UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   June 21, 2018
 
 
GENOCEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
001-36289
(Commission
File Number)
 
51-0596811
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 
Cambridge Discovery Park
100 Acorn Park Drive, 5 th  Floor
Cambridge, MA
 (Address of principal
executive offices)
 
 
02140
(Zip Code)
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   (617) 876-8191
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 
o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 
  Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240 12b-2 of this chapter).

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





Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Director; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On June 21, 2018, the board of directors of Genocea Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) designated Michael Alfieri as Principal Financial Officer and Principle Accounting Officer of the Company. Mr. Alfieri, age 53, has been Vice President of Finance of the Company since May 2018 and will retain this position. Before joining the Company, Mr. Alfieri served as Vice President of Finance of Radius Health, Inc. from January 2017 through May 2018, Corporate Controller of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from July 2014 through January 2017, and Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Controller at Anika Therapeutics, Inc. prior to that. Mr. Alfieri is not a party to any transaction with the Company that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of the Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-K.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year

On June 21, 2018, the stockholders of the Company approved a proposed amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 175,000,000 to 250,000,000 shares. Subsequent to such approval, the Company filed, on June 23, 2018, with the Delaware Secretary of State a certificate of amendment to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Amendment”), giving effect to the authorized share increase.  A copy of the Certificate of Amendment is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
 
On June 21, 2018, the Company held its previously announced Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”), at which a quorum was present. At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders of the Company voted on the five proposals as follows: (i) to elect Mr. Kenneth Bate, Dr. Ali Behbahani and Dr. Howard Mayer as Class I members of the board of directors to serve until the Company’s 2021 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified (“Proposal 1”), (ii) to approve the amendment to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 175,000,000 to 250,000,000 shares (“Proposal 2”), (iii) to approve the Amended and Restated Genocea Biosciences, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (“Proposal 3”), (iv) to approve an amendment to the Genocea Biosciences, Inc. 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder by 2,500,000 shares and to increase the number of shares that may be purchased by a participant on any exercise date by 18,000 shares (“Proposal 4”), and (v) to ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 (“Proposal 5”).
 
The Company’s stockholders approved Proposal 1. The votes cast at the Annual Meeting were as follows:
 

 
 
Votes For
 
Votes Withheld
 
Broker Non-Votes
Kenneth Bate
 
66,645,766
 
8,120,857
 
-
Ali Behbahani, M.D.
 
71,356,627
 
3,409,996
 
-
Howard Mayer, M.D.
 
66,117,703
 
8,648,920
 
-
 
There were no abstentions with respect to Proposal 1.
 
The Company stockholders approved Proposal 2. The votes cast at the Annual Meeting were as follows: 62,202,788 shares voted for, 6,551,227 shares voted against and 6,012,608 shares abstained from voting. There were no broker non-votes with respect to Proposal 2.

The Company stockholders approved Proposal 3. The votes cast at the Annual Meeting were as follows: 44,135,057 shares voted for, 6,108,894 shares voted against and 5,085,400 shares abstained from voting. There were 19,437,272 broker non-votes with respect to Proposal 3.






The Company stockholders approved Proposal 4. The votes cast at the Annual Meeting were as follows: 49,432,193 shares voted for, 837,333 shares voted against and 5,059,825 shares abstained from voting. There were 19,437,272 broker non-votes with respect to Proposal 4.

The Company stockholders approved Proposal 5. The votes cast at the Annual Meeting were as follows: 67,916,412 shares voted for, 731,332 shares voted against and 6,118,879 shares abstained from voting. There were no broker non-votes with respect to Proposal 5.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits







 
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
GENOCEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By:
/s/ William Clark
 
 
William Clark
 
 
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
Date:  June 25, 2018
 




CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GENOCEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.

Genocea Biosciences, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

FIRST: 
The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on August 16, 2006 under the name “Genocea, Inc.”

SECOND: The Certificate of Incorporation was amended and restated on December 21, 2006, on February 10, 2009, on December 17, 2010 and on September 27, 2012, and was amended on September 30, 2013 and January 21, 2014. The Certificate of Incorporation was most recently amended and restated on February 10, 2014 (the “ Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ”).

THIRD:
This Certificate of Amendment amends the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 228 and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware by the directors and stockholders of the Corporation.

FOURTH: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting subsection (a) of Article IV “Capital Stock” and replacing it as follows:
 
“The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 275,000,000, consisting of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“ Common Stock ”), and 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (“ Preferred Stock ”). Such stock may be issued from time to time by the Corporation for such consideration as may be fixed by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”).
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its duly authorized officer this 21st day of June, 2018.
 




 
By:_ /s/ William Clark ___________________
 
Name: William Clark
 
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer




GENOCEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. DEFINED TERMS
Exhibit A , which is incorporated by reference, defines the terms used in the Plan and sets forth certain operational rules related to those terms.
2.      PURPOSE
The Plan has been established to advance the interests of the Company by providing for the grant to Participants of Stock-based Awards.
3.      ADMINISTRATION
The Administrator has discretionary authority, subject only to the express provisions of the Plan, to interpret the Plan; determine eligibility for and grant Awards; determine, modify or waive the terms and conditions of any Award; determine the form of settlement of Awards (whether in cash, shares of Stock or other property); prescribe forms, rules and procedures relating to the Plan; and otherwise do all things necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Plan. Determinations of the Administrator made under the Plan will be conclusive and will bind all parties.
4.      LIMITS ON AWARDS UNDER THE PLAN
(a)      Number of Shares . The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be delivered in satisfaction of Awards under the Plan is 8,916,451 shares (the “Share Pool”), of which 2,931,054 shares remain available for future Awards as of March 31, 2018 (subject to stockholder approval of 2,500,000 shares at the 2018 annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders), together with any shares of Stock that again become available pursuant to this Section 4(a)). The Share Pool shall automatically increase annually on each January 1 st , from January 1, 2015 through January 1, 2024, in an amount equal to four percent (4%) of the number of shares of Stock outstanding as of the close of business on the immediately preceding December 31 st . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to January 1 st of a given year to provide that there will be no January 1 st increase in the Share Pool for such year or that the increase in the Share Pool for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to the preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the preceding sentences, no more than 9,000,000 shares of Stock may be delivered in satisfaction of ISOs awarded under the Plan. Nothing in this Section 4(a) will be construed as requiring that any, or any fixed number of, ISOs be awarded under the Plan. The limits set forth in this Section 4(a) shall be construed to comply with Section 422 of the Code. For purposes of this Section 4(a), the





number of shares of Stock delivered in satisfaction of Awards will be determined net of shares of Stock withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of the Award or in satisfaction of tax withholding requirements with respect to the Award and, for the avoidance of doubt, without including any shares of Stock underlying Awards settled in cash or that otherwise expire or become unexercisable without having been exercised or that are forfeited to or repurchased by the Company due to failure to vest. To the extent consistent with the requirements of Section 422 and the regulations thereunder, and with other applicable legal requirements (including applicable stock exchange requirements), Stock issued under awards of an acquired company that are converted, replaced or adjusted in connection with the acquisition shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock available for Awards under the Plan.
(b)      Type of Shares . Stock delivered by the Company under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Stock or previously issued Stock acquired by the Company. No fractional shares of Stock will be delivered under the Plan.
(c)      Individual Limits . The following additional limits will apply to Awards of the specified type granted to any person in any calendar year:
(1)      Stock Options: 1,500,000 shares of Stock.
(2)      SARs: 1,500,000 shares of Stock.
(3)      Awards other than Stock Options or SARs: 750,000 shares of Stock.
In applying the foregoing limits, (i) all Awards of the specified type granted to the same person in the same calendar year will be aggregated and made subject to one limit; (ii) the limits applicable to Stock Options and SARs refer to the number of shares of Stock subject to those Awards; and (iii) the share limit under clause (3) refers to the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be delivered, or the value of which could be paid in cash or other property, under an Award or Awards of the type specified in clause (3) assuming a maximum payout. The foregoing provisions will be construed in a manner consistent with Section 162(m), including, without limitation, where applicable, the rules under Section 162(m) pertaining to permissible deferrals of exempt awards.
(d)      Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, including subsection (c) above, a Participant who is a non-employee Director may not receive Awards in any calendar year with respect to the lesser of (i) 250,000 shares or (ii) that number of shares having an aggregate grant date fair value (computed as of the date of grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of no more than $1,000,000. The foregoing limits shall not apply to any Award or shares of Stock granted pursuant to a Director’s election to receive shares of Stock in lieu of cash fees.





5.      ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
The Administrator will select Participants from among key Employees and Directors of, and consultants and advisors to, the Company and its Affiliates who are in a position to contribute significantly to the success of the Company and its Affiliates. Eligibility for ISOs is limited to individuals described in the first sentence of this Section 5 who are employees of the Company or of a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company as those terms are defined in Section 424 of the Code. Eligibility for Stock Options other than ISOs is limited to individuals described in the first sentence of this Section 5 who are providing direct services on the date of grant of the Stock Option to the Company or to a subsidiary of the Company that would be described in the first sentence of Treas. Regs. §1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E).
6.      RULES APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
(a)      All Awards .
(1)      Award Provisions . The Administrator will determine the terms of all Awards, subject to the limitations provided herein. By accepting (or, under such rules as the Administrator may prescribe, being deemed to have accepted) an Award, the Participant will be deemed to have agreed to the terms of the Award and the Plan. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, awards of an acquired company that are converted, replaced or adjusted in connection with the acquisition may contain terms and conditions that are inconsistent with the terms and conditions specified herein, as determined by the Administrator.
(2)      Term of Plan . No Awards may be made after ten years from the Date of Adoption, but previously granted Awards may continue beyond that date in accordance with their terms.
(3)      Transferability . Neither ISOs nor, except as the Administrator otherwise expressly provides in accordance with the third sentence of this Section 6(a)(3), other Awards may be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. During a Participant’s lifetime, ISOs (and, except as the Administrator otherwise expressly provides in accordance with the third sentence of this Section 6(a)(3), SARs and NSOs) may be exercised only by the Participant. The Administrator may permit the gratuitous transfer ( i.e. , transfer not for value) of Awards other than ISOs, subject to such limitations as the Administrator may impose.
(4)      Vesting, etc . The Administrator will determine the time or times at which an Award will vest or become exercisable and the terms on which a Stock Option or SAR will remain exercisable. Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting or exercisability of an Award, regardless of any adverse or potentially adverse tax or





other consequences resulting from such acceleration. Unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise, however, the following rules will apply if a Participant’s Employment ceases:
(A)      Immediately upon the cessation of the Participant’s Employment and except as provided in (B) and (C) below, each Stock Option and SAR that is then held by the Participant or by the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, will cease to be exercisable and will terminate and all other Awards that are then held by the Participant or by the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, to the extent not already vested will be forfeited.
(B)      Subject to (C) and (D) below, all Stock Options and SARs held by the Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment, to the extent then exercisable, will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) a period of three months or (ii) the period ending on the latest date on which such Stock Option or SAR could have been exercised without regard to this Section 6(a)(4), and will thereupon immediately terminate.
(C)      All Stock Options and SARs held by a Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment due to his or her death, to the extent then exercisable, will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) a period of twelve (12) months or (ii) the period ending on the latest date on which such Stock Option or SAR could have been exercised without regard to this Section 6(a)(4), and will thereupon immediately terminate.
(D)      All Stock Options and SARs (whether or not exercisable) held by a Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment will immediately terminate upon such cessation of Employment if the termination is for Cause or occurs in circumstances that in the sole determination of the Administrator would have constituted grounds for the Participant’s Employment to be terminated for Cause.
(5)      Additional Restrictions . The Administrator may cancel, rescind, withhold or otherwise limit or restrict any Award at any time if the Participant is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Award agreement and the Plan, or if the Participant breaches any agreement with the Company or its Affiliates with respect to non-competition, non-solicitation or confidentiality. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator may recover Awards made under the Plan and payments under or gain in respect of any Award in accordance with any applicable Company clawback or recoupment policy, as such policy may be amended and in effect from time to time, or as otherwise required





by applicable law or applicable stock exchange listing standards, including, without limitation, Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(6)      Taxes . The delivery, vesting and retention of Stock, cash or other property under an Award are conditioned upon full satisfaction by the Participant of all tax withholding requirements with respect to the Award. The Administrator will prescribe such rules for the withholding of taxes as it deems necessary. The Administrator may, but need not, hold back shares of Stock from an Award or permit a Participant to tender previously owned shares of Stock in satisfaction of tax withholding requirements (but not in excess of the minimum withholding required by law).
(7)      Dividend Equivalents, Etc . The Administrator may provide for the payment of amounts (on terms and subject to conditions established by the Administrator) in lieu of cash dividends or other cash distributions with respect to Stock subject to an Award whether or not the holder of such Award is otherwise entitled to share in the actual dividend or distribution in respect of such Award. Any entitlement to dividend equivalents or similar entitlements will be established and administered either consistent with an exemption from, or in compliance with, the requirements of Section 409A. Dividends or dividend equivalent amounts payable in respect of Awards that are subject to restrictions may be subject to such limits or restrictions as the Administrator may impose.
(8)      Rights Limited . Nothing in the Plan will be construed as giving any person the right to continued employment or service with the Company or its Affiliates, or any rights as a stockholder except as to shares of Stock actually issued under the Plan. The loss of existing or potential profit in Awards will not constitute an element of damages in the event of a termination of Employment for any reason, even if the termination is in violation of an obligation of the Company or any Affiliate to the Participant.
(9)      Section 162(m) . In the case of any Performance Award (other than a Stock Option or SAR) intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m), the Administrator will establish the applicable Performance Criterion or Criteria in writing no later than ninety (90) days after the commencement of the period of service to which the performance relates (or at such earlier time as is required to qualify the Award as performance-based under Section 162(m)) and, prior to the event or occurrence (grant, vesting or payment, as the case may be) that is conditioned on the attainment of such Performance Criterion or Criteria, will certify whether it or they have been attained. The preceding sentence will not apply to an Award eligible (as determined by the Administrator) for exemption from the limitations of Section 162(m) by reason of the post-initial public offering transition relief in Section 1.162-27(f) of the Treasury Regulations.





(10)      Coordination with Other Plans . Awards under the Plan may be granted in tandem with, or in satisfaction of or substitution for, other Awards under the Plan or awards made under other compensatory plans or programs of the Company or its Affiliates. For example, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, awards under other compensatory plans or programs of the Company or its Affiliates may be settled in Stock (including, without limitation, Unrestricted Stock) if the Administrator so determines, in which case the shares delivered will be treated as awarded under the Plan (and will reduce the number of shares thereafter available under the Plan in accordance with the rules set forth in Section 4). In any case where an award is made under another plan or program of the Company or its Affiliates and such award is intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m), and such award is settled by the delivery of Stock or another Award under the Plan, the applicable Section 162(m) limitations under both the other plan or program and under the Plan will be applied to the Plan as necessary (as determined by the Administrator) to preserve the availability of the Section 162(m) performance-based compensation exception with respect thereto.
(11)      Section 409A . Each Award will contain such terms as the Administrator determines, and will be construed and administered, such that the Award either qualifies for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or satisfies such requirements.
(12)      Fair Market Value . In determining the fair market value of any share of Stock under the Plan, the Administrator will make the determination in good faith consistent with the rules of Section 422 and Section 409A to the extent applicable.
(b)      Stock Options and SARs .
(1)      Time And Manner Of Exercise . Unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise, no Stock Option or SAR will be deemed to have been exercised until the Administrator receives a notice of exercise (in form acceptable to the Administrator), which may be an electronic notice, signed (including electronic signature in form acceptable to the Administrator) by the appropriate person and accompanied by any payment required under the Award. A Stock Option or SAR exercised by any person other than the Participant will not be deemed to have been exercised until the Administrator has received such evidence as it may require that the person exercising the Award has the right to do so.
(2)      Exercise Price . The exercise price (or the base value from which appreciation is to be measured) of each Award requiring exercise will be no less than 100% (or in the case of an ISO granted to a ten-percent shareholder within the meaning of subsection (b)(6) of Section 422, 110%) of the fair market value of the Stock subject to the Award, determined as of the date of grant, or such higher amount as the Administrator may determine in connection





with the grant. Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (which term shall include, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares) or as otherwise contemplated by Section 7 of the Plan, the terms of outstanding Stock Options or SARs, as applicable, may not be amended to reduce the exercise prices of such Stock Options or the base values from which appreciation under such SARs are to be measured other than in accordance with the stockholder approval requirements of the NASDAQ Global Market.
(3)      Payment Of Exercise Price . Where the exercise of an Award is to be accompanied by payment, payment of the exercise price will be by cash or check acceptable to the Administrator or by such other legally permissible means, if any, as may be acceptable to the Administrator.
(4)      Maximum Term . Stock Options and SARs will have a maximum term not to exceed ten (10) years from the date of grant (or five (5) years from the date of grant in the case of an ISO granted to a ten-percent shareholder described in Section 6(b)(2) above); provided, however, that, if a Participant still holding an outstanding but unexercised NSO or SAR ten (10) years from the date of grant (or, in the case of an NSO or SAR with a maximum term of less than ten (10) years, such maximum term) is prohibited by applicable law or a written policy of the Company applicable to similarly situated employees from engaging in any open-market sales of Stock, and if at such time the Stock is publicly traded (as determined by the Administrator), the maximum term of such Award will instead be deemed to expire on the thirtieth (30 th ) day following the date the Participant is no longer prohibited from engaging in such open market sales.
7.      EFFECT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
(a)      Mergers, etc . Except as otherwise provided in an Award agreement, the following provisions will apply in the event of a Covered Transaction:
(1)      Assumption or Substitution . If the Covered Transaction is one in which there is an acquiring or surviving entity, the Administrator may (but, for the avoidance of doubt, need not) provide (i) for the assumption or continuation of some or all outstanding Awards or any portion thereof or (ii) for the grant of new awards in substitution therefor by the acquiror or survivor or an affiliate of the acquiror or survivor.
(2)      Cash-Out of Awards . Subject to Section 7(a)(5) below the Administrator may (but, for the avoidance of doubt, need not) provide for payment (a “cash-out”), with respect to some or all Awards or any portion thereof, equal in the case of each affected Award or portion thereof to the excess, if any, of (A) the fair market value of one share of Stock (as determined by





the Administrator in its reasonable discretion) times the number of shares of Stock subject to the Award or such portion, over (B) the aggregate exercise or purchase price, if any, under the Award or such portion (in the case of an SAR, the aggregate base value above which appreciation is measured), in each case on such payment terms (which need not be the same as the terms of payment to holders of Stock) and other terms, and subject to such conditions, as the Administrator determines, it being understood that if the exercise or purchase price (or base value) of an Award is equal to or greater than the fair market value of one share of Stock, the Award may be cancelled with no payment due hereunder.
(3)      Acceleration of Certain Awards . Subject to Section 7(a)(5) below, the Administrator may (but, for the avoidance of doubt, need not) provide that any Award requiring exercise will become exercisable, in full or in part and/or that the delivery of any shares of Stock remaining deliverable under any outstanding Award of Stock Units (including Restricted Stock Units and Performance Awards to the extent consisting of Stock Units) will be accelerated in full or in part, in each case on a basis that gives the holder of the Award a reasonable opportunity, as determined by the Administrator, following exercise of the Award or the delivery of the shares, as the case may be, to participate as a stockholder in the Covered Transaction.
(4)      Termination of Awards Upon Consummation of Covered Transaction . Except as the Administrator may otherwise determine in any case, each Award will automatically terminate (and in the case of outstanding shares of Restricted Stock, will automatically be forfeited) upon consummation of the Covered Transaction, other than Awards assumed pursuant to Section 7(a)(1) above.
(5)      Additional Limitations . Any share of Stock and any cash or other property delivered pursuant to Section 7(a)(2) or Section 7(a)(3) above with respect to an Award may, in the discretion of the Administrator, contain such restrictions, if any, as the Administrator deems appropriate to reflect any performance or other vesting conditions to which the Award was subject and that did not lapse (and were not satisfied) in connection with the Covered Transaction. For purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, a cash-out under Section 7(a)(2) above or acceleration under Section 7(a)(3) above will not, in and of itself, be treated as the lapsing (or satisfaction) of a performance or other vesting condition. In the case of Restricted Stock that does not vest and is not forfeited in connection with the Covered Transaction, the Administrator may require that any amounts delivered, exchanged or otherwise paid in respect of such Stock in connection with the Covered Transaction be placed in escrow or otherwise made subject to such restrictions as the Administrator deems appropriate to carry out the intent of the Plan.





(b)      Changes in and Distributions With Respect to Stock .
(1)      Basic Adjustment Provisions . In the event of a stock dividend, stock split or combination of shares (including a reverse stock split), recapitalization or other change in the Company’s capital structure that constitutes an equity restructuring within the meaning of FASB ASC 718, the Administrator will make appropriate adjustments to the Share Pool, to the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be delivered in satisfaction of ISOs under the Plan, and to the maximum share limits described in Section 4(c), and will also make appropriate adjustments to the number and kind of shares of stock or securities subject to Awards then outstanding or subsequently granted, any exercise or purchase prices (or base values) relating to Awards and any other provision of Awards affected by such change.
(2)      Certain Other Adjustments . The Administrator may also make adjustments of the type described in Section 7(b)(1) above to take into account distributions to stockholders other than those provided for in Section 7(a) and 7(b)(1), or any other event, if the Administrator determines that adjustments are appropriate to avoid distortion in the operation of the Plan, having due regard for the qualification of ISOs under Section 422, the requirements of Section 409A, and for the performance-based compensation rules of Section 162(m), where applicable.
(3)      Continuing Application of Plan Terms . References in the Plan to shares of Stock will be construed to include any stock or securities resulting from an adjustment pursuant to this Section 7.
8.      LEGAL CONDITIONS ON DELIVERY OF STOCK
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove any restriction from shares of Stock previously delivered under the Plan until: (i) the Company is satisfied that all legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been addressed and resolved; (ii) if the outstanding Stock is at the time of delivery listed on any stock exchange or national market system, the shares to be delivered have been listed or authorized to be listed on such exchange or system upon official notice of issuance; and (iii) all conditions of the Award have been satisfied or waived. The Company may require, as a condition to exercise of the Award, such representations or agreements as counsel for the Company may consider appropriate to avoid violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any applicable state or non-U.S. securities law. Any Stock required to be issued to Participants under the Plan will be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or delivery of stock certificates. In the event that the Administrator determines that Stock certificates will be issued to Participants under the Plan, the Administrator may require that certificates evidencing Stock issued under the Plan bear an





appropriate legend reflecting any restriction on transfer applicable to such Stock, and the Company may hold the certificates pending lapse of the applicable restrictions.
9.      AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
The Administrator may at any time or times amend the Plan or any outstanding Award for any purpose which may at the time be permitted by law, and may at any time terminate the Plan as to any future grants of Awards; provided, that, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the Administrator may not, without the Participant’s consent, alter the terms of an Award so as to affect materially and adversely the Participant’s rights under the Award, unless the Administrator expressly reserved the right to do so at the time the Award was granted. Any amendments to the Plan will be conditioned upon stockholder approval only to the extent, if any, such approval is required by law (including the Code and applicable stock exchange requirements), as determined by the Administrator.
10.      OTHER COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS
The existence of the Plan or the grant of any Award will not in any way affect the Company’s right to Award a person bonuses or other compensation in addition to Awards under the Plan.
11.      MISCELLANEOUS
(a)      Waiver of Jury Trial . By accepting an Award under the Plan, each Participant waives any right to a trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim concerning any rights under the Plan and any Award, or under any amendment, waiver, consent, instrument, document or other agreement delivered or which in the future may be delivered in connection therewith, and agrees that any such action, proceedings or counterclaim will be tried before a court and not before a jury. By accepting an Award under the Plan, each Participant certifies that no officer, representative, or attorney of the Company has represented, expressly or otherwise, that the Company would not, in the event of any action, proceeding or counterclaim, seek to enforce the foregoing waivers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, nothing herein is to be construed as limiting the ability of the Company and a Participant to agree to submit disputes arising under the terms of the Plan or any Award made hereunder to binding arbitration or as limiting the ability of the Company to require any eligible individual to agree to submit such disputes to binding arbitration as a condition of receiving an Award hereunder.
(b)      Limitation of Liability . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, neither the Company, nor any Affiliate, nor the Administrator, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company, any Affiliate, or the Administrator, will be liable to any Participant or to the estate or beneficiary of any Participant or to any other holder of an Award by reason of any acceleration





of income, or any additional tax (including any interest and penalties), asserted by reason of the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 or Section 409A or by reason of Section 4999 of the Code, or otherwise asserted with respect to the Award; provided, that nothing in this Section 11(b) will limit the ability of the Administrator or the Company, in its discretion, to provide by separate express written agreement with a Participant for any payment in connection with any such acceleration of income or additional tax.
12.      ESTABLISHMENT OF SUB-PLANS
The Administrator may from time to time establish one or more sub-plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying applicable blue sky, securities or tax laws of various jurisdictions. The Administrator will establish such sub-plans by adopting supplements to the Plan setting forth (i) such limitations on the Administrator’s discretion under the Plan as it deems necessary or desirable and (ii) such additional terms and conditions not otherwise inconsistent with the Plan as it deems necessary or desirable. All supplements so established will be deemed to be part of the Plan, but each supplement will apply only to Participants within the affected jurisdiction (as determined by the Administrator).
13.      GOVERNING LAW
(a)      Certain Requirements of Corporate Law . Awards will be granted and administered consistent with the requirements of applicable Delaware law relating to the issuance of stock and the consideration to be received therefor, and with the applicable requirements of the stock exchanges or other trading systems on which the Stock is listed or entered for trading, in each case as determined by the Administrator.
(b)      Other Matters . Except as otherwise provided by the express terms of an Award agreement, under a sub-plan described in Section 12 or as provided in Section 13(a) above, the provisions of the Plan and of Awards under the Plan and all claims or disputes arising out of or based upon the Plan or any Award under the Plan or relating to the subject matter hereof or thereof will be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic substantive laws of the State of Massachusetts without giving effect to any choice or conflict of laws provision or rule that would cause the application of the domestic substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.
(c)      Jurisdiction . By accepting an Award, each Participant will be deemed to (a) have submitted irrevocably and unconditionally to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located within the geographic boundaries of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts for the purpose of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or based upon the Plan or any Award; (b) agree not to commence any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or based upon the Plan or an Award, except in the federal and state courts located within the geographic boundaries of the United States District Court for the District of





Massachusetts; and (c) waive, and agree not to assert, by way of motion as a defense or otherwise, in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts that its property is exempt or immune from attachment or execution, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper or that the Plan or an Award or the subject matter thereof may not be enforced in or by such court.






EXHIBIT A
Definition of Terms
The following terms, when used in the Plan, will have the meanings and be subject to the provisions set forth below:
“Administrator”: The Compensation Committee, except that the Compensation Committee may delegate (i) to one or more of its members (or one or more other members of the Board (including the full Board)) such of its duties, powers and responsibilities as it may determine; (ii) to one or more officers of the Company the power to grant Awards to the extent permitted by Section 157(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law; and (iii) to such Employees or other persons as it determines such ministerial tasks as it deems appropriate. In the event of any delegation described in the preceding sentence, the term “Administrator” will include the person or persons so delegated to the extent of such delegation.
“Affiliate”: Any corporation or other entity that stands in a relationship to the Company that would result in the Company and such corporation or other entity being treated as one employer under Section 414(b) and Section 414(c) of the Code.
“Award”: Any or a combination of the following:  
(i) Stock Options.
(ii) SARs.
(iii) Restricted Stock.
(iv) Unrestricted Stock.
(v) Stock Units, including Restricted Stock Units.
(vi) Performance Awards.
(vii) Awards (other than Awards described in (i) through (vi) above) that are convertible into or otherwise based on Stock.
“Board”: The Board of Directors of the Company.
“Cause”: In the case of any Participant who is party to an employment or severance-benefit agreement that contains a definition of “Cause,” the definition set forth in such agreement will apply with respect to such Participant under the Plan for so long as such agreement is in effect. In the case of any other Participant, “Cause” will mean, as determined by the





Administrator in its reasonable judgment, (i) a substantial failure of the Participant to perform the Participant’s duties and responsibilities to the Company or subsidiaries or substantial negligence in the performance of such duties and responsibilities; (ii) the commission by the Participant of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; (iii) the commission by the Participant of theft, fraud, embezzlement, material breach of trust or any material act of dishonesty involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (iv) a significant violation by the Participant of the code of conduct of the Company or its subsidiaries of any material policy of the Company or its subsidiaries, or of any statutory or common law duty of loyalty to the Company or its subsidiaries; (v) material breach of any of the terms of the Plan or any Award made under the Plan, or of the terms of any other agreement between the Company or subsidiaries and the Participant; or (vi) other conduct by the Participant that could reasonably be expected to be harmful to the business, interests or reputation of the Company.
“Code”: The U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as from time to time amended and in effect, or any successor statute as from time to time in effect.
“Compensation Committee”: The Compensation Committee of the Board.
“Company”: Genocea Biosciences, Inc.
“Covered Transaction”: Any of (i) a consolidation, merger, or similar transaction or series of related transactions, including a sale or other disposition of stock, in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or that results in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the Company’s then outstanding common stock by a single person or entity or by a group of persons and/or entities acting in concert, (ii) a sale or transfer of all or substantially all the Company’s assets, or (iii) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company. Where a Covered Transaction involves a tender offer that is reasonably expected to be followed by a merger described in clause (i) (as determined by the Administrator), the Covered Transaction will be deemed to have occurred upon consummation of the tender offer.
“Date of Adoption”: January 20, 2014.
“Director” : A member of the Board.
“Employee”: Any person who is employed by the Company or an Affiliate.
“Employment”: A Participant’s employment or other service relationship with the Company and its Affiliates. Employment will be deemed to continue, unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise, so long as the Participant is employed by, or otherwise is providing services in a capacity described in Section 5 to the Company or an Affiliate. If a Participant’s employment or other service relationship is with an Affiliate and that entity ceases to be an





Affiliate, the Participant’s Employment will be deemed to have terminated when the entity ceases to be an Affiliate unless the Participant transfers Employment to the Company or its remaining Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing and the definition of “Affiliate” above, in construing the provisions of any Award relating to the payment of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (subject to Section 409A) upon a termination or cessation of Employment, references to termination or cessation of employment, separation from service, retirement or similar or correlative terms will be construed to require a “separation from service” (as that term is defined in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations, after giving effect to the presumptions contained therein) from the Company and from all other corporations and trades or businesses, if any, that would be treated as a single “service recipient” with the Company under Section 1.409A-1(h)(3) of the Treasury Regulations. The Company may, but need not, elect in writing, subject to the applicable limitations under Section 409A, any of the special elective rules prescribed in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations for purposes of determining whether a “separation from service” has occurred. Any such written election will be deemed a part of the Plan.
“ISO”: A Stock Option intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422. Each Stock Option granted pursuant to the Plan will be treated as providing by its terms that it is to be an NSO unless, as of the date of grant, it is expressly designated as an ISO.
“NSO”: A Stock Option that is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422.
“Participant”: A person who is granted an Award under the Plan.
“Performance Award”: An Award subject to Performance Criteria. The Administrator in its discretion may grant Performance Awards that are intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) and Performance Awards that are not intended so to qualify.
“Performance Criteria”: Specified criteria, other than the mere continuation of Employment or the mere passage of time, the satisfaction of which is a condition for the grant, exercisability, vesting or full enjoyment of an Award. For purposes of Awards that are intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m), a Performance Criterion will mean an objectively determinable measure or measures of performance relating to any or any combination of the following (measured either absolutely or by reference to an index or indices and determined either on a consolidated basis or, as the context permits, on a divisional, subsidiary, line of business, project or geographical basis or in combinations thereof) : sales; revenues; assets; expenses; earnings before or after deduction for all or any portion of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization or equity expense, whether or not





on a continuing operations or an aggregate or per share basis; return on equity, investment, capital, capital employed or assets; one or more operating ratios; operating income or profit, including on an after-tax basis; net income; borrowing levels, leverage ratios or credit rating; market share; capital expenditures; cash flow; stock price; stockholder return; sales of particular products or services; customer acquisition or retention; acquisitions and divestitures (in whole or in part); joint ventures, strategic alliances, licenses or collaborations; spin-offs, split-ups and the like; reorganizations; recapitalizations, restructurings, financings (issuance of debt or equity) or refinancings; manufacturing or process development; or achievement of clinical trial or research objectives, regulatory or other filings or approvals or other product development milestones. A Performance Criterion and any targets with respect thereto determined by the Administrator need not be based upon an increase, a positive or improved result or avoidance of loss. To the extent consistent with the requirements for satisfying the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m), the Administrator may provide in the case of any Award intended to qualify for such exception that one or more of the Performance Criteria applicable to such Award will be adjusted in an objectively determinable manner to reflect events (for example, the impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, mergers, acquisitions, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative effects of tax or accounting changes, each as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles) occurring during the performance period that affect the applicable Performance Criterion or Criteria.
“Plan”: The Genocea Biosciences, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan as from time to time amended and in effect.
“Restricted Stock”: Stock subject to restrictions requiring that it be redelivered or offered for sale to the Company if specified conditions are not satisfied.
“Restricted Stock Unit”: A Stock Unit that is, or as to which the delivery of Stock or cash in lieu of Stock is, subject to the satisfaction of specified performance or other vesting conditions.
“SAR”: A right entitling the holder upon exercise to receive an amount (payable in cash or in shares of Stock of equivalent value) equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares of Stock subject to the right over the base value from which appreciation under the SAR is to be measured.
“Section 409A”: Section 409A of the Code.
“Section 422”: Section 422 of the Code.
“Section 162(m)”: Section 162(m) of the Code.





“Stock”: Common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.
“Stock Option”: An option entitling the holder to acquire shares of Stock upon payment of the exercise price.
“Stock Unit”: An unfunded and unsecured promise, denominated in shares of Stock, to deliver Stock or cash measured by the value of Stock in the future.
“Unrestricted Stock”: Stock not subject to any restrictions under the terms of the Award.





GENOCEA BIOSCIENCES, INC.
2014 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN, AS AMENDED

 
Section 1.
Defined Terms
Exhibit A, which is incorporated by reference, defines the terms used in the Plan and sets forth certain operational rules related to those terms.
Section 2.
Purpose of Plan
The Plan is intended to enable Eligible Employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries to use payroll deductions to purchase shares of Stock, and thereby acquire an interest in the future of the Company. The Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 and to be exempt from the application and requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and is to be construed accordingly.
Section 3.
Options to Purchase Stock
Subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 16 of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock available for purchase pursuant to the exercise of Options granted under the Plan to Eligible Employees will be 2,500,007 shares. The shares of Stock to be delivered upon exercise of Options under the Plan may be either shares of authorized but unissued Stock, treasury Stock, or Stock acquired in an open-market transaction. If any Option granted under the Plan expires or terminates for any reason without having been exercised in full or ceases for any reason to be exercisable in whole or in part, the unpurchased shares of Stock subject to such Option will again be available for purchase pursuant to the exercise of Options under the Plan. If, on an Exercise Date, the total number of shares of Stock that would otherwise be subject to Options granted under the Plan exceeds the number of shares then available under the Plan (after deduction of all shares for which Options have been exercised or are then outstanding), the Administrator shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for the Option grants in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine to be equitable. In such event, the Administrator shall give written notice to each Participant of such reduction of the number of Options affected thereby and shall similarly reduce the rate of payroll deductions, if necessary.
Section 4.
Eligibility
Subject to Section 13 of the Plan, and any exceptions and limitations set forth in Section 6 of the Plan, or as may be provided elsewhere in the Plan, each Employee who (a) has been continuously employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary, as applicable, for at least ten (10) business days as of the first day of any Option Period, (b) customarily works twenty (20) hours or more per week, and (c) satisfies the requirements set forth in the Plan will be an Eligible Employee. In no event, however, may an Employee be granted an Option under the Plan if, immediately after the Option is granted, the Employee would own (or pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code would be deemed to own) stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of its Parent or Subsidiaries, if any. The Administrator may, for Option Periods that have not yet commenced, establish additional eligibility requirements not inconsistent with Section 423.
Section 5.
Option Periods
The Plan will generally be implemented by a series of “ Option Periods ”. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Option Periods will be the six-month periods commencing January 1 and ending June 30 and commencing July 1 and ending December 31 of each year. Each June 30 and December 31 will be an “ Exercise Date ”. The Administrator may change the Exercise Date and the commencement date, ending date and duration of the Option Periods to the extent permitted by Section 423.
Section 6.
Option Grant
Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4 and Section 10 of the Plan and the Maximum Share Limit, on the first day of an Option Period, each Participant automatically will be granted an Option to purchase shares of Stock on the Exercise Date; provided , however , that no Participant will be granted an Option under the Plan that permits the Participant’s right to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan and under all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its Parent and Subsidiaries, if any, to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 in Fair Market Value (or such other maximum as may be prescribed from time to time by the Code) for each calendar year during which any Option granted to such Participant is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.
Section 7.
Method of Participation
To participate in an Option Period, an Eligible Employee must execute and deliver to the Administrator a payroll deduction and participation authorization form in accordance with the procedures prescribed by and in a form acceptable to the Administrator and, in so doing, the Eligible Employee will thereby become a Participant as of the first day of such Option Period. Such an Eligible Employee will remain a Participant with respect to subsequent Option Periods until his or her participation in the Plan is terminated as provided herein. Such payroll deduction and participation authorization must be delivered no later than ten (10) business days prior to the first day of an Option Period, or such other time as specified by the Administrator.
A Participant’s authorization will remain in effect for subsequent Option Periods unless the Participant files a new authorization within ten (10) business days prior to the first day of such new Option Period (or such other time as specified by the Administrator) or the Participant’s Option is cancelled pursuant to Section 13 or Section 14 of the Plan. During an Option Period, payroll deduction authorizations may not be increased or decreased, except that a Participant may terminate his or her payroll deduction authorization by canceling his or her Option in accordance with Section 13 of the Plan.
Each payroll deduction authorization will request payroll deductions in a whole dollar amount between fifteen dollars ($15) and one thousand dollars ($1,000) of the employee’s total cash compensation, including base pay or salary and any overtime, cash bonuses or commissions per payroll period.
All payroll deductions made pursuant to this Section 7 will be credited to the Participant’s Account. Amounts credited to a Participant’s Account will not be required to be set aside in trust or otherwise segregated from the Company’s general assets.
Section 8.
Method of Payment
A Participant must pay for shares of Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option with accumulated payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s Account.
Section 9.
Purchase Price
The Purchase Price of shares of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option on each Exercise Date will be eighty-five percent (85%) (or such greater percentage specified by the Administrator to the extent permitted under Section 423) of the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date on which the Option was granted pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan ( i.e. , the first day of the Option Period) and (b) the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date on which the Option is deemed exercised pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan ( i.e. , the Exercise Date).
Section 10.
Exercise of Options
Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6 of the Plan and this Section 10, with respect to each Option Period, on the applicable Exercise Date, each Participant will be deemed to have exercised his or her Option and the accumulated payroll deductions in the Participant’s Account will be applied to purchase the greatest number of whole shares of Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) that can be purchased with such Account balance at the applicable Purchase Price; provided, however, that no more than 20,000 shares of Stock may be purchased by a Participant on any Exercise Date, or such lesser number as the Administrator may prescribe in accordance with Section 423 (the “ Maximum Share Limit ”). As soon as practicable thereafter, shares of Stock so purchased will be placed, in book-entry form, into a record keeping account in the name of the Participant. No fractional shares will be purchased; any payroll deductions accumulated in a Participant’s Account that are not sufficient to purchase a full share will be retained in the Participant’s Account for the subsequent Option Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant as provided in Section 13 of the Plan.
Except as provided above with respect to fractional shares, any amount of payroll deductions in a Participant’s Account that are not used for the purchase of shares of Stock, whether because of the Participant’s withdrawal from participation in an Option Period or for any other reason, will be returned to the Participant or his or her designated beneficiary or legal representative, as applicable, without interest, as soon as administratively practicable after such withdrawal or other event, as applicable.
If the Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions on the Exercise Date would otherwise enable the Participant to purchase shares of Stock in excess of the Maximum Share Limit or the maximum Fair Market Value set forth in Section 6 of the Plan, the excess of the amount of the accumulated payroll deductions over the aggregate Purchase Price of the shares of Stock actually purchased will be returned to the Participant, without interest, as soon as administratively practicable after such Exercise Date.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Option may be exercised after 27 months from its grant date.
Section 11.
Interest
No interest will be payable on any amount held in the Account of any Participant.
Section 12.
Taxes
Payroll deductions will be made on an after-tax basis. The Administrator will have the right, as a condition to exercising an Option, to make such provision as it deems necessary to satisfy its obligations to withhold federal, state, local income or other taxes incurred by reason of the purchase or disposition of shares of Stock under the Plan. In the Administrator’s discretion and subject to applicable law, such tax obligations may be paid in whole or in part by delivery of shares of Stock to the Company, including shares of Stock purchased under the Plan, valued at Fair Market Value, but not in excess of the minimum statutory amounts required to be withheld.
Section 13.
Cancellation and Withdrawal
A Participant who holds an Option under the Plan may cancel all (but not less than all) of his or her Option and terminate his or her payroll deduction authorization by revoking such authorization by written notice delivered to the Administrator, which, to be effective with respect to an upcoming Exercise Date, must be delivered not later than ten (10) business days prior to such Exercise Date (or such other time as specified by the Administrator). Upon such termination and cancellation, the balance in the Participant’s Account will be returned to the Participant, without interest, as soon as administratively practicable thereafter. For the avoidance of doubt, a Participant who reduces his or her withholding rate for future payroll periods to zero pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan, will be deemed to have revoked his or her payroll deduction authorization and canceled his or her Option as to future Option Periods.
A Participant who makes a hardship withdrawal from a 401(k) Plan will be deemed to have terminated his or her payroll deduction authorization for subsequent payroll dates relating to the then current Option Period as of the date of such hardship withdrawal and amounts accumulated in the Participant’s Account as of such date will be returned to the Participant, without interest, as soon as administratively practicable thereafter. An Employee who has made a hardship withdrawal from a 401(k) Plan will not be permitted to participate in Option Periods commencing after the date of his or her hardship withdrawal until the first Option Period that begins at least six months after the date of his or her hardship withdrawal.
Section 14.
Termination of Employment; Death of Participant
Upon the termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company (or a Designated Subsidiary, as applicable) for any reason or the death of a Participant during an Option Period prior to an Exercise Date or in the event the Participant ceases to qualify as an Eligible Employee, the Participant will cease to be a Participant, any Option held by him or her under the Plan will be deemed canceled, the balance in the Participant’s Account will be returned to the Participant (or his or her estate or designated beneficiary in the event of the Participant’s death), without interest, as soon as administratively practicable thereafter, and the Participant will have no further rights under the Plan.
Section 15.
Equal Rights; Participant’s Rights Not Transferable
All Participants granted Options under the Plan will have the same rights and privileges consistent with the requirements set forth in Section 423. Any Option granted under the Plan will be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him or her and may not be sold, pledged, assigned, or transferred in any manner. In the event any Participant violates or attempts to violate the terms of this Section 15, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, any Options held by him or her may be terminated by the Company and, upon the return to the Participant of the balance of his or her Account, without interest, all of the Participant’s rights under the Plan will terminate.
Section 16.
Change in Capitalization; Merger
In the event of any change in the outstanding Stock by reason of a stock dividend, split-up, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, or other capital change, the aggregate number and type of shares of Stock available under the Plan, the number and type of shares of Stock granted under any outstanding Options, the maximum number and type of shares of Stock purchasable under any outstanding Option, and the purchase price per share of Stock under any outstanding Option will be appropriately adjusted; provided , that any such adjustment shall be made in a manner that complies with Section 423.
In the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the Stock or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or a merger or similar transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or that results in the acquisition of the Company by another person, the Administrator may, in its discretion, (a) if the Company is merged with or acquired by another corporation, provide that each outstanding Option will be assumed or exchanged for a substitute Option granted by the acquiror or successor corporation or by a parent or subsidiary of the acquiror or successor corporation, (b) cancel each outstanding Option and return the balances in Participants’ Accounts to the Participants, and/or (c) pursuant to Section 18 of the Plan, terminate the Option Period on or before the date of the proposed sale, merger or similar transaction.
Section 17.
Administration of Plan
The Plan will be administered by the Administrator, which will have the authority to interpret the Plan, determine eligibility under the Plan, prescribe forms, rules and procedures relating to the Plan and otherwise do all things necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Plan. All determinations and decisions by the Administrator regarding the interpretation or application of the Plan will be final and binding on all Participants.
The Administrator may specify the manner in which Employees are to provide notices and payroll deduction authorizations. Notwithstanding any requirement of “written notice” herein, the Administrator may permit Employees to provide notices and payroll deduction authorizations electronically.
Section 18.
Amendment and Termination of Plan
The Board reserves the right at any time or times to amend the Plan to any extent and in any manner it may deem advisable; provided , that any amendment that would be treated as the adoption of a new plan for purposes of Section 423 will have no force or effect unless approved by the shareholders of the Company within 12 months before or after its adoption.
The Board reserves the right at any time or times to suspend or terminate the Plan. In connection therewith, the Board may provide, in its sole discretion, either that outstanding Options will be exercisable either at the Exercise Date for the applicable Option Period or on such earlier date as the Board may specify (in which case such earlier date will be treated as the Exercise Date for the applicable Option Period), or that the balance of each Participant’s Account will be returned to the Participant, without interest.
Section 19.
Approvals
Shareholder approval will be obtained prior to the date that is 12 months after the date of Board approval.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the obligation of the Company to issue and deliver shares of Stock under the Plan will be subject to the approval required of any governmental authority in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale or transfer of such shares of Stock and to any requirements of any national securities exchange applicable thereto, and to compliance by the Company with other applicable legal requirements in effect from time to time.
Section 20.
Participants’ Rights as Shareholders and Employees
A Participant will have no rights or privileges as a shareholder of the Company and will not receive any dividends in respect of any shares of Stock covered by an Option granted hereunder until such Option has been exercised, full payment has been made for such shares of Stock, and the shares of Stock have been issued to the Participant.
Nothing contained in the provisions of the Plan will be construed as giving to any Employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary or as interfering with the right of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary to discharge, promote, demote or otherwise re-assign any Employee from one position to another within the Company or any Designated Subsidiary at any time.
Section 21.
Information Regarding Disqualifying Dispositions.
By electing to participate in the Plan, each Participant agrees to provide such information about any transfer of Stock acquired under the Plan that occurs within two years after the first day of the Option Period in which such Stock was acquired and within one year after the acquisition of such Stock as may be requested by the Company or any Designated Subsidiary in order to assist it in complying with applicable tax laws.
Section 22.
Governing Law
The Plan will be governed by and interpreted consistently with the laws of the State of Delaware, except as may be necessary to comply with applicable requirements of federal law.
Section 23.
Effective Date and Term
The Plan will become effective upon adoption of the Plan by the Board and no rights will be granted hereunder after the earliest to occur of (a) the Plan’s termination by the Company, (b) the issuance of all shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan or (c) January 19, 2024.
EXHIBIT A
Definition of Terms

The following terms, when used in the Plan, will have the meanings and be subject to the provisions set forth below:

“401(k) Plan”: A savings plan qualifying under Section 401(k) of the Code that is sponsored by the Company for the benefit of its employees.

“Account”: A payroll deduction account maintained in the Participant’s name on the books of the Company.

“Administrator”: The Compensation Committee of the Board and its delegates, except that the Compensation Committee may delegate its authority under the Plan to a sub-committee comprised of one or more of its members, to members of the Board, or to officers or employees of the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law. In each case, references herein to the Administrator refer, as applicable, to such persons or groups so delegated to the extent of such delegation. 

“Board”: The Board of Directors of the Company.

“Code”: The U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as from time to time amended and in effect, or any successor statute as from time to time in effect.

“Company”: Genocea Biosciences, Inc.

“Designated Subsidiary”: A Subsidiary of the Company that has been designated by the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board from time to time as eligible to participate in the Plan as set forth on Exhibit B to the Plan.

“Effective Date”: The date set forth in Section 23 of the Plan.

“Eligible Employee”: Any Employee who meets the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 4 of the Plan.

“Employee”: Any person who is employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary. For the avoidance of doubt, independent contractors and independent contractors are not “Employees”.

“Exercise Date”: The date set forth in Section 5 of the Plan or otherwise designated by the Administrator with respect to a particular Option Period on which a Participant will be deemed to have exercised the Option granted to him or her for such Option Period.    

“Fair Market Value”:

(a) If the Stock is readily traded on an established national exchange or trading system (including the NASDAQ Global Market), the closing price of a share of Stock as reported by the principal exchange on which such Stock is traded; provided, however, that if such day is not a trading day, Fair Market Value will mean the reported closing price of a share of Stock for the immediately preceding day that is a trading day.

(b) If the Stock is not traded on an established national exchange or trading system, the average of the bid and ask prices for shares Stock where the bid and ask prices are quoted.

(c) If the Stock cannot be valued pursuant to clauses (a) or (b), the value as determined in good faith by the Board in its sole discretion.

“Maximum Share Limit”: The meaning set forth in Section 10 of the Plan.

“Option”: An option granted pursuant to the Plan entitling the holder to acquire shares of Stock upon payment of the Purchase Price per share of Stock.

“Option Period”: An offering period established in accordance with Section 5 of the Plan.

“Parent”: A “parent corporation” as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

“Participant”: An Eligible Employee who elects to enroll in the Plan.

“Plan”: The Genocea Biosciences, Inc. 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as from time to time amended and in effect.

“Purchase Price”: The price per share of Stock with respect to an Option Period determined in accordance with Section 9 of the Plan.

“Section 423”: Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

“Stock”: Common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

“Subsidiary”: A “subsidiary corporation” as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

EXHIBIT B
Designated Subsidiaries

Designated Subsidiaries as of the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board are listed below: