UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
[X] | Quarterly Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014 | |
[ ] | Transition Report pursuant to 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
For the transition period to __________ | |
Commission File Number:000-54767 |
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 46-3259117 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |
9595 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 900 Beverly Hills, California 90212 |
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(Address of principal executive offices)
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(424) 230-7001 | ||
(Registrant’s telephone number) | ||
_____________________________________________________________ | ||
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report) | ||
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes [ ] No [x]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes [ ] No [x]
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 file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [x] 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 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes [x] No [ ]
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer [ ] | Accelerated filer [ ] | |
Non-accelerated filer [ ] | Smaller reporting company [x] |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes [ ] No [x]
State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter: $0
As of July 11, 2014, there were 420,463,772 shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding. The common stock is the registrant's only class of stock currently outstanding.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains forward-looking statements, which reflect our views with respect to future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These forward-looking statements are identified by, among other things, the words "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "plans", "projects", "targets" and similar expressions. Statements in this report concerning the following are forward looking statements:
· future financial and operating results;
· our ability to fund operations and business plans, and the timing of any funding or corporate development transactions we may pursue;
· the ability of our suppliers to provide products or services in the future of an acceptable quality on a timely and cost-effective basis;
· expectations concerning market acceptance of our products;
· current and future economic and political conditions;
· overall industry and market trends;
· management’s goals and plans for future operations; and
· other assumptions described in this report underlying or relating to any forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ from those projected include the risk factors specified below.
USE OF DEFINED TERMS
Except where the context otherwise requires and for the purposes of this report only:
· "we," "us," "our" and "Company" refer to the business of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;
· "Exchange Act" refers to the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
· "SEC" refers to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission;
· "Securities Act" refers to the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
· "U.S. dollars," "dollars" and "$" refer to the legal currency of the United States.
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PART I
Business Overview
The Company is developing PD-616 for the treatment of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), and to cause elevation of white blood cells (WBC) in patients depleted of these elements due to various conditions.
The Technology
The priority drug development efforts of the Company are focused on the use of PD-616, a naturally occurring compound that has a number of properties that are uniquely suited for the treatment of patients with Acute Myelocytic Leukemia (AML). Company scientists had worked with PD-616 in the laboratory for many years studying its ability to convert cancer cells to normal cells, a process called differentiation. It was also observed in some instances to cause cancer cell death. These observations were the basis of the proposal to test PD-616 in relapsed AML patients in China and later in the US and resulted in findings that were sufficiently encouraging to support further interest in this drug to treat AML. During the course of these preliminary clinical studies PD-616 was found to be extremely potent in causing a marked and favorable increase in white blood cells (WBC) in blood, key elements in fighting infections. These results were also observed in cancer patients whose WBC were depleted due to the toxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs used during the course of their therapy.
Clinical Studies in Acute Myelocytic Leukemia
Based on the known properties of PD-616, it was first administered in a pilot study in China, either alone or in combination with standard drugs, and caused temporary remission of AML in some patients’ refractory to standard therapy. Several patients recovered sufficiently with PD-616 treatment to return to their normal occupations, symptom-free. Interest in these findings led to a Phase 1 investigator-sponsored trial in 35 patients by a leading oncologist at a leading cancer hospital in New Jersey, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). This study determined the maximum tolerated dose of PD-616 and described its relatively mild side effects. The results of this Phase 1 trial led to interest by the same investigator to initiate a Phase 2 study. The use of PD-616 in treatment of refractory AML is expected to qualify for a “fast track” designation at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Company expects to apply for “orphan drug” status. An “orphan drug ” is a pharmaceutical agent that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, the condition itself being referred to as an orphan disease. The Company’s clinical plans are expected to result in completion of the required clinical studies in 2016 and provide a basis for market approval for the treatment of AML. The Company estimates the budget for reaching market approval for the treatment of AML to be $40 million. However, should the Company be able to obtain “orphan drug” status from the FDA, that timeline could be accelerated to 2015 and budget reduced to $20 million. All plans are subject to the Company obtaining adequate financing, or partnering with a third party, to fund the cost of the studies. The Company cannot provide any assurances that it will be able to obtain such financing or partnering arrangement.
Clinical Results in Elevation of White Blood Cells
Clinical studies in over 100 cancer patients demonstrated the potent ability of PD-616 to stimulate the production of white blood cells (WBC) and neutrophils. Both the treatments for various diseases and the disease themselves can result in extremely low numbers of these elements. Their elevation is essential to prevent post-treatment infections common to these patients. In comparative studies in animals, PD-616 is significantly more potent than marketed drugs used for this purpose. The effect of PD-616 on the elevation of these and other blood elements will be measured during treatment of AML.
Market Opportunities
AML
It is estimated that 40,000 people in the US have AML and an additional 14,000 are diagnosed annually with a yearly death rate of over 10,000. Based on this incidence, the potential market for PD-616 for the treatment of AML is approximately $1 to 2 billion peak sales annually in the US and more than $5 billion worldwide.
White Blood Cell
Currently marketed drugs for elevating key infection-fighting blood elements are used in supportive cancer care, inflammation, nephrology and bone disease. In 2012, this market exceeded $3 billion. The clinical use of PD-616 for these purposes is expected to have several key therapeutic advantages over marketed drugs, along with a clean safety profile and observed high efficacy is expected to result in a 15 to 30 percent market share and peak annual sales of $0.5 to $1 billion. Amgen would be the Company’s largest competitor in this market.
Patent
The Company has been assigned United States Patent No. 6,063,814, entitled “Phorbol esters as anti-neoplastic and white blood cell elevating agents,” and utility patent application titled “Compositions and Methods of Use Of Phorbol Esters For The Treatment of Neoplasms (Acute Myeloid Leukemia).” The patent is intended to provide the Company with exclusive rights to the use of intravenous PD-616 for therapeutic purposes. Provided that the Company can obtain additional funding, the Company intends to expand its patents through the addition of indications for use and adding protection in appropriate countries.
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Government Regulations
The research, pre-clinical development, clinical trials, product manufacturing and marketing which may be conducted by the Company is subject to regulation by the FDA and similar health authorities in foreign countries. The proposed products and technologies of the Company also may be subject to certain other federal, state and local government regulations, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and their state, local and foreign counterparts. Although there can be no such assurance, the Company does not believe that compliance with such laws and regulations has, nor is presently expected to have, a material adverse effect on the business of the Company. However, the Company cannot predict the extent of the adverse effect on its business or the financial and other cost that might result from any government regulations arising out of future legislative, administrative or judicial action.
Generally, the steps required before a pharmaceutical or therapeutic biological agent may be marketed in the United States include: (i) pre-clinical laboratory tests, in vivo pre-clinical studies in animals, toxicity studies and formulation studies; (ii) the submission to the FDA of an IND application for human clinical testing, that must become effective before human clinical trials commence; (iii) adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the drug; (iv) the submission of a marketing application to the FDA; and (v) FDA approval of the marketing application prior to any commercial sale or shipment of the drug.
Pre-clinical studies include laboratory evaluation of the product, conducted under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations, and animal studies to assess the pharmacological activity and the potential safety and effectiveness of the drug. The results of the pre-clinical studies are submitted to the FDA in the IND. Unless the FDA objects to an IND, it becomes effective 30 days following submission and the clinical trial described in the IND may then begin.
Every clinical trial must be conducted under the review and oversight of an institutional review board (IRB) at each institution participating in the trial. The IRB evaluates, among other things, ethical factors, the safety of human subjects, and the possible liability of the institution.
Clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, although the phases may overlap. Phase I represents the initial introduction of the drug to a small group of healthy subjects to test for safety, dosage tolerance, and the essential characteristics of the drug. Phase II involves studies in a limited number of patients to test the safety and efficacy of the drug at different dosages. Phase III trials involve large-scale evaluation of safety and effectiveness, usually (though not necessarily) in comparison with placebo or an existing treatment.
The results of the pre-clinical and clinical trials are submitted to the FDA as part of an application to market the drug. The marketing application also includes information pertaining to the chemistry, formulation, manufacture of the drug and each component of the final product. The FDA review of a marketing application takes from one to two years on average to complete, though reviews of treatments for cancer and other life-threatening diseases may be accelerated. However, the process may take substantially longer if the FDA has questions or concerns about a product. Following review, the FDA may ultimately decide that an application does not satisfy regulatory and statutory criteria for approval. In some cases, the FDA may approve a product but require additional clinical tests following approval (i.e., Phase IV).
In addition to obtaining FDA approval for each product, each domestic drug manufacturing establishment must be registered with, and approved by, the FDA. Domestic manufacturing establishments are subject to inspections by the FDA and must comply with Good Manufacturing Practice ("GMP"). To supply products for use in the United States, foreign manufacturing establishments must comply with GMP and are subject to periodic inspection by the FDA or by corresponding regulatory agencies in such countries under reciprocal agreements with the FDA.
If marketing approval of any Company product is granted, the Company must continue to comply with FDA requirements not only for manufacturing, but also for labeling, advertising, record keeping, and reporting to the FDA of adverse experiences and other information. In addition, the Company must comply with federal and state health care anti-kickback laws and other health care fraud and abuse laws that affect the marketing of pharmaceuticals. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject the Company to administrative or judicial enforcement actions, including but not limited to product seizures, injunctions, civil penalties, criminal prosecution, refusals to approve new products or withdrawal of existing approvals, as well as increased product liability exposure, any of which could have a material adverse effect on tile company's business, financial condition, or results of operations.
For clinical investigation and marketing outside the United States, the Company also is subject to foreign regulatory requirements governing human clinical trials and marketing approval for drugs. The requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary widely for European countries both within and outside the European Community ("EU"). Outside the United States, the Company's ability to market a product is contingent upon receiving a marketing authorization from the appropriate regulatory authority. At present, foreign marketing authorizations are applied for at a national level, although within the EU certain registration procedures are available to companies wishing to market their products in more than one EU member state. If the regulatory authority is satisfied that adequate evidence of safety, quality and efficacy has been presented, a marketing authorization will be granted. The system for obtaining marketing authorizations within the EU registration system is a dual one in which certain products, such as biotechnology and high technology products and those containing new active substances, will have access to a central regulatory system that provides registration throughout the entire EU. Other products will be registered by national authorities in individual EU member states, operating on a principle of mutual recognition. This foreign regulatory approval process includes, at least, all of the risks associated with FDA approval set forth above. The Company could possibly have greater difficulty in obtaining any such approvals and also might find it more difficult to protect its intellectual property abroad.
Compliance with Environmental Laws
The Company's business may be subject to regulation under federal, state, local, and foreign laws regarding environmental protection and hazardous substance control. The Company believes that its compliance with these laws will have no adverse impact upon its capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. Federal, state and foreign agencies and legislative bodies have expressed interest in the further environmental regulation of the biotechnology industry. The Company is unable to estimate the extent and impact of such, if any, future federal, state, local legislation or administrative environmental action.
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Seasonality
We do not expect that our business will experience any seasonality.
Our Employees
We have one full time contracted position and 7 part-time contracted positions as of the date of this Annual Report.
Backlog
We do not have any order backlog as of the date of this Annual Report.
Available Information
Our annual and quarterly reports, along with all other reports and amendments filed with or furnished to the SEC are available on the SEC maintained Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is www.sec.gov . In addition the SEC maintains a Public Reference Room where you can obtain these materials, which is located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. To obtain more information on the operation of the Public Reference Room call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
July 2013 Business Change
Prior to July 18, 2013, the Company was a shell company with no or nominal operations after unsuccessfully pursuing a boiler business. On July 18, 2013, the Company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and Asset Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Imagic, LLC (“Imagic”) and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC to acquire certain assets including United States Patent No. 6,063,814 entitled “Phorbol esters as anti-neoplastic and white blood cell elevating agents” and all related intellectual property associated with the patent.
On July 19, 2013, the Company entered into an Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations (the “Agreement”) with our prior officer and directors, Li Deng Ke and Xiong Chao Jun. Pursuant to the Agreement, we transferred all assets and business operations associated with our boiler business to Messrs. Ke and Jun. In exchange, Messrs. Ke and Jun agreed to assume and cancel all liabilities relating to our former business, including shareholder and officer loans amounting to $24,318. In connection with this Agreement, Messrs. Ke and Jun further sold 1,275,000 shares of their common stock in our company to Mr. Chang, and Mr. Chang cancelled 1,200,517 of those shares he received and returned them to our treasury.
In connection with the Agreement and Assignment Agreement, Sean Webster resigned in his position as an officer and director with our company. In his stead, Ben Chang was appointed as our President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Director. Under the direction of our newly appointed officer and director, the Company engaged in its new business to pursue the development of PD-616 (12–O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) for the treatment of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) and Stroke (for the treatment of loss of function caused by Stroke.)
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this Annual Report, before making an investment decision. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could suffer. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. You should read the section entitled "Special Notes Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" for a discussion of what types of statements are forward-looking statements as well as the significance of such statements in the context of this report.
Risks Related To Our Business
We are a development stage company and may never commercialize any of our products or services or earn a profit.
Prior to July 19, 2013, we were a “shell” company with no or nominal operations. We recently became funded and commenced operations. We are a development stage company in the business of developing treatments for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). We currently have no products ready for commercialization, have not generated any revenue from operations and expect to incur substantial net losses for the foreseeable future to further develop and commercialize our technology. We cannot predict the extent of these future net losses, or when we may attain profitability, if at all. If we are unable to generate significant revenue from our technology or attain profitability, we will not be able to sustain operations. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with developing and commercializing our technology, we are unable to predict the extent of any future losses or when we will become profitable, if ever. We may never become profitable and you may never receive a return on an investment in our common stock. An investor in our common stock must carefully consider the substantial challenges, risks and uncertainties inherent in the attempted development and commercialization of medical treatments. We may never successfully commercialize our technology, and our business may fail.
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We will need to raise substantial additional capital to commercialize our technology, and our failure to obtain funding when needed may force us to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or collaboration efforts.
As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10K, we have limited cash resources. Due to our expectation that we will continue to incur losses in the future, we will be required to raise additional capital to complete the development and commercialization of our technology. During the next 12 months and potentially thereafter, we will have to raise additional funds to continue the development and commercialization of our technology. When we seek additional capital, we may seek to sell additional equity and/or debt securities or to obtain a credit facility, which we may not be able to do on favorable terms, or at all. Our ability to obtain additional financing will be subject to a number of factors, including market conditions, our operating performance and investor sentiment. If we are unable to raise additional capital when required or on acceptable terms, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development and/or commercialization of one or more of our technologies, restrict our operations or obtain funds by entering into agreements on unattractive terms.
Our ability to successfully commercialize our technology will depend largely upon the extent to which third-party payors reimburse the costs for our treatment in the future. Physicians and patients may decide not to order our products unless third-party payors, such as managed care organizations as well as government payors such as Medicare and Medicaid pay a substantial portion of the price of the treatment. Reimbursement by a third-party payor may depend on a number of factors, including a payor’s determination that our product candidates are:
• not experimental or investigational;
• effective;
• medically necessary;
• appropriate for the specific patient;
• cost-effective;
• supported by peer-reviewed publications; and
• included in clinical practice guidelines.
Market acceptance, sales of products based upon our technology, and our profitability may depend on reimbursement policies and health care reform measures. Several entities conduct technology assessments of medical treatments and provide the results of their assessments for informational purposes to other parties. These assessments may be used by third-party payors and health care providers as grounds to deny coverage for a treatment or procedure. The levels at which government authorities and third-party payors, such as private health insurers and health maintenance organizations, may reimburse the price patients pay for such products could affect whether we are able to commercialize our products. Our technology may receive negative assessments that may impact our ability to receive reimbursement of the treatment. Since each payor makes its own decision as to whether to establish a policy to reimburse a treatment, seeking these approvals may be a time-consuming and costly process. We cannot be sure that reimbursement in the U.S. or elsewhere will be available for any of our products in the future. If reimbursement is not available or is limited, we may not be able to commercialize our products.
If we are unable to obtain reimbursement approval from private payors and Medicare and Medicaid programs for our product candidates, or if the amount reimbursed is inadequate, our ability to generate revenues could be limited. Even if we are being reimbursed, insurers may withdraw their coverage policies or cancel their contracts with us at any time, stop paying for our treatment or reduce the payment rate for our treatment, which would reduce our revenue.
The commercial success of our product candidates will depend upon the degree of market acceptance of these products among physicians, patients, health care payors and the medical community.
The use of our treatment technology has never been commercialized for any indication. Even if approved for sale by the appropriate regulatory authorities, physicians may not order treatment based upon out technology, in which event we may be unable to generate significant revenue or become profitable. Acceptance of our technology will depend on a number of factors including:
• acceptance of products based upon our technology by physicians and patients;
• successful integration into clinical practice;
• adequate reimbursement by third parties;
• cost effectiveness;
• potential advantages over alternative treatments; and
• relative convenience and ease of administration.
We will need to make leading physicians aware of the benefits of using our technology through published papers, presentations at scientific conferences and favorable results from our clinical studies. In addition, we will need to gain support from thought leaders who believe that our treatment will provide superior results. Ideally, we will need these individuals to publish support papers and articles which will be necessary to gain acceptance of our products. There is no guarantee that we will be able to obtain this support. Our failure to be successful in these efforts would make it difficult for us to convince medical practitioners to order our treatment for their patients and consequently our revenue and profitability will be limited.
If our potential treatments are unable to compete effectively with current and future treatments targeting similar markets as our potential products, our commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated.
The medical treatment industry for AML and stroke is intensely competitive and characterized by rapid technological progress. In each of our potential product areas, we face significant competition from large biotechnology, medical diagnostic and other companies. The technologies associated with the medical industry are evolving rapidly and there is intense competition within such industry. Certain companies have established technologies that may be competitive to our technology and any future products that we develop. Some of these competing companies may use different approaches or means to obtain results, which could be more effective or less expensive than our treatments. Moreover, these and other future competitors have or may have considerably greater resources than we do in terms of technology, sales, marketing, commercialization and capital resources. These competitors may have substantial advantages over us in terms of research and development expertise, experience in clinical studies, experience in regulatory issues, brand name exposure and expertise in sales and marketing as well as in operating central laboratory services. Many of these organizations have financial, marketing and human resources greater than ours; therefore, there can be no assurance that we can successfully compete with present or potential competitors or that such competition will not have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial position or results of operations.
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Since our technology is under development, we cannot predict the relative competitive position of any product based upon the technology. However, we expect that the following factors will determine our ability to compete effectively: safety and efficacy; product price; turnaround time; ease of administration; performance; reimbursement; and marketing and sales capability.
If our clinical studies do not prove the superiority of our technologies, we may never sell our products and services.
The results of our clinical studies may not show that treatment results using our technology are superior to existing treatment. In that event, we will have to devote significant financial and other resources to further research and development, and commercialization of products using our technologies will be delayed or may never occur.
If we do not receive regulatory approvals, we may not be able to develop and commercialize our technology.
We will need FDA approval to market products based on our technology in the United States and approvals from foreign regulatory authorities to market products based on our technology outside the United States. We have not yet filed an application with the FDA to obtain approval to market any of our proposed products. If we fail to obtain regulatory approval for the marketing of products based on our technology, we will be unable to sell such products and will not be able to sustain operations. The regulatory review and approval process, which may include evaluation of preclinical studies and clinical trials of products based on our technology, as well as the evaluation of manufacturing processes and contract manufacturers’ facilities, is lengthy, expensive and uncertain. Securing regulatory approval for products based upon our technology may require the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to regulatory authorities to establish such products’ safety and effectiveness for each indication. We have limited experience in filing and pursuing applications necessary to gain regulatory approvals.
Regulatory authorities generally have substantial discretion in the approval process and may either refuse to accept an application, or may decide after review of an application that the data submitted is insufficient to allow approval of any product based upon our technology. If regulatory authorities do not accept or approve our applications, they may require that we conduct additional clinical, preclinical or manufacturing studies and submit that data before regulatory authorities will reconsider such application. We may need to expend substantial resources to conduct further studies to obtain data that regulatory authorities believe is sufficient. Depending on the extent of these studies, approval of applications may be delayed by several years, or may require us to expend more resources than we may have available. It is also possible that additional studies may not suffice to make applications approvable. If any of these outcomes occur, we may be forced to abandon our applications for approval, which might cause us to cease operations.
If we are unable to protect our intellectual property effectively, we may be unable to prevent third parties from using our technologies, which would impair our competitive advantage.
We will rely on patent protection as well as a combination of copyright and trade secret protection, and other contractual restrictions to protect our proprietary technologies, all of which provide limited protection and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. If we fail to protect our intellectual property, we will be unable to prevent third parties from using our technologies and they will be able to compete more effectively against us. We cannot assure you that the patent issued to us will not be challenged, invalidated or held unenforceable. We cannot guarantee you that we will be successful in defending challenges made in connection with our patent and any future patent applications. In addition to our patent and any future patent applications, we will rely on contractual restrictions to protect our proprietary technology. We will require our employees and third parties to sign confidentiality agreements and employees to also sign agreements assigning to us all intellectual property arising from their work for us. Nevertheless, we cannot guarantee that these measures will be effective in protecting our intellectual property rights.
We may incur substantial costs as a result of litigation or other proceedings relating to patent and other intellectual property rights and we may be unable to protect our rights to, or use, our technology.
The inventor of the intellectual property assigned to the Company in July 2013 by Imagic, LLC and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC is presently in declaratory relief litigation with Biosuccess Biotech, Co LTD. (Biosuccess), a company who was previously assigned licensing rights but due to a breach of contract the writes were retracted. In connection with this litigation, on January 17, 2014, the Company received notice of a complaint filed by Biosuccess against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang (our CEO and a director) in the United States District Court, Central District of California Western Division. The Complaint includes allegations of patent and copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and other causes of actions against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang. The Complaint seeks relief which includes compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, an award of treble damages, and such other relief as the court may deem just and proper. We may incur substantial expenses and the diversion of financial resources and management personnel in responding to the complaint. Additionally, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may subject us to significant liabilities or require us to seek licenses that may not be available from third parties on commercially favorable terms, if at all. Further, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may require us to pay substantial financial damages, which can be tripled if the infringement is deemed willful, or be required to discontinue or significantly delay development, marketing, selling and licensing of the Company’s affected products and intellectual property rights.
Also, our competitors may have filed, and may in the future file, patent applications covering technology similar to ours. Any such patent application may have priority over our patent applications and could further require us to obtain rights to issued patents covering such technologies. There may be third-party patents, patent applications and other intellectual property relevant to our potential products that may block or compete with our products or processes. If another party has filed a United States patent application on inventions similar to ours, we may have to participate in an interference proceeding declared by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to determine priority of invention in the United States. The costs of these proceedings could be substantial, and it is possible that such efforts would be unsuccessful, resulting in a loss of our United States patent position with respect to such inventions. In addition, we cannot assure you that we would prevail in any of these suits or that the damages or other remedies if any, awarded against us would not be substantial. Claims of intellectual property infringement may require us to enter into royalty or license agreements with third parties that may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. We may also become subject to injunctions against the further development and use of our technology, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. In addition, any uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any litigation could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our operations.
Our financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern.
We have generated losses to date and have limited working capital. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from this uncertainty. The report of our independent registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern in their audit report included herein. If we cannot generate the required revenues and gross margin to achieve profitability or obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, we will need to substantially revise our business plan or cease operations and an investor could suffer the loss of a significant portion or all of his investment in our Company.
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We do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future, and we may never pay dividends and, consequently, the only opportunity for investors to achieve a return on their investment is if a trading market develops and investors are able to sell their shares for a profit or if our business is sold at a price that enables investors to recognize a profit.
We currently intend to retain any future earnings to support the development and expansion of our business and do not anticipate paying cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Our payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into account various factors, including but not limited to our financial condition, operating results, cash needs, growth plans and the terms of any credit agreements that we may be a party to at the time. In addition, our ability to pay dividends on our common stock may be limited by state law. Accordingly, we cannot assure investors any return on their investment, other than in connection with a sale of their shares or a sale of our business. At the present time there is a limited trading market for our shares. Therefore, holders of our securities may be unable to sell them. We cannot assure investors that an active trading market will develop or that any third party will offer to purchase our business on acceptable terms and at a price that would enable our investors to recognize a profit.
Corporate and Other Risks
Limitations on director and officer liability and indemnification of our Company’s officers and directors by us may discourage stockholders from bringing suit against an officer or director.
Our Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide, with certain exceptions as permitted by governing state law, that a director or officer shall not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for acts or omissions which involve intentional misconduct, fraud or knowing violation of law, or unlawful payments of dividends. These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing suit against a director for breach of fiduciary duty and may reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation brought by stockholders on our behalf against a director.
We are responsible for the indemnification of our officers and directors.
Should our officers and/or directors require us to contribute to their defense, we may be required to spend significant amounts of our capital. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide for the indemnification of our directors, officers, employees, and agents, under certain circumstances, against attorney's fees and other expenses incurred by them in any litigation to which they become a party arising from their association with or activities on behalf of our Company. This indemnification policy could result in substantial expenditures, which we may be unable to recoup. If these expenditures are significant, or involve issues which result in significant liability for our key personnel, we may be unable to continue operating as a going concern.
Certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation may make it more difficult for a third party to effect a change-of-control.
Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the Board of Directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series, the terms of which may be determined at the time of issuance by the Board of Directors without further action by the stockholders. These terms may include preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion rights, redemption rights and sinking fund provisions. The issuance of any preferred stock could diminish the rights of holders of our common stock, and therefore could reduce the value of such common stock. In addition, specific rights granted to future holders of preferred stock could be used to restrict our ability to merge with, or sell assets to, a third party. The ability of the Board of Directors to issue preferred stock could make it more difficult, delay, discourage, prevent or make it more costly to acquire or effect a change-in-control, which in turn could prevent our stockholders from recognizing a gain in the event that a favorable offer is extended and could materially and negatively affect the market price of our common stock.
The issuance of Preferred Stock to our Chief Executive Officer provides him with voting control which may limit your ability and the ability of our other stockholders, whether acting alone or together, to propose or direct the management or overall direction of our Company.
Our Chief Executive Officer has 6,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock which provide him with 100 to 1 voting rights over shares of common stock. This ownership provides him with voting control over matters which require shareholder approval. This concentration of voting power could discourage or prevent a potential takeover of our Company that might otherwise result in an investor receiving a premium over the market price for his shares. If you acquire shares of our common stock, you may have no effective voice in the management of our Company. Such concentrated control of our Company may adversely affect the price of our common stock. Our principal stockholders may be able to control matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors, mergers or other business combinations. Such concentrated control may also make it difficult for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock in the event we merge with a third party or enter into different transactions which require stockholder approval. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
A third party seller may contribute additional assets to the Company in exchange for additional shares of Company common stock resulting in dilution to the other shareholders.
As part of the Assignment Agreement discussed above, Imagic LLC and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings shall have the option at any time after November 1, 2013 and before November 1, 2014, to assign to the Company their interest in the patents and intellectual property related to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, or any other indication within the scope of in consideration for us issuing our Chief Executive Officer restricted shares of our common stock. This issuance of shares would dilute the ownership interest of our stockholders. This agreement could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
We are dependent for our success on a few key individuals. Our success depends on the skills, experience and performance of key members of our management team. Each of those individuals may voluntarily terminate his relationship with the Company at any time. Were we to lose one or more of these key individuals, we would be forced to expend significant time and money in the pursuit of a replacement, which would result in both a delay in the implementation of our business plan and the diversion of limited working capital. We do not maintain a key man insurance policy on any of our executive officers.
9 |
Capital Market Risks
Our common stock recently commenced trading and has limited volume and high price volatility, so you may be unable to sell your shares to raise money or otherwise desire to liquidate your shares.
The Company’s common stock commenced trading March 14, 2014 on the OTC Markets. The trading volume has been very limited by the fact that many major institutional investment funds, including mutual funds, as well as individual investors follow a policy of not investing in OTC stocks and certain major brokerage firms restrict their brokers from recommending OTC stocks because they are considered speculative, volatile, thinly traded and the market price of the common stock may not accurately reflect our underlying value. The market price of our common stock is subject to wide fluctuations, and may be subject to further fluctuations based on announcements of new products or services by us, significant sales of our common stock, including “short” sales, the operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors may deem comparable to us, and news reports relating to trends in our markets or general economic conditions.
The application of the “penny stock” rules to our common stock could limit the trading and liquidity of the common stock, adversely affect the market price of our common stock and increase your transaction costs to sell those shares.
As long as the trading price of our common stock is below $5 per share, the open-market trading of our common stock will be subject to the “penny stock” rules, unless we otherwise qualify for an exemption from the “penny stock” definition. The “penny stock” rules impose additional sales practice requirements on certain broker-dealers who sell securities to persons other than established customers and accredited investors (generally those with assets in excess of $1,000,000 or annual income exceeding $200,000 or $300,000 together with their spouse). These regulations, if they apply, require the delivery, prior to any transaction involving a penny stock, of a disclosure schedule explaining the penny stock market and the associated risks. Under these regulations, certain brokers who recommend such securities to persons other than established customers or certain accredited investors must make a special written suitability determination regarding such a purchaser and receive such purchaser’s written agreement to a transaction prior to sale. These regulations may have the effect of limiting the trading activity of our common stock, reducing the liquidity of an investment in our common stock and increasing the transaction costs for sales and purchases of our common stock as compared to other securities. The stock market in general and the market prices for penny stock companies in particular, have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the operating performance of such companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the price of our stock, regardless of our operating performance. Stockholders should be aware that, according to Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Release No. 34-29093, the market for penny stocks has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include 1) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to the promoter or issuer; 2) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press releases; 3) boiler room practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced sales persons; 4) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differential and markups by selling broker-dealers; and 5) the wholesale dumping of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, along with the resulting inevitable collapse of those prices and with consequent investor losses. The occurrence of these patterns or practices could increase the volatility of our share price.
We may not be able to attract the attention of major brokerage firms, which could have a material adverse impact on the market value of our common stock.
Security analysts of major brokerage firms may not provide coverage of our common stock since there is no incentive to brokerage firms to recommend the purchase of our common stock. The absence of such coverage limits the likelihood that an active market will develop for our common stock. It will also likely make it more difficult to attract new investors at times when we require additional capital.
We may be unable to list our common stock on NASDAQ or on any securities exchange.
Although we may apply to list our common stock on NASDAQ or the American Stock Exchange in the future, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet the initial listing standards, including the minimum per share price and minimum capitalization requirements, or that we will be able to maintain a listing of our common stock on either of those or any other trading venue. If our common stock begins trading, until such time as we would qualify for listing on NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange or another trading venue, our common stock would trade on OTC Markets or OTC Bulletin Board or another over-the-counter quotation system where an investor may find it more difficult to dispose of shares or obtain accurate quotations as to the market value of our common stock. In addition, rules promulgated by the SEC impose various practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell securities that fail to meet certain criteria set forth in those rules to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. Consequently, if our common stock begins trading, these rules may deter broker-dealers from recommending or selling our common stock, which may further affect the liquidity of our common stock. It would also make it more difficult for us to raise additional capital.
Future sales of our equity securities could put downward selling pressure on our securities, and adversely affect the stock price.
There is a risk that this downward pressure may make it impossible for an investor to sell his or her securities at any reasonable price, if at all. Future sales of substantial amounts of our equity securities in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could put downward selling pressure on our securities, and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Conversion of our convertible notes into common stock could result in additional dilution to our stockholders.
We have issued convertible notes which are convertible into shares of our common stock at conversion prices which are at a discount to the then current trading price of our common stock. Additionally, upon the occurrence of certain events of default (including conditions outside of our control) the note holders are entitled to increased repayment and interest rates, as well as other remedies. The note holders have anti-dilution and conversion reset provisions which are triggered by the issuance of lower priced securities. If shares of our common stock are issued due to the conversion of some or all of the convertible notes in the future, the ownership interests of existing stockholders will be diluted.
The Company’s common stock was the subject of an unauthorized spam stock promotion.
In April 2014, the Company was made aware of spam stock promotion regarding shares of the Company. The Company received complaints, and was forwarded emails and links to social media sites, relating to unsolicited messages containing false and misleading information regarding the Company and its stock price. The spam mails touted RCHA as " the opportunity of the year " that could go past " 2 or 3 dollars ". The Company did not, and does not, authorize, endorse or sponsor these illegal spam stock promotions or any of the information contained in the emails. However, the spam stock promotions caused the OTC Markets to place a skull and crossbones next to the Company’s stock symbol on the OTC Markets website warning investors with respect to the Company’s stock, and may have caused reputational damage to the Company and its stock. The Company does not have the ability to stop or restrict any future spam stock promotions which may occur and any such future promotions could have an adverse effect on the Company and its share price.
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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
Our corporate offices are located at9595 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 900, Beverly Hills, California 90212, where we have shared use of the office space and conference rooms comprised of approximately 450 square feet. We believe the leased office space is in good condition and adequate to meet our current and anticipated requirements.
As previously disclosed, the inventor of the intellectual property which was assigned to the Company in July 2013 by Imagic, LLC and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC is presently in declaratory relief litigation with Biosuccess Biotech, Co. LTD. (“Biosuccess”), a company who was previously assigned licensing rights in the intellectual property. In connection with this litigation, on January 17, 2014, the Company received notice of a complaint filed by Biosuccess against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang (our CEO and a director) in the United States District Court, Central District of California Western Division. The Complaint includes allegations of patent and copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and other causes of actions against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang. The Complaint seeks relief which includes compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, an award of treble damages, and such other relief as the court may deem just and proper.
The Company believes the allegations in the complaint are without merit and the Company intends to defend itself in the litigation. However, we may incur substantial expenses and the diversion of financial resources and management personnel in responding to the complaint. Additionally, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may subject us to significant liabilities or require us to seek licenses that may not be available from third parties on commercially favorable terms, if at all. Further, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may require us to pay substantial financial damages, which can be tripled if the infringement is deemed willful, or be required to discontinue or significantly delay development, marketing, selling and licensing of the Company’s affected products and intellectual property rights.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
None.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our common stock is currently trading on the OTC Markets under the symbol “RCHA”. The table below lists the high and low closing prices per share of our common stock for the fourth quarter of the year ended March 31, 2014 from the date our stock was first traded on March 14, 2014, as quoted on the OTC Markets. Prior to March 14, 2014, there was no public market for our common stock.
For The Year Ended March 31, 2014 | High | Low | ||||||||
Fourth Quarter (March 14, 2014 to March 31, 2014) | $ | .30 | $ | .30 |
Holders
As of May 31, 2014, there are approximately 25 shareholders of record of our common stock based upon the shareholders’ listing provided by our transfer agent. Our transfer agent is Empire Stock Transfer Inc., 1859 Whitney Mesa Dr., Henderson, NV 89014, and its phone number is 702-818-5898
Dividends
We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock. We intend to keep future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. Our future payment of dividends will depend on our earnings, capital requirements, expansion plans, financial condition and other relevant factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our retained earnings deficit currently limits our ability to pay dividends.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
On March 10, 2014 the Company issued 83,334 shares of Company common stock at Thirty Cents ($.30) per share, and warrants to purchase 83,334 shares of Company common stock at Fifty Cents ($.50) per share for a one year term. The issuance of shares was made in reliance on the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") for the offer and sale of securities not involving a public offering. The Company's reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act in issuing the securities was based upon the following factors: (a) the issuance of the securities was an isolated private transaction by us which did not involve a public offering; (b) there was only a one investor who was an accredited investor; (c) there were no subsequent or contemporaneous public offerings of the securities by us; (d) the securities were not broken down into smaller denominations; and (e) the negotiations for the issuance of the securities took place directly between the investor and the Company.
On March 20, 2014, the Company issued a convertible promissory note in the amount of $37,500. The note is due on December 13, 2014 and bears interest at 8% per annum. The loan becomes convertible 180 days after the date of the note. The loan and any accrued interest can then be converted into shares of the Company's common stock at a rate of 58% multiplied by the market price, which is the average of the lowest three (3) trading prices for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the latest complete trading day prior to the conversion date. During the period ended March 31, 2014, the Company has not converted any portion of this note into shares of common stock. The foregoing is only a brief description of the material terms of the convertible note, and does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties thereunder and such descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the convertible note which is filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report. The issuance of the note was made in reliance on the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act for the offer and sale of securities not involving a public offering. The Company's reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act in issuing the securities was based upon the following factors: (a) the issuance of the securities was an isolated private transaction by us which did not involve a public offering; (b) there was only a one investor who was an accredited investor; (c) there were no subsequent or contemporaneous public offerings of the securities by us; (d) the securities were not broken down into smaller denominations; and (e) the negotiations for the issuance of the securities took place directly between the investor and the Company.
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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
On September 6, 2013, our Board of Directors adopted the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2013 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is intended to promote the interests of our Company by “providing eligible person with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in Company as an incentive for them to remain in the service of the Company. The Plan is divided into two separate equity programs: 1) a stock option grant program; and 2) a stock issuance program. The maximum number of shares available to be issued under the Plan is currently 60,004,800 shares, subject to adjustments for any stock splits, stock dividends or other specified adjustments which may take place in the future.
The Plan is administered by our Company’s Board of Directors. Persons eligible to participate in the Plan are: 1) employees; 2) non-employee members of our Company’s Board of Directors; and 3) consultants and other independent advisors who provide services to our Company. All grants under the Plan are intended to comply with the requirements under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and activities under the Plan will be administered accordingly. Options granted under the Plan are evidenced by agreement between the recipient and our Company, subject to the following general provisions: 1) the exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value per share of our Company’s common stock on the date of grant (110% in the case of 10% or greater shareholders); and 2) the term of stock options shall be limited to a maximum of ten years. A complete description of the Plan is included as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 4, 2013.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The table below sets forth information as of March 31, 2014 with respect to compensation plans under which our common stock is authorized for issuance:
Plan Category |
Number
of securities to be
issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights |
Weighted-average
exercise
price of
|
Number
of securities remaining available
under
equity
|
|||||||
Equity Compensation Plans Approved By security holders |
None |
Not Applicable
|
Not Applicable | |||||||
Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved By Security Holders | 60,004,800 | $ | .0498 | 12,501,502 |
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
As a smaller reporting company we are not required to provide the information required by this item.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis is intended as a review of significant factors affecting our financial condition and results of operations for the periods indicated. The discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes presented herein. See "ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA." below. In addition to historical information, the following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ significantly from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors discussed in this report. See "Forward-Looking Statements," above.
Overview and Financial Condition
Results of Operations
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2014 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2013
We had no revenues during the periods ending March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013. In July 2013, the Company entered the start-up phase of its operations.
Operating expenses for the year ending March 31, 2014 were $3,004,595 which consisted primarily of $1,869,273 non-cash charges related to issuance of stock options to officers and consultants and $335,000 in consulting fees. Operating expenses for the year ending March 31, 2013 were $31,350 which consisted primarily of accounting expenses. Operating expenses increased significantly compared to the year ending March 31, 2013 due to entering into operations from the previous non-operational shell status of the Company in July 2013.
We had a net loss of $3,004,937 for the year ending March 31, 2014 compared to a net loss of $31,350 for the year ending March 31, 2013. The increase in the net loss was due to the commencement of operations in July 2013 and non-cash charges discussed above.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
We have primarily financed our operations through the sale of unregistered equity, warrants and convertible notes payable.
As of March 31, 2014, our Company had cash totaling $12,387, and total assets of $15,209. We had total liabilities of $852,512 and a working capital deficit and Stockholders’ deficit totaled $(837,303) as of March 31, 2014.
Net cash used in operating activities was $342,832 for the year ended March 31, 2014, and was $418,062 for the period from August 9, 2010 (inception) to March 31, 2014. The net cash used by operating activities was related to increased activities incurred in ramping up our business operations over the previous period from inception.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $400,050 for the year ended March 31, 2014, and was $476,868 for the period from August 9, 2010 (inception) to March 31, 2014. The net cash provided by financing activities was mainly attributable to proceeds from the sale of equity, warrants and convertible notes.
On October 29, 2013, the Company granted 250,000 shares of Company common stock at Thirty Cents ($.30) per share, and warrants to purchase 250,000 shares of Company common stock at Fifty Cents ($.50) per share for a one year term.
On December 11, 2013, the Company granted 250,000 shares of Company common stock at Thirty Cents ($.30) per share, and warrants to purchase 250,000 shares of Company common stock at Fifty Cents ($.50) per share for a one year term.
On March 10, 2014 the Company granted 83,334 shares of Company common stock at Thirty Cents ($.30) per share, and warrants to purchase 83,334 shares of Company common stock at Fifty Cents ($.50) per share for a one year term.
On March 20, 2014, the Company issued a convertible promissory note in the amount of $37,500. The note is due on December 13, 2014 and bears interest at 8% per annum. The loan becomes convertible 180 days after the date of the note. The loan and any accrued interest can then be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at a rate of 58% multiplied by the market price, which is the average of the lowest three (3) trading prices for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the latest complete trading day prior to the conversion date. During the period ended March 31, 2014, the Company has not converted any portion of this note into shares of common stock.
Based on our need to raise additional funds to implement our business plans for the next twelve months, we have included a discussion concerning the presentation of our financial statements on a going concern basis in the notes to our financial statements and our independent public accountants have included a similar discussion in their opinion on our financial statements through March 31, 2014. We will be required in the near future to issue debt or sell our Company’s equity securities in order to raise additional cash, although there are no arrangements in place for any such financing at this time. We cannot provide any assurances as to whether we will be able to secure the necessary financing, or the terms of any such financing transaction if one were to occur. The failure to secure such financing could severely curtail our plans for future growth or in more severe scenarios, the continued operations of our Company.
Capital Expenditures
Our current plans do not call for our Company to expend significant amounts for capital expenditures for the foreseeable future beyond relatively insignificant expenditures for office furniture and information technology related equipment as we add employees to our Company.
Critical Accounting Policies Involving Management Estimates and Assumptions
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and equity and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates include those related to the allowance for doubtful accounts; valuation of inventories; valuation of goodwill, intangible assets and property and equipment; valuation of stock based compensation expense, the valuation of warrants and conversion features; and other contingencies. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
The following is a discussion of certain of the accounting policies that require management to make estimates and assumptions where the impact of those estimates and assumptions may have a substantial impact on our financial position and results of operations.
Income Taxes:
We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method, which recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities, determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established to reduce deferred tax assets when, based on available objective evidence, it is more likely than not that the benefit of such assets will not be realized. In addition, FASB guidance requires us to recognize in the consolidated financial statements only those tax positions determined to be more likely than not of being sustained.
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Derivative Financial Instruments
We do not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market or foreign currency risks.
We review the terms of convertible debt and equity instruments it issues to determine whether there are embedded derivative instruments, including the embedded conversion option, that are required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately as a derivative financial instrument. In circumstances where the convertible instrument contains more than one embedded derivative instrument, including the conversion option, that is required to be bifurcated, the bifurcated derivative instruments are accounted for as a single, compound derivative instrument. Also, in connection with the sale of convertible debt and equity instruments, we may issue freestanding warrants that may, depending on their terms, be accounted for as derivative instrument liabilities, rather than as equity.
Bifurcated embedded derivatives are initially recorded at fair value and are then revalued at each reporting date with changes in the fair value reported as non-operating income or expense. When the convertible debt or equity instruments contain embedded derivative instruments that are to be bifurcated and accounted for as liabilities, the total proceeds allocated to the convertible host instruments are first allocated to the fair value of all the bifurcated derivative instruments. The remaining proceeds, if any, are then allocated to the convertible instruments themselves, usually resulting in those instruments being recorded at a discount from their face amount.
The discount from the face value of the convertible debt, together with the stated interest on the instrument, is amortized over the life of the instrument through periodic charges to interest expense, using the effective interest method.
Stock Based Compensation:
We measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. That cost is recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations over the period during which the employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award – the requisite service period. No compensation cost is recognized for equity instruments for which employees do not render the requisite service. The grant-date fair value of employee share options and similar instruments is estimated using option-pricing models adjusted for the unique characteristics of those instruments.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See “Note 1 – Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of Part II of this report.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of the year ended March 31, 2014, nor do we have any as of the date of this Annual Report.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
As a smaller reporting company we are not required to provide the information required by this item.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The following consolidated financial statements are included beginning on page F-1 of this report:
F-1 | Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms |
F-2 | Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2014 and 2013 |
F-3 | Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 |
F-4 | Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 |
F-5 | Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 |
F-6 | Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements |
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Silberstein Ungar, PLLC CPAs and Business Advisors
Phone (248) 203-0080
Fax (248) 281-0940
30600 Telegraph Road, Suite 2175
Bingham Farms, MI 48025-4586
www.sucpas.com
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Boards of Directors
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Beverly Hills, California
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly Nepia, Inc.), as of March 31, 2014 and 2013, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for the years then ended and the period from August 9, 2010 (date of inception) to March 31, 2014. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company has determined that it is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly Nepia, Inc.), as of March 31, 2014 and 2013 and the results of its operations and cash flows for the years then ended and the period from August 9, 2010 (date of inception) to March 31, 2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly Nepia, Inc.) will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 11 to the financial statements, the Company has not received revenue from sales of products or services, has a working capital deficit, and has incurred losses from operations since inception. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans with regard to these matters are described in Note 11. The accompanying financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
/s/ Silberstein Ungar, PLLC
Silberstein Ungar, PLLC
Bingham Farms, Michigan
July 10, 2014
F- 1 |
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF MARCH 31, 2014 AND 2013
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F- 2 |
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31, 2014 AND 2013
FOR THE PERIOD FROM AUGUST 9, 2010 (INCEPTION) TO MARCH 31, 2014
Year
ended
March 31, 2014 |
Year
ended
March 31, 2013 |
Period
from
August 9, 2010 (Inception) to March 31, 2014 |
||||||||||
REVENUES | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
OPERATING EXPENSES | ||||||||||||
Consulting expenses | 335,000 | 0 | 335,000 | |||||||||
Office expenses | 39,569 | 0 | 39,569 | |||||||||
Depreciation expense | 158 | 0 | 158 | |||||||||
Wages and taxes | 291,358 | 0 | 291,358 | |||||||||
Professional fees | 115,304 | 31,350 | 197,234 | |||||||||
Regulatory fees | 37,591 | 0 | 37,591 | |||||||||
Research and development | 123,802 | 0 | 123,802 | |||||||||
Stock-based compensation | 1,869,273 | 0 | 1,869,273 | |||||||||
Impairment of intangible assets | 168,973 | 0 | 168,973 | |||||||||
Travel, meals and entertainment | 23,567 | 0 | 23,567 | |||||||||
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES | 3,004,595 | 31,350 | 3,086,525 | |||||||||
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS | (3,004,595 | ) | (31,350 | ) | (3,086,525 | ) | ||||||
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | ||||||||||||
Interest expense | (342 | ) | 0 | (342 | ) | |||||||
LOSS BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES |
(3,004,937 | ) | (31,350 | ) | (3,086,867 | ) | ||||||
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
NET LOSS | $ | (3,004,937 | ) | $ | (31,350 | ) | $ | (3,086,867 | ) | |||
NET LOSS PER SHARE: BASIC AND DILUTED | $ | (0.00 | ) | $ | (0.00 | ) | ||||||
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING: BASIC AND DILUTED | 615,222,893 | 1,093,837,500 |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F- 3 |
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
FOR THE PERIOD FROM AUGUST 9, 2010 (INCEPTION) TO MARCH 31, 2014
Preferred Stock |
Common Stock |
Additional Paid-in | Deficit Accumulated During the Development | Total Stockholders’ Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Stage | (Deficit) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Inception, August 9, 2010 | — | $ | — | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock for cash | — | — | 1,093,837,500 | 2,625 | 49,875 | — | 52,500 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss for the period ended March 31, 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | (18,689 | ) | (18,689 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2011 | — | — | 1,093,837,500 | 2,625 | 49,875 | (18,689 | ) | 33,811 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss for the year ended March 31, 2012 | — | — | — | — | — | (31,891 | ) | (31,891 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2012 | — | — | 1,093,837,500 | 2,625 | 49,875 | (50,580 | ) | 1,920 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss for the year ended March 31, 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | (31,350 | ) | (31,350 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2013 | — | — | 1,093,837,500 | 2,625 | 49,875 | (81,930 | ) | (29,430 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Stock issued for intangible assets | 6,000,000 | 6,000 | 82,767,038 | 199 | 117,774 | — | 123,973 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Share cancellation | — | — | (762,776,434 | ) | (1,831 | ) | 1,831 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Forgiveness of shareholder debt | — | — | — | — | 28,818 | — | 28,818 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock split – 416.7 to 1 | — | — | — | 412,835 | (198,298 | ) | (214,537 | ) | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Stock options granted for services | — | — | — | — | 663,307 | — | 663,307 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock and warrants issued for cash | — | — | 583,334 | 583 | 174,417 | — | 175,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock options granted for services | — | — | — | — | 23,825 | — | 23,825 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock options granted for services | — | — | — | — | 1,182,141 | — | 1,182,141 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss for the year ended March 31, 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | (3,004,937 | ) | (3,004,937 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2014 | 6,000,000 | $ | 6,000 | 414,411,438 | $ | 414,411 | $ | 2,043,690 | $ | (3,301,404 | ) | $ | (837,303 | ) |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F- 4 |
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31, 2014 AND 2013
FOR THE PERIOD FROM AUGUST 9, 2010 (INCEPTION) TO MARCH 31, 2014
Year
ended
March 31, 2014 |
Year
ended
March 31, 2013 |
Period
from
August 9, 2010 (Inception) to March 31, 2014 |
||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
Net loss for the period | $ | (3,004,937 | ) | $ | (31,350 | ) | $ | (3,086,867 | ) | |||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities | ||||||||||||
Depreciation expense | 158 | 0 | 158 | |||||||||
Impairment of intangible assets | 168,973 | 0 | 168,973 | |||||||||
Stock-based compensation | 1,869,273 | 0 | 1,869,273 | |||||||||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||||||
(Increase) in prepaid expenses | (1,561 | ) | 0 | (1,561 | ) | |||||||
Increase in accounts payable | 173,972 | 120 | 180,672 | |||||||||
Increase in accrued expenses | 451,290 | 0 | 451,290 | |||||||||
Net Cash Used by Operating Activities | (342,832 | ) | (31,230 | ) | (418,062 | ) | ||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
Purchase of fixed assets | (1,419 | ) | 0 | (1,419 | ) | |||||||
Acquisition of intangible assets | (45,000 | ) | 0 | (45,000 | ) | |||||||
Net Cash Used by Investing Activities | (46,419 | ) | 0 | (46,419 | ) | |||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
Loans received from related parties | 40,500 | 20,318 | 64,818 | |||||||||
Proceeds from stock deposits | 147,050 | 0 | 147,050 | |||||||||
Proceeds from sale of common stock | 175,000 | 0 | 227,500 | |||||||||
Issuance of convertible note payable | 37,500 | 0 | 37,500 | |||||||||
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities | 400,050 | 20,318 | 476,868 | |||||||||
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents | 10,799 | (10,912 | ) | 12,387 | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 1,588 | 12,500 | 0 | |||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $ | 12,387 | $ | 1,588 | $ | 12,387 | ||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | ||||||||||||
Interest paid | $ | 342 | $ | 0 | $ | 342 | ||||||
Income taxes paid | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING INFORMATION: | ||||||||||||
Forgiveness of shareholder debt recorded as contributed capital | $ | 28,818 | $ | 0 | $ | 28,818 | ||||||
Common and preferred stock issued for intangible assets | $ | 123,973 | $ | 0 | $ | 123,973 |
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
F- 5 |
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Nature of Business
On August 9, 2010 the Company was incorporated as Nepia Inc. in the State of Nevada. From August 9, 2010 to July 18, 2013, the Company was in the business of developing, manufacturing, and selling small boilers aimed at farmers primarily in Southeast Asia. Beginning on July 19, 2013, the Company acquired bio-pharmaceutical intellectual property for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is entering into phase II human studies. The goal is to perfect this indication for marketing purposes for distribution world-wide. On August 26, 2013, as a consequence of our new business direction, the Company changed its name to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Rich” or “the Company”).
On July 18, 2013, the Company designated, from our 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001, 6,000,000 shares of Series “A” Preferred Stock. Our Series “A” Preferred Stock has voting rights of 100 votes per share and votes with common shares as a single class.
On July 18, 2013, the Company entered into an Asset Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Imagic, LLC and its principals to acquire certain assets including a US Patent entitled “Phorbol esters as anti-neoplastic and white blood cell elevating agents” and all related intellectual property associated with the patent. In consideration for the intellectual property the Company issued 82,767,038 common shares, and 6,000,000 Series “A” Preferred shares. The common and preferred shares were valued at $123,973. The Company further agreed to use its best efforts to complete a financing resulting in proceeds of at least $2,000,000. If the Company was unable to raise $400,000 according to the terms of the Assignment Agreement, the patent reverts back to Imagic, LLC and its principals. On January 17, 2014, the right of reversion was terminated in exchange for a payment of $20,000.
On July 19, 2013, the Company entered into an Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations (the “Sale Agreement”) with our prior officers and directors. Pursuant to the Sale Agreement, the Company transferred all assets and business operations associated with our boiler business in exchange for assumption of all obligations associated with that business and cancellation of loans amounting to $28,818. The cancellation of debt was recorded as additional paid-in capital. In consequence to the Sale Agreement two former officers sold 531,292,500 common shares held by them to our new officer/director. In turn, our new officer/director agreed to cancel 500,255,434 of those shares he received and returned them to treasury for retirement. Certain other shareholders also agreed to cancel 262,521,000 common shares.
On September 5, 2013, the Company increased the authorized common shares, par value $0.001, from 90,000,000 shares to 37,503,000,000 shares. Correspondingly, the Company affirmed a forward split of 416.7 for 1 in which each shareholder was issued 416.7 common shares for each share held. All share and per share date included in these financial statements has been retrospectively adjusted to account for the stock split.
Development Stage Company
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles related to development-stage companies. A development-stage company is one in which planned principal operations have not commenced or if its operations have commenced, and there has been no significant revenues there from.
F- 6 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Basis of Presentation
The financial statements of the Company have been prepared using the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and are presented in U.S. dollars. The Company has adopted a March 31 fiscal year end.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At March 31, 2014 and 2013 the Company had $12,387 and $1,588, respectively, of unrestricted cash.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is recorded at cost and is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The useful lives of the assets are as follows:
Computer equipment | 3 years |
Long-Lived and Intangible Assets
The Company accounts for long-lived and intangible assets in accordance with ASC Topic 360-10-05, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.” ASC Topic 360-10-05 requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the historical cost carrying value of an asset may no longer be appropriate. The Company assesses recoverability of the carrying value of an asset by estimating the future net cash flows expected to result from the asset, including eventual disposition. If the future net cash flows are less than the carrying value of the asset, an impairment loss is recorded equal to the difference between the asset’s carrying value and fair value or disposable value. As of March 31, 2014, the Company fully impaired their intangible assets to $0.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, accrued expenses, amounts due to related parties, stock deposits, and a convertible note payable. The carrying amount of these financial instruments approximates fair value due either to length of maturity or interest rates that approximate prevailing market rates unless otherwise disclosed in these financial statements.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements 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 disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are computed using the asset and liability method. Under the asset and liability method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the currently enacted tax rates and laws. A valuation allowance is provided for the amount of deferred tax assets that, based on available evidence, are not expected to be realized.
F- 7 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation is accounted for at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 718. On September 6, 2013, the Company approved the adoption of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2013 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan (the "2013 Plan”). The 2013 Plan is intended to aid in recruiting and retaining key employees, directors or consultants and to motivate them by providing incentives through the granting of awards of stock options or other stock based awards. The 2013 Plan is administered by the board of directors. Directors, officers, employees and consultants and our affiliates are eligible to participate under the 2013 Plan. A total of 60,000,000 common shares have been reserved for awards under the 2013 Plan. During the year ended March 31, 2014, the Company granted 47,503,280 stock options to officers, directors, employees and consultants.
Basic loss per share
The basic earnings (loss) per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s net income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares during the year. The diluted earnings (loss) per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year. The diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding is the basic weighted number of shares adjusted as of the first of the year for any potentially dilutive debt or equity.
Revenue Recognition
The Company will recognize revenue when products are fully delivered or services have been provided and collection is reasonably assured.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company does not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a significant impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flow.
NOTE 2 – PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Property and equipment, recorded at cost, consisted of the following as of March 31, 2014 and 2013:
2014 | 2013 | |||||||
Computer equipment | $ | 1,419 | $ | — | ||||
Less: accumulated depreciation | (158 | ) | — | |||||
Property and equipment, net | $ | 1,261 | $ | — |
NOTE 3 – INTANGIBLE ASSETS
On July 18, 2013, the Company entered into an Asset Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Imagic, LLC and its principals to acquire certain assets including a US Patent entitled “Phorbol esters as anti-neoplastic and white blood cell elevating agents” and all related intellectual property associated with the patent. In consideration for the intellectual property the Company issued 82,767,038 common shares and 6,000,000 Series “A” Preferred Stock. These shares were valued at a total of $123,973. The Company has also paid additional funds to third parties to further the development of this asset and terminate the right of reversion totaling $45,000. The Company analyzed the assets at March 31, 2014 and determined that the value could not be supported and impaired the assets to $0.
F- 8 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 4 – ACCRUED EXPENSES
Accrued expenses consisted of the following as of March 31, 2014 and 2013:
2014 | 2013 | |||||||
Wages and taxes | 151,290 | 0 | ||||||
Consulting | 300,000 | 0 | ||||||
Total accrued expenses | $ | 451,290 | $ | 0 |
The Company amended a consulting agreement on May 7, 2014, to grant 2,500,000 shares to a consultant for work performed through March 31, 2014. The shares were valued on the grant date at $300,000 and that amount has been accrued as of March 31, 2014.
NOTE 5 – RELATED PARTY DEBT AND TRANSACTIONS
A former shareholder had loaned the company funds to help support operations. The amounts were unsecured, non-interest bearing and due on demand. The total due to the shareholder was $16,818 as of March 31, 2013.
A former officer had loaned the company funds to help support operations as well. The amount was unsecured, non-interest bearing and due on demand. The total due to the officer was $7,500 as of March 31, 2013.
During the three months ended June 30, 2013, former officers and shareholders loaned the Company $4,500.
On July 19, 2013, the Company entered into an Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations (the “Sale Agreement”) with our prior officers and directors. Pursuant to the Sale Agreement, the Company transferred all assets and business operations associated with its boiler business in exchange for assumption of all obligations associated with that business and cancellation of loans amounting to $28,818. The cancellation of debt was recorded as additional paid-in capital.
During the year ended March 31, 2014, the Company received loans from companies controlled by its new CEO or shareholders totaling $36,000. The loans are unsecured, non-interest bearing with no specific terms of repayment. The total due to related parties was $36,000 as of March 31, 2014.
On September 6, 2013, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President and Secretary. The Employment Agreement provides for a term of two years; annual compensation of $275,000, a signing bonus of $68,750, and options to purchase up to 3,000,240 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.02 per share. The CEO earned $229,167 through March 31, 2014 as a result of this agreement, of which, $129,717 has been accrued as of March 31, 2014.
NOTE 6 – STOCK DEPOSITS
The Company received deposits for future stock purchases during the year ended March 31, 2014 totaling $147,050. The Company signed subscription agreements with four investors on June 16, 2014 to grant 1,469,000 shares of common stock in exchange for the deposits.
F- 9 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 7 – CONVERTIBLE NOTE PAYABLE
On March 20, 2014, the Company issued a convertible promissory note in the amount of $37,500. The note is due on December 13, 2014 and bears interest at 8% per annum. The loan becomes convertible 180 days after the date of the note. The loan and any accrued interest can then be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at a rate of 58% multiplied by the market price, which is the average of the lowest three (3) trading prices for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the latest complete trading day prior to the conversion date. As of March 31, 2014, the Company has not converted any portion of this note into shares of common stock.
NOTE 8 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company leases office space on a verbal month-to-month agreement. Monthly rent is approximately $2,500.
The inventor of the intellectual property which was assigned to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in July 2013 by Imagic, LLC and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC is presently in declaratory relief litigation with Biosuccess Biotech, Co. LTD. (“Biosuccess”), a company who was previously assigned licensing rights in the intellectual property. In connection with this litigation, on January 17, 2014, the Company received notice of a complaint filed by Biosuccess against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang (our CEO and a director) in the United States District Court, Central District of California Western Division. The Complaint includes allegations of patent and copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and other causes of actions against the Company, Imagic, LLC, Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC, and Ben Chang. The Complaint seeks relief which includes compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, an award of treble damages, and such other relief as the court may deem just and proper.
The Company believes the allegations in the complaint are without merit and the Company intends to defend itself in the litigation. However, the Company may incur substantial expenses and the diversion of financial resources and management personnel in responding to the complaint. Additionally, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may subject us to significant liabilities or require us to seek licenses that may not be available from third parties on commercially favorable terms, if at all. Further, an adverse determination against us in the litigation may require us to pay substantial financial damages, which can be tripled if the infringement is deemed willful, or be required to discontinue or significantly delay development, marketing, selling and licensing of the Company’s affected products and intellectual property rights.
NOTE 9 – EQUITY TRANSACTIONS
The Company has 37,503,000,000 common shares authorized with a par value of $ 0.001 per share.
The Company has 10,000,000 preferred shares authorized with a par value of $ 0.001 per share.
At inception, the Company issued 1,093,837,500 shares of common stock for total cash proceeds of $52,500.
F- 10 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 9 – EQUITY TRANSACTIONS
On July 18, 2013, the Company designated, from the 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, 6,000,000 shares of Series “A” Preferred Stock. The Series “A” Preferred Stock has voting rights of 100 votes per share and votes with common shares as a single class.
On July 18, 2013, the Company granted 6,000,000 Series “A” Preferred shares and 82,767,038 common shares for the intellectual property The common and preferred shares were valued at a total of $123,973.
On July 19, 2013, our new officer/director agreed to cancel 500,255,434 common shares and returned them to treasury. Certain other shareholders also agreed to cancel 262,521,000 common shares.
On September 5, 2013, the Company increased the authorized common shares from 90,000,000 to 37,503,000,000. Correspondingly, the Company affirmed a forward split of 416.7 for 1 in which each shareholder was issued 416.7 common shares for each share held. All share and per share date included in these financial statements has been retrospectively adjusted to account for the stock split.
On October 29, 2013, the Company granted 250,000 units at $0.30 per unit. Each unit consisted of 1 share of common stock and one common stock warrant with an exercise price of $0.50 and a one year term. The value of the warrants was derived by using the Black-Scholes valuation model. A summary of the valuation inputs can is below.
On December 11, 2013, the Company granted 250,000 units at $0.30 per unit. Each unit consisted of 1 share of common stock and one common stock warrant with an exercise price of $0.50 and a one year term. The value of the warrants was derived by using the Black-Scholes valuation model. A summary of the valuation inputs can is below.
On March 10, 2014, the Company issued 83,334 units at $0.30 per unit. Each unit consisted of 1 share of common stock and one common stock warrant with an exercise price of $0.50 and a one year term. The value of the warrants was derived by using the Black-Scholes valuation model. A summary of the valuation inputs can is below.
The following is a summary of the inputs used to determine the value of the warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Date | October 29, 2013 | December 11, 2013 | March 10, 2014 | |||||||||
Warrants | 250,000 | 250,000 | 83,334 | |||||||||
Stock price on grant date | $ | 0.30 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.02 | ||||||
Exercise price | $ | 0.50 | $ | 0.50 | $ | 0.50 | ||||||
Expected life | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | |||||||||
Volatility | 147 | % | 64 | % | 65 | % | ||||||
Risk-free rate | 0.12 | % | 0.11 | % | 0.13 | % | ||||||
Calculated value | $ | 10,473 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||
Fair value allocation of proceeds | $ | 7,381 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
F- 11 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 9 – EQUITY TRANSACTIONS
The following is a summary of the warrant activity for the year ended March 31, 2014:
Number of warrants | Weighted average exercise price | |||||||||
Outstanding, April 1, 2013 | 0 | $ | 0.00 | |||||||
Granted | 583,334 | $ | 0.50 | |||||||
Exercised | — | — | ||||||||
Expired | — | — | ||||||||
Outstanding, March 31, 2014 | 583,334 | $ | 0.50 |
During the year ended March 31, 2014, the Company granted 47,503,280 stock options to officers, directors, employees and consultants.
The Company accounts for employee stock-based compensation in accordance with the guidance of ASC Topic 718: Compensation - Stock Compensation, which requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values.
The Company follows ASC Topic 505-50, formerly EITF 96-18, “Accounting for Equity Instruments that are Issued to Other than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling Goods and Services,” for stock options and warrants issued to consultants and other non-employees. In accordance with ASC Topic 505-50, these stock options issued as compensation for services provided to the Company are accounted for based upon the fair value of the services provided or the estimated fair market value of the option, whichever can be more clearly determined.
The following is a summary of the inputs used to determine the value of the options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Date | September 6, 2013 | February 7, 2014 | March 14, 2014 | |||||||||
Options | 41,003,280 | 1,500,000 | 5,000,000 | |||||||||
Stock price on grant date | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.02 | $ | 0.30 | ||||||
Exercise price | $ | 0.0191984 | $ | 0.0191984 | $ | 0.30 | ||||||
Expected life | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | |||||||||
Volatility | 76 | % | 74 | % | 74 | % | ||||||
Risk-free rate | 2.94 | % | 2.71 | % | 2.65 | % | ||||||
Calculated value | $ | 663,307 | $ | 23,825 | $ | 1,182,141 |
The following is a summary of the option activity for the year ended March 31, 2014:
Number of options | Weighted average exercise price | |||||||||
Outstanding, April 1, 2013 | 0 | $ | 0.00 | |||||||
Granted | 47,503,280 | $ | 0.05 | |||||||
Exercised | — | — | ||||||||
Expired | — | — | ||||||||
Outstanding, March 31, 2014 | 47,503,280 | $ | 0.05 |
F- 12 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 10 – INCOME TAXES
As of March 31, 2014, the Company had net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $3,086,867 that may be available to reduce future years’ taxable income in varying amounts through 2033. Future tax benefits which may arise as a result of these losses have not been recognized in these financial statements, as their realization is determined not likely to occur and accordingly, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance for the deferred tax asset relating to these tax loss carry-forwards.
The provision for Federal income tax consists of the following for the years ended March 31, 2014 and 2013:
2014 | 2013 | |||||||
Federal income tax benefit attributable to: | ||||||||
Current operations | $ | 1,021,679 | $ | 10,659 | ||||
Less: valuation allowance | (1,021,679 | ) | (10,659 | ) | ||||
Net provision for Federal income taxes | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
The cumulative tax effect at the expected rate of 34% of significant items comprising our net deferred tax amount is as follows as of March 31, 2014 and 2013:
2014 | 2013 | |||||||
Deferred tax asset attributable to: | ||||||||
Net operating loss carryover | $ | 1,049,535 | $ | 27,856 | ||||
Less: valuation allowance | (1,049,535 | ) | (27,856 | ) | ||||
Net deferred tax asset | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
Due to the change in ownership provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $3,086,867 for Federal income tax reporting purposes are subject to annual limitations. Should a change in ownership occur net operating loss carry forwards may be limited as to use in future years.
NOTE 11 – LIQUIDITY AND GOING CONCERN
The Company has a working capital deficit, has not yet received revenues from sales of products or services, and has incurred losses since inception. These factors create substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustment that might be necessary if the Company is unable to continue as a going concern.
The ability of the Company to continue as a going concern is dependent on the Company generating cash from the sale of its common stock and/or obtaining debt financing and attaining future profitable operations. Management’s plans include selling its equity securities and obtaining debt financing to fund its capital requirement and ongoing operations; however, there can be no assurance the Company will be successful in these efforts.
F- 13 |
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(FORMERLY NEPIA, INC.)
(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2014
NOTE 12 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company amended a consulting agreement on May 7, 2014, to grant 2,500,000 shares to a consultant for work performed through March 31, 2014. The shares were valued on the grant date at $300,000 and that amount has been accrued as of March 31, 2014.
The Company signed subscription agreements with four investors on June 16, 2014 to grant 1,469,000 shares of common stock in exchange for the stock deposits totaling $147,050.
On April 18, 2014, the Company issued a convertible note payable in the amount of $53,000. The note bears 8% interest and is due on January 14, 2015. The loan becomes convertible 180 days after the date of the note. The loan and any accrued interest can then be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at a rate of 58% multiplied by the market price, which is the average of the lowest three (3) trading prices for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the latest complete trading day prior to the conversion date.
On May 21, 2014, the Company issued a convertible note payable in the amount of $42,500. The note bears 8% interest and is due on February 23, 2015. The loan becomes convertible 180 days after the date of the note. The loan and any accrued interest can then be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at a rate of 58% multiplied by the market price, which is the average of the lowest three (3) trading prices for the common stock during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the latest complete trading day prior to the conversion date.
On July 1, 2014, the Company issued 1,000,000 shares to its outside legal counsel for payment against past and future invoices for services provided.
In accordance with ASC 855-10, the Company has analyzed its operations subsequent to March 31, 2014 to the date these financial statements were issued, and has determined that it does not have any material subsequent events to disclose in these financial statements other than the events described above.
F- 14 |
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our principal executive officer (who is also our principal financial officer) conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such terms are defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of March 31, 2014.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting.
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over our financial reporting. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on our evaluation under that framework, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of March 31, 2014.
This annual report does not include an attestation report of the company's registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management's report was not subject to attestation by the company's registered public accounting firm pursuant to temporary rules of the SEC that permit the company to provide only management's report in this annual report.
Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls or internal controls over financial reporting will prevent all errors or all instances of fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system's objectives will be met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Controls can also be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and any design may not succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures. Because of the inherent limitation of a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
Changes In Internal Controls over Financial Reporting.
No changes were made in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during our most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
None.
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PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table sets forth the name and age of our current director and executive officer, and the principal position held by him:
Name Age Position
Ben Chang 50 President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Director
David Chou, Ph.D. 58 Director
Ben Chang was appointed as our President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Director on July 18, 2013. Mr. Chang founded Rich Pharmaceuticals in January 2013. From October 2006 until January 2013, Mr. Chang served as the Chief Financial Officer and subsequently President and Chief Operating Officer of Biosuccess Biotech Co. LTD., a biopharmaceutical company based in Los Angeles, California. During his tenure at Biosuccess, his responsibilities included arranging and leading all corporate and financial operations in North America. Mr. Chang started his life-science career as co-founder of Sun-Rich Chemicals, a product development and distribution organization for nutraceuticals. Mr. Chang has over 25 years of pharmaceutical and executive level experience. Mr. Chang also has experience in international banking, venture capital acquisition, finance, and organizational design and operations. Mr. Chang has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from East Carolina University where he focused on accounting and international business.
David Chou, Ph.D . was appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors on September 6, 2013. Mr. Chou is a pharmaceutical development expert with more than 25 years of experience and he has led numerous development projects from pre-clinical evaluation stage to product commercialization. Prior to joining Rich Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Chou was the Chief Product Development Officer at Biosuccess Biotech where he led the product development and manufacturing activities for various indications. Before his career with Biosuccess Biotech, Mr. Chou was the Head of CMC (a Vice President level position) at SBIO, Inc. from 2010 to 2012. While at SBIO, he managed the technical development of 4 clinical stage products and made significant contributions to the success of product out-licensing deals with a total value of more than $500 million. From 1998 to 2010, Mr. Chou held director level positions in pharmaceutical development fields at various biopharmaceutical companies including Neurobiological Technologies, PharmaEngine, Oculex and SUGEN and his development portfolios included Sutent® currently marketed by Pfizer and OZURDEX® marketed by Allergan. Prior to his biotech career, Mr. Chou held various management positions at Hoffmann La-Roche for more than 12 years. At Roche, his development team contributed and submitted more than 20 INDs and 6 full NDAs including marketed products such as Xeloda ® (Capecitabine), Xenical ® (Orlistat) and Hivid ® (Zalcitabine). Mr. Chou received a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the City University of New York.
Terms of Office
The Company’s directors are appointed for a one-year term to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company’s shareholders or until removed from office in accordance with the Company’s bylaws and the provisions of the Delaware Corporations Code. The Company’s directors hold office after the expiration of his or her term until his or her successor is elected and qualified, or until he or she resigns or is removed in accordance with the Company’s bylaws and the provisions of the Delaware Corporations Code. The Company’s officers are appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors and hold office until removed by the Board.
Committees of the Board
We do not currently have standing nominating or compensation committees, or committees performing similar functions. Due to the size of our board, our Board of Directors believes that it is not necessary to have standing nominating or compensation committees at this time because the functions of such committees are adequately performed by our Board of Directors. We do not have a nominating or compensation committee charter as we do not currently have such committees. We do not have a policy for electing members to the board. Our current director is not an independent director as defined in the NASD listing standards.
It is anticipated that in the future as the Company grows that the Board of Directors will be expanded and form separate compensation and nominating committees, and appoint members to the audit committee, including an audit committee financial expert.
Audit Committee
Our Board of Directors has not established a separate audit committee within the meaning of Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Our Board of Directors currently performs the services of an audit committee. Our current director cannot be considered an “audit committee financial expert.” We will need to attract an individual with the qualification of an audit committee expert to our Audit Committee. At this time, we have not identified such an individual.
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Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers, and shareholders holding more than 10% of our outstanding Common Stock to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in beneficial ownership of our Common Stock. Executive officers, directors, and persons who own more than 10% of our Common Stock are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.
Based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4, and 5 delivered to us as filed with the SEC during our most recent fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, all of our executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of our Common Stock timely filed the reports required pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.
Nominations to the Board of Directors
Our directors take a critical role in guiding our strategic direction and oversee the management of the Company. Board candidates are considered based upon various criteria, such as their broad-based business and professional skills and experiences, a global business and social perspective, concern for the long-term interests of the shareholders, diversity, and personal integrity and judgment. In addition, directors must have time available to devote to Board activities and to enhance their knowledge in the growing business. Accordingly, we seek to attract and retain highly qualified directors who have sufficient time to attend to their substantial duties and responsibilities to the Company. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Board will consider candidates suggested by shareholders. If a shareholder wishes to formally place a candidate’s name in nomination, however, he or she must do so in accordance with the provisions of the Company’s Bylaws. Suggestions for candidates to be evaluated by the proposed directors must be sent to the Board of Directors, c/o Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to the address set forth on the cover page of this Annual Report.
Board Leadership Structure and Role on Risk Oversight
Mr. Chang currently serves as the Company’s principal executive officer and chairman. The Company determined this leadership structure was appropriate for the Company due to our small size and limited operations and resources. The Board of Directors will continue to evaluate the Company’s leadership structure and modify as appropriate based on the size, resources and operations of the Company.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
No interlocking relationship exists between our board of directors and the board of directors or compensation committee of any other company, nor has any interlocking relationship existed in the past.
Director Qualifications
In evaluating director nominees, our Company considers the following factors:
• The appropriate size of the Board;
• Our needs with respect to the particular talents and experience of our directors;
• The knowledge, skills and experience of nominees;
• Experience with accounting rules and practices; and
• The nominees’ other commitments.
Our Company’s goal is to assemble a Board of Directors that brings our Company a variety of perspectives and skills derived from high quality business, professional and personal experience. Other than the foregoing, there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees. Specific talents and qualifications that we considered for the members of our Company’s Board of Directors are as follows:
• Mr. Chang has over 25 years of pharmaceutical and executive level experience. Mr. Chang also has experience in international banking, venture capital acquisition, finance, and organizational design and operations.
• Mr. Chou is a pharmaceutical development expert with more than 25 years of experience and he has led numerous development projects from pre-clinical evaluation stage to product commercialization.
Family Relationships
None.
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Code of Ethics
Effective as of July 1, 2014, our board of directors adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to, among other persons, our president or chief executive officer as well as the individuals performing the functions of our chief financial officer, corporate secretary and controller. As adopted, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics sets forth written standards that are designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote:
• honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;
• full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that we file with, or submit to, the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other public communications made by us;
• the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; and
• accountability for adherence to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requires, among other things, that all of our personnel be afforded full access to our president or chief executive officer with respect to any matter which may arise relating to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Further, all of our personnel are to be afforded full access to our board of directors if any such matter involves an alleged breach of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics by our president or chief executive officer.
In addition, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics emphasizes that all employees, and particularly managers and/or supervisors, have a responsibility for maintaining financial integrity within our company, consistent with generally accepted accounting principles, and federal, provincial and state securities laws. Any employee who becomes aware of any incidents involving financial or accounting manipulation or other irregularities, whether by witnessing the incident or being told of it, must report it to his or her immediate supervisor or to our president or chief executive officer. If the incident involves an alleged breach of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics by our president or chief executive officer, the incident must be reported to any member of our board of directors or use of a confidential and anonymous hotline phone number. Any failure to report such inappropriate or irregular conduct of others is to be treated as a severe disciplinary matter. It is against our company policy to retaliate against any individual who reports in good faith the violation or potential violation of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics by another. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available, free of charge, to any stockholder upon written request to our Corporate Secretary at Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., at the address on the cover page of this Annual Report. A copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is also attached as an exhibit to this Annual Report.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
To the best of our knowledge, none of our current directors or executive officers has been convicted in a criminal proceeding, excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors, or has been a party to any judicial or administrative proceeding during the past ten years that resulted in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining the person from future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or a finding of any violation of federal or state securities laws, except for matters that were dismissed without sanction or settlement. Except as set forth in our discussion below in "Transactions with Related Persons; Promoters and Certain Control Persons; Director Independence," none of our current directors, director nominees or executive officers has been involved in any transactions with us or any of our directors, executive officers, affiliates or associates which are required to be disclosed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth information concerning all cash and non-cash compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to the named persons for services rendered in all capacities during the noted periods. No other executive officers received total annual compensation in excess of $100,000.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name
and
principal position |
Year |
Salary ($) |
Bonus ($) |
Stock Awards ($) |
Option Awards ($) |
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($) |
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($) |
All Other Compensation ($) |
Tota l ($) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ben Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director |
2014 2013 |
$229,167 — |
— — |
— — |
$48,535 — |
— — |
— — |
— — |
$277,702 — |
|
(1) | Effective September 6, 2013, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Chang. The Employment Agreement provides for a term of two (2) years; annual base compensation of $275,000; an initial bonus of $68,750; and a grant of 3,000,240 stock options under the Company’s 2013 Plan. The Company paid a salary to Mr. Chang of $229,167, which includes wages received of $99,450 and wages accrued of $129,717 and was recorded under other current liabilities as of March 31, 2014. |
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Employment Agreements
Effective September 6, 2013, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Chang, its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President and Secretary. The Employment Agreement provides for a term of two (2) years; annual base compensation of $275,000; the issuance of 3,000,240 options to purchase shares of Company common stock; and an initial bonus of $68,750. The foregoing is only a brief description of the material terms of the Employment Agreement, and does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties thereunder and such descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the agreement which is filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8K filed with the SEC on September 12, 2013.
Grants of Stock Awards
During the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, Ben Chang, our Chief Executive Officer, was awarded options to purchase up to 3,000,240 shares of our Common Stock under our 2013 Plan. The options vested 50% on grant and 50% monthly over the 24 month term of his employment agreement and provide for a right of cashless exercise. The exercise price of the options are $.0191984 per share.
During the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, there were no grants of plan-based awards to our named executive officers.
Option Exercises and Stock Vested
During the fiscal years ending March 31, 2014 and 2013, there were no option exercises or vesting of stock awards to our named executive officers.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End
At March 31, 2014, Ben Chang had 3,000,240 options issued under the 2013 Plan, and David Chou had 4,000,320 options issued under the 2013 Plan.
Compensation of Directors
During the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, David Chou received options to purchase up to 4,000,320 shares of common stock under the 2013 Plan as compensation for his services as a director.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The following table sets forth, as of May 31, 2014, information with respect to the securities holdings of (i) our officers and directors, and (ii) all persons (currently none) which, pursuant to filings with the SEC and our stock transfer records, we have reason to believe may be deemed the beneficial owner of more than five percent (5%) of the class of stock. The securities "beneficially owned" by an individual are determined in accordance with the definition of "beneficial ownership" set forth in the regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and, accordingly, may include securities owned by or for, among others, the spouse and/or minor children of an individual and any other relative who resides in the same home as such individual, as well as other securities as to which the individual has or shares voting or investment power or which each person has the right to acquire within 60 days through the exercise of options or otherwise. Beneficial ownership may be disclaimed as to certain of the securities. This table has been prepared based on the number of shares of common stock outstanding totaling 415,494,772, and the number of shares of preferred stock outstanding totaling 6,000,000, adjusted individually to include all warrants held by such individual which are exercisable within 60 days of May 31, 2014 as shown below.
Class of Securities | Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1) |
Amount and
Nature of Beneficial Ownership |
Percentage
of
Class
|
|||||||
Officers and Directors | ||||||||||
Preferred Stock | Ben Chang | 6,000,000 (3) | 100 | % | ||||||
Common Stock | Ben Chang | 112,875,434 (4) | 27 | % | ||||||
Common Stock | David Chou | 2,750,220 (5) | * | |||||||
Common Stock |
All directors and executive officers as
a group (2 persons)
|
115,625,654 (4)(5) | 27 | % | ||||||
5% or Greater Stockholders | ||||||||||
Common Stock |
Imagic, LLC
312 North Mansfield Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 |
77,713,038 (6) | 18.7 | % |
* Less than 1 percent.
(1) Unless otherwise noted, the address is c/o Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 9595 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 900, Beverly Hills, California 90212.
(2) Percentage of class beneficially owned is calculated by dividing the amount and nature of beneficial ownership (which includes all warrants issued to the beneficial owners which are exercisable within 60 days of May 31, 2014) by the total shares of common stock outstanding as of May 31, 2014.
(3) Includes options to purchase up to 2,062,665 shares of common stock issued under the 2013 Plan which are exercisable within 60 days after May 31, 2014. Also includes the 77,713,038 shares of common stock held by Imagic, LLC which Mr. Chang is deemed to beneficially own.
(4) The Preferred Stock has 100 to 1 voting rights over shares of common stock.
(5) Includes options to purchase up to 2,750,220 shares of common stock issued under the 2013 Plan which are exercisable within 60 days after May 31, 2014.
(6) Ben Chang is the sole manager and member of Imagic, LLC and has sole investment and voting control of the shares of Company common stock held by Imagic, LLC. He is therefore deemed to be the beneficial owner of such shares.
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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Transactions with Related Persons
The following includes a summary of any transaction occurring since April 1, 2012, or any proposed transaction, in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than compensation described under "Executive Compensation" above). We believe the terms obtained or consideration that we paid or received, as applicable, in connection with the transactions described below were comparable to terms available or the amounts that would be paid or received, as applicable, in arm's-length transactions.
On July 19, 2013, we entered into an Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations (the “Agreement”) with our prior officer and directors, Li Deng Ke and Xiong Chao Jun. Pursuant to the Agreement, we transferred all assets and business operations associated with our boiler business to Messrs. Ke and Jun. In exchange, Messrs. Ke and Jun agreed to assume and cancel all liabilities relating to our former business, including shareholder and officer loans amounting to $24,318. Messrs. Ke and Jun further sold 1,275,000 shares of their common stock in our company to Mr. Chang, and Mr. Chang cancelled 1,200,517 of those shares he received and returned them to our treasury.
On July 16, 2013, the Company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and Asset Assignment Agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Imagic, LLC (“Imagic”) and Richard L. Chang’s Holdings, LLC (“Holdings LLC”) to acquire certain assets including United States Patent No. 6,063,814 entitled “Phorbol esters as anti-neoplastic and white blood cell elevating agents” and all related intellectual property associated with the patent. In consideration for the acquired assets, the Company agreed to issue Imagic 198,625 shares of our common stock and to issue Ben Chang 6,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock with super voting rights. Imagic is owned and controlled by Ben Chang, and Holdings LLC is owned and controlled by Ben Chang’s father, Richard L. Chang. The Assignment Agreement also provided that the Company agreed to use its best efforts to complete a financing resulting in proceeds of at least US$2,000,000, and if the Company was unable to raise $400,000 according to the terms of the Assignment Agreement, the assets could revert back to Imagic and Holdings LLC. On January 17, 2014, the Company executed a Waiver to Memorandum of Understanding and Asset Assignment Agreement with Imagic and Holdings LLC pursuant to which Imagic and Holdings LLC agreed to waive and terminate their rights to the reversion of the patent assets under the terms of the Assignment Agreement. As part of the Assignment Agreement, Imagic and Holdings LLC have the option at any time after November 1, 2013 and before November 1, 2014, to assign to us any and all interest these companies have in the indication, patents and intellectual property related to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in consideration for us issuing to Ben Chang: (i) 476,820 restricted shares of our common stock; and (i) 1.0408 restricted shares of our common stock for each one share of our restricted common stock issued by us prior to the date which we receive notice of intent to exercise the option, adjusted for any stock split we happen to undertake.
As of March 31, 2014, the Company received loans with a total balance of $11,000 from Imagic, LLC and $25,000 from Rich BioScience, both of which entities are controlled by Ben Chang, our Chief Executive Officer.
Review, approval or ratification of transactions with related persons
We do not have any other special committee, policy or procedure related to the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions.
Promoters and Control Persons
Mr. Chang as an the sole officer, a director and beneficial owner of 27% of the outstanding common stock and 100% of the preferred stock would be considered a control person of the Company.
Director Independence
The Board has determined that neither of our directors is independent as the term "independent" is defined by the rules of NASDAQ Rule 5605.
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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
(1) Audit Fees
The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountants for the audit of the registrant's annual financial statements and review of financial statements included in the registrant's Form 10-K or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014 were $22,500.
(2) Audit-Related Fees
There were no fees billed during the two years ended March 31, 2014 for assurance and related services by the principal accountants that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the registrant's financial statements and are not reported under item (1).
(3) Tax Fees
No aggregate fees were billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013.
(4) All Other Fees
No aggregate fees were billed for professional services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in items (1) through (3) for the two years ended March 31, 2014.
(5) Audit Committee
The Company’s Board of Directors, which serves as the Company’s Audit Committee, has approved the principal accountant's performance of services for the audit of the registrant's financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014. Audit-related fees, tax fees, and all other fees, if any, were approved by the Board of Directors performing the functions of the Audit Committee.
(6) Work Performance by others
The percentage of hours expended on the principal accountant's engagement to audit the registrant's financial statements for the most recent fiscal year that were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant's full-time, permanent employees was 0.
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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) Documents filed as part of this Report:
(1) Financial Statements—all consolidated financial statements of the Company as set forth under Item 8, beginning on page F-1 of this Report.
(2) Financial Statement Schedules—As a smaller reporting company we are not required to provide the information required by this item.
(3) Exhibits
No. | Description |
3.1 | Articles of Incorporation (1) |
3.2 | Bylaws(1) |
3.3 | Certificate of Designations of Series A Preferred Stock, dated July 18, 2013 (2) |
10.1 | Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations, dated July 19, 2013 (2) |
10.2 | Memorandum of Understanding and Assignment Agreement dated July 18, 2013 (2) |
10.3 | Employment Agreement with Ben Chang dated September 6, 2013 (3) |
10.4 | 2013 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan (3) |
10.5 | Waiver to Memorandum of Understanding and Asset Assignment Agreement dated January 17, 2014 (4) |
10.6 | Convertible Promissory Note with Asher Enterprises, Inc. |
14.1 | Code of Ethics |
21.1 | List of Subsidiaries |
24.1 | Power of Attorney |
31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
31.2 | C ertification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxely Act of 2002 |
32.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
101* | The following material from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2014 formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). |
* | Filed herewith |
(1) | Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement Filed on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on April 25, 2011. |
(2) | Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 24, 2013. |
(3) | Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 12, 2013. |
(4) | Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 17, 2014. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
|
||
Date: | July 15, 2014 | |
/s/ Ben Chang | ||
By: | Ben Chang | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
In accordance with the Exchange Act, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Ben Chang Ben Chang |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer), Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) and Director |
July 15, 2014 |
||
/s/ David Chou
David Chou |
Director |
July 15, 2014 |
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NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH COUNSEL SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE HOLDER), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR RULE 144A UNDER SAID ACT. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.
Principal Amount: $37,500.00 Issue Date: March 11, 2014 Purchase Price: $37,500.00
CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE
FOR VALUE RECEIVED , RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. , a Nevada
corporation (hereinafter called the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the order of ASHER ENTERPRISES, INC. , a Delaware corporation, or registered assigns (the “Holder”) the sum of
$37,500.00 together with any interest as set forth herein, on December 13, 2014 (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest on the unpaid principal balance hereof at the rate of eight percent (8%) (the “Interest Rate”) per annum from the date hereof (the “Issue Date”) until the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or upon acceleration or by prepayment or otherwise. This Note may not be prepaid in whole or in part except as otherwise explicitly set forth herein. Any amount of principal or interest on this Note which is not paid when due shall bear interest at the rate of twenty two percent (22%) per annum from the due date thereof until the same is paid (“Default Interest”). Interest shall commence accruing on the date that the Note is fully paid and shall be computed on the basis of a 365-day year and the actual number of days elapsed. All payments due hereunder (to the extent not converted into common stock, $0.10 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) in accordance with the terms hereof) shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America. All payments shall be made at such address as the Holder shall hereafter give to the Borrower by written notice made in accordance with the provisions of this Note. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Note is due on any day which is not a business day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day which is a business day and, in the case of any interest payment date which is not the date on which this Note is paid in full, the extension of the due date thereof shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the amount of interest due on such date. As used in this Note, the term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in the city of New York, New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed. Each capitalized term used herein, and not otherwise
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defined, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof, pursuant to which this Note was originally issued (the “Purchase Agreement”).
This Note is free from all taxes, liens, claims and encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof and shall not be subject to preemptive rights or other similar rights of shareholders of the Borrower and will not impose personal liability upon the holder thereof.
The following terms shall apply to this Note:
ARTICLE I. CONVERSION RIGHTS
1.1 Conversion Right . The Holder shall have the right from time to time, and at any time during the period beginning on the date which is one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of this Note and ending on the later of: (i) the Maturity Date and (ii) the date of payment of the Default Amount (as defined in Article III) pursuant to Section 1.6(a) or Article III, each in respect of the remaining outstanding principal amount of this Note to convert all or any part of the outstanding and unpaid principal amount of this Note into fully paid and non- assessable shares of Common Stock, as such Common Stock exists on the Issue Date, or any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Borrower into which such Common Stock shall hereafter be changed or reclassified at the conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) determined as provided herein (a “Conversion”); provided , however , that in no event shall the Holder be entitled to convert any portion of this Note in excess of that portion of this Note upon conversion of which the sum of (1) the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its affiliates (other than shares of Common Stock which may be deemed beneficially owned through the ownership of the unconverted portion of the Notes or the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other security of the Borrower subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitations contained herein) and (2) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the portion of this Note with respect to which the determination of this proviso is being made, would result in beneficial ownership by the Holder and its affiliates of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For purposes of the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Regulations 13D-G thereunder, except as otherwise provided in clause (1) of such proviso, provided , further , however , that the limitations on conversion may be waived by the Holder upon, at the election of the Holder, not less than 61 days’ prior notice to the Borrower, and the provisions of the conversion limitation shall continue to apply until such 61st day (or such later date, as determined by the Holder, as may be specified in such notice of waiver). The number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon each conversion of this Note shall be determined by dividing the Conversion Amount (as defined below) by the applicable Conversion Price then in effect on the date specified in the notice of conversion, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Notice of Conversion”), delivered to the Borrower by the Holder in accordance with Section 1.4 below; provided that the Notice of Conversion is submitted by facsimile or e-mail (or by other means resulting in, or reasonably expected to result in, notice) to the Borrower before 6:00 p.m., New York, New York time on such conversion date (the “Conversion Date”). The term “Conversion Amount” means, with respect to any conversion of this Note, the sum of (1) the principal amount of this Note to be
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converted in such conversion plus (2) at the Holder’s option, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such principal amount at the interest rates provided in this Note to the Conversion Date, plus
(3) at the Holder’s option, Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (1) and/or (2) plus (4) at the Holder’s option, any amounts owed to the Holder pursuant to Sections 1.3 and 1.4(g) hereof.
1.2 | Conversion Price . |
(a) Calculation of Conversion Price . The conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) shall equal the Variable Conversion Price (as defined herein) (subject to equitable adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends or rights offerings by the Borrower relating to the Borrower’s securities or the securities of any subsidiary of the Borrower, combinations, recapitalization, reclassifications, extraordinary distributions and similar events). The "Variable Conversion Price" shall mean 58% multiplied by the Market Price (as defined herein) (representing a discount rate of 42%). “Market Price” means the average of the lowest three (3) Trading Prices (as defined below) for the Common Stock during the ten (10) Trading Day period ending on the latest complete Trading Day prior to the Conversion Date. “Trading Price” means, for any security as of any date, the closing bid price on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, or applicable trading market (the “OTCBB”) as reported by a reliable reporting service (“Reporting Service”) designated by the Holder (i.e. Bloomberg) or, if the OTCBB is not the principal trading market for such security, the closing bid price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded or, if no closing bid price of such security is available in any of the foregoing manners, the average of the closing bid prices of any market makers for such security that are listed in the “pink sheets” by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. If the Trading Price cannot be calculated for such security on such date in the manner provided above, the Trading Price shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Borrower and the holders of a majority in interest of the Notes being converted for which the calculation of the Trading Price is required in order to determine the Conversion Price of such Notes. “Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Common Stock is tradable for any period on the OTCBB, or on the principal securities exchange or other securities market on which the Common Stock is then being traded.
(b) Conversion Price During Major Announcements . Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 1.2(a) to the contrary, in the event the Borrower (i) makes a public announcement that it intends to consolidate or merge with any other corporation (other than a merger in which the Borrower is the surviving or continuing corporation and its capital stock is unchanged) or sell or transfer all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower or (ii) any person, group or entity (including the Borrower) publicly announces a tender offer to purchase 50% or more of the Borrower’s Common Stock (or any other takeover scheme) (the date of the announcement referred to in clause (i) or (ii) is hereinafter referred to as the “Announcement Date”), then the Conversion Price shall, effective upon the Announcement Date and continuing through the Adjusted Conversion Price Termination Date (as defined below), be equal to the lower of (x) the Conversion Price which would have been applicable for a Conversion occurring on the Announcement Date and (y) the Conversion Price that would otherwise be in effect. From and after the Adjusted Conversion Price Termination Date, the Conversion Price shall be determined as set forth in this Section 1.2(a). For purposes hereof, “Adjusted Conversion Price Termination Date” shall mean, with respect to any proposed transaction or tender offer (or
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takeover scheme) for which a public announcement as contemplated by this Section 1.2(b) has been made, the date upon which the Borrower (in the case of clause (i) above) or the person, group or entity (in the case of clause (ii) above) consummates or publicly announces the termination or abandonment of the proposed transaction or tender offer (or takeover scheme) which caused this Section 1.2(b) to become operative.
1.3 Authorized Shares . The Borrower covenants that during the period the conversion right exists, the Borrower will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares, free from preemptive rights, to provide for the issuance of Common Stock upon the full conversion of this Note issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The Borrower is required at all times to have authorized and reserved five times the number of shares that is actually issuable upon full conversion of the Note (based on the Conversion Price of the Notes in effect from time to time)(the “Reserved Amount”). The Reserved Amount shall be increased from time to time in accordance with the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. The Borrower represents that upon issuance, such shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. In addition, if the Borrower shall issue any securities or make any change to its capital structure which would change the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Notes shall be convertible at the then current Conversion Price, the Borrower shall at the same time make proper provision so that thereafter there shall be a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock authorized and reserved, free from preemptive rights, for conversion of the outstanding Notes. The Borrower (i) acknowledges that it has irrevocably instructed its transfer agent to issue certificates for the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note, and
(ii) agrees that its issuance of this Note shall constitute full authority to its officers and agents who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Note.
If, at any time the Borrower does not maintain the Reserved Amount it will be considered an Event of Default under Section 3.2 of the Note.
1.4 | Method of Conversion . |
(a) Mechanics of Conversion . Subject to Section 1.1, this Note may be converted by the Holder in whole or in part at any time from time to time after the Issue Date, by
(A) submitting to the Borrower a Notice of Conversion (by facsimile, e-mail or other reasonable means of communication dispatched on the Conversion Date prior to 6:00 p.m., New York, New York time) and (B) subject to Section 1.4(b), surrendering this Note at the principal office of the Borrower.
(b) Surrender of Note Upon Conversion . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, upon conversion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Note to the Borrower unless the entire unpaid principal amount of this Note is so converted. The Holder and the Borrower shall maintain records showing the principal amount so converted and the dates of such conversions or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and the Borrower, so as not to require physical surrender of this Note upon each such conversion. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, such records of the Borrower shall, prima facie, be controlling and determinative in
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the absence of manifest error. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any portion of this Note is converted as aforesaid, the Holder may not transfer this Note unless the Holder first physically surrenders this Note to the Borrower, whereupon the Borrower will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Note of like tenor, registered as the Holder (upon payment by the Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may request, representing in the aggregate the remaining unpaid principal amount of this Note. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount of this Note represented by this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
(c) Payment of Taxes . The Borrower shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property on conversion of this Note in a name other than that of the Holder (or in street name), and the Borrower shall not be required to issue or deliver any such shares or other securities or property unless and until the person or persons (other than the Holder or the custodian in whose street name such shares are to be held for the Holder’s account) requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Borrower the amount of any such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Borrower that such tax has been paid.
(d) Delivery of Common Stock Upon Conversion . Upon receipt by the Borrower from the Holder of a facsimile transmission or e-mail (or other reasonable means of communication) of a Notice of Conversion meeting the requirements for conversion as provided in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall issue and deliver or cause to be issued and delivered to or upon the order of the Holder certificates for the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion within three (3) business days after such receipt (the “Deadline”) (and, solely in the case of conversion of the entire unpaid principal amount hereof, surrender of this Note) in accordance with the terms hereof and the Purchase Agreement.
(e) Obligation of Borrower to Deliver Common Stock . Upon receipt by the Borrower of a Notice of Conversion, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion, the outstanding principal amount and the amount of accrued and unpaid interest on this Note shall be reduced to reflect such conversion, and, unless the Borrower defaults on its obligations under this Article I, all rights with respect to the portion of this Note being so converted shall forthwith terminate except the right to receive the Common Stock or other securities, cash or other assets, as herein provided, on such conversion. If the Holder shall have given a Notice of Conversion as provided herein, the Borrower’s obligation to issue and deliver the certificates for Common Stock shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the absence of any action by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision thereof, the recovery of any judgment against any person or any action to enforce the same, any failure or delay in the enforcement of any other obligation of the Borrower to the holder of record, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder of any obligation to the Borrower, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Borrower to the Holder in connection with such conversion. The Conversion Date specified in the Notice of Conversion shall be the Conversion Date so long as the Notice of Conversion is received by the Borrower before 6:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on such date.
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(f) Delivery of Common Stock by Electronic Transfer . In lieu of delivering physical certificates representing the Common Stock issuable upon conversion, provided the Borrower is participating in the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer (“FAST”) program, upon request of the Holder and its compliance with the provisions contained in Section 1.1 and in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall use its best efforts to cause its transfer agent to electronically transmit the Common Stock issuable upon conversion to the Holder by crediting the account of Holder’s Prime Broker with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission (“DWAC”) system.
(g) Failure to Deliver Common Stock Prior to Deadline . Without in any way limiting the Holder’s right to pursue other remedies, including actual damages and/or equitable relief, the parties agree that if delivery of the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note is not delivered by the Deadline (other than a failure due to the circumstances described in Section 1.3 above, which failure shall be governed by such Section) the Borrower shall pay to the Holder $2,000 per day in cash, for each day beyond the Deadline that the Borrower fails to deliver such Common Stock. Such cash amount shall be paid to Holder by the fifth day of the month following the month in which it has accrued or, at the option of the Holder (by written notice to the Borrower by the first day of the month following the month in which it has accrued), shall be added to the principal amount of this Note, in which event interest shall accrue thereon in accordance with the terms of this Note and such additional principal amount shall be convertible into Common Stock in accordance with the terms of this Note. The Borrower agrees that the right to convert is a valuable right to the Holder. The damages resulting from a failure, attempt to frustrate, interference with such conversion right are difficult if not impossible to qualify. Accordingly the parties acknowledge that the liquidated damages provision contained in this Section 1.4(g) are justified.
1.5 Concerning the Shares . The shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note may not be sold or transferred unless (i) such shares are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act or (ii) the Borrower or its transfer agent shall have been furnished with an opinion of counsel (which opinion shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions) to the effect that the shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration or (iii) such shares are sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act (or a successor rule) (“Rule 144”) or (iv) such shares are transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Borrower who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the shares only in accordance with this Section 1.5 and who is an Accredited Investor (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). Except as otherwise provided in the Purchase Agreement (and subject to the removal provisions set forth below), until such time as the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note have been registered under the Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, each certificate for shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note that has not been so included in an effective registration statement or that has not been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption that permits removal of the legend, shall bear a legend substantially in the following form, as appropriate:
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“NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH COUNSEL SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE HOLDER), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR RULE 144A UNDER SAID ACT. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.”
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Borrower shall issue to the Holder a new certificate therefore free of any transfer legend if (i) the Borrower or its transfer agent shall have received an opinion of counsel, in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions, to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Common Stock may be made without registration under the Act, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company so that the sale or transfer is effected or (ii) in the case of the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note, such security is registered for sale by the Holder under an effective registration statement filed under the Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold. In the event that the Company does not accept the opinion of counsel provided by the Holder with respect to the transfer of Securities pursuant to an exemption from registration, such as Rule 144 or Regulation S, at the Deadline, it will be considered an Event of Default pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Note.
1.6 | Effect of Certain Events . |
(a) Effect of Merger, Consolidation, Etc . At the option of the Holder, the sale, conveyance or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, the effectuation by the Borrower of a transaction or series of related transactions in which more than 50% of the voting power of the Borrower is disposed of, or the consolidation, merger or other business combination of the Borrower with or into any other Person (as defined below) or Persons when the Borrower is not the survivor shall either: (i) be deemed to be an Event of Default (as defined in Article III) pursuant to which the Borrower shall be required to pay to the Holder upon the consummation of and as a condition to such transaction an amount equal to the Default Amount (as defined in Article III) or (ii) be treated pursuant to Section 1.6(b) hereof. “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or other entity or organization.
(b) Adjustment Due to Merger, Consolidation, Etc . If, at any time when this Note is issued and outstanding and prior to conversion of all of the Notes, there shall be any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar
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event, as a result of which shares of Common Stock of the Borrower shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of another class or classes of stock or securities of the Borrower or another entity, or in case of any sale or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower other than in connection with a plan of complete liquidation of the Borrower, then the Holder of this Note shall thereafter have the right to receive upon conversion of this Note, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified herein and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore issuable upon conversion, such stock, securities or assets which the Holder would have been entitled to receive in such transaction had this Note been converted in full immediately prior to such transaction (without regard to any limitations on conversion set forth herein), and in any such case appropriate provisions shall be made with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder of this Note to the end that the provisions hereof (including, without limitation, provisions for adjustment of the Conversion Price and of the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Note) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as may be practicable in relation to any securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the conversion hereof. The Borrower shall not affect any transaction described in this Section 1.6(b) unless (a) it first gives, to the extent practicable, thirty (30) days prior written notice (but in any event at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice) of the record date of the special meeting of shareholders to approve, or if there is no such record date, the consummation of, such merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar event or sale of assets (during which time the Holder shall be entitled to convert this Note) and (b) the resulting successor or acquiring entity (if not the Borrower) assumes by written instrument the obligations of this Section 1.6(b). The above provisions shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or share exchanges.
(c) Adjustment Due to Distribution . If the Borrower shall declare or make any distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Common Stock as a dividend, stock repurchase, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including any dividend or distribution to the Borrower’s shareholders in cash or shares (or rights to acquire shares) of capital stock of a subsidiary (i.e., a spin-off)) (a “Distribution”), then the Holder of this Note shall be entitled, upon any conversion of this Note after the date of record for determining shareholders entitled to such Distribution, to receive the amount of such assets which would have been payable to the Holder with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion had such Holder been the holder of such shares of Common Stock on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to such Distribution.
(d) Adjustment Due to Dilutive Issuance . If, at any time when any Notes are issued and outstanding, the Borrower issues or sells, or in accordance with this Section 1.6(d) hereof is deemed to have issued or sold, any shares of Common Stock for no consideration or for a consideration per share (before deduction of reasonable expenses or commissions or underwriting discounts or allowances in connection therewith) less than the Conversion Price in effect on the date of such issuance (or deemed issuance) of such shares of Common Stock (a “Dilutive Issuance”), then immediately upon the Dilutive Issuance, the Conversion Price will be reduced to the amount of the consideration per share received by the Borrower in such Dilutive Issuance.
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The Borrower shall be deemed to have issued or sold shares of Common Stock if the Borrower in any manner issues or grants any warrants, rights or options (not including employee stock option plans), whether or not immediately exercisable, to subscribe for or to purchase Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (“Convertible Securities”) (such warrants, rights and options to purchase Common Stock or Convertible Securities are hereinafter referred to as “Options”) and the price per share for which Common Stock is issuable upon the exercise of such Options is less than the Conversion Price then in effect, then the Conversion Price shall be equal to such price per share. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the “price per share for which Common Stock is issuable upon the exercise of such Options” is determined by dividing (i) the total amount, if any, received or receivable by the Borrower as consideration for the issuance or granting of all such Options, plus the minimum aggregate amount of additional consideration, if any, payable to the Borrower upon the exercise of all such Options, plus, in the case of Convertible Securities issuable upon the exercise of such Options, the minimum aggregate amount of additional consideration payable upon the conversion or exchange thereof at the time such Convertible Securities first become convertible or exchangeable, by (ii) the maximum total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of all such Options (assuming full conversion of Convertible Securities, if applicable). No further adjustment to the Conversion Price will be made upon the actual issuance of such Common Stock upon the exercise of such Options or upon the conversion or exchange of Convertible Securities issuable upon exercise of such Options.
Additionally, the Borrower shall be deemed to have issued or sold shares of Common Stock if the Borrower in any manner issues or sells any Convertible Securities, whether or not immediately convertible (other than where the same are issuable upon the exercise of Options), and the price per share for which Common Stock is issuable upon such conversion or exchange is less than the Conversion Price then in effect, then the Conversion Price shall be equal to such price per share. For the purposes of the preceding sentence, the “price per share for which Common Stock is issuable upon such conversion or exchange” is determined by dividing (i) the total amount, if any, received or receivable by the Borrower as consideration for the issuance or sale of all such Convertible Securities, plus the minimum aggregate amount of additional consideration, if any, payable to the Borrower upon the conversion or exchange thereof at the time such Convertible Securities first become convertible or exchangeable, by (ii) the maximum total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion or exchange of all such Convertible Securities. No further adjustment to the Conversion Price will be made upon the actual issuance of such Common Stock upon conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities.
(e) Purchase Rights . If, at any time when any Notes are issued and outstanding, the Borrower issues any convertible securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property (the “Purchase Rights”) pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock, then the Holder of this Note will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which such Holder could have acquired if such Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of this Note (without regard to any limitations on conversion contained herein) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.
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(f) Notice of Adjustments . Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price as a result of the events described in this Section 1.6, the Borrower, at its expense, shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment and prepare and furnish to the Holder a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. The Borrower shall, upon the written request at any time of the Holder, furnish to such Holder a like certificate setting forth (i) such adjustment or readjustment, (ii) the Conversion Price at the time in effect and (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Note.
1.7 Trading Market Limitations . Unless permitted by the applicable rules and regulations of the principal securities market on which the Common Stock is then listed or traded, in no event shall the Borrower issue upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note and the other Notes issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement more than the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that the Borrower can issue pursuant to any rule of the principal United States securities market on which the Common Stock is then traded (the “Maximum Share Amount”), which shall be 4.99% of the total shares outstanding on the Closing Date (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), subject to equitable adjustment from time to time for stock splits, stock dividends, combinations, capital reorganizations and similar events relating to the Common Stock occurring after the date hereof. Once the Maximum Share Amount has been issued, if the Borrower fails to eliminate any prohibitions under applicable law or the rules or regulations of any stock exchange, interdealer quotation system or other self-regulatory organization with jurisdiction over the Borrower or any of its securities on the Borrower’s ability to issue shares of Common Stock in excess of the Maximum Share Amount, in lieu of any further right to convert this Note, this will be considered an Event of Default under Section 3.3 of the Note.
1.8 Status as Shareholder . Upon submission of a Notice of Conversion by a Holder, (i) the shares covered thereby (other than the shares, if any, which cannot be issued because their issuance would exceed such Holder’s allocated portion of the Reserved Amount or Maximum Share Amount) shall be deemed converted into shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Holder’s rights as a Holder of such converted portion of this Note shall cease and terminate, excepting only the right to receive certificates for such shares of Common Stock and to any remedies provided herein or otherwise available at law or in equity to such Holder because of a failure by the Borrower to comply with the terms of this Note. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Holder has not received certificates for all shares of Common Stock prior to the tenth (10th) business day after the expiration of the Deadline with respect to a conversion of any portion of this Note for any reason, then (unless the Holder otherwise elects to retain its status as a holder of Common Stock by so notifying the Borrower) the Holder shall regain the rights of a Holder of this Note with respect to such unconverted portions of this Note and the Borrower shall, as soon as practicable, return such unconverted Note to the Holder or, if the Note has not been surrendered, adjust its records to reflect that such portion of this Note has not been converted. In all cases, the Holder shall retain all of its rights and remedies (including, without limitation, (i) the right to receive Conversion Default Payments pursuant to Section 1.3 to the extent required thereby for such Conversion Default and any subsequent Conversion Default and (ii) the right to
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have the Conversion Price with respect to subsequent conversions determined in accordance with Section 1.3) for the Borrower’s failure to convert this Note.
1.9 Prepayment . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note, at any time during the period beginning on the Issue Date and ending on the date which is one hundred twenty (120) days following the Issue Date, the Borrower shall have the right, exercisable on not less than three (3) Trading Days prior written notice to the Holder of the Note to prepay the outstanding Note (principal and accrued interest), in full, in accordance with this Section 1.9. Any notice of prepayment hereunder (an “Optional Prepayment Notice”) shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note at its registered addresses and shall state: (1) that the Borrower is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment which shall be not more than three (3) Trading Days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice. On the date fixed for prepayment (the “Optional Prepayment Date”), the Borrower shall make payment of the Optional Prepayment Amount (as defined below) to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash (the “Optional Prepayment Amount”) equal to 140%, multiplied by the sum of: (w) the then outstanding principal amount of this Note plus (x) accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid principal amount of this Note to the Optional Prepayment Date plus (y) Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in clauses (w) and
(x) plus (z) any amounts owed to the Holder pursuant to Sections 1.3 and 1.4(g) hereof. If the Borrower delivers an Optional Prepayment Notice and fails to pay the Optional Prepayment Amount due to the Holder of the Note within two (2) business days following the Optional Prepayment Date, the Borrower shall forever forfeit its right to prepay the Note pursuant to this Section 1.9.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note, at any time during the period beginning on the date which is one hundred twenty-one (121) days following the Issue Date and ending on the date which is one hundred eighty (180) days following the Issue Date, the Borrower shall have the right, exercisable on not less than three (3) Trading Days prior written notice to the Holder of the Note to prepay the outstanding Note (principal and accrued interest), in full, in accordance with this Section 1.9. Any Optional Prepayment Notice shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note at its registered addresses and shall state: (1) that the Borrower is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment which shall be not more than three (3) Trading Days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice. On the Optional Prepayment Date, the Borrower shall make payment of the Second Optional Prepayment Amount (as defined below) to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash (the “Second Optional Prepayment Amount”) equal to 150%, multiplied by the sum of: (w) the then outstanding principal amount of this Note plus (x) accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid principal amount of this Note to the Optional Prepayment Date plus (y) Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in clauses (w) and (x) plus (z) any amounts owed to the Holder pursuant to Sections 1.3 and 1.4(g) hereof. If the Borrower delivers an Optional Prepayment Notice and fails to pay the Second Optional Prepayment Amount due to
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the Holder of the Note within two (2) business days following the Optional Prepayment Date, the Borrower shall forever forfeit its right to prepay the Note pursuant to this Section 1.9.
After the expiration of one hundred eighty (180) following the date of the Note, the Borrower shall have no right of prepayment.
ARTICLE II. CERTAIN COVENANTS
2.1 Distributions on Capital Stock . So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent (a) pay, declare or set apart for such payment, any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, property or other securities) on shares of capital stock other than dividends on shares of Common Stock solely in the form of additional shares of Common Stock or (b) directly or indirectly or through any subsidiary make any other payment or distribution in respect of its capital stock except for distributions pursuant to any shareholders’ rights plan which is approved by a majority of the Borrower’s disinterested directors.
2.2 Restriction on Stock Repurchases . So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire (whether for cash or in exchange for property or other securities or otherwise) in any one transaction or series of related transactions any shares of capital stock of the Borrower or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire any such shares.
2.3 Borrowings . So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, (a) create, incur, assume guarantee, endorse, contingently agree to purchase or otherwise become liable upon the obligation of any other person, firm, partnership, joint venture or corporation, except by the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection, or (b) suffer to exist any liability for borrowed money, except any borrowings that does not render the Borrower a "Shell" company as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
2.4 Sale of Assets . So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any significant portion of its assets outside the ordinary course of business. Any consent to the disposition of any assets may be conditioned on a specified use of the proceeds of disposition.
2.5 Advances and Loans . So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, lend money, give credit or make advances to any person, firm, joint venture or corporation, including, without limitation, officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower, except loans, credits or advances (a) in existence or committed on the date hereof and which the Borrower has informed Holder in writing prior to the date hereof, (b) made in the ordinary course of business or (c) not in excess of $100,000.
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ARTICLE III. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
If any of the following events of default (each, an “Event of Default”) shall occur:
3.1 Failure to Pay Principal or Interest . The Borrower fails to pay the principal hereof or interest thereon when due on this Note, whether at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise.
3.2 Conversion and the Shares . The Borrower fails to issue shares of Common Stock to the Holder (or announces or threatens in writing that it will not honor its obligation to do so) upon exercise by the Holder of the conversion rights of the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Note, fails to transfer or cause its transfer agent to transfer (issue) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for shares of Common Stock issued to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, the Borrower directs its transfer agent not to transfer or delays, impairs, and/or hinders its transfer agent in transferring (or issuing) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, or fails to remove (or directs its transfer agent not to remove or impairs, delays, and/or hinders its transfer agent from removing) any restrictive legend (or to withdraw any stop transfer instructions in respect thereof) on any certificate for any shares of Common Stock issued to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note (or makes any written announcement, statement or threat that it does not intend to honor the obligations described in this paragraph) and any such failure shall continue uncured (or any written announcement, statement or threat not to honor its obligations shall not be rescinded in writing) for three (3) business days after the Holder shall have delivered a Notice of Conversion. It is an obligation of the Borrower to remain current in its obligations to its transfer agent. It shall be an event of default of this Note, if a conversion of this Note is delayed, hindered or frustrated due to a balance owed by the Borrower to its transfer agent. If at the option of the Holder, the Holder advances any funds to the Borrower’s transfer agent in order to process a conversion, such advanced funds shall be paid by the Borrower to the Holder within forty eight (48) hours of a demand from the Holder.
3.3 Breach of Covenants . The Borrower breaches any material covenant or other material term or condition contained in this Note and any collateral documents including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement and such breach continues for a period of ten (10) days after written notice thereof to the Borrower from the Holder.
3.4 Breach of Representations and Warranties . Any representation or warranty of the Borrower made herein or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith (including, without limitation, the Purchase Agreement), shall be false or misleading in any material respect when made and the breach of which has (or with the passage of time will have) a material adverse effect on the rights of the Holder with respect to this Note or the Purchase Agreement.
3.5 Receiver or Trustee . The Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or apply for or consent to the appointment of a
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receiver or trustee for it or for a substantial part of its property or business, or such a receiver or trustee shall otherwise be appointed.
3.6 Judgments . Any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its property or other assets for more than $50,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of twenty
(20) days unless otherwise consented to by the Holder, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.7 Bankruptcy . Bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower.
3.8 Delisting of Common Stock . The Borrower shall fail to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on at least one of the OTCBB, OTC Markets or an equivalent replacement exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or the American Stock Exchange.
3.9 Failure to Comply with the Exchange Act . The Borrower shall fail to comply with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act; and/or the Borrower shall cease to be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.
3.10 Liquidation . Any dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Borrower or any substantial portion of its business.
3.11 Cessation of Operations . Any cessation of operations by Borrower or Borrower admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due, provided, however, that any disclosure of the Borrower’s ability to continue as a “going concern” shall not be an admission that the Borrower cannot pay its debts as they become due.
3.12 Maintenance of Assets . The failure by Borrower to maintain any material intellectual property rights, personal, real property or other assets which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future).
3.13 Financial Statement Restatement . The restatement of any financial statements filed by the Borrower with the SEC for any date or period from two years prior to the Issue Date of this Note and until this Note is no longer outstanding, if the result of such restatement would, by comparison to the unrestated financial statement, have constituted a material adverse effect on the rights of the Holder with respect to this Note or the Purchase Agreement.
3.14 Reverse Splits . The Borrower effectuates a reverse split of its Common Stock without twenty (20) days prior written notice to the Holder.
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3.15 Replacement of Transfer Agent . In the event that the Borrower proposes to replace its transfer agent, the Borrower fails to provide, prior to the effective date of such replacement, a fully executed Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in a form as initially delivered pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (including but not limited to the provision to irrevocably reserve shares of Common Stock in the Reserved Amount) signed by the successor transfer agent to Borrower and the Borrower.
3.16 Cross-Default . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note or the other related or companion documents, a breach or default by the Borrower of any covenant or other term or condition contained in any of the Other Agreements, after the passage of all applicable notice and cure or grace periods, shall, at the option of the Holder, be considered a default under this Note and the Other Agreements, in which event the Holder shall be entitled (but in no event required) to apply all rights and remedies of the Holder under the terms of this Note and the Other Agreements by reason of a default under said Other Agreement or hereunder. “Other Agreements” means, collectively, all agreements and instruments between, among or by: (1) the Borrower, and, or for the benefit of, (2) the Holder and any affiliate of the Holder, including, without limitation, promissory notes; provided, however, the term “Other Agreements” shall not include the related or companion documents to this Note. Each of the loan transactions will be cross-defaulted with each other loan transaction and with all other existing and future debt of Borrower to the Holder.
Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default specified in Section 3.1 (solely with respect to failure to pay the principal hereof or interest thereon when due at the Maturity Date), the Note shall become immediately due and payable and the Borrower shall pay to the Holder, in full satisfaction of its obligations hereunder, an amount equal to the Default Sum (as defined herein). UPON THE OCCURRENCE AND DURING THE CONTINUATION OF ANY EVENT OF DEFAULT SPECIFIED IN SECTION 3.2, THE NOTE SHALL BECOME IMMEDIATELY DUE AND PAYABLE AND THE BORROWER SHALL PAY TO THE HOLDER, IN FULL SATISFACTION OF ITS OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER, AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO: (Y) THE DEFAULT SUM (AS DEFINED
HEREIN); MULTIPLIED BY (Z) TWO (2). Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default specified in Sections 3.1 (solely with respect to failure to pay the principal hereof or interest thereon when due on this Note upon a Trading Market Prepayment Event pursuant to Section 1.7 or upon acceleration), 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, and/or
3. 15 exercisable through the delivery of written notice to the Borrower by such Holders (the “Default Notice”), and upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified the remaining sections of Articles III (other than failure to pay the principal hereof or interest thereon at the Maturity Date specified in Section 3,1 hereof), the Note shall become immediately due and payable and the Borrower shall pay to the Holder, in full satisfaction of its obligations hereunder, an amount equal to the greater of (i) 150% times the sum of (w) the then outstanding principal amount of this Note plus (x) accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid principal amount of this Note to the date of payment (the “Mandatory Prepayment Date”) plus (y) Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in clauses (w) and/or (x) plus (z) any amounts owed to the Holder pursuant to Sections 1.3 and 1.4(g) hereof (the then outstanding principal amount of this Note to the date of payment plus the amounts referred to in clauses (x), (y) and (z) shall collectively be known as the “Default Sum”) or (ii) the “parity value” of the Default Sum to be prepaid, where
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parity value means (a) the highest number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to such Default Sum in accordance with Article I, treating the Trading Day immediately preceding the Mandatory Prepayment Date as the “Conversion Date” for purposes of determining the lowest applicable Conversion Price, unless the Default Event arises as a result of a breach in respect of a specific Conversion Date in which case such Conversion Date shall be the Conversion Date), multiplied by (b) the highest Closing Price for the Common Stock during the period beginning on the date of first occurrence of the Event of Default and ending one day prior to the Mandatory Prepayment Date (the “Default Amount”) and all other amounts payable hereunder shall immediately become due and payable, all without demand, presentment or notice, all of which hereby are expressly waived, together with all costs, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses, of collection, and the Holder shall be entitled to exercise all other rights and remedies available at law or in equity.
If the Borrower fails to pay the Default Amount within five (5) business days of written notice that such amount is due and payable, then the Holder shall have the right at any time, so long as the Borrower remains in default (and so long and to the extent that there are sufficient authorized shares), to require the Borrower, upon written notice, to immediately issue, in lieu of the Default Amount, the number of shares of Common Stock of the Borrower equal to the Default Amount divided by the Conversion Price then in effect.
ARTICLE IV. MISCELLANEOUS
4.1 Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver . No failure or delay on the part of the Holder in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privileges. All rights and remedies existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.
4.2 Notices . All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, or facsimile, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by facsimile, with accurate confirmation generated by the transmitting facsimile machine, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:
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If to the Borrower, to:
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
9595 Wilshire Boulevard - Suite 900 Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Attn: BEN CHANG, Chief Executive Officer facsimile:
With a copy by fax only to (which copy shall not constitute notice): [enter name of law firm]
Attn: [attorney name] [enter address line 1] [enter city, state, zip]
facsimile: [enter fax number]
If to the Holder:
ASHER ENTERPRISES, INC.
1 Linden Pl., Suite 207 Great Neck, NY. 11021 Attn: Curt Kramer, President facsimile: 516-498-9894
With a copy by fax only to (which copy shall not constitute notice): Naidich Wurman Birnbaum & Maday, LLP
80 Cuttermill Road, Suite 410 Great Neck, NY 11021
Attn: Bernard S. Feldman, Esq. facsimile: 516-466-3555
4.3 Amendments . This Note and any provision hereof may only be amended by an instrument in writing signed by the Borrower and the Holder. The term “Note” and all reference thereto, as used throughout this instrument, shall mean this instrument (and the other Notes issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement) as originally executed, or if later amended or supplemented, then as so amended or supplemented.
4.4 Assignability . This Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to be the benefit of the Holder and its successors and assigns. Each transferee of this Note must be an “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of the 1933 Act). Notwithstanding anything in this Note to the contrary, this Note may be pledged as collateral in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement.
4.5 Cost of Collection . If default is made in the payment of this Note, the Borrower shall pay the Holder hereof costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.
4.6 Governing Law . This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action brought by either party against the other concerning the transactions contemplated by this
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Note shall be brought only in the state courts of New York or in the federal courts located in the state and county of Nassau. The parties to this Note hereby irrevocably waive any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder and shall not assert any defense based on lack of jurisdiction or venue or based upon forum non conveniens . The Borrower and Holder waive trial by jury. The prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney's fees and costs. In the event that any provision of this Note or any other agreement delivered in connection herewith is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of any agreement. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
4.7 Certain Amounts . Whenever pursuant to this Note the Borrower is required to pay an amount in excess of the outstanding principal amount (or the portion thereof required to be paid at that time) plus accrued and unpaid interest plus Default Interest on such interest, the Borrower and the Holder agree that the actual damages to the Holder from the receipt of cash payment on this Note may be difficult to determine and the amount to be so paid by the Borrower represents stipulated damages and not a penalty and is intended to compensate the Holder in part for loss of the opportunity to convert this Note and to earn a return from the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired upon conversion of this Note at a price in excess of the price paid for such shares pursuant to this Note. The Borrower and the Holder hereby agree that such amount of stipulated damages is not plainly disproportionate to the possible loss to the Holder from the receipt of a cash payment without the opportunity to convert this Note into shares of Common Stock.
4.8 Purchase Agreement . By its acceptance of this Note, each party agrees to be bound by the applicable terms of the Purchase Agreement.
4.9 Notice of Corporate Events . Except as otherwise provided below, the Holder of this Note shall have no rights as a Holder of Common Stock unless and only to the extent that it converts this Note into Common Stock. The Borrower shall provide the Holder with prior notification of any meeting of the Borrower’s shareholders (and copies of proxy materials and other information sent to shareholders). In the event of any taking by the Borrower of a record of its shareholders for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution, any right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire (including by way of merger, consolidation, reclassification or recapitalization) any share of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive any other right, or for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to vote in connection with any proposed sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower or any proposed liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Borrower, the Borrower shall mail a notice to the Holder, at
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least twenty (20) days prior to the record date specified therein (or thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of the transaction or event, whichever is earlier), of the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, right or other event, and a brief statement regarding the amount and character of such dividend, distribution, right or other event to the extent known at such time. The Borrower shall make a public announcement of any event requiring notification to the Holder hereunder substantially simultaneously with the notification to the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Section 4.9.
4.10 Remedies . The Borrower acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder, by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Borrower acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Note will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Borrower of the provisions of this Note, that the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies at law or in equity, and in addition to the penalties assessable herein, to an injunction or injunctions restraining, preventing or curing any breach of this Note and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions thereof, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has caused this Note to be signed in its name by its duly authorized officer this March 11, 2014.
RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By: /s/ Ben Chang
BEN CHANG
Chief Executive Officer
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EXHIBIT A -- NOTICE OF CONVERSION
The undersigned hereby elects to convert $ principal amount of the Note (defined below) into that number of shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the conversion of the Note (“Common Stock”) as set forth below, of RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a Nevada corporation (the “Borrower”) according to the conditions of the convertible note of the Borrower dated as of March 11, 2014 (the “Note”), as of the date written below. No fee will be charged to the Holder for any conversion, except for transfer taxes, if any.
Box Checked as to applicable instructions:
[ ] The Borrower shall electronically transmit the Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Notice of Conversion to the account of the undersigned or its nominee with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system (“DWAC Transfer”).
Name of DTC Prime Broker: Account Number:
[ ] The undersigned hereby requests that the Borrower issue a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock set forth below (which numbers are based on the Holder’s calculation attached hereto) in the name(s) specified immediately below or, if additional space is necessary, on an attachment hereto:
ASHER ENTERPRISES, INC.
1 Linden Pl., Suite 207 Great Neck, NY, 11021
Attention: Certificate Delivery (516) 498-9890
Date of Conversion:
Applicable Conversion Price: $__________
Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Issued
Pursuant to Conversion of the Notes:
Amount of Principal Balance Due remaining Under the Note after this conversion:
ASHER ENTERPRISES, INC.
By:
Name: Curt Kramer
Title: President
Date: 1 Linden Pl., Suite 207 Great Neck, NY, 11021
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CODE OF CONDUCT AND GENERAL POLICY ON INSIDER TRADING OF RICH PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation Code of Conduct and General Policy on Insider Trading
Corporation Code of Conduct Policy
General statement
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation is committed to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, and this Code of Conduct provides you guidance in how to uphold these standards. In addition, the General Policy on Insider Trading, which is included in this booklet, sets forth the policies of the Corporation 1 with respect to personal securities transactions. Additional direction is provided in the job-related manuals, policies and procedures of certain areas because of the areas’ particular activities, operating risks or individual responsibilities, and in other publications that address Employee conduct, such as the Employee Handbook and the policies included therein. The Code of Conduct, the General Policy on Insider Trading, the Employee Handboo k, any work-related manuals, policies or procedures applicable to you, and any other publications that address Employee conduct are collectively referred to as the “Documents.”
This Code supersedes and replaces any prior communications, policies, rules, practices, standards and/or guidelines to the contrary, whether written or oral. To the extent there are any conflicts with the Employee Handboo k, the language of this Code controls.
This Code consists of basic standards of business practice as well as professional and personal conduct. Such standards require honesty and candor in our activities, including the observance of the spirit and the letter of the law. As set forth below, these standards have both personal and corporate implications.
Personal conduct. Because the Corporation is judged by the collective performance and public perception of its Employees, you must always act in a manner that merits public trust and confidence. The following are our basic principles of personal conduct:
• | You must not take any action, either personally or on behalf of the Corporation, which will violate any law or regulation affecting our business. |
• | You must perform your assigned duties to the best of your ability and in the best interests of the Corporation, its customers, Employees and shareholders. |
• | You must avoid all circumstances that could produce conflicts or the appearance of conflicts between your personal interests and those of the Corporation. |
• | You must comply with security and safety procedures established by the Corporation. |
• | You must adhere to and fully comply with all of the Corporation’s policies and procedures, including the Code, the Policy and the Employee Handboo k. |
• | You must exercise absolute candor and fully cooperate in providing facts and information in connection with company investigations, or if requested of you by management or other authorized persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
• | You must not use corporate resources or your corporate position in pursuit of personal interests that violate the Documents or any law or regulation. |
1 The terms “Corporation” and “Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” refer to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation. The use of these terms here or in other publications does not mean you are an employee of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation. You remain solely an employee of the company that directly pays your wages, and the use of these terms or issuance of this booklet does not change your existing at-will employee status.
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation Code of Conduct and General Policy on Insider Trading
Some specific examples of prohibited conduct are set forth in the Employee Handbook for your guidance, but such examples are not meant to be all-inclusive.
Corporate conduct. Our corporate activities should earn the confidence and trust of our customers, Employees and shareholders. The following are our basic principles of corporate conduct:
• | The Corporation will not cause or tolerate any violation of law or regulation in the conduct of its business or related activities. |
• | The Corporation will cooperate fully with its regulators and auditors and will disclose, on a timely basis, information required for judging the soundness of its condition and its merits as an investment. |
• | The Corporation will maintain and uphold standards and procedures that are designed to safeguard the legitimate confidentiality of information pertaining to customers and Employees. |
• | The Corporation will conduct its business in fair and open competition and will not enter into illegal arrangements with competitors affecting pricing, marketing or research and development policies. |
Employee responsibilities
The reputation of any pharmaceutical institution depends upon the conduct and values of its Employees. Building and ensuring an unblemished reputation involves:
• | creating a culture of personal accountability; |
• | shaping the judgment of each Employee on basic matters of policy; |
• | providing specific direction for each Employee’s approach to a variety of situations; |
• | accepting responsibility for decisions based on these directions; and |
• | calling upon each Employee’s individual pride and spirit in being recognized as a professional entity. |
As an Employee within Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., you must:
• | be thoroughly familiar with, and periodically review, the Documents; |
• | be sensitive to situations that could result in inadvertent actions by yourself or your Employees which could appear to be, or are directly in violation of, the Documents, or any law or regulation; |
• | ensure that job-related manuals, policies and procedures support the other Documents, and that these manuals, policies and procedures address ethical issues specific to your particular business activity; |
• | help other Employees uphold the highest ethical standards; |
• | maintain a working environment that is supportive of your responsibilities as set forth in the Documents; and |
• | seek counsel regarding ethical issues through your manager, human resources or the outside legal. |
All Employees are bound by both law and policy not to retaliate in any way against an Employee who, in good faith, reports information in accordance with this policy.
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Conflicts of interest
You must avoid conflicts between personal interests and the interests of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or even the appearance of such conflicts. You must not act on behalf of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in any transaction involving persons or organizations with which you, or a family member 2 , has any financial or residual interest, other than through a compensation or similar plan sponsored by Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Defined broadly, a conflict of interest includes any situation in which you are engaged in two or more activities or relationships that, to some degree, are incompatible. Such situations might include activities, conduct or investments that could conflict with your duty to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or that could adversely affect your judgment or job performance. The appearance of a conflict of interest can often be as detrimental as a conflict itself. You should exercise sound judgment before committing to any activity or participating in any transaction that could potentially be a conflict. In general, you should consider the following factors to avoid conflict of interest situations:
• | Perception. Could the activity or transaction be perceived as a conflict of interest or a potential conflict by others, including Employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, regulators or the public? If all the facts of the activity or transaction were made public, would you or the Corporation be embarrassed? |
• | Intent. Is the activity or transaction being offered in an attempt to influence your judgment? |
• | Impact. Will the Corporation be disadvantaged if you participate in the activity or transaction? |
• | Objectivity. Will participation in the activity or transaction in any way affect your ability to be objective with regard to any decision concerning a customer, Employee or supplier? |
• | Time considerations. Will the time required for the activity or transaction interfere with your ability to effectively carry out your job responsibilities at Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
Work conflicts and outside activities. If you decide to pursue additional employment, engage in an independent business venture or perform services for another business organization, you must disclose such activities to your manager and obtain his or her preapproval to avoid any potential conflicts. You must not pursue such activities during Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. business hours or allow any outside business, civic or charitable activities to interfere with your job performance.
A conflict of interest may arise when you or one of your family members is a significant shareholder, director, officer, employee, consultant or agent of an organization that is a competitor, or that has current or prospective business with Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as a customer, supplier or contractor. In such event, you must take steps to protect confidential information, remove yourself from situations where conflicts may arise and otherwise take steps to ensure that outside activities do not conflict with or impair your ability to perform your responsibilities for Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and do not adversely affect the integrity, goodwill or public perception of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Outside directorships of Employees. Although you are encouraged to take part in community and charitable activities, due to the time demands and potential conflicts of interest, you are encouraged to advise your manager before serving on a board of a nonprofit organization. Directorships that will involve significant time away from the Corporation, or that might otherwise interfere with efficient performance of normal duties or pose a conflict of interest, require the written approval of your manager.
2 As used in the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation Code of Conduct, “family member” means your spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, sibling or parent-in-law. “Family member” may be defined differently in other policies that are incorporated by reference into the Code.
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If you wish to serve as a director of any for-profit organization, you must first obtain approval in accordance with the procedures established by the Board of Directors. In order to have your service considered for approval, you must send the Board a brief description of relationship with this entity.
You should avoid directorships that might pose a conflict of interest or create the appearance of a conflict of interest. If an apparent or actual conflict of interest develops and cannot be immediately resolved, you must withdraw promptly from service as a director of the outside corporation or organization. You should also be aware that you have sole responsibility for your actions and that the Corporation does not provide indemnification for Employees who serve as directors of outside entities unless such service is at the specific written direction of an authorized representative of a Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. company.
Corporate opportunities. You owe a duty to the Corporation to advance its legitimate interests whenever the opportunity arises. You must not deprive the Corporation of an opportunity, take for your own advantage an opportunity that belongs to the Corporation, or help others do so if they are in a position to divert a corporate opportunity for their own benefit. Further, you must not compete with the Corporation or use corporate property, information or position for improper personal gain.
Gifts. You must not solicit, and are discouraged from accepting, gifts from current or prospective customers or suppliers who are not family members. Gifts valued in excess of $200 U.S. may not be accepted. Gifts of money, in any amount, may not be accepted. You may accept gifts valued at $200 U.S. or less, if declining the gift would damage the relationship, and the circumstances are appropriate when the conflict of interest factors enumerated above are taken into consideration, and you have not accepted gifts from the same source within the previous 12 months. Under no circumstance, however, may you receive gifts or anything of value from current or prospective customers or suppliers if there is a corrupt intent. You are also prohibited, on behalf of the Corporation, from giving, offering or promising anything of value to an employee of another institution in connection with any business of that institution if there is a corrupt intent.
You should dedicate the same careful consideration and thought for the appropriateness of gifts to customers and suppliers of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as you would apply to any gifts you receive.
Certain of the Corporation’s business units have more restrictive policies with respect to gifts. You must become familiar with the policies and procedures applicable to you, and are encouraged to discuss the appropriateness of any gift, given the circumstances, with your manager.
Hospitality. You must not accept hospitality or entertainment that is:
• | solicited; |
• | lavish or unusual; |
• | not a normal or customary type of amenity; or |
• | an expense reimbursed by a customer or supplier that the Corporation would not pay. |
In addition, you should consider the following:
• | Reciprocity. Are you in a position where you could provide reciprocal hospitality at Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. expense? You should consider not only the nature of the hospitality being offered, but also the organizational stature of the person making the offer. |
• |
Reasonableness. Is the nature of the hospitality being offered typical for the size and status of the customer or supplier relationship? The type of hospitality being offered should be customary and appropriate with regard to your job responsibilities. You are encouraged to discuss the appropriateness of any offer of hospitality, given the circumstances, with your manager. If there remains any question as to the appropriateness of such offer, the matter should be escalated to your human resource department for further review. |
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Supplier relationships. If you are authorized to approve or award orders, contracts and commitments to suppliers of goods or services, you must do so based on objective business standards to avoid any real or perceived personal favoritism. Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. business of this nature must be conducted strictly on an arm’s-length basis with due regard to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. policies involving public relations, community reinvestment and other business considerations.
Fair dealing. Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will conduct its business equitably, fostering fair and open competition. You must not imply the possibility of, or enter into arrangements with, customers, competitors or suppliers that appear to or directly violate applicable laws and regulations with regard to fair and open competition. Further, you must not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair-dealing practice.
Confidentiality. Confidentiality is a fundamental principle of our business that is particularly applicable to nonpublic information concerning Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and to information received by Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from a customer or supplier for an express business purpose. It applies with equal force to oral or informal communications as well as to written, printed or computer-generated information.
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. information. Nonpublic information regarding Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is to be conveyed to others only on a reasonable need-to-know basis that furthers a legitimate business purpose of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Information is to be conveyed with the express understanding that the information is confidential and is to be used solely for the limited purpose for which it was received and given. Unless otherwise instructed, you must treat internal Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. activities and plans as confidential, to be disseminated within the internal structure of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. only on a need-to-know basis.
Customer information. Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. subscribes to extremely high standards of protection for personally identifiable confidential information obtained from or about a customer, and recognizes its obligation to keep such customer information secure and confidential. It is the policy of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to provide customer information to outside companies only in order to conduct our business, comply with applicable law, protect against fraud or other suspected illegal activity, provide products and services to our customers, provide a good customer experience or comply with a customer’s request. Information shared will be limited to that needed or legally required and subject to confidentiality agreements, where applicable. In addition, you are authorized to access customer information only for legitimate business purposes on a need-to-know basis. You are responsible for understanding your obligations to protect the confidentiality and security of non-public information.
Supplier information. Confidential competitive information submitted to Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with the purchase of products or services must be maintained in strictest confidence in order to avoid giving or receiving any improper competitive advantage with respect to any supplier.
Employee privacy. Information and communications on the Corporation’s private computer systems are subject to review, monitoring and recording at any time without notice or permission. Unauthorized use or access may be subject to prosecution or disciplinary action. Additional information regarding Employee privacy is set forth in the Employee Handboo k.
Proper use and ownership of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. assets. Proper use of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. assets and appropriate recording and documentation of such use is essential to the integrity of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. You must not misuse (including inappropriate Internet usage) or remove from our facilities furnishings, equipment, technology or supplies, unless specifically authorized. Further, you must not use Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. assets, or your position, for personal gain or another’s advantage. Additional information regarding your use of the Internet and intranet is set forth in the Employee Handboo k.
This policy applies equally to property created, obtained or copied by Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for its exclusive use, such as computer software, IND filings, written policies, files, reference materials, reports, and the like. Neither originals nor copies may be used for any purpose other than Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. business.
Any assets you create and any tangible contributions you make to the development and implementation of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. assets, whether directly or indirectly, while employed within Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. property and remain its property even if you leave employment with Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc..
Intellectual property. Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. owns all rights, title and interest in intellectual property, including inventions, scientific discoveries, manufacturing processes, improvements, works of authorship, ideas, data, processes, computer software programs, and discoveries, conceived or developed by you during your term of employment, relating to actual or anticipated business of, or research or development by, Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. You must disclose all intellectual property promptly to your manager and execute all documents and do all things necessary to assist Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., at the Corporation’s expense, in obtaining protection for intellectual property.
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Record retention. The Corporation has a long-standing record retention policy to prevent, when appropriate, the destruction of records that would normally be purged in the ordinary course of business. References in this section to “company records” include all recorded information, regardless of medium or characteristics (for example, paper, microfilm, magnetic disks/tapes, electronic or optical), whether centrally stored or retained as desk files at your work areas. “Company records” does not include customer records that may be subject to subpoenas in actions, proceedings or investigations not involving the Corporation.
Company records that might normally be destroyed under the Corporation’s standard Records Retention Schedule must not be destroyed if those records are relevant to a pending, threatened or reasonably anticipated legal or administrative action or proceeding against or by the Corporation or internal, regulatory or governmental investigation involving the Corporation (for purposes of this section, collectively referred to as “Actions”). In general, this means you must cease record destruction (and prevent others from destroying records) if you are aware or are notified that:
• | there is an Action that may reasonably require production of company records; |
• | company records are covered by a request for production, subpoena or similar request; or |
• | the Corporation is voluntarily cooperating with governmental or regulatory authorities or other outside parties in any action, proceeding or investigation that may reasonably require production of company records. |
If there is any question as to whether a particular record should be maintained, written approval must be obtained from an authorized Legal Department representative prior to its destruction.
Company records destroyed after the Corporation is on notice of an Action may result in penalties to the Corporation and to the individuals involved.
Misappropriation. Anyone who embezzles, steals or willfully misappropriates any monies, funds or anything of value from Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. may be subject to fine, imprisonment, restitution payment and other such actions conferred by law or Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. policy, in addition to disciplinary action.
Official documentation. You must not use official Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stationery, the corporate brand or other official documentation or use the name “Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” for any personal or nonofficial purpose since such use implies endorsement by Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc..
Personal financial responsibility
Financial conduct. You should conduct your financial affairs in a responsible and prudent manner, so as to be above criticism.
Borrowing. You may not personally borrow money from or lend to suppliers, customers or other Employees unless such loan is to or from a family member or from an institution normally in the business of lending, and there is no conflict of interest. You may make an occasional loan of nominal value (such as for lunch) to another Employee as long as no interest is charged.
Certain borrowing from correspondent banks must be reported to the Office of the Corporate Secretary. Those specific individuals who must report such borrowing will be advised directly by the Office of the Corporate Secretary.
Business expenses. You are responsible for the accurate and timely reporting of expenses. All expenditures must be ordinary and necessary to accomplish expected business purposes, include required approvals and be in accordance with existing expense policies. Further, you must not use your business credit card for any purpose other than appropriate business expenses. You may access the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporate Travel and Expense Policies.
Personal fees. Unless specifically authorized by Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., you may not accept personal fees or commissions in connection with any transaction on behalf of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc..
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Compliance with law. You must not take any action, either personally or on behalf of the Corporation that will violate any law, regulation or internal policy.
Bribes and other improper payments. You may not utilize, either directly or indirectly, Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. funds or property for any unlawful or improper use. Accordingly, you must not give any bribes, kickbacks, promises or any other thing of value to any person or entity or accept any such thing of value from any person or entity to obtain or retain business or for any reason whatsoever. In addition, you shall not make any unlawful preferential extension of credit to any officer, customer, director or principal shareholder of any customer or prospective customer. This policy should not be construed to limit the use of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. funds and other assets in the ethical pursuit of acquiring additional business for Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the normal course of business.
Political contributions. It is the policy of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to encourage informed participation in governmental, regulatory and elective processes. You may elect to make personal political contributions, either directly or through political action committees as prescribed and permitted by applicable local, state and federal laws, as well as the laws of any applicable jurisdiction outside of the United States.
Accounting. To ensure the integrity and objectivity of its consolidated financial statements, Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has established internal accounting and operating controls and procedures, including disclosure controls and procedures and a Disclosure Committee. All Employees responsible for the preparation of the Corporation’s financial statements, or who provide information as part of that process (including the Corporation’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer), must maintain and adhere to these controls so that all underlying transactions, both within Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and with third parties, are properly documented, recorded and reported. Further, all Employees have the responsibility to promote full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other public communications made by the Corporation.
Investigations. You must cooperate fully with any investigation, internal audit, external audit or regulatory examination. If you become aware that you are or have been the subject of any external investigation, you must immediately inform your manager, unless otherwise prohibited by law, regulation or the investigating authority.
Reporting certain conduct. Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. can be held criminally liable if one of its Employees, directors or agents commits certain crimes. Accordingly, you must promptly report any knowledge or information about employment-related conduct by another Employee, director or agent of the Corporation that you reasonably believe to be a crime, a material violation of law or regulation, a dishonest act (including misappropriation of funds or anything of value from Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or the improper recording of the Corporation’s assets or liabilities), a breach of trust or any other conduct that might affect the reputation of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. You must report the relevant facts, as well as any other circumstances or activities that may conflict with the Code, to the Conduct and Compliance You will not be retaliated against for reporting information in good faith in accordance with this policy.
Waivers of code. The Board of Directors must approve any waiver of the Code for the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the principal accounting officer and any executive officer or director. The Corporation will promptly disclose any such waiver on its website or via a press release or other public filing as required by law, regulation or applicable stock exchange rule.
Supplemental policies and procedures. As previously indicated, you may be subject to policies and procedures supplemental to this Code depending on your job function or your area of responsibility. From time to time, the Corporation may publish additional policies as deemed necessary or appropriate. Your manager should provide you with a copy of all policies applicable to you.
Discipline. Violation of the Code or the other Documents (including the Employee Handboo k) constitutes grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
Further information
If you have any questions about the Code, or about its applicability with respect to a particular matter, please contact the either the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operation Officer of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with your questions.
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Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Insider Trading Policy
Purpose
This General Policy on Insider Trading sets forth standards of conduct applicable to the directors and Employees of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation and its direct and indirect subsidiaries whenever they are conducting securities transactions, whether for themselves or on behalf of others.
Background
Federal and state laws prohibit you from buying, selling, recommending or making other transfers of securities if you are aware of material, nonpublic information about the issuer of the securities. These laws also prohibit you from disclosing this information to others who may trade in those securities. The consequences of an insider trading violation can be severe, both for you and for the Corporation. The Corporation has adopted this Policy to protect you and the Corporation from the serious liabilities and penalties that can result from violations of the insider trading laws.
This Policy applies to all directors and Employees, as well as to your family members who reside in your household or whose securities transactions are subject to your influence or control.
This Policy is incorporated in the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation Code of Conduct. A booklet including the Code and the Policy is provided to each Employee upon his or her commencement of employment, as well as to those directors who are not Employees. You are required to execute the attached Acknowledgment stating that you have read, and understand and agree to comply with, the Policy and the Code. The Corporation will periodically issue communications reminding Employees and directors of their individual responsibility to comply with Corporation policies, including those that relate to insider trading and personal securities transactions.
Statement of policy
You may, from time to time, have access to material, nonpublic information concerning the Corporation, its customers or suppliers, or other companies. The following statement regarding the use and disclosure of this information applies to all your activities, whether related to your official duties for the Corporation or to your personal affairs:
You must not buy, sell, recommend or otherwise trade in any security, either personally or on behalf of others, including trading for proprietary or fiduciary accounts of the Corporation, while in possession of material, nonpublic information relating to such security, or communicate or disclose, in any manner, material, nonpublic information to others in violation of a duty to keep such information confidential.
You should consider information “material” if a reasonable investor would consider it important in deciding whether to buy, sell or hold a company’s securities (in other words, if the information is reasonably certain to have an effect on the price of the securities, whether such effect is positive or negative). You should consider information “nonpublic” if it is not generally available to the public or investment community. For example, the Corporation generally considers information nonpublic until the expiration of 24 hours following a press release, a public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or the appearance of an article in a newspaper or other publication of general circulation.
You must not disclose or disseminate to others material, nonpublic information about a company, either within or outside the Corporation, except on a reasonable need-to-know basis that furthers a legitimate business purpose of the Corporation or the subject company. Unlawfully disclosing or “tipping” information about a company to others who then trade while in possession of the information may give rise to claims against the person tipping the information.
The Corporation expects you to conduct your personal financial affairs in a responsible and prudent manner. Further, Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. encourages you to manage and develop personal financial resources responsibly within your means, to maintain a sound financial condition and to invest in a responsible manner with a view to achieving long-term financial goals. You must never engage in investment practices that, by nature or practice are, or appear to be, inconsistent with the Policy, or that are illegal, improper, unethical or present a real or apparent conflict of interest.
Speculative trading. You must not engage in speculative trading with respect to the Corporation’s securities. This generally prohibits trading in puts, calls and other options or derivatives with respect to the Corporation’s securities unless the transaction is for legitimate, non-speculative purposes and you have obtained prior approval for such transaction. The Policy does not prohibit or require the approval for the exercise of a stock option granted by the Corporation pursuant to one of its stock option plans.
Blackout periods and preclearance procedures. From time to time, the Corporation will designate certain senior officers as “Insiders” for purposes of the Policy. Those officers who have been designated as “Insiders,” as well as directors of the Corporation, are prohibited from trading in the Corporation’s stock during blackout periods to be established by the Corporation. Further, whether or not the Corporation is in a trading blackout, if you are a designated “Insider” or director of the Corporation, you must preclear any transaction in Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock through a designated Legal representative or corporate counsel. The Corporation will notify you if you are a designated “Insider” and provide you the names of appropriate Legal Department or corporate counsel contacts.
Penalties
Violations of any portion of the Policy may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment. In addition, violations of insider trading requirements may subject you to civil and criminal penalties, fines and jail terms, and serious sanctions could be imposed against your managers and the Corporation.
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Potential Criminal and Civil Liability
and/or Disciplinary Action
Traders and Tippers . Company personnel (or their tippees) who trade on inside information are
Subject to the following penalties:
• A civil penalty of up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided;
• A criminal fine of up to $5,000,000 (no matter how small the profit); and
• A jail term of up to twenty years.
An employee who tips information to a person who then trades is subject to the same penalties as the tippee, even if the employee did not trade and did not profit from the tippee's trading.
Control Persons . The Company and its supervisory personnel, if they fail to take appropriate steps to prevent illegal insider trading, are subject to the following penalties:
• A civil penalty of up to $1,000,000 or, if greater, three times the profit gained or loss avoided as a result of the employee's violation; and
• A criminal penalty of up to $5,000,000 dollars for an individual and up to $25,000,000 for the company.
Company-Imposed Sanctions . An employee's failure to comply with the Company's insider trading policy may subject the employee to Company-imposed sanctions, including dismissal for cause, whether or not the employee's failure to comply results in a violation of law. Needless to say, a violation of law, or even an SEC investigation that does not result in prosecution, can tarnish one's reputation and irreparably damage a career.
Employees of, and consultants to, the Company who violate this Policy shall also be subject to disciplinary action by the Company, which may include ineligibility for future participation in the Company's equity incentive plans or termination.
Definition of Inside Information
"Inside Information," for the purposes of this Policy, is material, non-public information.
It is not possible to define all categories of material information. However, information should be regarded as material if there is a reasonable likelihood that it would be considered important to an investor in making an investment decision regarding the purchase or sale of the Company's securities. Either positive or negative information may be material. While it may be difficult under this standard to determine whether particular information is material, there are various categories of information that are particularly sensitive and, as a general rule, should always be considered material. Examples of such information may include:
• | Financial information |
• | Projections of future earnings or losses |
• | News of a pending or proposed merger |
• | News of the disposition of a subsidiary |
• | Impending bankruptcy or financial liquidity problems |
• | Gain or loss of a substantial corporate partner, customer or supplier |
• | Changes in dividend policy |
• | New product announcements of a significant nature (e.g., clinical trial results or regulatory filings or approvals) |
• | Significant product defects or modifications |
• | Significant pricing changes |
• | Stock splits |
• | New equity or debt offerings |
• | Acquisitions |
• | Significant litigation exposure due to actual or threatened litigation |
• | Major changes in senior management |
Non-public information is information that has not been previously disclosed to the general public and is otherwise not available to the general public.
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Certain Exceptions
For purposes of this Policy, the Company considers that the exercise of stock options for cash under the Company's stock option plans (but not the sale of any such shares) is exempt from this Policy, since the other party to the transaction is the Company itself and the price does not vary with the market but is fixed by the terms of the option agreement or the plan. In addition, transactions pursuant to a contract, instruction or plan in compliance with Rule 10b5-1(c) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are exempt from this Policy.
Additional Information - Directors and Officers
Directors and officers of the Company must also comply with the reporting obligations and limitations on short-swing transactions set forth in Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The practical effect of these provisions is that officers and directors who purchase and sell the Company's securities within a six-month period must disgorge all profits to the Company whether or not they had knowledge of any Inside Information. Under these provisions, and so long as certain other criteria are met, neither the receipt of an option under the Company's option plans, nor the exercise of that option, is deemed a purchase under Section 16; however, the sale of any such shares is a sale under Section 16. Moreover, no officer or director may ever make a short sale of the Company's stock. The Company has provided, or will provide, separate memoranda and other appropriate materials to its officers and directors regarding compliance with Section 16 and its related rules.
Acknowledgment
Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation
Code of Conduct and General Policy on Insider Trading
I have read, and understand and agree to comply with, the Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Corporation Code of Conduct (“Code”) and General Policy on Insider Trading (“Policy”). I am not presently aware of any circumstances involving me, any family member or any other Employee that would conflict with the Code or the Policy. If I become aware of any such circumstances, I will immediately notify the Conduct and Compliance Helpline.
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Signature MM DD YYYY
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List of Subsidiaries
None.
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director or officer, or both, of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Nevada corporation, (“registrant”) hereby constitutes and appoints Ben Chang, acting individually, as the undersigned’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to the registrant’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014 and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done that such annual report and its amendments shall comply with the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them or their substitute or re-substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
In accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Ben Chang |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer), Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) and Director |
July 14, 2014 |
||
Ben Chang | ||||
/s/ David Chou
David Chou |
Director |
July 14, 2014 |
CERTIFICATIONS
I, Ben Chang, certify that;
1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2014 of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “registrant”); |
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 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 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: July 15, 2014
/s/ Ben Chang
By: Ben Chang
Title: Chief Executive Officer
CERTIFICATIONS
I, Ben Chang, certify that;
1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2014 of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “registrant”); |
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 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 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: July 15, 2014
/s/ Ben Chang
By: Ben Chang
Title: Chief Financial Officer
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND
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 annual Report of Rich Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2014 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Ben Chang, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, 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) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and |
2. | The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the dates presented and the consolidated result of operations of the Company for the periods presented. |
By: | /s/ Ben Chang |
Name: | Ben Chang |
Title: | Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Director |
Date: | July 15, 2014 |
This certification has been furnished solely pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.