee or the Company, as applicable, with respect to the Award on the date that the amount of tax or social insurance liability to be withheld or remitted is to be determined. The Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld or delivered shall be determined as of the date that the Tax Obligations are required to be withheld.

 

10.   Rights As a Stockholder .

 

(a)   Restricted Stock . Except as otherwise provided in any Award Agreement, a Grantee will not have any rights of a stockholder with respect any of the Shares granted to the Grantee under an Award of Restricted Stock (including the right to vote or receive dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect thereto) nor shall cash dividends or dividend equivalents accrue or be paid in respect of any unvested Award of Restricted Stock, unless and until such Shares vest.

 

(b)   Other Awards . In the case of Awards other than Restricted Stock, except as otherwise provided in any Award Agreement, a Grantee will not have any rights of a stockholder, nor will dividends or dividend equivalents accrue or be paid, with respect any of the Shares granted pursuant to such Award until the Award is exercised or settled and the Shares are delivered (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company).

 

11.   Exercise of Award .

 

(a)   Procedure for Exercise .

 

(i)  Any Award granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator under the terms of the Plan and as specified in the Award Agreement.

 

(ii)  An Award shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Award is exercised has been made, including, to the extent selected, use of the broker-dealer sale and remittance procedure to pay the purchase price as provided in Section 7(b)(v).

 

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(b)   Exercise of Award Following Termination of Continuous Service . In the event of termination of a Grantee’s Continuous Service for any reason other than Disability or death, such Grantee may, but only during the Post-Termination Exercise Period (but in no event later than the expiration date of the term of such Award as set forth in the Award Agreement), exercise the portion of the Grantee’s Award that was vested at the date of such termination or such other portion of the Grantee’s Award as may be determined by the Administrator. The Grantee’s Award Agreement may provide that upon the termination of the Grantee’s Continuous Service for Cause, the Grantee’s right to exercise the Award shall terminate concurrently with the termination of Grantee’s Continuous Service. In the event of a Grantee’s change of status from Employee to Consultant, an Employee’s Incentive Stock Option shall convert automatically to a Non-Statutory Stock Option on the day three (3) months and one day following such change of status. To the extent that the Grantee’s Award was unvested at the date of termination, or if the Grantee does not exercise the vested portion of the Grantee’s Award within the Post-Termination Exercise Period, the Award shall terminate.

 

(c)   Disability of Grantee . In the event of termination of a Grantee’s Continuous Service as a result of his or her Disability, such Grantee may, but only within twelve (12) months from the date of such termination (or such longer period as specified in the Award Agreement but in no event later than the expiration date of the term of such Award as set forth in the Award Agreement), exercise the portion of the Grantee’s Award that was vested at the date of such termination; provided, however, that if such Disability is not a “disability” as such term is defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option such Incentive Stock Option shall automatically convert to a Non-Statutory Stock Option on the day three (3) months and one day following such termination. To the extent that the Grantee’s Award was unvested at the date of termination, or if Grantee does not exercise the vested portion of the Grantee’s Award within the time specified herein, the Award shall terminate.

 

(d)   Death of Grantee . In the event of a termination of the Grantee’s Continuous Service as a result of his or her death, or in the event of the death of the Grantee during the Post-Termination Exercise Period or during the twelve (12) month period following the Grantee’s termination of Continuous Service as a result of his or her Disability, the Grantee’s estate or a person who acquired the right to exercise the Award by bequest or inheritance may exercise the portion of the Grantee’s Award that was vested as of the date of termination, within twelve (12) months from the date of death (or such longer period as specified in the Award Agreement but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Award as set forth in the Award Agreement). To the extent that, at the time of death, the Grantee’s Award was unvested, or if the Grantee’s estate or a person who acquired the right to exercise the Award by bequest or inheritance does not exercise the vested portion of the Grantee’s Award within the time specified herein, the Award shall terminate.

 

(e)   Extension if Exercise Prevented by Law . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the exercise of an Award within the applicable time periods set forth in this Section 11 is prevented by the provisions of Section 12 below, the Award shall remain exercisable until one (1) month after the date the Grantee is notified by the Company that the Award is exercisable, but in any event no later than the expiration of the term of such Award as set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

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12.   Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares; Manner of Issuance of Shares .

 

(a)  If at any time the Administrator determines that the delivery of Shares pursuant to the exercise, vesting or any other provision of an Award is or may be unlawful under Applicable Laws, the vesting or right to exercise an Award or to otherwise receive Shares pursuant to the terms of an Award shall be suspended until the Administrator determines that such delivery is lawful and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. The Company shall have no obligation to effect any registration or qualification of the Shares under any Applicable Law.

 

(b)  As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any Applicable Laws.

 

(c)  Subject to the Applicable Laws and any governing rules or regulations, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued the Shares acquired pursuant to an Award and shall deliver such Shares to or for the benefit of the Grantee by means of one or more of the following as determined by the Administrator: (i) by delivering to the Grantee evidence of book entry Shares credited to the account of the Grantee, (ii) by depositing such Shares for the benefit of the Grantee with any broker with which the Grantee has an account relationship, or (iii) by delivering such Shares to the Grantee in certificate form.

 

(d)  No fractional Shares shall be issued pursuant to any Award under the Plan; any Grantee who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Share upon exercise or vesting of an Award will receive from the Company cash in lieu of such fractional Shares in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of such fractional Shares, as determined by the Administrator.

 

13.   Adjustments . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or which have been returned to the Plan, the exercise or purchase price of each such outstanding Award, as well as any other terms that the Administrator determines require adjustment shall be proportionately adjusted for (i) any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Shares, or similar transaction affecting the Shares, (ii) any other increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company, or (iii) any other transaction with respect to the Company’s Common Stock including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation (including a spin-off or other distribution of stock or property), reorganization, liquidation (whether partial or complete) or any similar transaction; provided, however that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Administrator and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as the Administrator determines, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason hereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award. No adjustments shall be made for dividends paid in cash or in property other than Common Stock of the Company, nor shall cash dividends or dividend equivalents accrue or be paid in respect of unexercised Options or unvested Awards hereunder.

 

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14.   Corporate Transactions .

 

(a)   Termination of Award . Effective upon the consummation of a Corporate Transaction, all outstanding Awards under the Plan shall terminate.

 

(b)   Acceleration of Award Upon Corporate Transaction . Immediately prior to the consummation of a Corporate Transaction, all Awards, to the extent then outstanding and not previously canceled or forfeited, will be immediately vested and exercisable (and/or released from any repurchase or forfeiture rights, as applicable). The Administrator may provide that any Awards so vested or released from such limitations in connection with a Corporate Transaction shall remain fully exercisable until the expiration or sooner termination of the Award.

 

(c)   Effect of Acceleration on Incentive Stock Options . Any Incentive Stock Option accelerated under this Section 14 in connection with a Corporate Transaction shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Stock Option under the Code only to the extent the $100,000 limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is not exceeded.

 

15.   Effective Date and Term of Plan . The Plan shall become effective at such time as it has been (a) approved by the Company’s stockholders and (b) adopted by the Board. Stockholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner required under Applicable Laws. The Plan shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated. Any Award granted before stockholder approval is obtained will be rescinded if stockholder approval is not obtained within the time prescribed, and Shares issued on the grant or exercise of any such Award shall not be counted in determining whether stockholder approval is obtained. Subject to the preceding sentence and the Applicable Laws, Awards may be granted under the Plan upon its becoming effective.

 

16.   Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan .

 

(a)  The Board may at any time amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in any respect, except that it may not, without the approval of the stockholders obtained within twelve (12) months before or after the Board adopts a resolution authorizing any of the following actions, do any of the following:

 

(i)  increase the total number of shares that may be issued under the Plan (except by adjustment pursuant to Section 13);

 

(ii)  modify the provisions of Section 6 regarding eligibility for grants of Incentive Stock Options;

 

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(iii)  modify the provisions of Section 7(a) regarding the exercise price at which shares may be offered pursuant to Options (except by adjustment pursuant to Section 13);

 

(iv)  extend the expiration date of the Plan; and

 

(v)  except as provided in Section 13 (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the Company may not amend an Award granted under the Plan to reduce its exercise price per share, cancel and regrant new Awards with lower prices per share than the original prices per share of the cancelled Awards, or cancel any Awards in exchange for cash or the grant of replacement Awards with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Awards, essentially having the effect of a repricing, without approval by the Company’s stockholders.

 

(b)  No Award may be granted during any suspension of the Plan or after termination of the Plan.

 

(c)  No suspension or termination of the Plan shall adversely affect any rights under Awards already granted to a Grantee without his or her consent.

 

17.   Reservation of Shares .

 

(a)  The Company, during the term of the Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

 

(b)  The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

 

18.   No Effect on Terms of Employment/Consulting Relationship . The Plan shall not confer upon any Grantee any right with respect to the Grantee’s Continuous Service, nor shall it interfere in any way with his or her right or the right of the Company or a Related Entity to terminate the Grantee’s Continuous Service at any time, with or without Cause, and with or without notice. The ability of the Company or any Related Entity to terminate the employment of a Grantee who is employed at will is in no way affected by its determination that the Grantee’s Continuous Service has been terminated for Cause for the purposes of this Plan.

 

19.   No Effect on Retirement and Other Benefit Plans . Except as specifically provided in a retirement or other benefit plan of the Company or a Related Entity, Awards shall not be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits or contributions under any retirement plan of the Company or a Related Entity, and shall not affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of any kind or any benefit plan subsequently instituted under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to level of compensation. The Plan is not a “Retirement Plan” or “Welfare Plan” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

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20.   Information to Grantees . The Company shall provide to each Grantee, during the period for which such Grantee has one or more Awards outstanding, such information as required by Applicable Laws.

 

21.   Electronic Delivery . The Administrator may decide to deliver any documents related to any Award granted under the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company or to request a Grantee’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting an Award, each Grantee consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, and such consent shall remain in effect throughout Grantee’s Continuous Service with the Company and any Related Entity and thereafter until withdrawn in writing by Grantee.

 

22.   Data Privacy . The Administrator may decide to collect, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, personal data as described in this Plan or any Award for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing participation in the Plan. By accepting an Award, each Grantee acknowledges that the Company holds certain personal information about Grantee, including, but not limited to, name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, details of all Awards awarded, cancelled, exercised, vested or unvested, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (the “ Data ”). Each Grantee further acknowledges that Data may be transferred to any third parties assisting in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan and that these third parties may be located in jurisdictions that may have different data privacy laws and protections, and Grantee authorizes such third parties to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the recipient or the Company may elect to deposit any Shares acquired upon any Award.

 

23.   Compliance with Section 409A . To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted hereunder is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued or amended after the effective date of the Plan. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the effective date of the Plan the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the effective date of the Plan), the Administrator may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (1) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (2) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance.

 

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24.   Unfunded Obligation . Grantees shall have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Grantees pursuant to the Plan shall be unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. Neither the Company nor any Related Entity shall be required to segregate any monies from its general funds, or to create any trusts, or establish any special accounts with respect to such obligations. The Company shall retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments, including trust investments, which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Grantee account shall not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Administrator, the Company or any Related Entity and a Grantee, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Grantee or the Grantee’s creditors in any assets of the Company or a Related Entity. The Grantees shall have no claim against the Company or any Related Entity for any changes in the value of any assets that may be invested or reinvested by the Company with respect to the Plan.

 

25.   Construction . Captions and titles contained herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of the Plan. Except when otherwise indicated by the context, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. Use of the term “or” is not intended to be exclusive, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

 

 

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EXHIBIT 31.1

 

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE

SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

I, Myron Holubiak, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this report on Form 10-Q of Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;
   
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
   
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
   
4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

  a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

  c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

  d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

  a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: February 14, 2018  By: /s/ Myron Holubiak 
    Myron Holubiak
    Chief Executive Officer
    (Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

EXHIBIT 31.2

 

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE

SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

I, Jaime Bartushak, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this report on Form 10-Q of Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;
   
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
   
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
   
4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

  a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

  c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

  d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

  a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: February 14, 2018  By: /s/ Jaime Bartushak 
    Jaime Bartushak
   

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

EXHIBIT 32.1

 

CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended December 31, 2017 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Myron Holubiak, Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Jaime Bartushak, Chief Financial Officer, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

  

  (1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
     
  (2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

Date: February 14, 2018 By: /s/ Myron Holubiak 
    Myron Holubiak
    Chief Executive Officer,
    (Principal Executive Officer)  
     
Date: February 14, 2018 By: /s/ Jaime Bartushak
    Jaime Bartushak
    Chief Financial Officer
    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)