As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 12, 2020.

Registration Statement No. 333-235542

 

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form F-1/A

(Amendment No. 2)

 

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

Australia   2386   Not Applicable

(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation

or Organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial Classification

Code Number)

  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

 

60-66 Hanover Street

Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia

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

 

Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki

Interim Chief Executive Officer

60-66 Hanover Street

Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia

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

 

Copies to:

 

Darrin M. Ocasio, Esq.   Robert F. Charron, Esq.
Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP   Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 37th Floor   1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10136   New York, NY 10105
(212) 930-9700   (212) 370-1300

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, check the following box. X

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act:

 

Emerging growth company ☐

 

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

 

†             The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES TO BE

REGISTERED

  PROPOSED
MAXIMUM
AGGREGATE
OFFERING
PRICE(2)
    AMOUNT OF
REGISTRATION
FEE(3)
 
Ordinary shares, no par value per share, represented by American Depositary Shares (1)(5)   $ 10,000,000     $ 1,298.00  
Pre-funded Warrants to purchase American Depositary Shares (4)              
Ordinary shares underlying the American Depositary Shares issuable upon exercise of Pre-funded Warrants(5)(6)                
Placement Agent’s Warrants to purchase ADSs (4)            
ADSs issuable upon exercise of Placement Agent’s Warrants (6)(7)     812,500       105.46  
Total     10,812,500       1,403.46 (8)

 

(1) American Depositary Shares, or ADSs (as evidenced by American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs, each representing 600 ordinary shares).
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(3) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.
(4) No separate fee is required pursuant to Rule 457(i) of the Securities Act.
(5) The proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the ADSs proposed to be sold in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the aggregate offering price of the Pre-funded Warrants offered and sold in the offering (plus the aggregate exercise price of the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Pre-funded Warrants), and as such the proposed aggregate maximum offering price of the ADSs and Pre-funded Warrants (including the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Pre-funded Warrants), if any, is $10,000,000.
(6) Resales of the Pre-funded Warrants and Placement Agent’s Warrants on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, are registered hereby. Resales of ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Pre-funded Warrants and Placement Agent’s Warrants are also being registered on a delayed or continuous basis hereby.
(7) Represents warrants issuable to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Placement Agent’s Warrants”) to purchase a number of ADSs equal to 6.5% of the number of ADSs and Pre-funded Warrants being offered at an exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the ADSs.
(8) $1,298 was previously paid.

 

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS   SUBJECT TO COMPLETION   DATED MAY 12, 2020

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

Up to 4,878,048 American Depositary Shares

or

Up to 4,878,048 Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase Shares of American Depositary Shares and

(and 4,878,048 American Depositary Shares Issuable Upon Exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants)

 

We are offering in a best-efforts offering up to 4,878,048 American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, at an assumed purchase price of $2.05 per ADS, which was the closing price of our ADSs on the NASDAQ Capital Market on May 1, 2020. Each ADS represents 600 ordinary shares. The ADSs may be evidenced by American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs. We are also offering to certain purchasers whose purchase of ADSs in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of our outstanding ordinary shares immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if any such purchaser so chooses, pre-funded warrants, in lieu of ADSs that would otherwise result in such purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding ordinary shares. Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one ADS. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will be equal to the price at which an ADS is sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.0001, and the exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.0001 per ADS. The pre-funded warrants will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until all of the pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of ADSs we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. 

 

There is no minimum number of securities or minimum aggregate amount of proceeds for this offering to close. The offering of the securities will terminate on the first date that we enter into securities purchase agreements to sell the securities offered hereby.

 

The ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “GENE” and our ordinary shares are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, or ASX, under the symbol “GTG.”

 

On May 1, 2020, the last sale price of the ADS on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $2.05 per ADS and the last sale price of our ordinary shares on the ASX was A$0.005 per share.

 

The public offering price per ADS and any pre-funded warrant will be determined at the time of pricing, and may be at a discount to the then current market price. The recent market price used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the final offering price. The final public offering price will be determined through negotiation between us and investors based upon a number of factors, including our history and our prospects, the industry in which we operate, our past and present operating results, the previous experience of our executive officers and the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering. There is no established public trading market for the pre-funded warrants and the Placement Agent’s Warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the warrants will be limited. In addition, we do not intend to list the pre-funded warrants or the Placement Agent’s Warrants on the Nasdaq Capital Market, any other national securities exchange or any other trading system.

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus.

 

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

 

We are a “foreign private issuer” under applicable U.S. federal securities laws. As such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Prospectus summary—implications of being a foreign private issuer” for additional information.

 

    Per ADS     Per Pre-Funded Warrant     Total  
Public offering price   $            $            $         
Placement Agent’s fees(1)   $       $       $    
Proceeds, before expenses, to us(2)   $       $       $    

 

(1) We have agreed to reimburse H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Placement Agent”) for certain of its offering-related expenses, including a management fee of 1.0% of the gross proceeds raised in this offering. In addition, we have agreed to issue to the Placement Agent warrants to purchase up to a number of ADSs equal to 6.5% of the number of ADSs and pre-funded warrants being offered at an exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the ADSs (the “Placement Agent’s Warrants”). See “Plan of Distribution” for additional information and a description of the compensation payable to the Placement Agent.
(2) We estimate the total expenses of this offering payable by us, excluding the Placement Agent’s fees, will be approximately $ .

 

We engaged H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright” or the “Placement Agent”) as our exclusive placement agent to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to purchase the ADSs and pre-funded warrants in this offering. The Placement Agent has no obligation to buy any of the securities from us or to arrange for the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of the securities.

 

We anticipate that delivery of the securities against payment will be made on or about , 2020.

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co.

 

The date of this prospectus is , 2020

 

     

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS 1
PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION 1
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 2
THE OFFERING 7
SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA 8
RISK FACTORS 9
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 25
USE OF PROCEEDS 25
DIVIDEND POLICY 26
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS 26
DILUTION 27
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA 28
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 31
BUSINESS 39
MANAGEMENT 50
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS 60
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 61
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION 62
DESCRIPTION OF OUR AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES 68
MATERIAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS 73
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 78
EXPENSES OF THIS OFFERING 80
LEGAL MATTERS 80
EXPERTS 80
SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ENFORCEMENT OF LIABILITIES 81
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 81
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS F-1

 

We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus and any free-writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not, and the Placement Agent has not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and we and the Placement Agent take no responsibility for any other information others may give you. We are not, and the Placement Agent is not, making an offer to sell the securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. For the avoidance of doubt, we are not, and the Placement Agent is not, making an offer to sell our ordinary shares in any jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or the sale of any securities.

 

For investors outside the United States, neither we nor the Placement Agent have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction, other than the United States, where action for that purpose is required. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, this offering and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.

 

We are incorporated under the laws of Western Australia in the Commonwealth of Australia and a majority of our outstanding securities are owned by non-U.S. residents. Under the rules of the SEC, we are currently eligible for treatment as a “foreign private issuer,” or FPI. As an FPI, are not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as domestic registrants whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

 

i

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “Genetic Technologies”, “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Genetic Technologies Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

In this prospectus, unless otherwise stated, all references to “U.S. dollars” or “US$” or “$” or “cents” are to the currency of the United States of America, and all references to “Australian Dollars” or “A$” are to the currency of Australia. This prospectus also contains conversions of Australian dollar amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. We make no representation that the Australian dollar or U.S. dollar amounts referred to in this prospectus could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars or Australian dollars, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

 

This prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference contain market data, industry statistics and other data that have been obtained from, or compiled from, information made available by third parties. We have not independently verified their data.

 

You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information and you must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation.

 

In this registration statement, any reference to any provision of any legislation shall include any amendment, modification, re-enactment or extension thereof. Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa, and words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine or neutral gender.

 

PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

This prospectus incorporates our (i) audited consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income/(loss), consolidated statements of cash flows and consolidated statements of changes in equity for each of the three years in the year ended June 30, 2019, including the related notes, and (ii) unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019, and the related condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income/(loss), condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and consolidated statements of changes in equity for the six months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, including the related notes, which are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB, which became effective for us as of our fiscal year ended June 30, 2006. None of our financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

1 
 

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in the securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the information set forth under the sections titled “Risk Factors,” “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in each case included elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless the context otherwise requires, we use the terms “Genetic Technologies” “company,” “our,” “us,” and “we” in this prospectus to refer to Genetic Technologies Limited and, where appropriate, our consolidated subsidiaries.

 

Overview

 

Founded in 1989, Genetic Technologies listed its ordinary shares on the ASX (GTG) in 2000 and its ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market (GENE) in 2005. Genetic Technologies is a molecular diagnostics company that offers predictive testing and assessment tools to help physicians proactively manage women’s health. The Company’s legacy product, BREVAGenplus, was a clinically validated risk assessment test for non-hereditary breast cancer and was first in its class. BREVAGenplus improved upon the predictive power of the first generation BREVAGen test and was designed to facilitate better informed decisions about breast cancer screening and preventive treatment plans. BREVAGenplus expanded the application of BREVAGen from Caucasian women to include African-Americans and Hispanics, and was directed towards women aged 35 years or above who have not had breast cancer and have one or more risk factors for developing breast cancer.

 

The Company successfully launched the first generation BREVAGen test across the U.S. via its U.S. subsidiary Phenogen Sciences Inc., and believes the addition of BREVAGenplus, launched in October 2014, significantly expanded the applicable market. The Company marketed BREVAGenplus to healthcare professionals in comprehensive breast health care and imaging centers, as well as to obstetricians/gynecologists (OBGYNs) and breast cancer risk assessment specialists (such as breast surgeons).

 

In May 2019, the Company announced that it had developed two new cancer risk assessment tests branded as GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer. The new breast cancer test provides substantial improvement over the Company’s legacy breast cancer test BREVAGenplus, by incorporating multiple additional clinical risk factors. This test will provide healthcare providers and their patients with a 5-year and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing breast cancer. The colorectal cancer test will provide healthcare providers and their patients a 5-year, 10-year, and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing colorectal cancer.

 

2 
 

 

Both tests require the patient to submit a DNA sample to our testing laboratory for analysis. Currently, we have a fully-licensed laboratory in Australia at which we previously analyzed samples provided by users of our BREVAGen and BREVAGenplus testing products. We intend to open additional laboratories in the United States and other locations across the globe as demand increases for our testing products and services.

 

With the release of these two predictive genetic tests, and a pipeline of new tests under development, we believe that we are poised to increase collaboration with world-leading genetics institutes and research facilities and to commence product distribution in multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S. and China, in addition to Australia.

 

GeneType for Breast Cancer

 

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women. It is estimated that in the United States approximately one in eight women will develop the disease in their lifetime; in 2018 over 250,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and approximately 40,000 died as a result. Thus, there is a need to predict which women will develop the disease, and to apply measures to prevent it.

 

The identification in 2007 of a number of genetic biomarkers, consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), each with an associated small relative risk of breast cancer, led to the development of the first commercially available genetic risk test for sporadic breast cancer, BREVAGen. The Company launched the product in the U.S. in June 2011. In October 2014, we released our next generation breast cancer risk assessment test, BREVAGenplus. This new version of the test incorporated a 10-fold expanded panel of SNPs known to be associated with the development of sporadic breast cancer, providing an increase in predictive power relative to its first-generation predecessor test. In addition, the new test was clinically validated in a broader population of women including, African American and Hispanic women. This increased the applicable market applicable to the first generation test beyond Caucasian women, and simplified the marketing process in medical clinics and breast health centers in the U.S.

 

The expanded panel of SNPs incorporated into our breast cancer tests were identified from multiple large-scale genome-wide association studies and subsequently tested in case-control studies utilizing specific Caucasian, African American and Hispanic patient samples.

 

BREVAGenplus was a clinically validated, predictive risk test for sporadic breast cancer which examined a woman’s clinical risk factors, combined with seventy seven scientifically validated SNPs to allow for more personalized breast cancer risk assessment and risk management.

 

In May 2019, we announced the development of our next generation breast cancer risk assessment test, ‘GeneType for Breast Cancer’. The new breast cancer test provided substantial improvement over our legacy breast cancer test BREVAGenplus by incorporating key clinical risk factors: family history, mammographic breast density and polygenic risk. This test will provide healthcare providers and their patients with a 5-year and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing breast cancer.

 

3 
 

 

Germline genetic testing for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 allows for the identification of individuals at significantly increased risk for breast and other cancers. However, such mutations are relatively rare in the general population and account for less than 10% of all breast cancer cases. The remaining 90% of non-familial or sporadic breast cancer have to be defined by other genetic/clinical markers common to the population at large and this is where we have focused our attention.

 

We believe that there are over 90 million women in the United States over the age of 35 who will benefit from using a breast cancer risk assessment using the GeneType technology. The newly developed GeneType for Breast Cancer test is aimed at providing the most accurate risk assessment for breast cancer, whether or not the patient has a family history of breast cancer or has been identified as having high breast density.

 

GeneType for Colorectal Cancer

 

Globally in 2018, an estimated 1.8 million people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC), almost 10% of all cancers. In the United States, 1 in 22 men and 1 in 24 women will receive a colorectal cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Detection relies on screening programs that unaffected individuals typically avoid, despite how crucial early detection is to survival.

 

Accurate risk assessment to determine those individuals at a higher risk is important for providing personalized screening and intervention plans. Questionnaire-based risk assessment models perform well on a population level, but are less able to predict “individual” risk. GeneType for Colorectal Cancer is designed to address this and enable “personalized” risk assessment. Most national screening programs only use age as a risk factor, where all patients within an age range are invited to screening. Tests that more accurately identify those patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer, such as GeneType for Colorectal Cancer, have the potential to impact healthcare at the system level down to the patient level. One reason being, patients can be flagged as “high risk” and therefore offered more intensive surveillance and/or risk reducing options.

 

GeneType for Colorectal Cancer targets men and women 30 years of age or older and individuals of Caucasian descent. We intend to broaden the applicable market for this test as we introduce future versions of GeneType for Colorectal Cancer. GeneType for Colorectal Cancer is the only genomic-based colorectal risk assessment that combines genetic risk markers with clinical risk markers to provide an integrated colorectal cancer risk score for the patient. This test minimizes the uncertainty associated with self-reported risk factors and incorporates an unambiguous combination of SNPs to calculate the CRC polygenic risk score.

 

Patients are stratified into risk categories of either average or increased risk compared to that of the population average. Tailored prevention and surveillance options for those at increased risk include personalized screening regimens, risk reducing medications and lifestyle changes.

 

We believe that there are over 200 million men and women in the United States over the age of 30 who will benefit from using a colorectal cancer risk assessment using the GeneType technology.

 

Corporate Information

 

Our corporate headquarters and laboratory is located at 60-66 Hanover Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia and our telephone number is 61 3 8412 7000. The offices of our U.S. subsidiary, Phenogen Sciences Inc., are located at 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina 28269. The telephone number for the Phenogen Sciences office is (877) 992-7382. Our website address is www.gtglabs.com. The information in our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and should not be considered as part of this prospectus.

 

Recent Developments

 

On May 3, 2019, we received a letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC advising that our reported stockholders’ equity was less than the minimum specified amount of $2,500,000 as at December 31, 2018.

 

4 
 

 

In 2019, we were subject to Nasdaq delisting proceedings as a result of our failure to maintain the bid price of the ADSs above the minimum $1.00 per share requirement and because our reported stockholders’ equity was less than the minimum specified amount of $2,500,000 as of December 31, 2018. We regained compliance with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules with respect to our bid price as a result of the adjustment to the ratio of the ADSs that took effect on August 15, 2019, and we regained compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement by raising gross proceeds of approximately $3,043,000 in a rights offering completed on October 29, 2019. On November 6, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq notifying us that we had regained compliance with the equity rule (the “Compliance Letter”).

 

On March 13, 2020, we received a determination letter (the “Letter”) from Nasdaq indicating that we did not comply with the stockholders’ equity rule. The Letter indicates that Listing Rule 5815(d)(4)(B) does not permit an issuer that is deficient in stockholders’ equity to present a plan of compliance to the Nasdaq Staff if such issuer has failed to comply with that provision within one year of a Hearing Panel (the “Panel”) determination of compliance. The Letter states that since we are out of compliance with the equity rule within one year of the Compliance Letter, the Staff cannot allow us to submit a plan of compliance. We requested an appeal hearing with the Panel to review the delisting determination. Upon Nasdaq’s receipt of the hearing request by the Company, Nasdaq stayed the suspension of our securities and the filing of the Form 25-NSE pending the Panel’s decision. An oral hearing took place on April 30 with a determination expected to be received within 30 days of the hearing. There can be no assurance that the Panel will grant our request for continued listing, or that we will meet the equity rule during any compliance period or in the future, or otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards, or that Nasdaq will grant us any relief from delisting as necessary, or that we will be able to ultimately meet applicable Nasdaq requirements for any such relief. If our ADSs are de-listed from Nasdaq, it will have material negative impacts on the actual and potential liquidity of our securities, as well as material negative impacts on our ability to raise future capital.

 

On April 3, 2020, we closed a registered direct offering of 1,028,574 ADSs, at a purchase price of $1.75 per ADS (the “First April Offering”). H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC acted as the placement agent for this offering. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to support the introduction and distribution of our new products in the United States, for general product research and development, including the development of polygenic risk tests with TGen in the United States, for implementation of our consumer initiated testing platform, and for working capital.

 

On April 17, 2020, we announced that we have developed a detailed implementation plan to enable a temporary transition of our genetic testing laboratory to a high-throughput COVID-19 testing laboratory, should it be required by government agencies to assist with demand (we have not received any such requests to date and there is no guarantee that we will ever receive such requests). Initial work to identify laboratory workflows, instrument modification, laboratory compliance for biologics and contaminated materials handling has commenced. Secure supply chain of test reagents has been confirmed. We believe we are prepared to commence testing within 21 days of receiving a request to assist with demand, if any.

 

On April 22, 2020, we closed a registered direct offering of 722,502 ADSs at a purchase price of $2.00 per ADS (the “Second April Offering,” and together with the First April Offering, the “April Offerings”). H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC acted as the placement agent for this offering. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to support the introduction and distribution of our new products in the United States, for general product research and development, including the development of polygenic risk tests with TGen in the United States, for implementation of our consumer initiated testing platform and preparation for potential COVID-19 testing as well as for working capital.

 

On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) outbreak a public health emergency of international concern and on March 12, 2020 the WHO announced the outbreak was a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a negative impact on global markets and business activity, which has had an effect on the operations of the Company, including but not limited to, that sales of our products have been impacted not only by the inability for consumers to visit their practitioners but also the difficulty our sales team is having in arranging face to face meetings with practitioners. Our sales team has found it very difficult to reach practitioners to build on the sales momentum created prior to the pandemic, thus, sales have effectively ceased for the short term.

 

5 
 

 

Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has done the following:

 

Moved forward with its Consumer Initiated Testing platform (CIT), as previously announced on April 1, which allows for consumers to directly request any of the Company’s tests online with a practitioner involved in the process via telemedicine. Once the CIT platform goes live, which is anticipated to be within the next sixty days, we believe it will ensure that sales will be able to recommence in the event a lockdown is maintained and it opens up another significant sales channel.

 

Began the process of attempting to make available our existing lab facilities for the conducting of COVID-19 testing via existing Polymerase Chain Reaction (or PCR) (a method of amplifying DNA prior to analysis) equipment and personnel.

 

We have also commenced work on a Polygenic Risk Score (or PRS) test for COVID-19, which may allow for the assessment of risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. The proposed test will be designed using the same strategies used to build our existing GeneType for breast and colorectal cancer tests. Our objective will be to produce a test that can predict “disease severity” using either genetic information alone (PRS) or a combination of genetic and clinical information. Biobank data will be interrogated to discover any informative genetic and phenotypic associations. At this time, we are not certain whether an association exists between genetic or phenotypic variants and risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. If such associations are identified, they will be incorporated into a proprietary algorithm to potentially predict future disease severity.

 

These new COVID-19 related activities may provide some revenue opportunities for us in the short term and will assist in the development of additional tests the company is currently working on. We have not made significant progress to date that would lead to orders or requests to increase capacity and there is no guarantee we will ever receive orders or requests.

 

The timing and extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated recovery process is unknown. We continue to monitor the situation and an accurate estimate of its financial effect on the Company cannot be made at this stage.

 

Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer

 

We report under the Exchange Act as a non-U.S. company with FPI status. As long as we qualify as an FPI under the Exchange Act we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:

 

  the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;
     
  the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time;
     
  the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specific information, and current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events; and
     
  more stringent executive compensation disclosure rules.

 

6 
 

 

THE OFFERING

 

Ordinary shares outstanding prior to this offering   5,113,779,743 ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs).
     
Securities offered   Up to 2,926,828,800 ordinary shares represented by 4,878,048 ADSs or up to 4,878,048 pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 2,926,828,800 ordinary shares represented by 4,878,048 ADSs. Each ADS represents 600 ordinary shares, no par value. The offered ADSs may be evidenced by American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs.
     
Ordinary shares to be outstanding after this offering   Up to 8,040,608,543 ordinary shares, assuming no sales of pre-funded warrants, which, if sold, would reduce the number of ordinary shares represented by ADSs that we are offering on a one-for-one basis.
     
Pre-funded warrants offered   We are offering to certain purchasers whose purchase of ADSs in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of our outstanding ordinary shares immediately following the closing of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if such purchasers so choose, pre-funded warrants to purchase ADSs, in lieu of ADSs that would otherwise result in any such purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding ordinary shares. Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one ADS. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will be equal to the price at which an ADS is being sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.0001, and the exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.0001 per ADS. The pre-funded warrants will be exercisable immediately and may be exercised at any time until all of the pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. This offering also relates to the ADSs issuable upon exercise of any pre-funded warrants sold in this offering. For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of ADSs we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis.
     
Use of proceeds   Assuming all of the shares and/or pre-funded warrants we are offering in this offering are sold, we estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $8.88 million.
     
    We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to support the introduction and distribution of our new products in the United States, for general product research and development, including the development of polygenic risk tests with TGen in the United States, for implementation of our consumer initiated testing platform, preparation for potential COVID-19 testing and for working capital. See “Use of Proceeds.”
     
Risk factors   See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus, as well as other information included in this prospectus, for a discussion of factors you should read and consider carefully before investing in our securities.
     
Listing   Our ADSs are listed on Nasdaq, under the symbol “GENE” and our ordinary shares are listed on the ASX, under the symbol “GTG”.

 

7 
 

 

The above discussion and table are based on 5,113,779,743 ordinary shares outstanding as of May 1 , 2020, which does not include the following:

 

  166,066,200 ordinary shares represented by 276,777 ADSs issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants at an exercise price of $3.20 per ADS; and
     
  40,114,200 ordinary shares represented by 66,857 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $2.1875, issued to designees of H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC as compensation in connection with the First April Offering; and
     
  28,177,578 ordinary shares represented by 46,963 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $2.50, issued to designees of H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC as compensation in connection with the Second April Offering; and
     
  The ordinary shares represented by the ADSs that will be issuable upon the exercise of warrants we will issue to the Placement Agent as compensation in connection with the closing of this offering.

 

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following tables set forth our summary consolidated financial data for the periods indicated. We have derived the condensed consolidated statement of comprehensive income/ (loss) for the six months period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2019 from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the consolidated statement of comprehensive income/ (loss) for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 2019 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read the following summary consolidated financial data together with the financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and the sections entitled “Exchange Rate Information” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

We maintain our books and records in Australian Dollars, and we prepare our financial statements in accordance with IFRS as issued by the IASB. All amounts below are in Australian dollars.

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

 

    Years Ended June 30,  
    2019     2018     2017  
Revenue from operations   $ 25,444     $ 189,254     $ 518,506  
Less: cost of sales   $ (276,267 )   $ (300,088 )   $ (492,417 )
Gross profit from operations   $ (250,283 )   $ (110,834 )   $ 26,089  
Net operating expenses before tax   $ (6,174,781 )   $ (5,353,038 )   $ (8,377,737 )
Income tax expense                  
Loss for the year   $ (6,425,604 )   $ (5,463,872 )   $ (8,403,826 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss)   $ 23,668     $ (522,966 )   $ (130,655 )
Total comprehensive loss for the year   $ (6,401,936 )   $ (5,986,838 )   $ (8,534,481 )

 

   

Six Month

Period Ended December 31,  

 
    2019       2018    
Revenue from operations   $ 586     $ 18,402  
Less: cost of sales   $ (194,501 )   $ (79,674 )
Gross profit from operations   $ (193,915 )   $ (61,272 )
Net operating expenses before tax   $ (2,453,783 )   $ (3,062,100 )
Income tax expense            
Loss for the year   $ (2,647,698 )   $ (3,123,372 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss)   $ (381,163 )   $ (54,789 )
Total comprehensive loss for the year   $ (3,028,861 )   $ (3,178,161 )

 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

 

    As of June 30, 2019     As of December 31, 2019     As of December 31, 2019  
    Actual    

 

Actual

    Pro forma as
Adjusted (1)
 
Cash and cash equivalents     2,131,741       3,277,074       21,788,711  
Total current assets     3,195,672       3,968,148       22,479.785  
Total current liabilities     1,492,990       1,342,980       1,342,980  
Total liabilities     1,493,799       1,481,301       1,481,301  
Total equity     1,771,206       2,862,305       21,373,942  

 

 

(1) Gives effect to (i) the April Offerings less transaction costs, translated from U.S. dollars into Australian dollars at A$1.00 to US$0.63; and (ii) the proceeds from the sale of 4,878,048 ADSs  at the assumed public offering price of $2.05 per ADS in this offering after deducting estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming the sale of the maximum offering amount and that no pre-funded warrants are sold, translated from U.S. dollars into Australian dollars at A$1.00 to US$0.63, which was the average exchange rate for the month of April 2020.

 

8 
 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our securities involves significant risks. You should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before you decide to invest in the ADSs. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, the trading price of the ADSs could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

Risks Related to our Business

 

A material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt about our Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

For the years ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018, the Company incurred total comprehensive losses of A$6,401,936 and A$5,986,838, respectively, and net cash outflows from operations of A$6,073,182 and A$5,636,533, respectively. As at June 30, 2019, the Company held total cash and cash equivalents of A$2,131,741.

 

For the six months period ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company incurred total comprehensive net loss of A$3,028,861 and A$3,178,161 respectively, and the net cash outflows from operations of A$2,859,251 and A$3,703,002, respectively. As at December 31, 2019, the Company held total cash and cash equivalents of A$3,277,074. We expect to continue to incur losses and cash outflows for the foreseeable future as we continue to invest resources in expanding the research and development activities in support of the distribution of existing and new products. As a result, the continuing viability of the Company and its ability to continue as a going concern and meet its debts and commitments as they fall due are dependent on our ability to raise additional financing. We may seek additional financing, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in this regard. In addition, future offerings of our equity securities could have a material adverse effect on the price of the outstanding ADSs.

 

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Due to our history of losses and cash outflows, and the uncertainty surrounding the timing, quantum or the ability to raise additional equity, there is a material uncertainty that casts significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and therefore, that it may be unable to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. In addition, our auditors have indicated in their report on our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, that conditions exist that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. On March 13, 2020, the Company received a letter of determination from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC indicating that it did not comply with the listing rule 550(b) for continued listing on the Nasdaq market, which requires the Company to have a minimum of US $2,500,000 in stockholders equity or market value of listed securities of $35million or net income from continuing operations of $500,000 in the most recently completed fiscal year or two of the last three most recent completed fiscal years. Due to the non-compliance, the Company could face a delisting implication towards its securities on the Nasdaq market. Subsequently, the Company has requested an appeal hearing with Nasdaq which led to the stay of the suspension of the securities of the Company from the market. However, we believe that the Company will be successful in raising required capital when needed, and accordingly, have prepared our financial statements on a going concern basis. As such no adjustments have been made to the financial statements relating to the recoverability and classification of the asset carrying amounts or classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

Our Company has a history of incurring losses.

 

We have incurred operating losses in every year since the year ended June 30, 2011. As at December 31, 2019, the Company had accumulated losses of A$132,399,960 and the extent of any future losses and whether or not the Company can generate profits in future years remains uncertain. The Company currently does not generate sufficient revenue to cover its operating expenses. We expect our capital outlays and operating expenditures to remain constant for the foreseeable future as we continue to focus on R&D and new product development, IP creation and the introduction of predictive genetic testing products. If we fail to generate sufficient revenue and eventually become profitable, or if we are unable to fund our continuing losses by raising additional financing when required, our shareholders could lose all or part of their investments.

  

There can be no assurances that we will be able to successfully transition our current lab facilities into a COVID-19 testing facility.

 

Although we believe we will be able to do so, there can be no assurances that we will be able to make available our existing lab facilities for conducting of COVID-19 testing. If we are unable to successfully transition our current lab facilities into a COVID-19 testing facility, we will not be able to move forward our planned short term business transition of performing COVID-19 testing. Additionally, time spent attempting to transition our facilities would affect our ability to perform testing for our other products and could have an adverse impact on business operations.

 

Even if the Company is able to successfully transition our current lab facilities into a COVID-19 testing facility, there can be no assurances that we will generate revenue from COVID-19 testing.

 

The Company has not had any material conversations or entered into any agreements with a third party regarding the performance of COVID-19 testing and there is no guarantee that we will ever enter into any such agreements. As a result, despite our potential ability to conduct COVID-19 testing, there can be no assurances that we will be to commercialize such ability to generate any revenue.

 

Our pursuit of a PRS test for COVID-19 is at an early stage and we may not be able to produce a test that successfully allows for the assessment of risk in a timely manner, if at all.

 

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, we have commenced work on a Polygenic Risk Score (or PRS) test for COVID-19, which we believe may allow for the assessment of risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. Our development of the test is in early stages, and we may be unable to produce a test that successfully allows for the assessment of risk in a timely manner, if at all. Additionally, our ability to develop an effective test depends upon our ability to rapidly produce the test, which we have not previously done, and which may require funding or assistance from third parties in order to enable us to prepare the test in a timely manner. If the outbreak is effectively contained or the risk of infection is diminished or eliminated before we can successfully develop and manufacture a PRS test, we may be unable to successfully generate revenue from the development of the PRS test. We are also committing financial resources and personnel to the development of the PRS test which may cause delays in or otherwise negatively impact our business operations, despite uncertainties surrounding the longevity and extent of COVID-19 as a global health concern. Our business could be negatively impacted by our allocation of significant resources to a global health threat that is unpredictable and could rapidly dissipate or against which our PRS test, if developed, may not be deemed useful or effective enough by the market.

 

Furthermore, the testing market is highly competitive, is subject to rapid technological change and is significantly affected by existing or new products. Our competitors may develop products more rapidly or more effectively than us. If our competitors are more successful in commercializing their products than us, their success could adversely affect our competitive position and harm our business prospectus.

 

Because the PRS test may not be able to obtain necessary regulatory clearance, we may not generate any revenue.

 

All of our existing products are subject to regulation in Australia by CLIA, the U.S. by the FDA and/or other domestic and international governmental, public health agencies, regulatory bodies or non-governmental organizations. The process of obtaining required approvals or clearances for a potential new product varies according to the nature of and uses for a specific product. These processes can involve lengthy and detailed laboratory testing, human clinical trials, sampling activities, and other costly, time-consuming procedures. The submission of an application to a regulatory authority does not guarantee that the authority will grant an approval or clearance for the product. Each authority may impose its own requirements and can delay or refuse to grant approval or clearance, even though a product has been approved in another country. The time taken to obtain approval or clearance varies depending on the nature of the application and may result in the passage of a significant period of time from the date of submission of the application. Delays in the approval or clearance processes increase the risk that we will not succeed in introducing or selling the subject products, and we may be required to abandon the PRS after devoting substantial time and resources to its development.

 

If we are able to develop a PRS test in the future, and it receives necessary CLIA and FDA approvals, it will be subject to continuing governmental regulations and additional foreign regulations.

 

If the FDA determines that enforcement discretion is not appropriate or that LDTs are generally subject to FDA regulation and that premarket review, including clearance or approval, is required for our PRS tests or any of our future tests, diagnostic test kits that we may develop, or other products that would be classified as medical devices, the process of obtaining regulatory clearances or approvals to market a medical device can be costly and time consuming, and we may not be able to obtain these clearances or approvals on a timely basis, if at all. In particular, the FDA permits commercial distribution of a new medical device only after the device has received clearance under Section 510(k) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or is the subject of an approved premarket approval application, or PMA unless the device is specifically exempt from those requirements. The FDA will clear marketing of a lower risk medical device through the 510(k) process if the manufacturer demonstrates that the new product is substantially equivalent to other 510(k)-cleared products. High risk devices deemed to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting, or implantable devices, or devices not deemed substantially equivalent to a previously cleared device, require the approval of a PMA. The PMA process is more costly, lengthy and uncertain than the 510(k) clearance process. A PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including, but not limited to, technical, preclinical, clinical trial, manufacturing and labeling data, to demonstrate to the FDA’s satisfaction the safety and efficacy of the device for its intended use. Our currently commercialized products have not received FDA clearance or approval, as they are marketed under the FDA’s enforcement discretion for LDTs. Even if regulatory clearance or approval of a product is required and granted, such clearance or approval may be subject to limitations on the intended uses for which the product may be marketed and reduce our potential to successfully commercialize the product and generate revenue from the product. If the FDA determines that our promotional materials, labeling, training or other marketing or educational activities constitute promotion of an unapproved use, it could request that we cease or modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions.

 

We are also subject to other federal, state, and foreign regulation concerning the manufacture and sale of our products. Our failure to comply with U.S. federal, state and foreign governmental regulations could lead to the issuance of warning letters or untitled letters, the imposition of injunctions, suspensions or loss of regulatory clearance or approvals, product recalls, termination of distribution, product seizures or civil penalties. In the most extreme cases, criminal sanctions or closure of our manufacturing facility are possible, any of which could adversely affect our business, operating results and prospects.

 

The FDA and similar foreign governmental authorities have the authority to require the recall of regulated products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture. In the case of the FDA, the authority to require a recall must be based on an FDA finding that there is a reasonable probability that the device would cause serious injury or death. In addition, foreign governmental bodies have the authority to require the recall of our products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture. Manufacturers may, under their own initiative, recall a product if any material deficiency in a device is found. A government-mandated or voluntary recall by us could occur as a result of component failures, manufacturing errors, design or labeling defects or other deficiencies and issues. Recalls of any of our products would divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The FDA requires that certain classifications of recalls be reported to FDA within 10 working days after the recall is initiated. Companies are required to maintain certain records of recalls, even if they are not reportable to the FDA. We may initiate voluntary recalls involving our products in the future that we determine do not require notification of the FDA. If the FDA disagrees with our determinations, they could require us to report those actions as recalls. A future recall announcement could harm our reputation with customers and negatively affect our sales. In addition, the FDA could take enforcement action for failing to report the recalls when they were conducted.

 

We may not be successful in transitioning from our existing product portfolio to our next generation of risk assessment tests, and our newly developed approach to marketing and distribution of such products may not generate revenues.

 

Although we developed and marketed our BREVAGen and BREVAGenplus products in the recent past, and had internally developed product distribution teams in both Australia and the United States, we have discontinued marketing those products and believe that our future success is dependent upon our ability to successfully introduce and sell our newly developed products, GeneType for Breast Cancer, and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer. Although we believe that we now have unique products that are poised to be an important part of making predictive genetic testing a mainstream healthcare activity, we may not be successful in transitioning from our existing products to these products, and there can be no assurance that the demand for these new products will develop. Furthermore, we plan to introduce our new products to healthcare providers through a global network of distribution partners instead of through an internal product distribution team. Although we believe that we are building worthwhile sales and distribution relationships with experienced United States and Chinese medical product distribution firms, there can be no assurance that we will be able to enter into distribution arrangements on terms satisfactory to us, and that our marketing strategy will be successful and result in significant revenues.

 

Our products may never achieve significant market acceptance.

 

We may expend substantial funds and management effort on the development and marketing of our predictive genetic testing products with no assurance that we will be successful in selling our products. Our ability to enter into distribution arrangements to successfully sell our molecular risk assessment and predictive genetic testing products, including GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer, will depend significantly on the perception that our products can reduce patient risk and improve medical outcomes, and that our products are superior to existing tests. Our business could also be adversely affected if we expend money without any return.

 

Failure to demonstrate the clinical validity and clinical utility of our products could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

The Company believes that its GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer tests, along with the pipeline of new tests under development, have the capacity to transform health outcomes. However, it is critical for the Company to demonstrate the clinical validity and clinical utility of its new products. Clinical validity refers to whether a positive genetic test result correlates with risk of disease or other outcomes. Clinical utility is the usefulness of a test for clinical practice. If the Company is unable to demonstrate clinical validity, clinical utility, or if the data is deemed insufficient to validate utility, there may be insufficient demand for the Company’s products.

 

10 
 

 

If our competitors develop superior products, our operations and financial condition could be affected.

 

We are currently subject to increased competition from biotechnology and diagnostic companies, academic and research institutions and government or other publicly-funded agencies that are pursuing products and services, which are substantially similar to our molecular risk assessment testing products, or which otherwise address the needs of our customers and potential customers. Our competitors in the predictive genetic testing and assessment market include private and public sector enterprises located in Australia, the U.S. and elsewhere. Many of the organizations competing with us are much larger and have greater accessibility to needed resources such as capital. In particular, they would have greater experience in the areas of finance, research and development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, distribution, technical and regulatory matters than we do. In addition, many of the larger current and potential competitors have already established name / brand recognition and more extensive collaborative relationships.

 

Our competitive position in the molecular risk assessment and predictive testing area is based upon, amongst other things, our ability to:

 

  continue to strengthen and maintain scientific credibility through the process of obtaining scientific validation through clinical trials supported by peer-reviewed publication in medical journals;
     
   create and maintain scientifically-advanced technology and offer proprietary products and services;
     
   continue to strengthen and improve the messaging regarding the importance and value that our cancer risk assessment tests provides to patients and physicians;
     
  diversify our product offerings in disease types other than breast cancer;
     
   obtain and maintain patent or other protection for our products and services;
     
  obtain and maintain required government approvals and other accreditations on a timely basis; and
     
  successfully market and distribute our testing products.

 

If we are not successful in meeting these goals, our business could be adversely affected. Similarly, our competitors may succeed in developing technologies, products or services that are more effective than any that we are developing or that would render our technology, products and services obsolete, noncompetitive or uneconomical.

 

We have important relationships with external parties over whom we have limited control.

 

We have relationships with academic consultants, research collaborators at other institutions and other advisers who are not employed by us. Accordingly, we have limited control over their activities and can expect only limited amounts of their time to be dedicated to our activities. These persons may have consulting, employment or advisory arrangements with other entities that may conflict with or compete with their obligations to us. Our consultants typically sign agreements that provide for confidentiality of our proprietary information and results of studies. However, we may not be able to maintain the confidentiality of our technology, the dissemination of which could hurt our competitive position and results from operations. To the extent that our scientific consultants, collaborator or advisors develop inventions or processes that may be applicable to our proposed products, disputes may arise as to the ownership of the proprietary rights to such information, and we may not be successful with any dispute outcomes.

 

11 
 

 

We depend on the collaborative efforts of our academic and corporate partners for research, development and commercialization of our products. A breach by our partners of their obligations, or the termination of the relationship, could deprive us of valuable resources and require additional investment of time and money.

 

Our strategy for research, development and commercialization of our products has historically involved entering into various arrangements with academic, corporate partners and others. As a result, the success of our strategy depends, in part, upon the strength of those relationships and these outside parties undertaking their responsibilities and performing their tasks to the best of their ability and responding in a timely manner. Our collaborators may also be our competitors. We cannot necessarily control the amount and timing of resources that our collaborators devote to performing their contractual obligations and we have no certainty that these parties will perform their obligations as expected or that any revenue will be derived from these arrangements.

 

If our collaborators breach or terminate their agreement with us or otherwise fail to conduct their collaborative activities in a timely manner, the development or commercialization of the product candidate or research program under such collaborative arrangement may be delayed. If that is the case, we may be required to undertake unforeseen additional responsibilities or to devote unforeseen additional funds or other resources to such development or commercialization, or such development or commercialization could be terminated. The termination or cancellation of collaborative arrangements could adversely affect our financial condition, intellectual property position and general operations. In addition, disagreements between collaborators and us could lead to delays in the collaborative research, development, or commercialization of certain products or could require or result in formal legal process or arbitration for resolution. These consequences could be time-consuming and expensive and could have material adverse effects on the Company.

 

We rely upon scientific, technical and clinical data supplied by academic and corporate collaborators, licensors, licensees, independent contractors and others in the evaluation and development of potential therapeutic methods. There may be errors or omissions in this data that would materially adversely affect the development of these methods.

 

We may be subject to liability for our current products or for our planned COVID-19 testing and our insurance may not be sufficient to cover damages.

 

Our current business and potential COVID-19 testing exposes us to potential liability risks that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing, marketing and sale of molecular risk assessment and predictive tests. The use of our products and product candidates, whether for clinical trials or commercial sale, may expose us to professional and product liability claims and possible adverse publicity. We may be subject to claims resulting from incorrect results of analysis of genetic variation or other screening tests performed using our products or from any future COVID-19 testing. Litigation of such claims could be costly. Further, if a court were to require us to pay damages to a plaintiff, the amount of such damages could be significant and severely damage our financial condition. Although we have public and product liability insurance coverage under broad form liability and professional indemnity policies, for an aggregate amount of A$20,000,000, the level or breadth of our coverage may not be adequate to fully cover any potential liability claims. In addition, we may not be able to obtain additional liability coverage in the future at an acceptable cost. A successful claim or series of claims brought against us in excess of our insurance coverage and the effect of professional and/or product liability litigation upon the reputation and marketability of our technology and products, together with the diversion of the attention of key personnel, could negatively affect our business.

 

We use potentially hazardous materials, chemicals and patient samples in our business and any disputes relating to improper handling, storage or disposal of these materials could be time consuming and costly.

 

Our research and development, production and service activities involve the controlled use of hazardous laboratory materials and chemicals, including small quantities of acid and alcohol, and patient tissue samples. We do not knowingly deal with infectious samples. We, our collaborators and service providers are subject to stringent Australian laws and regulations governing occupational health and safety standards, including those governing the use, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and certain waste products. In addition, we are subject to U.S. laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment, the health and safety of employees and the handling, transportation and disposal of medical specimens, infectious and hazardous waste and radioactive materials. We could be liable for accidental contamination or discharge or any resultant injury from hazardous materials, and conveyance, processing, and storage of and data on patient samples. If we fail to comply with applicable laws or regulations, we could be required to pay penalties or be held liable for any damages that result and this liability could exceed our financial resources. Further, future changes to environmental health and safety laws could cause us to incur additional expense or restrict our operations.

 

12 
 

 

In addition, our collaborators and service providers may be working with these same types of hazardous materials, including hazardous chemicals, in connection with our collaborations. In the event of a lawsuit or investigation, we could be held responsible for any injury caused to persons or property by exposure to, or release of, these hazardous materials or patient samples that may contain infectious materials. The cost of this liability could exceed our resources. While we maintain broad form liability insurance coverage for these risks, in the amount of up to A$8,000,000, the level or breadth of our coverage may not be adequate to fully cover potential liability claims.

 

If our sole laboratory facility becomes inoperable, we will be unable to perform our tests and our business will be harmed.

 

We rely on our sole laboratory facilities in Melbourne, Australia, which has been certified under the U.S. Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (“CLIA”). Our current lease of laboratory premises expires August 31, 2021. The facility and the equipment we use to perform our tests would be costly to replace and could require substantial lead time to repair or replace. If we were to lose our CLIA certification or other required certifications or licenses, or if the facility is harmed or rendered inoperable by natural or man-made disasters, including flooding and power outages, it will be difficult or impossible for us to perform our tests for some period of time. The inability to perform our tests or the backlog of tests that could develop if our facility is inoperable for even a short period of time may result in the loss of customers or harm our reputation, and we may be unable to regain those customers in the future.

 

If we no longer had our own facility and needed to rely on a third party to perform our tests, we could only use another facility with established state licensure and CLIA accreditation. We cannot assure you that we would be able to find another CLIA-certified facility willing to comply with the required procedures, that this laboratory would be willing to perform the tests on commercially reasonable terms, or that it would be able to meet our quality standards. In order to establish a redundant clinical reference laboratory facility, we would have to spend considerable time and money securing adequate space, constructing the facility, recruiting and training employees, and establishing the additional operational and administrative infrastructure necessary to support a second facility. We may not be able, or it may take considerable time, to replicate our testing processes or results in a new facility. Additionally, any new clinical reference laboratory facility would be subject to certification under CLIA and licensing by several states, including California and New York, which could take a significant amount of time and result in delays in our ability to begin operations.

 

The loss of key members of our senior management team or our inability to attract and retain highly skilled scientists, clinicians and salespeople could adversely affect our business.

 

Our success depends largely on the skills, experience and performance of key members of our executive management team and others in key management positions. The efforts of each of these persons together will be critical as we continue to develop our technologies and testing processes, continue our international expansion and transition to a company with multiple commercialized products. If we were to lose one or more of these key employees, we may experience difficulties in competing effectively, developing our technologies and implementing our business strategies.

 

We recently experienced significant changes in our executive officers, including the appointment of Dr. Jerzy (“George”) Muchnicki as our Chief Executive Officer on September 23, 2019 following the resignation of Paul Kasian, our former Chief Executive Officer; and the appointment of Philip Hains as our Chief Financial Officer on July 15, 2019, following the resignation of Paul Viney, which followed the resignation of our previous Chief Financial Officer on December 31, 2018. While we believe our current executive officers have the skills and experience to enable us to execute our business plan, these changes may nevertheless result in a transition phase that could adversely affect our operations in the short-term. The departures of Dr. Kasian and Mr. Viney from their respective positions with the Company were not due to any internal disagreements with us.

 

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Our research and development programs and commercial laboratory operations depend on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled scientists and technicians, including licensed laboratory technicians, chemists, biostatisticians and engineers. We may not be able to attract or retain qualified scientists and technicians in the future due to the competition for qualified personnel among life science businesses. In addition, if there were to be a shortage of clinical laboratory scientists in coming years, this would make it more difficult to hire sufficient numbers of qualified personnel. We also face competition from universities and public and private research institutions in recruiting and retaining highly qualified scientific personnel. In addition, our success depends on our ability to attract and retain salespeople with extensive experience in oncology and close relationships with medical oncologists, pathologists and other hospital personnel. We may have difficulties sourcing, recruiting or retaining qualified salespeople, which could cause delays or a decline in the rate of adoption of our tests. If we are not able to attract and retain the necessary personnel to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience constraints that could adversely affect our ability to support our research and development and sales programs.

 

Changes in the way that the FDA regulates our tests could result in the delay or additional expense in offering our tests and tests that we may develop in the future.

 

Historically, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has exercised enforcement discretion with respect to most laboratory-developed tests (“LDTs”) and has not required laboratories that furnish LDTs to comply with the agency’s requirements for medical devices (e.g., establishment registration, device listing, quality systems regulations, premarket clearance or premarket approval, and post-market controls). In recent years, however, the FDA publicly announced its intention to regulate certain LDTs and issued two draft guidance documents that set forth a proposed phased-in risk-based regulatory framework that would apply varying levels of FDA oversight to LDTs. However, these guidance documents were withdrawn at the end of the Obama administration and replaced by an informal discussion paper reflecting some of the feedback that FDA had received on LDT regulation. The FDA acknowledged that the discussion paper in January 2017 does not represent the formal position of the FDA and is not enforceable. Nevertheless, the FDA wanted to share its synthesis of the feedback that it had received in the hope that it might advance public discussion on future LDT oversight. Notwithstanding the discussion paper, the FDA continues to exercise enforcement discretion and may decide to regulate certain LDTs on a case-by-case basis at any time, which could result in delay or additional expense in offering our tests and tests that we may develop in the future. Until the FDA finalizes its regulatory position regarding LDTs, or other legislation is passed reforming the federal government’s regulation of LDTs, it is unknown how the FDA may regulate our tests in the future and what testing and data may be required to support any required clearance or approval.

 

Our business could be harmed from the loss or suspension of a license or imposition of a fine or penalties under, or future changes in, or changing interpretations of, CLIA or state laboratory licensing laws to which we are subject.

 

The clinical laboratory testing industry is subject to extensive federal and state regulation, and many of these statutes and regulations have not been interpreted by the courts. The regulations implementing CLIA set out federal regulatory standards that apply to virtually all clinical laboratories (regardless of the location, size or type of laboratory), including those operated by physicians in their offices, by requiring that they be certified by the federal government or by a federally approved accreditation agency. CLIA does not preempt state law, which in some cases may be more stringent than federal law and require additional personnel qualifications, quality control, record maintenance and proficiency testing. The sanction for failure to comply with CLIA and state requirements may be suspension, revocation or limitation of a laboratory’s CLIA certificate, which is necessary to conduct business, as well as significant fines and/or criminal penalties. Several states have similar laws and we may be subject to similar penalties. If the certification of one laboratory owned by the Company is suspended or revoked that may preclude the Company from owning or operating any other laboratory in the Country for two years.

 

We cannot assure you that applicable statutes and regulations and more specifically, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, will not be interpreted or applied by a prosecutorial, regulatory or judicial authority in a manner that would adversely affect our business. Potential sanctions for violation of these statutes and regulations include significant fines and the suspension or loss of various licenses, certificates and authorizations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, compliance with future legislation could impose additional requirements on us, which may be costly.

 

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Failure to establish and comply with appropriate quality standards to assure that the highest level of quality is observed in the performance of our testing services and in the design, manufacture and marketing of our products could adversely affect the results of our operations and adversely impact our reputation.

 

The design, manufacture and marketing of diagnostic products, and the testing of DNA samples, involve certain inherent risks. The products that we design, manufacture and market are intended to provide information for healthcare providers in providing patient care. Therefore, users of our testing products may have a greater sensitivity to errors than the users of services or products that are intended for other purposes. Similarly, negligence in testing DNA samples submitted to us by users of our testing products can lead to adverse events. We may be sued under common law, physician liability or other liability law for acts or omissions by our laboratory personnel. We are subject to the attendant risk of substantial damages awards and risk to our reputation.

 

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud.

 

Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to design and implement an effective system of internal control may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weakness. Ineffective internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of the ADSs and our ordinary shares.

 

As of June 30, 2019, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In connection with this assessment, we identified material weakness in internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2019. Specifically, the Company did not maintain an adequate segregation of duties with respect to internal control over financial reporting, given we have limited accounting personnel to enable and sufficiently evidence an independent review of complex financial reporting matters.

 

In an effort to remediate the identified material weakness and to enhance our overall control environment, we have implemented key steps to ensure continuity in the finance team and ongoing training. However, we cannot assure you that the measures we have taken to date, and actions we may take in the future, will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or that they will prevent potential future material weaknesses.

 

Failure to comply with complex federal and state laws and regulations related to submission of claims for clinical laboratory services could result in significant monetary damages and penalties and exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

 

We are subject to extensive federal and state laws and regulations relating to the submission of claims for payment for clinical laboratory services, including those that relate to coverage of our services under Medicare, Medicaid and other governmental health care programs, the amounts that may be billed for our services and to whom claims for services may be submitted. In addition, we are subject to various laws regulating our interactions with other healthcare providers and with patients, such as the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Anti-Inducement Statute, and the Ethics in Patient Referrals Act of 1989, commonly referred to as the Stark law. These laws are complicated.

 

Our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could result in our inability to receive payment for our services or result in attempts by third-party payors, such as Medicare and Medicaid, to recover payments from us that have already been made. Submission of claims in violation of certain statutory or regulatory requirements can result in penalties, including substantial civil penalties for each item or service billed to Medicare in violation of the legal requirement, and exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs. Government authorities or whistleblowers may also assert that violations of laws and regulations related to submission or causing the submission of claims violate the federal False Claims Act, or FCA, or other laws related to fraud and abuse, including submission of claims for services that were not medically necessary. Violations of the FCA could result in significant economic liability. For example, we could be subject to FCA liability if it were determined that the services we provided were not medically necessary and not reimbursable or if it were determined that we improperly paid physicians who referred patients to our laboratory. It is also possible that the government could attempt to hold us liable under fraud and abuse laws for improper claims submitted by an entity for services that we performed if we were found to have knowingly participated in the arrangement that resulted in submission of the improper claims.

 

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Failure to comply with HIPAA, including regarding the use of new “standard transactions,” may negatively impact our business.

 

Pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, or HIPAA, we must comply with comprehensive privacy and security standards with respect to the use and disclosure of protected health information, as well as standards for electronic transactions, including specified transaction and code set rules. Under the 2009 HITECH amendments to HIPAA, the law was expanded, including requirements to provide notification of certain identified data breaches, direct patient access to laboratory records, the extension of certain HIPAA privacy and security standards directly to business associates, and heightened penalties for noncompliance, and enforcement efforts.

 

If we fail to comply with the complex federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations that apply to our business, we could suffer severe consequences that could materially and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

 

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations, all of which are subject to change. These laws and regulations currently include, among other things:

 

   CLIA, which requires that laboratories obtain certification from the federal government, and state licensure laws;
  FDA laws and regulations;
  HIPAA, which imposes comprehensive federal standards with respect to the privacy and security of protected health information and requirements for the use Of certain standardized electronic transactions; amendments to HIPAA under HITECH, which strengthen and expand HIPAA privacy and security compliance requirements, increase penalties for violators, extend enforcement authority to state attorneys general and impose requirements for breach notification;
  state laws regulating genetic testing and protecting the privacy of genetic test results, as well as state laws protecting the privacy and security of health information and personal data and mandating reporting of breaches to affected individuals and state regulators;
  the federal anti-kickback law, or the Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting, receiving, or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing, arranging for, or recommending of an item or service that is reimbursable, in whole or in part, by a federal health care program;
  other federal and state fraud and abuse laws, such as anti-kickback laws, prohibitions on self-referral, and false claims acts, which may extend to services reimbursable by any third-party payor, including private insurers;
  the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires medical device manufactures to track and report to the federal government certain payments and other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals and ownership or investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members;
  Section 216 of the federal Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (“PAMA”), which requires applicable laboratories to report private payor data in a timely and accurate manner beginning in 2017 and every three years thereafter (and in some cases annually);
  state laws that impose reporting and other compliance-related requirements; and
  similar foreign laws and regulations that apply to us in the countries in which we operate.

 

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These laws and regulations are complex and are subject to interpretation by the courts and by government agencies. Our failure to comply could lead to civil or criminal penalties, exclusion from participation in state and federal health care programs, or prohibitions or restrictions on our laboratory’s ability to provide or receive payment for our services. We believe that we are in material compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements, but there is a risk that one or more government agencies could take a contrary position, or that a private, party could file suit under the qui tam provisions of the federal False Claims Act or a similar state law. Such occurrences, regardless of their outcome, could damage our reputation and adversely affect important business relationships with third parties, including managed care organizations, and other private third-party payors.

 

A failure to comply with any of federal or state laws applicable to our business, particularly laws related to the elimination of healthcare fraud, may adversely impact our business.

 

Federal officials responsible for administering and enforcing the healthcare laws and regulations have made a priority of eliminating healthcare fraud. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, jointly the “Affordable Care Act,” includes significant fraud and abuse measures, including required disclosures of financial arrangements between drug and device manufacturers, on the one hand, and physicians and teaching hospitals, on the other hand. Federal funding available for combating health care fraud and abuse generally has increased. While we seek to conduct our business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, many of the laws and regulations applicable to our business, particularly those relating to billing and reimbursement of tests and those relating to relationships with physicians, hospitals and patients, contain language that has not been interpreted by courts. We must rely on our interpretation of these laws and regulations based on the advice of our counsel and regulatory or law enforcement authorities may not agree with our interpretation of these laws and regulations and may seek to enforce legal remedies or penalties against us for violations. From time to time we may need to change our operations, particularly pricing or billing practices, in response to changing interpretations of these laws and regulations or regulatory or judicial determinations with respect to these laws and regulations. These occurrences, regardless of their outcome, could damage our reputation and harm important business relationships that we have with healthcare providers, payors and others.

 

Healthcare plans have taken steps to control the utilization and reimbursement of healthcare services, including clinical test services.

 

We also face efforts by non-governmental third-party payors, including healthcare plans, to reduce utilization and reimbursement for clinical testing services. The healthcare industry has experienced a trend of consolidation among healthcare insurance plans, resulting in fewer but larger insurance plans with significant bargaining power to negotiate fee arrangements with healthcare providers, including clinical testing providers. Some healthcare plans have been willing to limit the PPO or POS laboratory network to only a single national laboratory to obtain improved fee-for-service pricing. There are also an increasing number of patients enrolling in consumer driven products and high deductible plans that involve greater patient cost-sharing.

 

The increased consolidation among healthcare plans also has increased the potential adverse impact of ceasing to be a contracted provider with any such insurer. Sales volumes and prices of our products depend in large part on the availability of coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors. Third-party payors include governmental programs such as U.S. Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance plans, and workers’ compensation plans. These third-party payors may deny coverage or reimbursement for a product or procedure if they determine that the product or procedure was not medically appropriate or necessary. Even though a new product may have been cleared for commercial distribution by relevant regulatory authorities, we may find limited demand for the product until reimbursement approval is assured from multiple governmental and private third-party payors. In the United States, a uniform policy of coverage does not exist across all third-party payors relative to payment of claims for all products. Therefore, coverage and payment can be quite different from payor to payor, and from one region of the country to another. This is also true for foreign countries in that coverage and payment systems vary from country to country.

 

Third-party payors are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs through more cost-effective methods of delivering healthcare. All of these types of programs can potentially impact market access for, and pricing structures of our products, which in turn, can impact our future sales. There can be no assurance that third-party reimbursement will be available or adequate, or that current and future legislation, regulation or reimbursement policies of third-party payors will not adversely affect the demand for our products or our ability to sell our products on a profitable basis. The unavailability or inadequacy of third-party payor reimbursement could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.

 

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Outside the United States, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific product lines and procedures. There can be no assurances that procedures using our products will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for a specific indication, that our products will be considered cost-effective by third-party payors, that an adequate level of reimbursement will be available, or that the third-party payors’ reimbursement policies will not adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

 

We expect continuing efforts to reduce reimbursements, to impose more stringent cost controls and to reduce utilization of clinical test services. These efforts may have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Changes in health care policy could increase our costs, decrease our revenues and impact sales of and reimbursement for our tests.

 

In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, or the ACA became law. This law substantially changed the way health care is financed by both governmental and private insurers, and significantly impacts our industry. The ACA contains a number of provisions that are expected to impact our business and operations, some of which in ways we cannot currently predict, including those governing enrollment in state and federal health care programs, reimbursement changes and fraud and abuse, which will impact existing state and federal health care programs and will result in the development of new programs. Since its enactment, there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. Both Congress and President Trump have expressed their intention to repeal or repeal and replace the ACA, and as a result, certain sections of the ACA have not been fully implemented or were effectively repealed. The uncertainty around the future of the ACA, and in particular the impact to reimbursement levels and the number of insured individuals, may lead to delay in the purchasing decisions of our customers, which may in turn negatively impact our product sales. Further, if reimbursement levels are inadequate, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

In addition to the ACA, there will continue to be proposals by legislators at both the federal and state levels, regulators and private third-party payors to reduce costs while expanding individual healthcare benefits. Certain of these changes could impose additional limitations on the prices we will be able to charge for our tests or the amounts of reimbursement available for our tests from governmental agencies or private third-party payors.

 

We face risks associated with currency exchange rate fluctuations, which could adversely affect our operating results.

 

We receive a portion of our revenues and pay a portion of our expenses in currencies other than the United States dollar, such as the Australian dollar, the Euro, the Swiss franc, the British pound, and the Canadian dollar. As a result, we are at risk for exchange rate fluctuations between such foreign currencies and the United States dollar, which could affect the results of our operations. If the U.S. dollar strengthens against foreign currencies, the translation of these foreign currency denominated transactions will result in decreased revenues and operating expenses. We may not be able to offset adverse foreign currency impact with increased revenues. We do not currently utilize hedging strategies to mitigate foreign currency risk and even if we were to implement hedging strategies to mitigate foreign currency risk, these strategies might not eliminate our exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations and would involve costs and risks of their own, such as ongoing management time and expertise, external costs to implement the strategies and potential accounting implications.

 

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Government regulation of genetic research or testing may adversely affect the demand for our services and impair our business and operations.

 

In addition to the regulatory framework governing healthcare, genetic research and testing has been the focus of public attention and regulatory scrutiny. From time to time, federal, state, local, and/or foreign governments adopt regulations relating to the conduct of genetic research and genetic testing. In the future, these regulations could limit or restrict genetic research activities as well as genetic testing for research or clinical purposes. In addition, if such regulations are adopted, these regulations may be inconsistent with, or in conflict with, regulations adopted by other government bodies. Regulations relating to genetic research activities could adversely affect our ability to conduct our research and development activities. Regulations restricting genetic testing could adversely affect our ability to market and sell our products and services. Accordingly, any regulations of this nature could increase the costs of our operations or restrict our ability to conduct our testing business.

 

Failure in our information technology systems could significantly increase testing turn-around times or impact on the billing processes or otherwise disrupt our operations.

 

Our laboratory operations depend, in part, on the continued performance of our information technology systems. Our information technology systems are potentially vulnerable to physical or electronic break-ins, computer viruses and similar disruptions. Sustained system failures or interruption of our systems in our laboratory operations could disrupt our ability to process laboratory requisitions, perform testing, and provide test results in a timely manner and/or billing process. Failure of our information technology systems could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

 

Breaches of network or information technology, natural disasters or terrorist attacks could have an adverse impact on our business.

 

Cyber-attacks or other breaches of information technology security, natural disasters, or acts of terrorism or war may result in hardware failure or disrupt our product testing or research and development activities. There has been a substantial increase in frequency of successful and unsuccessful cyber-attacks on companies in recent years. Such an event may result in our inability, or the inability of our collaborative partners, to operate the facilities to conduct and complete the necessary activities, which even if the event is for a limited period of time, may result in significant expenses and/ or significant damage or delay to our commercial or research activities. While we maintain insurance cover for some of these events, the potential liabilities associated with these events could exceeded the cover we maintain.

 

Ethical and other concerns surrounding the use of genetic information may reduce the demand for our services.

 

Public opinion regarding ethical issues related to the confidentiality and appropriate use of genetic testing may influence government authorities to call for limits on, or regulation of the use of, genetic testing. In addition, such authorities could prohibit testing for genetic predisposition to certain conditions, particularly for those that have no known cure. Furthermore, adverse publicity or public opinion relating to genetic research and testing, even in the absence of any governmental regulation, could reduce the potential markets for our products and services.

 

Risks associated with our intellectual property.

 

The patenting of genes and issues surrounding access to genetic knowledge are the subjects of extensive and ongoing public debate in many countries, including the United States and Australia. By way of example, the Australian Law Reform Commission has previously conducted two inquiries into the social uses of genetic information. The patents we hold over uses of “non-coding” DNA have broad scope and have also been the subject of debate and some criticism in the media. Individuals or organizations, in any one of the countries in which these patents have issued, could take legal action to seek their amendment, revocation or invalidation, something which has happened previously, on several occasions in various jurisdictions, though we have prevailed in all such cases. Furthermore, any time that we initiate legal action against parties that infringe our patents we face a risk that the infringer will defend itself through a counter-claim of patent invalidity or other such claims. Subsequent legal action could potentially overturn, invalidate or limit the scope of our patents.

 

In addition we may be sued by other parties that allege our patents infringe their intellectual property rights. Patent suits are costly, and we may expend substantial resources defending our patents against claims of others, even if we are ultimately successful in defending those claims.

 

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We rely heavily upon patents and proprietary technology that may fail to protect our business.

 

We rely upon our portfolio of patent rights, patent applications and exclusive licenses to patents and patent applications relating to genetic technologies. We expect to aggressively patent and protect our proprietary technologies. However, we cannot be certain that any additional patents will be issued to us as a result of our domestic or foreign patent applications or that any of our patents will withstand challenges by others. Patents issued to, or licensed by us may be infringed or third parties may independently develop the same or similar technologies. Similarly, our patents may not provide us with meaningful protection from competitors, including those who may pursue patents which may prevent, limit or interfere with our products or which may require licensing and the payment of significant fees or royalties by us to such third parties in order to enable us to conduct our business. We may sue or be sued by third parties regarding our patents and other intellectual property rights. These suits are often costly and would divert valuable funds, time and technical resources from our operations and cause a distraction to management.

 

We also rely upon unpatented proprietary technologies and databases. Although we require employees, consultants and collaborators to sign confidentiality agreements, we may not be able to adequately protect our rights in such unpatented proprietary technologies and databases, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, others may independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information or techniques or otherwise gain access to our proprietary technologies or disclose our technologies to our competitors.

 

We may face difficulties in certain jurisdictions in protecting our intellectual property rights, which may diminish the value of our intellectual property rights in those jurisdictions.

 

The laws of some jurisdictions do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws in the United States and the European Union, and many companies have encountered significant difficulties in protecting and defending such rights in such other jurisdictions. If we or our collaboration partners encounter difficulties in protecting, or are otherwise precluded from effectively protecting, the intellectual property rights for our business in such jurisdictions, the value of those rights may be diminished and we may face additional competition from others in those jurisdictions. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In those countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent.

 

Our operations may be adversely affected by the effects of extreme weather conditions or other interruptions in the timely transportation of specimens.

 

We may be required to transport specimens from the U.S. or other distant locations to our laboratory located in Melbourne, Australia. Our operations may be adversely impacted by extreme weather conditions or other interruptions in the timely transportation of such specimens or otherwise to provide our services, from time to time. The occurrence of any such event and/or a disruption to our operations as a result may harm our reputation and adversely impact our results of operations.

 

Our CIT Platform will expose us to various risks.

 

Our Consumer Initiated Testing platform (CIT), which once implemented will allow for consumers to directly request any of our tests online with a practitioner involved in the process via telemedicine, will be subject to various risks, including but not limited to:

 

The risk of failure to protect personal medical information;
The risk of breach of cyber security for the platform; and
The risk that the platform will fail to perform as expected.

 

Our ability to conduct telehealth services in a particular U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdiction is dependent upon the applicable laws governing remote healthcare, the practice of medicine and healthcare delivery in general in such location which are subject to changing political, regulatory and other influences. Some state medical boards have established new rules or interpreted existing rules in a manner that limits or restricts the practice of telemedicine. The extent to which a U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdiction considers particular actions or relationships to constitute practicing medicine is subject to change and to evolving interpretations by (in the case of U.S. states) medical boards and state attorneys general, among others, and (in the case of non-U.S. jurisdictions) the relevant regulatory and legal authorities, each with broad discretion. Accordingly, we must monitor our compliance with law in every jurisdiction in which we operate, on an ongoing basis, and we cannot provide assurance that our activities and arrangements, if challenged, will be found to be in compliance with the law. If a successful legal challenge or an adverse change in the relevant laws were to occur, and we were unable to adapt our business model accordingly, our operations in the affected jurisdictions would be disrupted, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Discontinuation or recalls of existing testing products or our customers using new technologies to perform their own tests could adversely affect our business.

 

Discontinuation or recalls of existing testing products or our customers using new technologies to perform their own tests could adversely affect the Company’s business. Manufacturers may discontinue or recall reagents, test kits or instruments used by us to perform laboratory testing. Such discontinuations or recalls could adversely affect our costs, testing volume and revenue. In addition, advances in technology may lead to the development of more cost-effective technologies such as point-of-care testing equipment that can be operated by physicians or other healthcare providers in their offices or by patients themselves without requiring the services of freestanding clinical laboratories. Development of such technology and its use by our customers could reduce the demand for our laboratory testing services and the utilization of certain tests offered by us and negatively impact our revenues.

 

Risks Related to our Securities

 

Our stock price is volatile and can fluctuate significantly based on events not in our control and general industry conditions. As a result, the value of your investment may decline significantly.

 

The biotechnology sector can be particularly vulnerable to abrupt changes in investor sentiment. Stock prices of companies in the biotechnology industry, including ours, can swing dramatically, with little relationship to operating performance. Our stock price may be affected by a number of factors including, but not limited to:

 

   product development events;
  the outcome of litigation;
  decisions relating to intellectual property rights;
  the entrance of competitive products or technologies into our markets;
  new medical discoveries;
  the establishment of strategic partnerships and alliances;
  changes in reimbursement policies or other practices related to the pharmaceutical industry; or
  other industry and market changes or trends.

 

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Fluctuations are also likely to occur due to events which are not within our control and general market conditions affecting the biotechnology sector or the stock market generally. In addition, low trading volume may increase the volatility of the price of the ADSs. A thin trading market could cause the price of the ADSs to fluctuate significantly more than the stock market as a whole. For example, trades involving a relatively small number of the ADSs may have a greater impact on the trading price for the ADSs than would be the case if the trading volume were higher.

 

The fact that we do not expect to pay cash dividends may lead to decreased prices for our stock.

 

We have never declared or paid a cash dividend on our ordinary shares and we do not anticipate to do so in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain future cash earnings, if any, for reinvestment in the development and expansion of our business. Whether we pay cash dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and may be dependent on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and any other factors our Board of Directors decides is relevant. As a result, an investor may only recognize an economic gain on an investment in our stock from an appreciation in the price of our stock, which is uncertain and unpredictable. There is no guarantee that our ordinary shares will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which an investor purchased the ordinary shares.

 

You may have difficulty in effecting service of legal process and enforcing judgments against us and our management.

 

We are a public company limited by shares, registered and operating under the Australian Corporations Act 2001. The majority of our directors and officers named in prospectus reside outside the U.S. Substantially all, or a substantial portion of, the assets of those persons are also located outside the U.S. As a result, it may not be possible to affect service on such persons in the U.S. or to enforce, in foreign courts, judgments against such persons obtained in U.S. courts and predicated on the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the U.S. Furthermore, substantially all of our directly-owned assets are located outside the U.S., and, as such, any judgment obtained in the U.S. against us may not be collectible within the U.S. There is doubt as to the enforceability in the Commonwealth of Australia, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, of civil liabilities predicated solely upon federal or state securities laws of the U.S., especially in the case of enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts where the defendant has not been properly served in Australia.

 

Because we are not required to provide you with the same information as an issuer of securities based in the United States, you may not be afforded the same protection or information you would have if you had invested in a public corporation based in the United States.

 

We are exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. public companies, including (i) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; and (iii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time. The exempt provisions would be available to you if you had invested in a U.S. corporation.

 

However, in line with the Australian Securities Exchange regulations, we disclose our reviewed financial results on a semi-annual basis (under International Standard on Review Engagements) and our audited financial results on an annual basis (under International Standards on Auditing). The information, which may have an effect on our stock price on the Australian Securities Exchange, will be disclosed to the Australian Securities Exchange and also the Securities Exchange Commission. Other relevant information pertaining to our Company will also be disclosed in line with the Australian Securities Exchange regulations or the Australian Corporations Act 2001. We provide our semi-annual results and other material information that we make public in Australia in the U.S. under the cover of an SEC Form 6-K. Nevertheless, you may not be afforded the same protection or information, which would be made available to you, were you investing in a United States public corporation because the requirements of a Form 10-Q and Form 8-K are not applicable to us.

 

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Our ADSs may be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

On May 3, 2019, we received a letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC advising that our reported stockholders’ equity was less than the minimum specified amount of $2,500,000 as at December 31, 2018.

 

In 2019, we were subject to Nasdaq delisting proceedings as a result of our failure to maintain the bid price of the ADSs above the minimum $1.00 per share requirement and because our reported stockholders’ equity was less than the minimum specified amount of $2,500,000 as of December 31, 2018 (see “Recent Developments”). We regained compliance with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules with respect to our bid price as a result of the adjustment to the ratio of the ADSs that took effect on August 15, 2019, and we regained compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement by raising gross proceeds of approximately $3,043,000 in a rights offering completed on October 29, 2019. On November 6, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq notifying us that we had regained compliance with the equity rule (the “Compliance Letter”).

 

On March 13, 2020, we received a determination letter from Nasdaq indicating that we did not comply with the stockholders’ equity rule. We requested an appeal hearing with the Panel to review the delisting determination. Upon Nasdaq’s receipt of the hearing request by the Company, Nasdaq stayed the suspension of our securities and the filing of the Form 25-NSE pending the Panel’s decision. An oral hearing took place on April 30, 2020 with a determination expected to be received within 30 days of the hearing. There can be no assurance that the Panel will grant our request for continued listing, or that we will meet the equity rule during any compliance period or in the future, or otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards, or that Nasdaq will grant us any relief from delisting as necessary, or that we will be able to ultimately meet applicable Nasdaq requirements for any such relief. If our ADSs are de-listed from Nasdaq, it will have material negative impacts on the actual and potential liquidity of our securities, as well as material negative impacts on our ability to raise future capital.

 

A lack of significant liquidity for the ADSs may negatively affect your ability to resell our securities.

 

The ADSs have traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market since June 30, 2010. An active trading market for the ADSs, however, may not be maintained in the future. If an active trading market is not maintained, the liquidity and trading prices of the ADSs could be negatively affected.

 

In certain circumstances, holders of ADSs may have limited rights relative to holders of ordinary shares.

 

The rights of holders of ADSs with respect to the voting of ordinary shares and the right to receive certain distributions may be limited in certain respects by the deposit agreement entered into by us and The Bank of New York Mellon. For example, although ADS holders are entitled under the deposit agreement, subject to any applicable provisions of Australian law and of our Constitution, to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the ordinary shares represented by the ADSs, and the depositary has agreed that it will try, as far as practical, to vote the ordinary shares so represented in accordance with such instructions, ADS holders may not receive notices sent by the depositary in time to ensure that the depositary will vote the ordinary shares. This means that, from a practical point of view, the holders of ADSs may not be able to exercise their right to vote. In addition, under the deposit agreement, the depositary has the right to restrict distributions to holders of the ADSs in the event that it is unlawful or impractical to make such distributions. We have no obligation to take any action to permit distributions to holders of the ADSs. As a result, holders of ADSs may not receive distributions made by us.

 

There is a substantial risk that we are a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, which subjects U.S. investors to adverse tax rules.

 

Holders of the ADSs who are U.S. residents face income tax risks. There is a substantial risk that we are a passive foreign investment company, commonly referred to as a PFIC. Our treatment as a PFIC could result in a reduction in the after-tax return to the holders of the ADSs. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year in which either (i) 75% or more of our gross income is passive income, or (ii) at least 50% of the average value of all of our assets for the taxable year produce or are held for the production of passive income. For this purpose, cash is considered to be an asset that produces passive income. As a result of our substantial cash position in relation to our other assets, we believe that we have been a PFIC in our most recent taxable years and will continue to be a PFIC in the current tax year. Highly complex rules apply to U.S. holders owning ADSs. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the application of such rules. United States residents should carefully read “Material Income Tax Considerations” in this prospectus, for a more complete discussion of the U.S. federal income tax risks related to owning and disposing of the ADSs.

 

22 
 

 

Declining general economic or business conditions, including as a result of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, may have a negative impact on our business.

 

Continuing concerns over economic and business prospects in the United States and other countries have contributed to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the global economy. These factors, coupled with the prospect of decreased business and consumer confidence and increased unemployment resulting from the recent COVID-19 outbreak, may precipitate an economic slowdown and recession. If the economic climate deteriorates, our business, including our access to patient samples and the addressable market for diagnostic tests that we may successfully develop, as well as the financial condition of our suppliers and our third-party payors, could be adversely affected, resulting in a negative impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a negative impact on global markets and business activity, which has had an effect on the operations of the Company, including but not limited to that sales of our products have been impacted not only by the inability for consumers to visit their practitioners but also the difficulty our sales team is having in arranging face to face meetings with practitioners. Our sales team has found it very difficult to reach practitioners to build on the sales momentum created prior to the pandemic, thus, sales have effectively ceased for the short term. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has done the following:

 

Moved forward with its Consumer Initiated Testing platform (CIT), as previously announced on April 1, which allows for consumers to directly request any of the Company’s tests online with a practitioner involved in the process via telemedicine. Once the CIT platform goes live, which is anticipated to be within the next sixty days, we believe it will ensure that sales will be able to recommence in the event a lockdown is maintained and it opens up another significant sales channel.

Began the process of attempting to make available our existing lab facilities for the conducting of COVID-19 testing via existing Polymerase Chain Reaction (or PCR) (a method of amplifying DNA prior to analysis) PCR equipment and personnel.

We have also commenced work on a Polygenic Risk Score (or PRS) test for COVID-19, which may allow for the assessment of risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. The proposed test will be designed using the same strategies used to build our existing GeneType for breast and colorectal cancer tests. Our objective will be to produce a test that can predict “disease severity” using either genetic information alone (PRS) or a combination of genetic and clinical information. Biobank data will be interrogated to discover any informative genetic and phenotypic associations. At this time, we are not certain whether an association exists between genetic or phenotypic variants and risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. If such associations are identified, they will be incorporated into a proprietary algorithm to potentially predict future disease severity.

 

These new COVID-19 related activities may provide some revenue opportunities for us in the short term and will assist in the development of additional tests the company is currently working on. We have not made significant progress to date that would lead to orders or requests to increase capacity and there is no guarantee we will ever receive orders or requests.

 

Risks Related to the Offering

 

We will have broad discretion in how we use the proceeds, and we may use the proceeds in ways in which you and other shareholders may disagree.

 

Our management will use its discretion to direct the use of the net proceeds from this offering. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to support the introduction and distribution of our new products in the United States, for general product research and development, including the development of polygenic risk tests with TGen in the United States, for implementation of our consumer initiated testing platform and preparation for potential COVID-19 testing, as well as for working capital. Our management’s judgments may not result in positive returns on your investment and you will not have the opportunity to evaluate the economic, financial or other information upon which our management bases its decisions.

 

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share of the ADSs you purchase.

 

Because the price per ADS being offered is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our ADSs, you will suffer substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the ADSs you purchase in this offering. Assuming a public offering price of $2.05 per ADS, which is the last reported sales price of our ADSs on Nasdaq on May 1, 2020, if you purchase ADSs in this offering, you will suffer immediate and substantial dilution of approximately $1.05 per ADS in the net tangible book value of the ADSs. See the section entitled “Dilution” in this prospectus for a more detailed discussion of the dilution you will incur if you purchase ADSs in this offering.

 

23 
 

 

This is a best efforts offering, no minimum number or dollar amount of securities is required to be sold, and we may not raise the amount of capital we believe is required for our business plans.

 

The Placement Agent has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to purchase the securities in this offering. The Placement Agent has no obligation to buy any of the securities from us or to arrange for the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of the securities. There is no required minimum number of securities that must be sold as a condition to completion of this offering. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to the closing of this offering, the actual offering amount, Placement Agent fees and proceeds to us are not presently determinable and may be substantially less than the maximum amounts set forth above. We may sell fewer than all of the securities offered hereby, which may significantly reduce the amount of proceeds received by us, and investors in this offering will not receive a refund in the event that we do not sell an amount of securities sufficient to fund research and development of our lead product candidates, including clinical trial activities. Thus, we may not raise the amount of capital we believe is required for our operations in the short-term and may need to raise additional funds, which may not be available or available on terms acceptable to us.

 

There is no public market for the pre-funded warrants.

 

There is no established public trading market for the pre-funded warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list the pre-funded warrants on any national securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system, including the Nasdaq Capital Market. Without an active market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be limited.

 

The pre-funded warrants in this offering are speculative in nature.

 

The pre-funded warrants in this offering do not confer any rights of ADS ownership on their holders, but rather merely represent the right to acquire ADSs at a fixed price. In addition, following this offering, the market value of the pre-funded warrants, if any, is uncertain and there can be no assurance that the market value of the pre-funded warrants will equal or exceed their imputed offering price. The pre-funded warrants will be not listed or quoted for trading on any market or exchange.

 

Holders of the pre-funded warrants will not have rights of holders of our ADSs until such pre-funded warrants are exercised.

 

Until holders of pre-funded warrants acquire ADSs upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants, holders of pre-funded warrants will have no rights with respect to the ADSs underlying such securities.

 

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they change their recommendations regarding our securities adversely, the price and trading volume of the ADSs could decline.

 

The trading market for the ADSs will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. Our research coverage by industry and financial analysts is currently limited. Even if our analyst coverage increases, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our securities, the price of the ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of the Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price or trading volume of the ADSs to decline.

 

24 
 

 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential” and “should,” among others.

 

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this prospectus and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our intent, belief, or current expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Such statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various important factors, including, but not limited to, those identified under “Risk Factors.” In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a guarantee by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all.

 

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

  the successful launch of our two new cancer risk assessment tests and our new tests under development;
  our competitive position in the molecular risk assessment and predictive testing area;
  our plans to research, develop, and launch our product candidates;
  the size and growth potential of the markets for our products;
  our ability to raise additional capital;
  our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection;
  our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel;
  our ability to retain and maintain relationship with third party consultants and advisors and their ability to perform adequately;
  our estimates regarding future revenue, expenses and needs for additional financing;
  regulatory developments in the United States, China and other jurisdictions and our compliance with such regulations
  our ADSs remaining listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market;
 

the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business;

  our ability to conduct COVID-19 testing in our lab facilities; and
  our ability to create a PRS test which may allow for the assessment of risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus.

 

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information or future developments or to release publicly any revisions to these statements in order to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

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

 

You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Assuming all of the shares and/or pre-funded warrants offered in this offering are sold, we estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $8.88 million based on an assumed offering price of $2.05 per ADS, the last reported sale price of our ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 1 , 2020. However, because this is a best efforts offering and there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to the closing of this offering, the actual offering amount, Placement Agent’s fees and net proceeds to us are not presently determinable and may be substantially less than the maximum amounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to support the introduction and distribution of our new products in the United States, for general product research and development, including the development of polygenic risk tests with TGen in the United States, for implementation of our consumer initiated testing platform, preparation for potential COVID-19 testing and for working capital.

 

25 
 

 

We have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on any of the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds from this offering.

 

Pending application of the net proceeds as described above, we expect to invest the net proceeds in highly liquid investments. We anticipate that our existing cash resources, together with the net proceeds from the offering, will enable us to fully fund our operating expenses for at least the 12 months following the date of this prospectus. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our ordinary shares, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business.

 

CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization and indebtedness as of December 31, 2019 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or “IFRS.” The information in this table should be read in conjunction with and is qualified by reference to the financial statements and notes thereto and other financial information included in this prospectus.

 

The table below sets forth our cash and short-term deposits and short-term investments and capitalization as of December 31, 2019 derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

  on an actual basis; and
     
   on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to (i) the April Offerings (see “Recent Developments”) and (ii) the additional sale of 4,878,048 ADSs in this offering at the assumed public offering price of $2.05 per ADS in this offering, after deducting estimated offering expenses payable by us, and assuming the sale of the maximum offering amount and that no pre-funded warrants are sold.

 

    December 31, 2019 (A$)  
    Actual     Pro Forma
As Adjusted (1)
 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 3,277,074     $ 21,788,711  
Liabilities:                
Current liabilities   $ 1,342,980     $ 1,342,980  
Non-current liabilities   $ 138,321     $ 138,321  
Equity:                
Share capital   $ 127,807,987     $ 146,319,624  
Other reserves   $ 7,454,278     $ 7,454,278  
Retained earnings   $ (132,399,960 )   $ (132,399,960 )
Total equity   $ 2,862,305     $ 21,373,942  
Total capitalization   $ 4,343,606     $ 22,855,243  

 

 

(1)

On a pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to the (i) April Offerings less transaction costs, translated from U.S. dollars into Australian dollars at A$1.00 to US$0.63; and (ii) the proceeds from the sale of 4,878,048 ADSs  at the assumed public offering price of $2.05 per ADS in this offering after deducting estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming the sale of the maximum offering amount and that no pre-funded warrants are sold, translated from U.S. dollars into Australian dollars at A$1.00 to US$0.63, which was the average exchange rate for the month of April 2020.

 

26 
 

 

The table above excludes:

 

   ● 166,066,200 ordinary shares represented by 276,777 ADSs issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants at an exercise price of $3.20 per ADS;
     
  40,114,200 ordinary shares represented by 66,857 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $2.1875, issued to designees of Wainwright as compensation in connection with the First April Offering;
     
  28,177,578 ordinary shares represented by 46,963 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants at an exercise price of $2.50, issued to designees of Wainwright as compensation in connection with the Second April Offering; and
     
  The ordinary shares represented by the ADSs that will be issuable upon the exercise of warrants we will issue to the Placement Agent as compensation in connection with the closing of this offering.

 

DILUTION

 

If you invest in the ADSs in this offering, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per ADS paid by purchasers in this offering and our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per ADS after completion of this offering.

 

Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2019 was approximately $1,770,943, or $0.0004 per ordinary share ($0.26 per ADS). Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets less total liabilities divided by the total number of ordinary shares outstanding.

 

After giving effect to the April Offerings, our pro forma net tangible book value at December 31, 2019 would have been $4,554,326, or $0.0009 per ordinary share ($0.53 per ADS).

 

After giving effect to the sale by us of 2,926,828,800 ordinary shares represented by 4,878,048 ADSs offered pursuant to this prospectus at an assumed price of $2.05 per ADS (assuming sale of the maximum offering amount, and that no pre-funded warrants are sold), and after deducting placement agent fees and other estimated offering expenses, our net tangible book value at December 31, 2019 would have been $13,433,275, or $0.0017 per ordinary share ($1.00 per ADS). This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.0008 per ordinary share ($0.47 per ADS) to the then existing shareholders and an immediate dilution of $ 0.0017 per ordinary share to new investors ($1.05 per ADS).

 

The following table illustrates the net tangible book value dilution per ordinary share to shareholders after the issuance of ordinary shares under this prospectus:

 

Assumed offering price per ordinary share         $ 0.0034 .  
Net tangible book value per ordinary share as of December 31, 2019   $ 0.0004          
Pro forma net tangible book value per ordinary share after giving effect to April Offerings   $ 0.0009          
Increase per ordinary share attributable to new investors   $ 0.0008          
Pro Forma as adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share after this offering           $ 0.0017  
Net tangible book value dilution per ordinary share to new investors           $ 0.0017  

 

This discussion of dilution, and the table quantifying it, assumes no exercise of any outstanding options over our ordinary shares. The table above contains a translation of net tangible book value at December 31, 2019 from Australian dollar amounts into U.S. dollar amounts at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The translation of Australian dollars into U.S. dollars has been made at the exchange rate on December 31, 2019, which was A$1.00 to US$0.703. Thereafter, the pro forma has been made at the exchange rate of A$1.00 to US$0.63, which was the average exchange rate for the month of April 2020.

 

27 
 

 

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following selected financial data for the five years ended June 30, 2019 is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of Genetic Technologies Limited, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, which became effective for our Company as of our fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.

 

The balance sheet data as of December 31, 2019 and the statement of comprehensive income/(loss) data for the six months ended December 31, 2019 are derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements which are included in this prospectus. The balance sheet data as of June 30, 2019 and 2018 and the statement of comprehensive income/(loss) data for the 2019, 2018 and 2017 fiscal years are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements which are included in prospectus. Balance sheet data as of June 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015 and statements of comprehensive income/ (loss) data for the years ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements which are not included in prospectus. The data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, related notes and other financial information included herein.

 

All amounts are stated in Australian dollars.

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss Data:

 

   

Year ended

June 30, 2019

   

Year ended

June 30, 2018

   

Year ended

June 30, 2017

   

Year ended

June 30, 2016

   

Year ended

June 30, 2015

 
    AUD     AUD     AUD     AUD     AUD  
    (in A$, except loss per share and number of shares)  
Revenue from operations                                        
Genetic testing services     25,444       189,254       518,506       824,586       2,011,918  
Less: cost of sales     (276,267 )     (300,088 )     (492,417 )     (743,060 )     (891,243 )
Gross profit/(loss) from operations     (250,823 )     (110,834 )     26,089       81,526       1,120,675  
Other revenue                       300,548       1,027,151  
Operating expenses     (7,194,550 )     (5,794,514 )     (8,774,027 )     (9,333,076 )     (11,328,553 )
Non-operating income and expenses     1,019,769       441,476       344,112       492,037       370,557  
Profit/(loss) from continuing operations before income tax     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,458,965 )     (8,810,170 )
Net profit from discontinued operation                              
Profit/(loss) before income tax     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,458,965 )     (8,810,170 )
Income tax expense                              
Profit/(loss) for the year     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,458,965 )     (8,810,170 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss)                                        
Exchange gains/(losses) on translation of controlled foreign operations     23,668       (522,966 )     (130,655 )     1,307,219       414,005  
                                         
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the year, net of tax     23,668       (522,966 )     (130,655 )     1,307,219       414,005  
Total comprehensive profit/(loss) for the year     (6,401,936 )     (5,986,481 )     (8,534,481 )     (7,151,746 )     (8,396,165 )
Profit/(loss) for the year is attributable to:                                        
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,458,965 )     (8,810,170 )
                                         
Total profit/(loss) for the year     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,458,965 )     (8,810,170 )
Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the year is attributable to:                                        
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (6,401,936 )     (5,986,838 )     (8,534,481 )     (7,151,746 )     (8,396,165 )
Non-controlling interests                              
Total comprehensive profit/(loss) for the year     (6,401,936 )     (5,986,838 )     (8,534,481 )     (7,151,746 )     (8,396,165 )
                                         
Earnings/(loss) per share (cents per share)                                        
Basic and diluted net profit/(loss) per ordinary share     (0.24 )     (0.22 )     (0.40 )     (0.49 )     (0.82 )
Weighted-average shares outstanding     2,635,454,870       2,435,282,724       2,121,638,888       1,715,214,158       1,072,803,358  

 

28 
 

 

Unaudited Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss Data

 

    Six months period ended
December 31, 2019
    Six months period ended
December 31, 2018
 
    AUD     AUD  
             
Revenue from operations                
Genetic testing services     586       18,402  
Less: cost of sales     (194,501 )     (79,674 )
Gross profit/(loss) from operations     (193,915 )     (61,272 )
Other revenue            
Operating expenses     (3,159,617 )     (3,562,545 )
Non-operating income and expenses     705,834       500,445  
Profit/(loss) from continuing operations before income tax     (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Net profit from discontinued operation            
Profit/(loss) before income tax     (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Income tax expense            
Profit/(loss) for the year     (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss)                
Exchange gains/(losses) on translation of controlled foreign operations     (381,163 )     (54,789 )
                 
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the period, net of tax     (381,163 )     (54,789 )
Total comprehensive profit/(loss) for the period     (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
Profit/(loss) for the period is attributable to:                
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
                 
Total profit/(loss) for the period     (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the period is attributable to:                
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
Non-controlling interests            
Total comprehensive profit/(loss) for the period     (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
                 
Earnings/(loss) per share (cents per share)                
Basic and diluted net profit/(loss) per ordinary share     (0.08 )     (0.12 )
Weighted-average shares outstanding     3,331,576,766       2,558,004,460  

 

29 
 

 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

 

    As of
June 30,
2019
    As of
June 30,
2018
    As of
June 30,
2017
    As of
June 30,
2016
    As of
June 30, 2015
 
    AUD     AUD     AUD     AUD     AUD  
    (in A$)  
Assets                                        
Current assets     3,195,672       5,990,697       11,631,649       12,131,070       19,566,096  
Non-current assets     69,333       175,284       476,648       1,158,616       1,153,636  
Total assets     3,265,005       6,165,981       12,108,297       13,289,686       20,719,732  
Liabilities                                        
Current liabilities     (1,492,990 )     (1,450,713 )     (1,465,293 )     (1,332,189 )     (1,735,163 )
Non-current liabilities     (809 )     (3,390 )     (63,960 )     (74,308 )     (25,321 )
Total liabilities     1,493,799       (1,454,103 )     (1,529,253 )     (1,406,497 )     (1,760,484 )
Net assets     1,771,206       4,711,878       10,579,044       11,883,189       18,959,248  
Equity                                        
Contributed equity     125,498,824       122,372,662       122,382,625       115,272,576       115,247,128  
Reserves     6,009,932       5,651,162       6,044,493       6,054,861       4,697,403  
Accumulated losses     (129,737,550 )     (123,311,946 )     (117,848,074 )     (109,444,248 )     (100,985,283 )
Non-controlling interests                              
Total equity     1,771,206       4,711,878       10,579,044       11,883,189       18,959,248  

 

Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

 

    As at
December 31, 2019
 
    AUD  
       
Assets        
Current assets     3,968,148  
Non-current assets     375,458  
Total assets     4,343,606  
Liabilities        
Current liabilities     (1,342,980  
Non-current liabilities     (138,321  
Total liabilities     1,481,301  
Net assets     2,862,305  
Equity        
Contributed equity     127,807,987  
Reserves     7,454,278  
Accumulated losses     (132,399,960  
Non-controlling interests      
Total equity     2,862,305  

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto appearing in this prospectus. We present our consolidated financial statements in Australian dollars and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB.

 

Some information included in this discussion and analysis, including statements regarding industry outlook, our expectations regarding our future performance, liquidity and capital resources and other statements regarding our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

 

Overview

 

Founded in 1989, Genetic Technologies is an established Australian-based molecular diagnostics company that offers predictive genetic testing and risk assessment tools, with a current focus on women’s health. During the year ended June 30, 2015 the Company divested its interest in other genetic testing services, which up until then, together with licensing of non-coding technology, had provided the main source of income to fund operations, to concentrate on the principal activity of the provision of molecular risk assessment tests for cancer.

 

The Company’s revenues during its years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 and period s ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were generated principally by sales of its BREVAGenplus breast cancer risk assessment test. However, during 2017, management determined that sales of this product were insufficient to defray the costs of the sales team. By late 2017, management decided that its sales strategy was not working and disbanded much of the sales infrastructure in the U.S. and transitioned to an ecommerce based sales solution. Management then designed a “pivot plan” in an effort to reposition the Company and refine and improve products and reload with a newly developed approach to market. To that end, the Company intends to introduce its new GeneType for Colorectal Cancer and GeneType for Breast Cancer genetic tests to healthcare providers through a global network of distribution partners. The Company is not yet selling its new products and has discontinued sales of its legacy products. As a result, sales currently and during its year ended June 30, 2019 and period ended December 31, 2019 were minimal.

 

The Company employs a limited number of personnel in North Carolina and Texas, which it intends to utilize when it is ready to distribute its new products in the U.S. In addition, the Company is in discussion with a U.S. firm specializing in connecting western medical firms with Chinese distribution partners.

 

Since inception up to June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2019, we have incurred $129,787,550 and $132,399,960 in accumulated losses. Our losses have resulted principally from costs incurred in research and development, general and administrative and sales and marketing costs associated with our operations. Further losses are anticipated as the Company continues to invest in new genetic testing product research and development, and explore optimal distribution methodologies to commercialize its product offering.

 

Fiscal year

 

As an Australian company, our fiscal or financial year ends on June 30 each year. We produce audited consolidated accounts at the end of June each year and provide reviewed half-yearly accounts for the periods ending on December 31 each year, both of which are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

 

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In respect of the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company has assessed all new accounting standards mandatory for adoption during the current year, noting no new standards which would have a material effect on the disclosure in these financial statements. There has been no effect on the profit and loss or the financial position of the Company. Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for June 30, 2019 reporting periods. The Company’s assessment of the impact of these new standards and interpretations is set out in Note 2(b) of the attached financial statements. For the period ended December 31, 2019, the Company adopted AASB 16 from July 1, 2019 to account for leases which resulted in an adjustment to opening retained earnings and current year profit and loss statement.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

The accounting policies which are applicable to the Company are set out in Notes 2(c) to 2(w) of the attached financial statements. In addition, the accounting policies which are applicable to the Company for the six-month period ended December 31, 2019 are set out in Notes 1 of the attached financial statements.

 

Comparison of the six month period ended December 31, 2019 to the six month period ended December 31, 2018

 

Results of Operations

 

Revenues from operations

 

During the six month period ended December 31, 2019, the Company’s consolidated gross revenues from continuing operations, excluding other revenue, was $586 compared to $18,402 in the six month period ended December 31, 2018. Revenues decreased as a result of management’s determination to discontinue sales of its legacy BREVAGenplus product and develop its new products.

 

Cost of sales

 

Our cost of sales from continuing operations for the six month period ended December 31, 2019 increased by 144% as compared to the six month period ended December 31, 2018, or $79,674 to $194,501. During the six month period ended December 31, 2019, direct labour costs increased due to continuous research and development projects taking place. BREVAGenplus direct materials utilized during the six month period ended December 31, 2019 decreased by 100% as compared to the six month period ended December 31, 2018, as a result of the no tests performed during the period.

 

Selling and marketing expenses

 

Sales and marketing expenses increased by $47,406 (21%) to $276,550 during the six month period ended December 31, 2019 due to increase (16%) in staff costs ($27,971) for sales and marketing department and also additional marketing spend in line with new testing kits sales planned.

 

General and administrative expenses

 

General and administrative expenses (excluding net foreign currency losses) decreased by $174,085 (9%) to $1,747,705 during the six month period ended December 31, 2019. The decrease is mainly due to cost savings in employment costs affecting the company in the current period.

 

Laboratory, research and development costs

 

Laboratory, research and development costs decreased by $273,065 (19%) to $1,128,124 during the six month period ended December 31, 2019. Laboratory, research and development costs decreased during the period mainly due lower license fees incurred in the prior period and decrease in usage of laboratory supplies.

 

Finance costs

 

Finance costs decreased by $3,184 (30%) to $7,238 during the six month period ended December 31, 2019. Finance costs incurred in the six month period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were primarily bank charges.

 

32 
 

 

Non-Operating income and expenses

 

Other income and expenses included the following movements:

 

Research and development tax credit income increased by $214,000 (increase by 115%) to $400,000 in the six-month period ended December 31, 2019 as a result of increased spending in research and development expenses as compared with previous year. The Company’s research tax credit income is recognized over the period to match on a systematic basis with the qualifying costs that they are intended to compensate.

 

Other gains/losses

 

A net foreign currency loss of $381,163 (2018: loss of $54,789) was recorded for the six months period ended December 31, 2019. The loss is primarily driven by the translation of US dollar cash reserves to Australian dollars at December 31, 2019.

 

Comparison of the year ended June 30, 2019 to the year ended June 30, 2018

 

Revenues from operations

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company’s consolidated gross revenues from continuing operations, excluding other revenue, was $25,444 compared to $189,254 in the year ended June 30, 2018. Revenues decreased as a result of management’s determination to discontinue sales of its legacy BREVAGenplus product and develop its new products.

 

Cost of sales

 

Our cost of sales from continuing operations for the year ended June 30, 2019 decreased by 7.93% as compared to the year ended June 30, 2018, or $300,088 to $276,267. BREVAGenplus direct materials utilized during the year ended June 30, 2019 decreased by 40% as compared to the year ended June 30, 2018, or from $93,869 to $55,995, as a result of the reduced number of samples received. Depreciation expense attributable to the laboratory testing equipment decreased by $10,373 while direct labor costs increased by $14,911 as a result of a continued streamlining of the laboratory team to match the reduced samples received. There was a decrease in inventories written off of $9,515 in the year ended June 30, 2019.

 

Selling and marketing expenses

 

Sales and marketing expenses decreased by $490,327 (46%) to $576,077 during the year ended June 30, 2019. Personnel related costs decreased by $185,807 (38%) following the wind-down of direct to customer sales activity in the U.S. associated with the legacy BREVAGenplus product. Other decreases relate to lower rental costs, airfares, conference costs during the year.

 

General and administrative expenses

 

General and administrative expenses (excluding net foreign currency losses) increased by $814,380 (27%) to $3,830,198 during the year ended June 30, 2019. The increase is mainly due to increase in spending on legal (73%) and compliance costs (32%), insurance (25%), printing (135%) and accounting, tax and audit related costs (21%) due to higher compliance and legal activities affecting the company in the current period.

 

Laboratory, research and development costs

 

Laboratory, research and development costs increased by $150,264 (7%) to $2,360,762 during the year ended June 30, 2019. Laboratory, research and development costs increased due to the intensive research and development effort to develop the GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer genetic tests, which concluded in May 2019. The Company is continuing research and development activities on the following genetic tests:

 

  Cardiovascular Disease — target launch fourth quarter of 2020
  Type 2 Diabetes — target launch second quarter of 2020
  Prostate Cancer — target launch third quarter of 2020
  Melanoma — target launch fourth quarter of 2020

 

33 
 

 

Finance costs

 

Finance costs decreased by $8,812 (30%) to $20,031 during the year ended June 30, 2019. Finance costs incurred in the years ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 were primarily bank charges.

 

Non-Operating income and expenses

 

Other income and expenses included the following movements:

 

Research and development tax credit of $856,706 in the year ended June 30, 2019 increased by $557,356. The research tax credit is recognized on an accrual basis when realizable. The higher research and development tax credit is due to higher eligible research expenditure during the period ended June 30, 2019 as the Company has progressed development of its two new cancer risk assessment tests, and the proportion of costs associated with sales activities has declined.

 

Other gains/losses

 

A net foreign currency gain of $92,518 (2018; gain of $128,360) was recorded for the year ended June 30, 2019. The profit is primarily driven by the translation of US dollar cash reserves to Australian dollars at June 30, 2019.

 

An impairment expense of $500,000 was recognized in the year ending June 30, 2019 (2018: $ Nil) relating to the impairment of investments in Swisstec and Blockshine Health Pty Ltd.

 

Comparison of the year ended June 30, 2018 to the year ended June 30, 2017

 

Revenues from operations

 

During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Company generated consolidated gross revenues from continuing operations, excluding other revenue, of $189,254 compared to $518,506 in the preceding year. The overall decline of $329,252 is as a result of a $197,734 reduction in previously accrued BREVAGenplus revenues, driven by ongoing reduced test samples and collection rates, with the balance of $131,518 of the differential directly attributable to a decrease in the overall combined sales of BREVAGenplus tests. Samples received for BREVAGenplus tests during the year ended June 30, 2018 were 405 compared to 895 in the year ended June 30, 2017.

 

Overheads decreased by $1,603,539 compared with the year ended June 30, 2017. The combined areas of selling/ marketing, administration, licensing and operations (excluding net foreign currency losses) totaled $6,449,923 for the year compared with $8,053,462 for 2017. The overall decrease is reflective of the ongoing commitment to effectively manage overhead spending, and a transition from a direct salesforce to an ecommerce based solution in the U.S.

 

The loss for the year ended June 30, 2017 of $8,403,826 (2018: $5,463,872) includes a $544,694 (2018: Nil) expense for the impairment of intangible assets.

 

Cost of sales

 

Our cost of sales from continuing operations decreased by 39% from $492,417 in the year ended June 30, 2017 to $300,088 in the year ended June 30, 2018. BREVAGenplus direct materials utilized decreased by 45% from $172,070 to $93,869 as a result of the reduced number of samples received. Depreciation expense attributable to the laboratory testing equipment increased by $5,286 in the year ended June 30, 2018, while direct labor costs decreased by $64,077 as a result of a continued streamlining of the laboratory team to match the reduced samples received. There was a decrease in inventories written off of $44,765 in the year ended June 30, 2018, which included BREVAGenplus materials that had expired during the year of $24,506.

 

34 
 

 

Selling and marketing expenses

 

Selling and marketing expenses decreased by $1,655,070 (61%) to $1,066,404 during the year ended June 30, 2018. Personnel related costs decreased by $822,151 (54%) as a direct result of the transition from a direct sales force in the U.S. to an ecommerce web enabled sales platform to sell BREVAGenplus. Fees paid billing and collection services decreased by $208,974 to $49,086 as the Company terminated its agreement with a service provider in 2017 and introduced a patient self-pay pricing model for its tests. Marketing and promotion costs decreased by $242,058 (93%) as certain sponsorship agreements and other marketing activities were not pursued in light of the strategic review initiated by the Company in August 2017.

 

General and administrative expenses

 

General and administrative expenses (excluding net foreign currency losses) increased by $210,519 (7%) to $3,144,178 during the year ended June 30, 2018. Personnel related costs increased by $270,993 (18%) as a result of the payout to the previous CEO on his departure in February 2018, as well as 3 additional headcount engaged in February 2018 to oversee the blockchain opportunities being pursued by the Company. This was offset by a decrease in audit, accounting and tax fees of $129,736 in line with streamlined commercial operations.

 

Laboratory, research and development costs

 

Laboratory, research and development costs decreased by $155,836 (7%) to $2,210,498 during the year ended June 30, 2018. As a result of lower test samples received, there was a reduction in 1 part time position, and 1 full time positions resigned during the year, which when combined with reductions in headcount in the previous year, resulted in a decrease in employee related costs of $216,041 (26%) to $611,888 during the year ended June 30, 2018. Patent and legal costs increased by $95,320 (22%) to $534,235 in the year ended June 30, 2018 as the Company continued to strengthen its patent portfolio around the BREVAGenplus technology and Colorectal Cancer research project. Laboratory materials related to in-house research and development work performed on the BREVAGenplus, colorectal cancer and other projects increased by $182,767 to $220,809 in the year ended June 30, 2018. This was offset by a decrease of $100,000 (100%) in fees payable to the University of Melbourne as part of the Colorectal Cancer research project.

 

Finance costs

 

Finance costs decreased by $3,152 (10%) to $28,843 during the year ended June 30, 2018. Finance costs incurred in the years ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 were primarily bank charges.

 

Non-Operating income and expenses

 

Other income and expenses included the following movements:

 

Research and development tax credit of $299,351 in the year ended June 30, 2018 increased by $46,192. The research tax credit is recognized on an accrual basis when realizable. There was an increase in laboratory supplies used in research activities of $182,767 as the Company refocused on the BREVAGenplus and colorectal cancer projects in the second half of the year, while license fees payable to the University of Melbourne for the colorectal cancer project decreased by $100,000.

 

Export Marketing And Development Grant of $126,907 for eligible expenditure related to the years ended June 30, 2016 and 2017 was received during 2018. The grant was not previously recognized by the Company as there was no reasonable assurance of receipt.

 

A net foreign currency gain of $128,360 (2017; loss of $175,871) was recorded for the year ended June 30, 2018. The profit is primarily driven by the translation of US dollar cash reserves to Australian dollars at June 30, 2018.

 

35 
 

 

An impairment expense of $544,694 was recognized in the prior year ending June 30, 2017 (2018: $ Nil) relating to the BREVAGen intangible assets. The assets were impaired in line with IAS 36, Impairment of Assets, and the Company’s accounting policy.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Summary

 

Since inception, our operations have been financed primarily from capital contributions by our stockholders, proceeds from our licensing activities and revenues from operations, grants, and interest earned on the Company’s cash and cash equivalents. Currently our overall cash position depends on completion of our research and development activities, and market acceptance of and revenue generated by our new genetic testing products. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents were $2,131,741 and $3,277,074 as of year ended June 30, 2019 and period ended December 31, 2019.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, we incurred comprehensive losses of $6,401,936. During the year ended June 30, 2018, we incurred comprehensive losses of $5,986,838

 

During the period ended December 31, 2019, we incurred comprehensive loss of $3,028,861. During the period ended December 31, 2018, we incurred comprehensive loss of $3,178,161.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company’s net cash flows used in continuing operations were $6,073,182. During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Company’s net cash flows used in continuing operations were $5,636,533.

 

During the period ended December 31, 2019, the Company’s net cash flows used in continuing operations were $2,859,251. During the period ended December 31, 2018, the Company’s net cash flows used in continuing operations were $3,703,002.

 

Management expects increased cash outflows from operations during the year ending June 30, 2020 as the Company continues to invest resources in expanding research and development activities in its suite of genetic screening tests targeting both cancer and non- oncological diseases, and exploring distribution opportunities in the U.S. and Asia. As a result of these expected cash outflows, the Company undertook a rights offering that closed in October 2019 in which it raised gross proceeds of $4,500,000, and is seeking to raise additional equity financing in this offering. On April 6, 2020, the Company closed a registered direct offering of 1,028,574 ADSs, each representing 600 ordinary shares, at a purchase price of US $1.75 per ADS or in Australian Dollars $0.0048 per share which led to raising US $1.5 million after transaction costs. On April 23, 2020, we closed a registered direct offering of 722,502 ADSs, each representing 600 ordinary shares, at a purchase price of US $2.00 per ADS (or Australian Dollars ($0.0053) per share) which led to raising US $1.2 million after transaction costs.

 

Going Concern. The longer-term viability of the Company and its ability to continue as a going concern and meet its debts and commitments as they fall due is dependent on the satisfactory completion of planned equity raisings which are not guaranteed. Due to our history of losses and cash outflows, and the uncertainty surrounding the timing, quantum or the ability to raise additional equity, there is a material uncertainty that casts significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and therefore, that it may be unable to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. In addition, the Company’s auditors have indicated in their report on our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, that conditions exist that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. On March 13, 2020, we received a determination letter from Nasdaq indicating that we did not comply with the stockholders’ equity rule. The Letter indicates that Listing Rule 5815(d)(4)(B) does not permit an issuer that is deficient in stockholders’ equity to present a plan of compliance to the Nasdaq Staff if such issuer has failed to comply with that provision within one year of a Hearing Panel (determination of compliance). The Letter states that since we are out of compliance with the equity rule within one year of the Compliance Letter, the Staff cannot allow us to submit a plan of compliance. We requested an appeal hearing with the Panel to review the delisting determination. Upon Nasdaq’s receipt of the hearing request by the Company, Nasdaq stayed the suspension of our securities and the filing of the Form 25-NSE pending the Panel’s decision. An oral hearing took place on April 30, 2020 with a determination expected to be received within 30 days of the hearing. There can be no assurance that the Panel will grant our request for continued listing, or that we will meet the equity rule during any compliance period or in the future, or otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards, or that Nasdaq will grant us any relief from delisting as necessary, or that we will be able to ultimately meet applicable Nasdaq requirements for any such relief. If our ADSs are de-listed from Nasdaq, it will have material negative impacts on the actual and potential liquidity of our securities, as well as material negative impacts on our ability to raise future capital. However, we believe that the Company will be successful in raising required capital when needed, and accordingly, have prepared our financial statements on a going concern basis. As such, no adjustments have been made to the financial statements relating to the recoverability and classification of the asset carrying amounts or classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

36 
 

 

Operating Activities. Our net cash used in operating activities was $6,073,182, $5,636,533 and $6,852,404 for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Cash used in operating activities for each period consisted primarily of losses incurred in operations reduced by impairment of intangible assets expenses, depreciation and amortization expenses, share based payments expenses, foreign exchange movements and unrealized profits and losses relating to investments. In approximate order of magnitude, cash outflows typically consist of staff-related costs, marketing expenses, service testing expenses, general and administrative expenses, legal/patent fees and research and development costs.

 

Our net cash used in operating activities was $2,859,251 and $3,703,002 for the period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Cash used in operating activities for each period consisted primarily of losses incurred in operations reduced by impairment of intangible assets expenses, depreciation and amortization expenses, share based payments expenses, foreign exchange movements and unrealized profits and losses relating to investments. In approximate order of magnitude, cash outflows typically consist of staff-related costs, marketing expenses, service testing expenses, general and administrative expenses, legal/patent fees and research and development costs.

 

Investing Activities. Our net cash from (used in) investing activities was $(524,460), $12,833 and $(143,384) for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Apart from the purchase of plant and equipment of $50,309 in 2019, $2,385 in 2018 and $234,799 in 2017, we had no other significant capital expenditures for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

 

Our net cash from (used in) investing activities was $(77,861) and $(3,255) for the period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. During the period ended December 31, 2019, $43,380 related to receipt from repayment of loans from related parties and $37,002 related to proceeds from sale of fixed assets. Apart from the purchase of plant and equipment of $2,521 in 2019 and $3,255 in 2018, we had no other significant capital expenditures for the period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

Financing Activities. Our net cash from (used in) financing activities was $3,126,162, $(9,963) and $7,110,049 for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company generated cash flows of $3,557,509 from the issue of ordinary shares less costs associated with the transactions of $431,347, and during 2018 no proceeds from share issues were received. During 2017, the Company generated cash flows of $8,049,369 from the issue of ordinary shares less costs associated with the transactions of $1,234,430.

 

Our net cash from (used in) financing activities was $4,048,476, and $1,364,794 for the period ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. During the period ended December 31, 2019, the Company mainly generated cash flows of $4,499,965 from the issue of ordinary shares less costs associated with the transactions, and during 2018 the Company generated $1,350,000 from the issue of ordinary shares less costs associated with the transaction.

 

Operating leases

 

We are obligated under two operating leases that were in place at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2019. These leases relate to the premises occupied by the Company in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia and by its U.S. subsidiary, Phenogen Sciences Inc., in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.A.

 

The future minimum lease payments in respect of the two operating leases that were in place and had remaining non- cancellable lease terms as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2019 were $516,628 and $ 362,087.

 

37 
 

 

Off-balance sheet arrangements

 

We are not a party to any material off-balance sheet arrangements. In addition, we have no unconsolidated special purpose financing or partnership entities that are likely to create any material contingent obligations.

 

Information about contractual obligations

 

The table below shows the contractual obligations and commercial commitments as of June 30, 2019:

 

    0-1 year     >1-<3 years     >3-<5 years    
Operating lease commitments   $ 250,068     $ 266,560     $  

 

The table below shows the contractual obligations and commercial commitments as of December 31, 2019:

 

    0-1 year     >1-<3 years     >3-<5 years  
Operating lease commitments   $ 224,780     $ 137,307     $  

 

The above financial obligations are in respect of leases over office and laboratory premises.

 

On July 3, 2018 the lease agreement for the Fitzroy premises in Melbourne was extended for 3 years from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2021. In addition, Phenogen Sciences Inc. vacated the Harris Corners Parkway office in Charlotte in July 2018, and entered into a two year lease agreement effective July 23, 2018 for premises at 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.

 

Our principal business is biotechnology, with a historical emphasis on genomics and genetics, the licensing of our non- coding patents, reduction to practice of our fetal cell patents and expansion of the related service testing business. Research and development expenditure as below is reflective of the intense focus by the scientific and laboratory team to develop and market a suite of world-leading predictive genetic tests.

 

The following table details historic R&D expenditure by project.

 

    Six Month Period Ended December 31, 2019     2019     2018     2017  
          (in A$)  
RareCellect (1)                 12,555       10,782  
BREVAGenplus           228,643       266,723       216,121  
Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment Test           14,286       114,315       114,651  
Ohio State University                 48,377          
Other general R&D           67,774       18,544       77,044  
Polygenic Risk Testing     422,895                    
Total R&D expense     422,895       310,703       460,514       418,598  
Other expenditure     2,931,223       7,160,114       5,634,088       8,847,846  
Total expenditure     3,354,118       7,470,817       6,094,602       9,266,444  
R&D as a % of total expenditure     12.6 %     4.17 %     8 %     5 %

  

 

(1)  The RareCellect project ceased during 2014. The costs incurred since then relate to legal fees associated with the patent portfolio.

 

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BUSINESS

 

Corporate Information

 

Our corporate headquarters and laboratory is located at 60-66 Hanover Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia and our telephone number is +-61 3 8412 7000. The offices of our U.S. subsidiary, Phenogen Sciences Inc., are located at 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina 28269. The telephone number for the Phenogen Sciences office is (877) 992-7382. Our website address is www.gtglabs.com. The information in our website is not incorporated by reference into prospectus and should not be considered as part of this prospectus.

 

Our Australian Company Number (ACN) is 009 212 328. Our Australian Business Number (ABN) is 17 009 212 328. We operate pursuant to our constitution, the Australian Corporations Act 2001, the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange, the Marketplace Rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market and, where applicable, local, state and federal legislation in the countries in which we operate.

 

On November 28, 2019, our shareholders approved a change of the Company’s name to “Genetype Limited” to better reflect our current business strategy and product branding. The name change will not be effective until we make the requisite filings with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, which is anticipated to occur in 2020.

 

Recent Developments

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a negative impact on global markets and business activity, which has had an effect on the operations of the Company, including but not limited to that sales of our products have been impacted not only by the inability for consumers to visit their practitioners but also the difficulty our sales team is having in arranging face to face meetings with practitioners. Our sales team has found it very difficult to reach practitioners to build on the sales momentum created prior to the pandemic, thus, sales have effectively ceased for the short term. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has done the following:

 

  Moved forward with its Consumer Initiated Testing platform (CIT), as previously announced on April 1, which allows for consumers to directly request any of the Company’s tests online with a practitioner involved in the process via telemedicine. Once the CIT platform goes live, which is anticipated to be within the next sixty days, we believe it will ensure that sales will be able to recommence in the event a lockdown is maintained and it opens up another significant sales channel.
  Began the process of attempting to make available our existing lab facilities for the conducting of COVID-19 testing via existing Polymerase Chain Reaction (or PCR) (a method of amplifying DNA prior to analysis) equipment and personnel.
  We have also commenced work on a Polygenic Risk Score (or PRS) test for COVID-19, which may allow for the assessment of risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. The proposed test will be designed using the same strategies used to build our existing GeneType for breast and colorectal cancer tests. Our objective will be to produce a test that can predict “disease severity” using either genetic information alone (PRS) or a combination of genetic and clinical information. Biobank data will be interrogated to discover any informative genetic and phenotypic associations. At this time, we are not certain whether an association exists between genetic or phenotypic variants and risk of an individual contracting a serious disease as a result of the contracting the COVID-19 virus. If such associations are identified, they will be incorporated into a proprietary algorithm to potentially predict future disease severity.

 

These new COVID-19 related activities may provide some revenue opportunities for us in the short term and will assist in the development of additional tests the company is currently working on. We have not made significant progress to date that would lead to orders or requests to increase capacity and there is no guarantee we will ever receive orders or requests.

 

Description of our Business

 

Founded in 1989, Genetic Technologies listed its ordinary shares on the ASX (GTG) in 2000 and its ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market (GENE) in 2005. Genetic Technologies is a molecular diagnostics company that offers predictive testing and assessment tools to help physicians proactively manage women’s health. The Company’s legacy product, BREVAGenplus, was a clinically validated risk assessment test for non-hereditary breast cancer and was first in its class. BREVAGenplus improved upon the predictive power of the first generation BREVAGen test and was designed to facilitate better informed decisions about breast cancer screening and preventive treatment plans. BREVAGenplus expanded the application of BREVAGen from Caucasian women to include African-Americans and Hispanics, and was directed towards women aged 35 years or above who have not had breast cancer and have one or more risk factors for developing breast cancer.

 

The Company successfully launched the first generation BREVAGen test across the U.S. via its U.S. subsidiary Phenogen Sciences Inc., and believes the addition of BREVAGenplus, launched in October 2014, significantly expanded the applicable market. The Company marketed BREVAGenplus to healthcare professionals in comprehensive breast health care and imaging centers, as well as to obstetricians/gynecologists (OBGYNs) and breast cancer risk assessment specialists (such as breast surgeons).

 

In May 2019, the Company announced that it had developed two new cancer risk assessment tests branded as GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer. The new breast cancer test provides substantial improvement over the Company’s legacy breast cancer test BREVAGenplus, by incorporating multiple additional clinical risk factors. This test will provide healthcare providers and their patients with a 5-year and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing breast cancer. The colorectal cancer test will provide healthcare providers and their patients a 5-year, 10-year, and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing colorectal cancer.

 

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Both tests require the patient to submit a DNA sample to our testing laboratory for analysis. Currently, we have a fully-licensed laboratory in Australia at which we previously analyzed samples provided by users of our BREVAGen and BREVAGenplus testing products. We intend to open additional laboratories in the United States and other locations across the globe as demand increases for our testing products and services.

 

Our Strategy

 

Our goal is to become the global leader in the development, commercialization and sale of genetic risk assessment tests that empower individuals to manage and reduce their risk of contracting cancer and other chronic diseases. We are currently poised to launch commercial sales in Australia of our two leading products, GeneType for Breast Cancer, and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer, with sales of these products in the United States expected to commence in the second quarter of 2020.

 

We are also currently developing genetic risk assessment tests for the following diseases:

 

●Cardiovascular Disease — target launch fourth quarter of 2020

●Type 2 Diabetes — target launch second quarter of 2020

●Prostate Cancer — target launch third quarter of 2020

●Melanoma — target launch fourth quarter of 2020

 

With the release of our GeneType for Breast Cancer, and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer predictive genetic tests, and a pipeline of new tests under development, we believe that we are poised to increase collaboration with world-leading genetics institutes and research facilities and to commence product distribution in multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S. and China, in addition to Australia.

 

The Company’s Genetic Testing Business

 

Following the acquisition of Genetype AG in 1999 and the subsequent renaming to Genetic Technologies Limited, the Company focused on establishing a genetic testing business, which over the following decade saw it become the largest provider of paternity and related testing services in Australia. The Company’s service testing laboratory in Melbourne became the leading non-Government genetic testing service provider in Australia. The genetic testing services of the Company expanded to include at certain times:

 

  Medical testing
  Animal Testing
  Forensic Testing
  Plant Testing

 

The acquisition of GeneType AG also provided the Company with ownership rights to a potentially significant portfolio of issued patents. During the intervening years, organic growth and the acquisition of intellectual property assets from third parties increased the Company’s patent portfolio. The patent portfolio is constantly reviewed in an effort to ensure that we maintain potentially important patents while at the same time keeping costs to a minimum by no longer pursuing less commercially attractive and relevant intellectual property.

 

In April 2010 we purchased various assets from Perlegen Sciences, Inc. of Mountain View, California, which included a breast cancer non-familial risk assessment test, BREVAGen. We then began validating the test in our Australian laboratory and initiated the process for obtaining CLIA certification which would enable the Company to undertake the testing of samples received from the U.S. market. By July 2010, a new U.S. subsidiary named Phenogen Sciences Inc. had been incorporated by the Company in Delaware to market and distribute the BREVAGen test across the United States.

 

In September 2014, management made a strategic decision to divest non-core assets and focus on the genetic risk assessment market. The Australian genetics business had been fundamental to the Company’s development as a specialized genetic testing service provider, and more recently, a foundation to enter the molecular diagnostics market via BREVAGen.

 

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In October 2014, we announced the U.S. release of BREVAGenplus, an easy-to-use predictive risk test for the millions of women at risk of developing sporadic, or non-hereditary, breast cancer, representing a marked enhancement in accuracy and broader patient applicability, over our first generation BREVAGen product. We also made a pivotal change of sales and marketing emphasis toward large comprehensive breast treatment and imaging centers, which are more complex entities with a longer sales cycle, but higher potential.

 

GeneType for Breast Cancer

 

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women. It is estimated that in the United States approximately one in eight women will develop the disease in their lifetime; in 2018 over 250,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and approximately 40,000 died as a result. Thus, there is a need to predict which women will develop the disease and to apply measures to prevent it.

 

The identification in 2007 of a number of genetic biomarkers, consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), each with an associated small relative risk of breast cancer, led to the development of the first commercially available genetic risk test for sporadic breast cancer, BREVAGen. The Company launched the product in the U.S. in June 2011. In October 2014, we released our next generation breast cancer risk assessment test, BREVAGenplus. This new version of the test incorporated a 10-fold expanded panel of SNPs, known to be associated with the development of sporadic breast cancer, providing an increase in predictive power relative to its first-generation predecessor test. In addition, the new test was clinically validated in a broader population of women including, African American and Hispanic women. This increased the applicable market applicable to the first generation test beyond Caucasian women, and simplified the marketing process in medical clinics and breast health centers in the U.S.

 

The expanded panel of SNPs incorporated into our breast cancer tests were identified from multiple large-scale genome-wide association studies and subsequently tested in case-control studies utilizing specific Caucasian, African American and Hispanic patient samples.

 

BREVAGenplus was a clinically validated, predictive risk test for sporadic breast cancer which examined a woman’s clinical risk factors, combined with seventy seven scientifically validated SNPs to allow for more personalized breast cancer risk assessment and risk management.

 

In May 2019, we announced the development of our next generation breast cancer risk assessment test, GeneType for Breast Cancer. The new breast cancer test provided substantial improvement over our legacy breast cancer test BREVAGenplus by incorporating key clinical risk factors: family history, mammographic breast density and polygenic risk. This test will provide healthcare providers and their patients with a 5-year and lifetime risk assessment of the patient developing breast cancer.

 

Having a family history of breast cancer is a known risk factor for breast cancer. However, most women who develop breast cancer do not have an extensive family history of the disease. Because breast cancer is a relatively common disease, it is not unusual for more than one family member to develop cancer (including breast cancer) during their lifetime. Only about 5-10% of breast cancer can be explained by an inherited gene mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. However, a family history on either the mother’s side or the father’s side increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The magnitude of risk associated with a family history of breast cancer increases with the number of family members affected and the younger their ages at diagnosis.

 

Dense breast tissue refers to the appearance of breast tissue on a mammogram. Having dense breasts increases the chance that breast cancer may go undetected by a mammogram, since dense breast tissue can mask a potential cancer. Furthermore, high breast density is an important stand-alone risk factor for developing breast cancer. In most U.S. states there is now a legal requirement to inform women if they are identified as having high breast density.

 

We believe that there are over 90 million women in the United States over the age of 35 who will benefit from using a breast cancer risk assessment using the GeneType technology. The newly developed GeneType for Breast Cancer test is aimed at providing the most accurate risk assessment for breast cancer, whether or not the patient has a family history of breast cancer or has been identified as having high breast density. Sales of GeneType for Breast Cancer are expected to commence in Australia in the first quarter of 2020, and in the United States in the second quarter of 2020.

 

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GeneType for Colorectal Cancer

 

Globally in 2018, an estimated 1.8 million people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC), almost 10% of all cancers. In the United States, 1 in 22 men and 1 in 24 women will receive a colorectal cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.

 

Detection relies on screening programs that unaffected individuals typically avoid, despite how crucial early detection is to survival.

 

Accurate risk assessment to determine those individuals at a higher risk is important for providing personalized screening and intervention plans. Questionnaire-based risk assessment models perform well on a population level, but are less able to predict “individual” risk. GeneType for Colorectal Cancer is designed to address this and enable “personalized” risk assessment. Most national screening programs only use age as a risk factor, where all patients within an age range are invited to screening. Tests that more accurately identify those patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer, such as GeneType for Colorectal Cancer, have the potential to impact healthcare at the system level down to the patient level. One reason being, patients can be flagged as “high risk” and therefore offered more intensive surveillance and/or risk reducing options.

 

GeneType for Colorectal Cancer targets men and women 30 years of age or older and individuals of Caucasian descent. We intend to broaden the applicable market for this test as we introduce future versions of GeneType for Colorectal Cancer. GeneType for Colorectal Cancer is the only genomic-based colorectal risk assessment that combines genetic risk markers with clinical risk markers to provide an integrated colorectal cancer risk score for the patient. This test minimizes the uncertainty associated with self-reported risk factors and incorporates an unambiguous combination of SNPs to calculate the CRC polygenic risk score.

 

Patients are stratified into risk categories of either average or increased risk compared to that of the population average. Tailored prevention and surveillance options for those at increased risk include personalized screening regimens, risk reducing medications and lifestyle changes.

 

We believe that there are over 200 million men and women in the United States over the age of 30 who will benefit from using a colorectal cancer risk assessment using the GeneType technology. Sales of GeneType for Colorectal Cancer are expected to commence in Australia in the third quarter of 2020, and in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2020.

 

Intellectual Property

 

In April 2010, we acquired several granted and pending U.S. patents relating to our breast cancer risk assessment tests from Perlegen Sciences, Inc. of Mountain View, California. We subsequently added additional patents to our intellectual property portfolio to protect our genetic risk assessment products. We also rely on trademarks, copyrights of our branded images, and unpublished, proprietary trade secrets to protect our intellectual property.

 

Our intellectual property portfolio currently consists of 11 granted and pending families of patents that we maintain in key markets, including the United States, Australia, the European Union, China and South-East Asia. We protect product and company trademarks under the Madrid Protocol.

 

In addition to our owned patents, we license certain Australian provisional patents from the University of Melbourne relating to risk assessment of colorectal cancer, and we license an algorithm that generates polygenic risk scores relating to risk assessment for breast cancer from Cambridge Enterprise Limited.

 

The climate in the United States for genetic and biotech patents in general, has been particularly challenging over the past five years and the patent portfolio is constantly reviewed in an effort to ensure that we maximize our product protection in light of the changing interpretations imposed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

 

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Government Regulations

 

CLIA AND FDA Regulations

 

The tests on samples provided to purchasers of our products are processed at our laboratory in Melbourne, Australia. In April 2011, we obtained certification of our Australian laboratory under the U.S. Clinical Laboratories Improvements Amendments of 1988 (“CLIA”), as regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”). This certification enables the Company to accept and test samples from U.S. residents.

 

A re-certification from CMS (i.e., paper survey), was performed in November 2013 and another on-site re-certification was conducted in February 2016. A paper survey was again conducted in November 2017 and the Company’s next scheduled re-certification survey is due in November 2019. In addition, the New York State Department of Health, Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (“CLEP”) inspected our laboratory under the NYS DOH CLEP guidelines and in August 2013 we received a Clinical Laboratory Permit from the New York State Department of Health. This permit, which allows the Company to offer its risk assessment tests to residents of the State of New York, completed the final out-of-state licensure allowing the Company to provide testing services to all 50 U.S. states. Since the initial survey by the State of New York, our laboratory has been successful in submitting documents via the NYS eCLEP Health Commerce System for each subsequent year to date. Although no firm date has been provided, the laboratory is expecting an on-site visit in the near future.

 

From its headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria, the Company’s laboratory holds a number of accreditations including:

 

  The CLIA license required for all laboratories offering testing the U.S.;
  The CLEP license, an additional certification required to offer tests in New York State; and
  A Medical Device Establishment License (MDEL) required for Canada.

 

Physicians who order clinical tests for their patients have historically represented the primary source of our testing volume. Fees invoiced to patients and third parties are based on our fee schedule, which may be subject to limitations imposed by third-party payors. The clinical laboratory industry is highly regulated and subject to significant and changing Federal and state laws and regulations. These laws and regulations affect key aspects of our business, including licensure and operations, billing and payment for laboratory services, sales and marketing interactions with ordering physicians, security and confidentiality of health information, and environmental and occupational safety. Oversight by government officials includes regular inspections and audits. We seek to and believe that we do conduct our business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

 

CLIA, extends Federal licensing requirements to all clinical laboratories (regardless of the location, size or type of laboratory), including those operated by physicians in their offices, based on the complexity of the tests they perform. CLIA also establishes a stringent proficiency testing program for laboratories and includes substantial sanctions, such as suspension, revocation or limitation of a laboratory’s CLIA certificate (which is necessary to conduct business), and significant fines and/or criminal penalties.

 

We believe the Company is in compliance with all applicable federal and state laboratory requirements. Under CLIA, we remain subject to state and local laboratory regulations. CLIA provides that a state may adopt laboratory regulations that are more stringent than those under federal law, and some states require additional personnel qualifications, quality control, record maintenance and other requirements.

 

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has consistently claimed that it has the authority to regulate laboratory-developed tests (“LDTs”) such as ours, that are developed, validated and performed only by a CLIA certified laboratory, it has historically exercised enforcement discretion in not otherwise regulating most LDTs and has not required laboratories that furnish LDTs to comply with the agency’s requirements for medical devices (e.g., establishment registration, device listing, quality systems regulations, premarket clearance or premarket approval, and post-market controls). More recently, the FDA has indicated that it will apply a risk-based approach to determine the regulatory pathway for all in-vitro diagnostics, which includes LDTs, as it does with all medical devices. Accordingly, the regulatory pathway for our LDTs will depend on the level of risk to patients, based on the intended use of the LDT and the controls necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of the LDTs safety and effectiveness. The two primary types of marketing pathways for medical devices are clearance of a premarket notification under Section 510(k) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or 510(k), and approval of a premarket approval application, or PMA.

 

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HIPAA and other privacy laws

 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), established comprehensive federal standards for the privacy and security of health information. The HIPAA standards apply to three types of organizations: health plans, healthcare clearing houses, and healthcare providers that conduct certain healthcare transactions electronically (“Covered Entities”). Title II of HIPAA, the Administrative Simplification Act, contains provisions that address the privacy of health data, the security of health data, the standardization of identifying numbers used in the healthcare system and the standardization of certain healthcare transactions. The privacy regulations protect medical records and other protected health information by limiting their use and release, giving patients the right to access their medical records and limiting most disclosures of health information to the minimum amount necessary to accomplish an intended purpose. The HIPAA security standards require the adoption of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards and the adoption of written security policies and procedures.

 

On February 17, 2009, Congress enacted Subtitle D of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. HITECH expanded and strengthened HIPAA, created new targets for enforcement, imposed new penalties for noncompliance and established new breach notification requirements for Covered Entities. Regulations implementing major provisions of HITECH were finalized on January 25, 2013 through publication of the HIPAA Omnibus Rule (the “Omnibus Rule”).

 

Under HITECH’s breach notification requirements, Covered Entities must report breaches of protected health information that has not been encrypted or otherwise secured in accordance with guidance from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “Secretary”). Required breach notices must be made as soon as is reasonably practicable, but no later than 60 days following discovery of the breach. Reports must be made to affected individuals and to the Secretary and, in some cases depending on the size of the breach; they must be reported through local and national media. Breach reports can lead to investigation, enforcement and civil litigation, including class action lawsuits.

 

In addition to the federal privacy and security regulations, there are a number of state laws regarding the privacy and security of health information and personal data that are applicable to clinical laboratories. Many states have also implemented genetic testing and privacy laws imposing specific patient consent requirements and protecting test results by strictly limiting the disclosure of those results. State requirements are particularly stringent regarding predictive genetic tests, due to the risk of genetic discrimination against healthy patients identified through testing as being at a high risk for disease. We believe that we have taken the steps required of us to comply with health information privacy and security statutes and regulations, including genetic testing and genetic information privacy laws in all jurisdictions, both state and federal. However, these laws constantly change and we may not be able to maintain compliance in all jurisdictions where we do business. Failure to maintain compliance, or changes in state or federal laws regarding privacy or security could result in civil and/or criminal penalties, significant reputational damage and could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Environmental and Safety Laws and Regulations

 

We are subject to laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment, the health and safety of employees and the handling, transportation and disposal of medical specimens, infectious and hazardous waste and radioactive materials. For example, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has established extensive requirements relating specifically to workplace safety for healthcare employers in the U.S. This includes requirements to develop and implement multi-faceted programs to protect workers from exposure to blood-borne pathogens, including preventing or minimizing any exposure through needle stick injuries. For purposes of transportation, some biological materials and laboratory supplies are classified as hazardous materials and are subject to regulation by one or more of the following agencies: the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Public Health Service, the United States Postal Service and the International Air Transport Association. We generally use third-party vendors to dispose of regulated medical waste, hazardous waste and radioactive materials and contractually require them to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

 

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Our operations are also subject to environmental regulations under Australian State legislation. In particular, the Company is subject to the requirements of the Environment Protection Act 1993. A license has been obtained under this Act to produce listed waste.

 

Transparency Laws and Regulations

 

A federal law known as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (the “Sunshine Act”) requires medical device manufacturers to track and report to the federal government certain payments and other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals and ownership or investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. There are also state “sunshine” laws that require manufacturers to provide reports to state governments on pricing and marketing information. Several states have enacted legislation requiring medical device manufacturers to, among other things, establish marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports with the state, make periodic public disclosures on sales and marketing activities, and such laws may also prohibit or limit certain other sales and marketing practices. These laws may adversely affect our sales, marketing, and other activities by imposing administrative and compliance burdens on us. If we fail to track and report as required by these laws or to otherwise comply with these laws, we could be subject to the penalty provisions of the pertinent state and federal authorities.

 

Product Distribution

 

Despite significant resource allocation and efforts by a dedicated sales team, sales of BREVAGenplus were insufficient to defray the costs of the sales team. By late 2017, management decided that its sales strategy was not working and disbanded much of the sales infrastructure in the U.S. and transitioned to an ecommerce based solution that allowed consumers to initiate testing online. Management then designed a “pivot plan” in an effort to reposition the Company, refine and improve products and reload with a newly developed approach to market. We intend to introduce the new GeneType for Colorectal Cancer and GeneType for Breast Cancer genetic tests to healthcare providers through a global network of distribution partners.

 

Although we are not currently selling our products in the United States, we have maintained a limited number of sales personnel and other employees in North Carolina and Texas. These employees have maintained their connections to health influencers and clinicians. In addition to our own sales personnel, we expect to engage a number of third party distribution partners to distribute our products in the United States through a variety of sales channels, including direct-to-consumer. We expect to commence the distribution of our products in the United States during the second quarter of 2020.

 

Reimbursement and Clinical Studies

 

Prior to April 2017, our payment model relied on a traditional reimbursement system by Preferred Provider Organizations (“PPOs”) and other third party payors, which required credentialing our products with those payors. With effect from April 1, 2017, the Company transitioned to a direct patient self-pay program. Converting to a direct pay relationship with patients was aimed at providing economic and process certainty to the transaction for the healthcare provider and the patient. The change eliminated reimbursement issues from PPO and other third-party payors, including low levels of reimbursement, prolonged payment time, patient confusion around eligibility and financial responsibility and poor coverage.

 

This shift also has reduced our reliance on clinical utility studies that had been designed as a means to achieve reimbursement coverage through the private insurers. We recognize however that scientific papers are an essential marketing tool, and that scientific and clinical data are key drivers in to help strengthen our commercial position. We intend to explore opportunities to engage in further research collaborations to support clinical utility. Physicians and the major breast health centers seek multiple points of confirmation that the medical device works as intended and leads to a meaningful improvement in women’s health. Therefore, the more papers that are published regarding our genetic tests, profiling product performance characteristics including clinical validity and utility, the more likely physicians will be to use the tests.

 

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The Company had previously conducted multiple scientific studies to develop and validate the first generation BREVAGen test and also created two health economic models to demonstrate potential cost savings and health benefits associated with the BREVAGen test. Importantly, the research undertaken and published based on the original version of our test remains applicable to our new GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer tests.

 

Research & Development Projects

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, we supported the following research and development programs, details of which are provided below:

 

  Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Test (GeneType for Breast Cancer)
  Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment Test (GeneType for Colorectal Cancer)
  Research collaboration with Translational Genomics Research Institute (“TGen”)
  Research Agreement executed with Memorial Sloan Kettering New York Cambridge University
  Research collaboration with The Ohio State University
  Expanded range of other cancer and disease target predictive risk assessment tests

 

In previous years, other projects, which have since been terminated or otherwise commercialized, have also been supported by the Company. The Company is constantly seeking new opportunities and plans to focus more on research and development activities in the future. In addition, we plan on having our science and management team engage with the world’s leading scientific experts working on predictive genetic testing and its role within world health systems. Historically, some projects have arisen from new inventions made by the Company while some have been made by others who have approached the Company seeking collaboration and support for their activities.

 

Collaboration with the University of Melbourne

 

On November 29, 2016, we announced the signing of an exclusive worldwide license agreement with The University of Melbourne for the development and commercialization of a novel colorectal cancer (CRC) risk assessment test. The core technology behind this test was developed by a research team at the University’s Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, with results from preliminary modelling studies first published online in Future Oncology on 1 February 2016, in a Paper entitled “Quantifying the utility of single nucleotide polymorphisms to guide colorectal cancer screening,” 2016 Feb: 12(4), 503-13. This simulated case-control study of 1 million patients indicated that a panel of 45 known susceptibility SNPs can stratify the population into clinically useful CRC risk categories. In practice, the technology could be used to identify people at high risk for CRC who should be subjected to intensive screening, ultimately reducing the risk of occurrence and death from the disease. Those identified as low risk of CRC can be spared expensive and invasive screening, thereby preventing adverse events and unjustified expenses.

 

A scientific validation study supporting this work has been completed, and a report of the research program progress has been delivered to the Company. While the terms of the Agreement are confidential, these events represent an important first milestone in the development of a new test as the Company seeks to diversify its product pipeline and become a key player in the SNP-based cancer risk assessment landscape.

 

TGen Collaboration

 

TGen is an Arizona-based, non-profit biomedical research institute dedicated to conducting ground-breaking research with life-changing results. TGen works to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, infectious disease, and rare childhood disorders. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope in Duarte, California, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. During 2019 we entered into agreements with TGen under which TGen will conduct a clinical study of the utility of our GeneType for Breast Cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer risk assessment tests utilizing TGen’s extensive network of cancer center clinicians.

 

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We also intend to work with TGen in the development of a commercialization strategy and infrastructure development for a suite of polygenic risk tests to be made available in the U.S. The clinical trials to be conducted will require the Company to invest a modest amount of financial resources to demonstrate and document clinical utility and practitioner acceptance.

 

Research Collaboration Memorial Sloan Kettering New York Cambridge University

 

In early 2019, our U.S. subsidiary entered into a Research Agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York and the University of Cambridge. This collaborative research study is to be led by Mark Robson, MD, Chief of the Breast Medicine Service at Sloan Kettering. The study is intended to assess whether the provision of individual risk information informed by a polygenic risk score reduces decisional conflict among BRCA mutation carriers considering preventive surgery.

 

We believe this collaboration will benefit the Company by its engagement and collaboration with high profile cancer genetics researchers who are at the forefront of risk assessment research, and by providing us with data that may potentially be beneficial in developing additional risk assessment products.

 

Research Collaboration with The Ohio State University

 

On June 15, 2017 the Company executed a Clinical Study Agreement with The Ohio State University, Technology Commercialization Office and Division of Human Genetics. This is an “investigator-initiated” study in which the Company was approached to be the collaborating partner, reflecting the growing awareness of the Company’s expertise in SNP-based risk assessment.

 

Under this Agreement, we will supply novel SNP-based genotyping for a clinical research study, through our CLIA laboratory facility, on a fee for service basis. The Company will be responsible for the development and validation of the new assay, although the fundamental technology is similar to the BREVAGenplus test and will fit synergistically into the Company’s existing laboratory infrastructure and processes. Importantly, if the first phase of the study is successful, several other major genetics centers in the U.S. have expressed an interest in joining the study.

 

This collaborative study provides two tangible benefits for the Company:

 

  (i)  engagement and collaboration with high profile cancer genetics researchers in the U.S. who are at the forefront of risk assessment research; and
     
  (ii) the resulting data can be used to inform the design of future pipeline products

 

While sample collection by the University has been slower than expected during the current year, the Company remains committed to delivering a high standard of service as envisaged under the terms of the agreement.

 

Competition

 

The medical diagnostics and biotechnology industries are subject to intense competition. As more information regarding cancer genomics and personalized medicine becomes available to the public, we anticipate that more products aimed at identifying cancer risk will be developed and that these products may compete with ours. However, the use of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), for disease risk prediction is still a relatively new field of medicine.

 

We believe that until recently there have been no active direct competitors marketing an assay similar to that of our breast cancer risk assessment products in the sporadic breast cancer risk assessment space. However, in March 2019, Genomics PLC announced that it was developing polygenic risk tests for several common diseases including breast cancer. In addition, Myriad Genetic Laboratories Inc. announced in December 2017 that it will market a new breast cancer risk-prediction tool, which we believe will compete with our GeneType for Breast Cancer test. Similarly, Ambry Genetics Corporation sells a precision risk tool that provides lifetime breast cancer risk information. Other organizations such as 23andMe and Color Genomics in the U.S. have also over the past few years developed SNP based risk tests that while not currently direct competitors to our products, are attracting significant consumer interest.

 

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In recent years, a number of other organizations, including deCODE (Iceland), 23andMe, Intergenetics, and Navigenics (subsequently acquired by Life Technologies — now ThermoFisher) have attempted to commercialize SNP-based genetic tests, to both physicians and consumers, to assess sporadic breast cancer risk in relevant patient populations. But either due to a lack of adequate and compelling scientific validation, and/or sufficient commercial impetus and capability, these efforts have led to lackluster market adoption, resulting in either the dissolution of these businesses or a marked change in their strategy. New entrants that we are aware of that are in early stages of product development include Counsyl Inc. and Invitae Corporation in the U.S.

 

There are also a number of academic centers and affiliated research and development bodies, in the U.S. and in Europe, that are reportedly exploring the validity and clinical viability of SNP-based commercial tests in the clinical setting, but it is unclear to what extent these entities currently represent a direct or indirect potential competitive liability to the Company. A number of established, mature laboratory services companies, such as Ambry Genetics, and Laboratory Corporation of America, among others, have the demonstrable product development, marketing skill and resources to enter into this market for sporadic breast cancer risk assessment. Many of these larger potential competitors have already established name and brand recognition and more extensive collaborative relationships, but again, it is unclear to what extent these potential competitive threats could manifest in the near-to-long term.

 

Our competitive position in the genetic testing area is based upon, amongst other things, our ability to:

 

  continue to strengthen and maintain scientific credibility through the process of obtaining scientific validation through clinical trials supported by peer-reviewed publication in medical journals;
     
  create and maintain scientifically-advanced technology and offer proprietary products and services;
     
  continue to strengthen and improve the messaging regarding the importance and value that our cancer risk assessment tests provides to patients and physicians;
     
  diversify our product offerings in disease types other than breast cancer;
     
  obtain and maintain patent or other protection for our products and services;
     
  obtain and maintain required government approvals and other accreditations on a timely basis; and
     
  successfully market our testing products.

 

If we are not successful in meeting these goals, our business could be adversely affected. Similarly, our competitors may succeed in developing technologies, products or services that are more effective than any that we are developing or that would render our technology and services obsolete, noncompetitive or uneconomical.

 

48 
 

 

Corporate Structure

 

The diagram below shows the corporate structure of the Genetic Technologies and its subsidiaries as of the date of this prospectus. All of our subsidiaries in the chart below are wholly-owned.

 

 

Property, Plant and Equipment

 

As of the date of this prospectus, we are party to the following leases:

 

Fitzroy, Victoria

 

We rent offices and laboratory premises located at 60-66 Hanover Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia (an inner suburb of Melbourne) from Crude Pty. Ltd. The three year lease is due to expire on August 31, 2021. The total rental charge in respect of the year ended June 30, 2019 was approximately $208,445.

 

Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Phenogen Sciences Inc., our U.S. subsidiary, rents offices at 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina under a two year lease agreement that became effective July 23, 2018.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES

 

The following table sets forth information regarding our current directors:

 

Name   Age   Position
Dr. Jerzy (George) Muchnicki   63   Interim Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Lindsey Wakefield   61   Non-Executive Director
Mr. Peter Rubenstein   53   Non-Executive Director
Mr. Nick Burrows   60   Non-Executive Director

 

49 
 

 

The following table sets forth information regarding our current senior managers:

 

Name   Age   Position
Mr. Phillip Hains, MBA, CA   59   Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Justyn Stedwell   39   Company Secretary
Dr. Richard Allman   59   Scientific Director

 

Biographical information regarding our directors and senior managers is presented below.

 

Dr. Jerzy (George) Muchnicki (Interim Chief Executive Officer)

 

Dr. Muchnicki was appointed to the Board on January 31, 2018 and was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer on September 24, 2019. Prior to his appointment as Interim Chief Executive Officer, he was a part time Business Development Director for the Company. Dr. Muchnicki graduated from Monash University having held positions in private practice for some 25 years to head of student health at Melbourne University. For the past 14 years he has been mostly involved in commercialization and funding R&D in the biotechnology sector from gene silencing to regenerative medicine.

 

Dr. Muchnicki brings with him strong commercial and medical skills, including broad interests in software development, blockchain and sustainable building materials. He is a co-founder and Non-Executive Director of Speed Panel Holdings a world leader in fire rated and acoustic wall solutions. He is also the co-founder of Candlebets, a software development company that is creating blockchain enabled platforms for the gaming industry.

 

Dr. Lindsay Wakefield, MBBS (Non-Executive Director)

 

Dr. Wakefield was appointed to the Board on September 24, 2014. He started Safetech in 1985 and over the next 25 years Safetech became a force in the Australian material handling and lifting equipment market, designing and manufacturing a wide range of industrial products. In 1993, he left medicine to become the fulltime CEO of Safetech. In 2006 Safetech was awarded the Telstra Australian National Business of the Year. In 2013 Safetech merged and ultimately acquired Tieman Materials Handling. Dr. Wakefield continues as the CEO of Safetech. It is Australia’s largest manufacturer and supplier of dock equipment, freight hoists and custom lifting solutions. Safetech employs approximately 100 people. Dr. Wakefield has been a biotech investor for more than 20 years.

 

Mr. Peter Rubinstein (Non-Executive Director)

 

Mr. Peter Rubinstein was appointed to the Board on January 31, 2018. He has over 20 years’ experience in early stage technology commercialization through to public listings on the ASX. He is a lawyer, having worked at one of the large national firms prior to moving in house at Montech, the commercial arm of Monash University. Mr. Rubinstein has had significant exposure to the creation, launch and management of a diverse range of technology companies including in biotech, digital payments and renewable energy. Peter is also Chairman of DigitalX Limited (DCC) and an advisor to Blockchain Global Limited.

 

Mr. Nick Burrows (Non-Executive Director)

 

Mr. Burrows was appointed to the Board on September 1, 2019. He is a contemporary independent Non-Executive Director across the listed, government and private sectors with significant expertise in corporate governance, and strategic, commercial, financial and risk management oversight. His current diverse multi-sector portfolio includes Non-Executive Directorships of Clean Seas Seafood Limited, Metro Tasmania Pty Ltd, TasWater, and a number of private companies. Mr. Burrows also provides board, governance, audit and risk advisory services to entities within the IT, tourism and hospitality, debt recovery, agribusiness, forestry, and Local/State Government sectors. Mr. Burrows was Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Tassal Group Limited for 21 years from 1988 to 2009 and accordingly brings to the Board strong independent c-suite commercial experience and the benefits of an extensive and contemporary senior executive ASX200 listed entity background. Mr. Burrows is a respective Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Governance Institute of Australia Ltd and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and is also a Chartered Accountant and Registered Company Auditor. Mr. Burrows also served as National President of the Governance Institute of Australia in 2002 and served on their National Board for 6 years.

 

50 
 

 

Mr. Phillip Hains, MBA, CA (Chief Financial Officer)

 

Phillip Hains was appointed as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer on July 15, 2019. Mr. Hains is a Chartered Accountant and specialist in the public company environment. He has served the needs of a number of public company boards of directors and related committees. He has over 30 years’ experience in providing accounting, administration, compliance and general management services. He holds a Master of Business Administration from RMIT and a Public Practice Certificate from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.

 

Mr. Justyn Stedwell (Company Secretary)

 

Justyn Stedwell was appointed as the Company Secretary on July 15, 2019. Mr. Stedwell is a professional Company Secretary consultant with over 10 years’ experience acting as a Company Secretary of ASX listed companies across a wide range of industries. He is currently the Company Secretary of several ASX listed companies.

 

Dr. Richard Allman, PhD (Scientific Director)

 

Dr. Allman joined the Company in 2004 and was appointed as Scientific Director in December 2012. He has over 20 years of scientific and research experience in both the academic arena in the UK and the commercial sector in Australia. He has wide experience in research leadership, innovation management, and intellectual property strategy, covering oncology, diagnostics, and product development. Prior to entering the biotech sector, Dr. Allman’s academic career encompassed oncology research, drug development, and assay design.

 

Family Relationships

 

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.

 

Compensation

 

Details of the nature and amount of each major element of the compensation of each director of the Company and each of the named officers of the Company and its subsidiaries, for services in all capacities during the year ended June 30, 2019 are listed below. All figures are stated in Australian dollars (AUD). The Company’s directors and officers are not a party to any contracts or agreements with the Company that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

 

                      Post-     Other              
                      employment     long-     Share-        
Name and title of         Short-term     Superannuation     term     based        
Non-Executive Directors   Year     Salary/fees     Other     *     benefits     Options     Totals  
          A$     A$     A$     A$     A$     A$  
Dr. Lindsay Wakefield     2019       67,462             6,409             5,615       79,486  
Mr. Peter Rubinstein     2019       67,462             6,409             7,486       81,357  
Mr. Xue Lee (1)     2019       58,330             5,541             28,849       92,720  
Totals             193,254             18,359             41,950       253,563  

 

 

(1) Mr. Lee resigned as a Non-executive Director on July 9, 2019.

 

51 
 

 

Name and title of         Short-term     Post-employment    

Other

long-term

    Share-based     Termination        
Executives Directors   Year     Salary/fees     Other     Superannuation*     benefits**     Options ***     benefits     Totals  
          A$     A$     A$     A$     A$     A$     $A  
                                                 
Dr. Paul Kasian (1)     2019       192,410       8,745       18,279             76,368             295,802  
Former Chairman and Interim CEO                                                                
                                                                 
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki (2)     2019       82,995       (1,200 )     7,884             9,358             99,037  
Interim CEO; Business Development Director                                                                
                                                                 
Management                                                                
                                                                 
Dr. Richard Allman (3)     2019       168,600       72,865       20,319       4,124       36,486             302,394  
Scientific Director                                                                
Kevin Fischer (4)     2019       101,644       48,364       12,785       (3,390 )     (6,276 )           153,127  
Chief Financial Officer                                                                
Paul Viney (5)     2019       89,519       6,965       8,504                         104,989  
Chief Financial Officer                                                                
Sub-totals for Executives             635,168       128,194       67,772       734       115,936             955,349  
Total remuneration of Key management personnel     2019       828,422       135,739       86,131       734       157,886             1,208,912  

 

 

Notes pertaining to changes during the year:

 

(1) Dr. Kasian was appointed as the Chairman on January 31, 2018 and interim CEO on February 6, 2018, having previously served as a Non-Executive Director since his appointment in December 2013. Of the total remuneration, $94,536.78 relates to Director Fees. Dr. Kasian resigned on September 24, 2019 from all of his positions with the Company. Dr. Kasian’s resignation was not due to any internal disagreements with us.

 

(2) Dr. Muchnicki was engaged to do business development work on January 31, 2018. During the years ended June 30, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Muchnicki performed these duties as Additional Director Duties, rather than as an Executive role. Dr. Muchnicki was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer on September 24, 2019.

 

(3) “Other” includes a bonus paid or payable to Dr. Allman in the amount of $45,286 under a retention bonus scheme awarded to key management personnel (“KMP”).

 

(4) “Other” includes a bonus paid or payable to Mr. Fischer in the amount of $47,032 under a retention bonus scheme awarded to KMP. Mr. Kevin Fischer resigned on December 31, 2018.

 

(5) Mr. Paul Viney was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary on December 15, 2018 and subsequently resigned from these positions on July 15, 2019. Mr. Viney’s resignation was not due to any internal disagreements with us.

 

Referencing the previous two tables:

* Post-employment benefits as per Corporations Regulation 2M.3.03 (1) Item 7

** Other long-term benefits as per Corporations Regulation 2M.3.03 (1) Item 8

*** Equity settled share-based payments as per Corporations Regulation 2M.3.03 (1) Item 11

 

52 
 

 

Options exercised, granted, and forfeited as part of remuneration during the year ended June 30, 2019

 

Details of the options held by the Executives nominated as Key Management Personnel during the year ended June 30, 2019 are set out below. As at June 30, 2019, there were 2 executives and 12 employees who held options that had been granted under the Company’s respective option plans.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019 no options granted as equity compensation benefits to Executives were exercised, and 5,000,000 new options were granted as equity compensation benefits to Executives. The following options previously granted as equity compensation benefits to Executives were forfeited during the year.

 

Name of

Executive

 

Options

Lapsed

   

Options

forfeited

    Exercise price    

Fair value per

option

    Final vesting date
Mr. Eutillio Buccilli(1)     8,328,125           $ 0.020     $ 0.0161     June 30, 2018
Mr. Eutillio Buccilli(1)     3,131,944           $ 0.020     $ 0.0139     June 30, 2018
Mr. Eutillio Buccilli(1)     2,776,042           $ 0.020     $ 0.0100     June 30, 2018
Mr. Kevin Fischer(2)     2,925,000           $ 0.020     $ 0.0161     June 30, 2018
Mr. Kevin Fischer(2)     1,100,000           $ 0.020     $ 0.0139     June 30, 2018
Mr. Kevin Fischer(2)     975,000           $ 0.020     $ 0.0100     June 30, 2018
Mr. Kevin Fischer(3)           5,000,000     $ 0.020     $ 0.0050     Nov 22, 2019
TOTAL     19,236,111       5,000,000                      

 

 

(1) The Company agreed to vesting 7,118,056 options which were originally set to vest on June 30, 2018 — all to be subject to the Company’s option plan (including the exercise or lapsing of all of those 14,236,111 options within 60 days of 3 months from termination date through a termination deed. As at June 30, 2019 the options had not been exercised and were lapsed on June 30, 2019.

 

(2) 5,000,000 options held by Mr. Kevin Fischer also lapsed on June 30, 2019 through accelerated vesting due to his departure.

 

(3) The remaining 5,000,000 options held by Mr. Kevin Fischer were forfeited during the year. The reversal expense of forfeited options were valued at $ 6,276.43.

 

During the six month period ended December 31, 2019, no options were issued as part of remuneration to the Executives of the Key Management Personnel.

 

However, as announced on October 4, 2019, the Company undertook an underwritten non-renounceable pro-rata entitlement offer at an Issue Price of 0.4 cents per new share.

 

On October 11, 2019, the Company updated the market to advise that the offer was from that time agreed to be underwritten by Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd and that two of the Company’s directors (Peter Rubinstein and Dr. George Muchnicki), had agreed to sub-underwrite the offer. Both directors, in conjunction with the underwriter Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd, subsequently agreed amongst themselves to alter the respective sub-underwritten amounts, but the total to be sub-written between them ($2 million) remained same, as did the total underwritten amount (of $4 million).

 

Accordingly, the underwritten offer subsequently was sub-underwritten by Peter Rubinstein and Dr. George Muchnicki (each as up to $1 million) in conjunction with a consortium of non-associated wholesale investors (also as sub-underwriters) who in aggregate equate to the underwritten amount of $4 million, each in accordance with the terms of their separate sub-underwriting agreements with Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd (each a Sub-Underwriting Agreement).

 

53 
 

 

Dr. Muchnicki and Mr. Rubinstein reflecting the amount of their sub-writing commitment were to be granted on the same terms as all options to be granted to the relevant sub-underwriters. The number of options issued to both directors was calculated as 1 Option for every 2 Shares being sub-underwritten and were issued a total of 125,000,000 unlisted options to each of the directors.

 

As announced on October 11, 2019, within the rights issue offer document, upon exercise each such option converts into 1 fully paid share on terms consistent with the ASX Listing Rules; with a 3-year expiry date from grant and with an exercise price per underwriter option equal to the lower of:

 

• 0.008 cents; and

• The implicit price per share at which any raise done by Aegis capital within 3 months from the company’s shareholder meeting.

 

but in any event with a floor exercise price equal to 0.004 cents.

 

Fair values of options

 

Fair values at grant date are independently determined using a Black-Scholes option pricing model that takes into account the exercise price, the term of the option, the share price at grant date and expected price volatility of the underlying share, the expected divided yield and the risk-free interest rate for the term of the option.

 

 

Name of  

Opening

    Number of options    

Closing

    Vesting as at year end    

Financial

year

in

which

   

Fair

Value

yet to

 

option

holder

 

Balance as at July 01, 2018

    Granted     Exercised     Lapsed/Forfeited    

Balance as at June 30, 2019

    Exercisable    

Not

exercisable

   

options

vest

   

vest

$

 
Executive                                                      
Dr. Paul Kasian                                                      
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki*     6,666,667                               6,666,667       6,666,667               2015        
Mr. Richard Allman     10,000,000       5,000,000                       15,000,000       10,000,000       5,000,000       2021       2,550  
Mr. Kevin Fischer     10,000,000                       (10,000,000 )                              
Mr. Paul Viney                                                      
Totals     26,666,667       5,000,000               (10,000,000 )     21,666,667       16,666,667       5,000,000               2,550  

 

Options

 

We introduced a Staff Share Plan on November 30, 2001. On November 19, 2008, the shareholders of the Company approved the introduction of a new Employee Option Plan. Collectively, these Plans establish the eligibility of our employees and those of any subsidiaries, and of consultants and independent contractors to a participating company who are declared by the Board to be eligible, to participate. Broadly speaking, the respective Plans permits us, at the discretion of the Board, to issue traditional options (with an exercise price). The Plans conform to the IFSA Executive Share and Option Scheme Guidelines and, where participation is to be made available to staff who reside outside Australia, there may have to be modifications to the terms of grant to meet or better comply with local laws or practice.

 

54 
 

 

As of June 30, 2019, there was 1 executive and 12 employees who held options that had been granted under the Company’s respective option plans. Options issued under the Plan carry no rights to dividends and no voting rights.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, 16,000,000 options (expiring on December 11, 2021 with an exercise price of $0.01 vesting on June 30, 2019) to purchase ordinary shares pursuant to the Employee Option Plan were granted and out of the 24,236,111 options that had previously been issued to employees, 19,236,111 lapsed and 5,000,000 were forfeited. Option holders do not have any right, by virtue of their options, to participate in any share issue of the Company or any related body corporate.

 

As of June 30, 2019, there were employee options outstanding to purchase a total of 26,000,000 ordinary shares.

 

Options granted under the Employee Option Plan carry no rights to dividends and no voting rights and generally have an expiry date of nearly five years from the date of grant.

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company recorded a share-based payments expense in respect of the options granted of $341,201.

 

Performance Rights:

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Company also issued 76,250,000 long term performance rights as incentives to the Directors which were approved by the shareholders on November 29, 2018.

 

The following are the details of the performance rights:

 

  26,250,000 Class A Performance rights with an exercise price of $0.00 each. Vesting per resolution passed at 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and per the terms and conditions as set out below.
  25,000,000 Class B Performance rights with an exercise price of $0.00 each. Vesting per resolution passed at 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and per the terms and conditions as set below.
  25,000,000 Class C Performance rights with an exercise price of $0.00 each. Vesting per resolution passed at 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and per the terms and conditions as set out below.

 

Based on the independent valuation of the performance rights, the total value of the performance rights to be issued to each director (depending on the share price at issue) is as follows:

 

Valuation of Class A Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class A (cents)

   

Total fair value of Class

A Performance Rights

   

Expense accounted

for during the year

 
Dr. Paul Kasian     7,500,000       0.77     $ 57,750     $ 11,229  
Dr. Lindsay Wakefield     3,750,000       0.77     $ 28,875     $ 5,614  
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki     6,250,000       0.77     $ 48,125     $ 9,358  
Mr. Peter Rubinstein     5,000,000       0.77     $ 38,500     $ 7,486  
Mr. Xue Lee     3,750,000       0.77     $ 28,875     $ 5,614  

 

55 
 

 

Valuation of Class B Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class B (cents)

   

Class B Performance

Rights

   

Expense accounted for

during the year

 
Dr. Paul Kasian     25,000,000       0.77     $ 192,500     $ 37,431  
                                 

 

Valuation of Class C Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class C (cents)

   

Class C Performance

Rights

   

Expense accounted for

during the year

 
Dr. Paul Kasian     25,000,000       0.57     $ 142,500     $ 27,708  
                                 

 

The performance rights are not currently quoted on the ASX and as such have no ready market value. The performance rights each grant the holder a right of grant of one ordinary share in the Company upon vesting of the performance rights without the payment of any consideration. Accordingly, the performance rights may have a present value at the date of their grant. Various factors impact upon the value of performance rights including:

 

  the period outstanding before the expiry date of the performance rights;
     
  the underlying price or value of the securities into which they may be converted;
     
  the proportion of the issued capital as expanded consequent upon conversion of the performance rights into ordinary shares (i.e. whether or not the shares that might be acquired upon exercise of the options represent a controlling or other significant interest); and
     
  the value of the ordinary shares into which the performance rights may be converted.

 

There are various formulae which can be applied to determining the theoretical value of options (including the formula known as the Black-Scholes Model valuation formula and the Monte Carlo simulation).

 

Performance hurdles

 

The Class A Performance Rights vest and are exercisable upon the ordinary share price reaching $0.02 or greater for more than 10 day consecutive ASX trading days.

 

The Class B Performance Rights vest and are exercisable upon the ordinary share price reaching $0.02 or greater for more than 10 day consecutive ASX trading days and the Hainan Agreement being executed.

 

The Class C Performance Rights vest and are exercisable upon the Hainan Joint Venture being listed on a recognized stock exchange and the market capitalization of the Company’s interest in of this listed Joint Venture reaching $100 million or above and being sustained for more than 10 consecutive ASX trading days.

 

The Directors, being the recipients of the performance rights, must remained engaged by the Company at the time of satisfaction of the performance hurdle in order for the relevant Performance Right to vest.

 

The performance rights granted by the Company are as follows:

 

    2019     Fair Value    

Expiration

Date

Director                    
Dr Paul Kasian (Class A)(2)     7,500,000     $ 57,750     December 11, 2021
Dr Paul Kasian (Class B)(2)     25,000,000     $ 192,500     December 11, 2021
Dr Paul Kasian (Class C)(2)     25,000,000     $ 142,500     December 11, 2021
Mr. Peter Rubinstein (Class A)     5,000,000     $ 38,500     December 11, 2021
Mr. Xue Lee(1) (Class A)     3,750,000     $ 28,875     December 11, 2021
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki (Class A)     6,250,000     $ 48,125     December 11, 2021
Mr. Lindsay Wakefield (Class A)     3,750,000     $ 28,875     December 11, 2021
Balance at June 30, 2019     76,250,000     $ 537,125      

 

 

(1) Mr. Xue Lee resigned on July 9, 2019. Performance rights held by Mr. Lee have been forfeited as a result of his resignation.

(2) Dr. Kasian resigned on September 24, 2019. Performance rights held by Dr. Kasian have been forfeited as a result of his resignation.

 

56 
 

 

The expense during the year ended June 30, 2019 accounted for related to performance rights was $104,441.

 

This share based payment expense is included within selling and marketing costs, general and administrative costs, licensing, patent and legal costs, and laboratory research and development costs in the statement of comprehensive income/ (loss). The following is additional information relating to the options granted under the respective Plans as of June 30, 2019:

 

Options outstanding   Options exercisable        

Range of

exercise

prices

 

Number of

options

   

Weighted

average

exercise

price

   

Remaining

weighted

average

contractual

life (years)

   

Number of

options

   

Weighted

average

exercise price

 
$ 0.01 - $0.10     26,000,000     $ 0.010       2.36       19,000,000     $ 0.015  
$ 0.11 - $0.20     12,500,000     $ 0.015       2.28       12,500,000     $ 0.015  
      38,500,000     $ 0.011       2.16       31,500,000     $ 0.015  

 

    Performance rights outstanding    

Performance rights

exercisable

 

Range of

exercise

prices

 

Number of

options

   

Weighted

average

exercise

price

   

Remaining

weighted

average

contractual

life (years)

   

Number of

Perf. rights

   

Weighted

average

exercise price

 
$ 0.00 - $0.00     76,250,000     $ 0.00       2.45       76,250,000     $ 0.00  
      76,250,000     $ 0.00       2.45       76,250,000     $ 0.00  

 

The fair value for the options issued to employees during the year ended June 30, 2019 was estimated at the date of grant using either a Monte Carlo simulation analysis or Black-Scholes option pricing valuation model:

 

Risk Free Interest Rate     2.02 %
Expected Dividend Yield      
Historic and Expected Volatility     80 %
Option Exercise Prices   $ 0.010  
Weighted Average Exercise Price   $ 0.030  
Expected Lives     2.8 years  

 

Indemnification and Insurance with respect to Directors

 

We are obligated pursuant to an indemnity agreement, to indemnify the current Directors and executive officers and former Directors against all liabilities to third parties that may arise from their position as Directors or officers of the Company and our controlled entities, except where to do so would be prohibited by law. In addition, we currently carry insurance in respect of Directors’ and officers’ liabilities for current and former Directors, Company Secretary and executive officers or employees.

 

57 
 

 

The Board of Directors

 

Under our Constitution, our Board of Directors is required to be comprised of at least three Directors. As of the date of this prospectus, our Board is comprised of four Directors.

 

The role of the Board includes:

 

  (a) Reviewing and making recommendations in remuneration packages and policies applicable to directors, senior executives and consultants.
     
  (b) Nomination of external auditors and reviewing the adequacy of external audit arrangements.
     
  (c) Establishing the overall internal control framework over financial reporting, quality and integrity of personnel and investment appraisal. In establishing an appropriate framework, the board recognized that no cost effective internal control systems will preclude all errors and irregularities.
     
  (d) Establishing and maintaining appropriate ethical standards in dealings with business associates, suppliers, advisers and regulators, competitors, the community and other employees.
     
  (e) Identifying areas of significant business risk and implementing corrective action as soon as practicable after a risk is identified.
     
  (f) Nominating of audit and remuneration committee members.

 

The Board meets to discuss business regularly throughout the year, with additional meetings being held when circumstances warrant. Included in the table below are details of the meetings of the Board and the sub-committees of the Board that were held during the year ended June 30, 2019.

 

    Directors’ meetings   Audit Committee meetings  

Remuneration Committee

meetings

    Attended   Eligible   Attended   Eligible   Attended   Eligible
Dr. Paul Kasian (2)   15   15   4   4   1   1
Dr. Lindsay Wakefield   15   15   4   4   1   1
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki   14   15   2   2    
Mr. Peter Rubinstein   15   15   4   4   1   1
Mr. Xue Lee (1)   10   15   2   2    

 

 

(1) Mr. Xue Lee resigned on July 9, 2019

(2) Dr. Paul Kasian resigned on September 24, 2019

 

Committees of the Board

 

The Board has established an Audit Committee which operates under a specific Charter approved by the Board. It is the Board’s responsibility to ensure that an effective internal control framework exists within the entity. This includes internal controls to deal with both the effectiveness and efficiency of significant business processes, the safeguarding of assets, the maintenance of proper accounting records, and the reliability of financial information as well as non-financial considerations such as the benchmarking of operational key performance indicators.

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of a framework of internal control and ethical standards for the management of the Company to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also provides the Board with assurance regarding the reliability of financial information for inclusion in the financial reports. As at date of this prospectus, all of the members of the Audit Committee are independent Non-Executive Directors.

 

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The Remuneration Committee is, amongst other things, responsible for determining and reviewing remuneration arrangements for the Directors, the Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Leadership Team. The majority of the Committee is comprised of independent directors.

 

The Remuneration Committee assesses the appropriateness of the nature and amount of remuneration paid to Directors and Executives on a periodic basis by reference to relevant employment market conditions, with the overall objective of ensuring maximum shareholder benefit from the retention of a high quality Board and Senior Leadership Team.

 

Committee membership

 

As at the date of this prospectus, the composition of these two Committees are:
   
Audit Committee: Mr. Nicholas Burrows — Chairman of the Committee
  Dr. Lindsay Wakefield
   
Remuneration Committee: Dr. Lindsay Wakefield — Chairman of the Committee
  Mr. Peter Rubinstein

 

Compliance with Nasdaq Rules

 

Nasdaq listing rules require that we disclose the home country practices that we will follow in lieu of compliance with Nasdaq corporate governance rules. The following describes the home country practices and the related Nasdaq rule:

 

Majority of Independent Directors: We follow home country practice rather than Nasdaq’s requirement in Marketplace Rule 4350(c) (1) that the majority of the Board of each issuer be comprised of independent directors as defined in Marketplace Rule 4200. As of the date of this prospectus, the Board included three independent Directors, namely Mr. Nick Burrows, Mr. Peter Rubinstein and Dr. Lindsay Wakefield, which led to our Board of Directors being comprised of a majority of independent directors.

 

Compensation of Officers: We follow home country practice rather than Nasdaq’s requirement in Marketplace Rule 4350(c)(3) that chief executive compensation be determined or recommended to the Board by the majority of independent directors or a compensation committee of independent directors. Similarly, compensation of other officers is not determined or recommended to the Board by a majority of the independent directors or a compensation committee comprised solely of independent directors. These decisions are made by our remuneration committee which at June 30, 2019 is not comprised of a majority of independent directors. The members are however considered by the Board to currently be the “best fit” for the committee taking into account the current Board composition. As the operations of the Company develop, the Board will reassess the composition of the Remuneration Committee.

 

Nomination: We follow home country practice rather than Nasdaq’s requirement in Marketplace Rule 4350(c)(4) that director nominees be selected or recommended by a majority of the independent directors or by a nominations committee comprised of independent directors. These decisions are made by our full Board which is comprised of a majority of independent directors. The ASX does not have a requirement that each listed issuer have a nominations committee or otherwise follow the procedures embodied in the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Furthermore, no law, rule or regulation of the ASIC has such a requirement nor does the applicable corporate law legislation. Accordingly, selections or recommendations of director nominees by a committee that is not comprised of a majority of directors that are not independent is not prohibited by the laws of Australia.

 

Quorum: We follow home country practice rather than Nasdaq’s requirement in Marketplace Rule 4350(f) that each issuer provide for a quorum of at least 33 1/3 percent of the outstanding shares of the issuer’s ordinary stock (voting stock). Pursuant to our Constitution we are currently required to have a quorum for a general meeting of three persons. The practice followed by us is not prohibited by Australian law.

 

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Shareholder Approval for Capital Issuance: We have elected to follow certain home country practices in lieu of Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635. For example, we are entitled to an annual 15% of capital placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1 and where appropriate approvals are obtained, a further annual 10% placement capacity of securities (other than options) under ASX Listing Rule 7.1A without shareholder approval. For further information on the Company’s securities issuing capacity under Australian law, please refer “Description of Share Capital and Articles of Association” below. By way of example, if this amount of annual entitlement is aggregated with an additional placement of ordinary shares, including through the grant of options purchase ordinary shares, that exceeds 20% of the outstanding share capital, and assuming the Company cannot rely on its ASX Listing Rule 7.1A additional capacity of 10%, only the excess over the 15% annual allowance requires shareholder approval under Australian law.

 

Employees

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries, employed 16 full-time equivalent employees, of which seven are engaged in research and development and five are engaged in general and administrative functions. By geography, 13 of our employees are located in Australia, and three are located in the United States. The number of full-time equivalent employees as of the end of each respective financial year ended June 30 are as follows:

 

2019 – December       10  
2019       13  
2018       15  
2017       20  

 

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had one layoff and a reduction in days of 20%.

 

Share Ownership

 

The relevant interest of the directors in the share capital of the Company as notified by them to the Australian Securities Exchange in accordance with section 205G(1) of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 as of June 30, 2019 is as follows:

 

Director   Ordinary shares     Percentage of Capital held  
Dr. Paul Kasian     256,410       0.008 %
Dr. Lindsay Wakefield     8,325,263       0.283 %
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki     20,903,244       0.711 %
Mr. Peter Rubinstein     47,282,700       1.609 %
Mr. Nick Burrows     -0-       -0-  

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Since July 1, 2016, the only transactions between the Company, its subsidiaries and other related parties that occurred, are as listed below. Except where noted, all amounts were charged on similar to market terms and at commercial rates.

 

Blockchain Global Limited

 

In February 2018, the Company entered into a non-binding term sheet with Blockchain Global Limited (“BCG”) under which BCG would assist the Company in developing solutions utilizing blockchain technologies in exchange for the issuance of the Company’s ordinary shares to BCG. In June 2018, a framework agreement with BCG was entered formalizing the non-binding term sheet and providing milestones for the issuance of up to 486 million ordinary shares to BCG upon the execution of agreements by the Company relating to blockchain opportunities identified by BCG. The Company is not currently pursuing blockchain opportunities and does not anticipate doing so. Accordingly, no ordinary shares have been issued or are expected to be issued under the framework agreement, and no milestones have been achieved or are expected to be achieved. BCG’s rights to receive ordinary shares upon achieving milestones under the framework agreement lapse beginning December 27, 2019 through June 27, 2020.

 

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Mr. Sam Lee, a former director, has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 21% and is a director of BCG. Mr. Peter Rubinstein has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 8% and is a consultant to BCG. Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 3.4%. Dr. Paul Kasian was previously a director of BCG until July 2018.

 

Lodge Corporate

 

Dr. Kasian was a director of corporate finance and corporate advisor from December 2017 to February 2019 with Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd (“Lodge Corporate”). We engaged Lodge Corporate to perform corporate advisory services for us and had transactions worth $67,000 during the year ended June 30, 2019. Lodge Corporate was also compensated for acting as the underwriter in the Rights Offering as described below.

 

Underwriting of Rights Offering

 

On October 29, 2019, the Company completed a rights offering (the “Rights Offering”) in which it issued 1,125,000,000 ordinary shares at an issue price of A$0.004, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company before transaction costs of A$4,500,000. The Rights Offering was underwritten by Lodge Corporate and its sub-underwriters in the amount of A$4,000,000. Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki, a director of the Company and its Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Peter Rubinstein, a director of the Company, each agreed to sub-underwrite up to A$1,000,000 of the underwritten portion of the Rights Offering, and in consideration of their sub-underwriting commitments, each of them became entitled to be issued a three-year option to purchase 125,000,000 ordinary shares at an exercise price of A$0.008 per ordinary share. In addition, Mr. Peter Rubinstein and entities controlled by him purchased an aggregate of 200,849,309 ordinary shares in the Rights Offering, and Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki and entities controlled by him purchased an aggregate of 200,849,309 ordinary shares in the Rights Offering. Lodge Corporate was paid a commission of 2% of A$4,000,000 for acting as the underwriter in the Rights Offering.

 

PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

The following table shows the ownership of our ordinary shares as of May 1, 2020, by each member of our board of directors and executive officer. Except as set forth below, we are not aware of any beneficial holder of 5% or more of our ordinary shares. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Ordinary shares subject to options or warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of May 1, 2020 are deemed outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of the shareholder holding the options or warrants, but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of any other shareholder. Percentage of ownership is based on 5,113,779,743 ordinary shares outstanding as of May 1, 2020.

 

Names   Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
    Approximate
Percent
of Class
 
Officers and Directors                
Dr. Jerzy (George) Muchnicki (1)     346,352,553       6.6 %
Dr. Lindsey Wakefield (2)     8,325,263       *  
Mr. Peter Rubenstein (3)     373,132,009       7.1 %
Mr. Nick Burrows     -0-       -0-  
Mr. Phillip Hains, MBA, CA     -0-       -0-  
Mr. Justyn Stedwell     -0-       -0-  
Dr. Richard Allman     -0-       -0-  
                 
All Directors and  Executive Officers as a Group (7 Persons)     727,809,825       13.6 %

 

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* Represents beneficial ownership of less than one percent.
   
(1)

Consists of 211,952,553 ordinary shares held of record by MJGD Nominees Pty Ltd, of which Dr. Muchnicki is a director and shareholder, and 9,400,000 ordinary shares held of record by JM Investment Group, of which Dr. Muchnicki is a director and shareholder. Also includes 125,000,000 ordinary shares that may be acquired upon exercise of options.  

   
(2) Includes 7,754,763 ordinary shares held of record by Wakko Enterprises Pty Ltd, of which Dr. Wakefield is a director and shareholder.
   
(3)

Consists of 115,632,010 ordinary shares held by Irwin Biotech Nominees Pty Ltd, of which Mr. Rubenstein is a director and shareholder, and 132,499,999, ordinary shares held by RIP Opportunities Pty Ltd, of which Mr. Rubenstein is a director and shareholder. Also includes 125,000,000 ordinary shares that may be acquired upon exercise of options.

 

The Company wishes to maintain flexibility on potential capital raisings in the current challenging market conditions. As part of this flexibility, the Directors have indicated that in order to demonstrate support for the Company’s capital raising efforts, they would be prepared to subscribe for additional Shares in the Company either as part of a capital raising with non-associated third parties or, if the Company’s circumstances require, as a stand-alone investment in the Company (if needed).

 

The issue price per share will be determined by the Company, but in any event it will not be less than 80% of the volume weighted average price of shares on ASX over the last 5 days on which sales in the shares were recorded on ASX before the date of the issue of the relevant shares. The maximum number of securities to be issued to the person will be up to 1 billion fully paid ordinary shares. The funds to be received from the allotment of the Shares are to be used for general working capital necessary to maintain its capital adequacy and listing on NASDAQ. On April 20, 2020, the Company held a General Meeting during which the Shareholders approved the resolution to issue shares to the directors.

 

The Company is not aware of any direct or indirect ownership or control of it by another corporation(s), by any foreign government or by any other natural or legal person(s) severally or jointly. Principal shareholders do not enjoy any special or different voting rights from those to which other holders of ordinary shares are entitled. The Company does not know of any arrangements, the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of the Company.

 

Record Holders

 

As of May 1, 2020, there were 4,510 holders of record of our ordinary shares, of which 33 record holders, holding less than one percent of our ordinary shares, had registered addresses in the United States. These numbers are not representative of the number of beneficial holders of our shares nor are they representative of where such beneficial holders reside, since many of these ordinary shares were held of record by brokers or other nominees. The majority of trading by our U.S. investors is done by means of ADSs that are held of record by HSBC Bank Australia Limited, which held approximately 53.7% of our ordinary shares as of such date.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

 

The following description of our share capital is only a summary.

 

Our constituent document or governing rules is a Constitution. Our Constitution is subject to the terms of the Listing Rules of the ASX and the Australian Corporations Act 2001. The rights and restrictions attaching to ordinary shares are derived through a combination of our Constitution, the common law applicable to Australia, the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange, the Corporations Act 2001 and other applicable law. A general summary of some of the rights and restrictions attaching to ordinary shares are summarized below. Each ordinary shareholder is entitled to receive notice of and to be present, to vote and to speak at general meetings.

 

We encourage you to read our Constitution which is included as an exhibit to this registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. We do not have a limit on our authorized share capital and do not recognize the concept of par value under Australian law. Subject to restrictions on the issue of securities in our Constitution, the Corporations Act 2001 and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange and any other applicable law, we may at any time issue shares and grant options or warrants on any terms, with the rights and restrictions and for the consideration that the board of directors determine.

 

Dividends

 

Holders of ordinary shares are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by the board of directors. All dividends are declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares in respect of which the dividend is paid. As of the date of this Prospectus, there have been no dividends paid to holders of ordinary shares.

 

Any dividend unclaimed after a period of twelve years from the date of declaration of such dividend shall be paid to, and held by, the Public Trustee of Victoria. The payment by the board of directors of any unclaimed dividend, interest or other sum payable on or in respect of an ordinary share into a separate account shall not constitute us as a trustee in respect thereof.

 

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Constitution

 

Our constituent document is a Constitution which is similar in nature to the by-laws of a company incorporated under the laws of the U.S. Our Constitution does not provide for or prescribe any specific objects or purposes of the Company. Our Constitution is subject to the terms of the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange and the Corporations Act 2001. Our Constitution may be amended or repealed and replaced by special resolution of shareholders, which is a resolution passed by at least 75% of the votes cast by shareholders who vote by person or proxy at a duly convened shareholders meeting.

 

Shareholders Meetings

 

We must hold an annual general meeting within five months of the end of each fiscal year. Our end of fiscal year is currently June 30 each year. At the annual general meeting, shareholders typically consider the annual financial report, directors’ report and auditor’s report and vote on matters, including the election of directors, the appointment of the auditor (if necessary). We may also hold other meetings of shareholders from time to time. The annual general meeting must be held in addition to any other meetings which we may hold.

 

The board of directors may call and arrange a meeting of shareholders, when and where they decide. The directors must call a meeting of shareholders when requested by shareholders who hold at least 5% of the votes that may be cast at the meeting or at least 100 members who are entitled to vote at the meeting or as otherwise required by the Corporations Act 2001. Shareholders with at least 5% of the votes that may be cast at a meeting may also call and hold a general meeting, subject to the notification requirements of the Corporations Act 2001.

 

Unless applicable law or our Constitution requires a special resolution, a resolution of shareholders is passed if more than 50% of the votes at the meeting are cast in favor of the resolution by shareholders in person or proxy entitled to vote upon the relevant resolution. A special resolution is passed if the notice of meeting sets out the intention to propose the special resolution and it is passed if at least 75% of the votes at the meeting are cast by shareholders in person or proxy entitled to vote upon the relevant resolution.

 

A special resolution usually involves more important questions affecting the Company as a whole or the rights of some or all of our shareholders. Special resolutions are required in a variety of circumstances under our Constitution and the Corporations Act 2001, including without limitation:

 

 

to change our name;
to amend or repeal and replace our Constitution;
to approve the terms of issue of preference shares;
to approve the variation of class rights of any class of shareholders;
to convert one class of shares into another class of shares;
to approve certain buy backs of shares;
to approve a selective capital reduction of our shares;
to approve financially assisting a person to acquire shares in the Company;
to remove and replace our auditor;
to change our company type;
with the leave of an authorized Australian court, to approve our voluntary winding up;
to confer on a liquidator of the Company either a general authority or a particular authority in respect of compensation arrangements of the liquidator; and
to approve an arrangement entered into between a company about to be, or in the course of being, wound up.

 

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Shareholder Voting Rights

 

At a general meeting, every shareholder present (in person or by proxy, attorney or representative) and entitled to vote has one vote on a show of hands. Every shareholder present (in person or by proxy, attorney or representative) and entitled to vote has one vote per fully paid ordinary share and that portion of a vote for any partly paid share that the amount paid on the partly paid share bears to the total amounts paid and payable, on a poll. This is subject to any other rights or restrictions which may be attached to any shares. In the case of an equality of votes on a resolution at a meeting (whether on a show of hands or on a poll), the chairman of the meeting has a deciding vote in addition to any vote that the chairman of the meeting has in respect of that resolution.

 

Issue of Shares and Changes in Capital

 

Subject to our Constitution, the Corporations Act 2001, the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange and any other applicable law, we may at any time issue shares and grant options or warrants on any terms, with preferred, deferred or other special rights and restrictions and for the consideration and other terms that the directors determine. Our power to issue shares includes the power to issue bonus shares (for which no consideration is payable to the Company), preference shares (including redeemable preference shares) and partly paid shares.

 

Pursuant to the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange, our Board may in their discretion issue securities to persons who are not related parties of our Company, without the approval of shareholders, if such issue, when aggregated with securities issued by us during the previous 12-month period would be an amount that would not exceed 15% of our issued share capital at the commencement of the 12-month period (or a combined limit of up to 25% of our issued share capital, subject to certain conditions, if prior approval for the additional 10% is obtained from shareholders at our annual meeting of shareholders). Other allotments of securities require approval by an ordinary resolution of shareholders unless these other allotments of securities fall under a specified exception under the Listing Rules.

 

The Company may issue preference shares, by approval of a special majority, which is a resolution of which notice has been given and that has been passed by at least 75% of the voting rights represented at the meeting, in person, by proxy, or by written ballot and entitled to vote on the resolution. There are no preference shares issued or allotted as at the date of this prospectus.

 

Subject to the requirements of our Constitution, the Corporations Act 2001, the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange and any other applicable law, we may:

 

consolidate or divide our share capital into a larger or smaller number by resolution passed by shareholders at a general meeting;
     
reduce our share capital by special resolution passed by at least 75% of the votes cast by shareholders who vote by person or proxy at a duly convened shareholders meeting (and are not otherwise excluded by law) provided that the reduction is fair and reasonable to our shareholders as a whole, and does not materially prejudice our ability to pay creditors;
     
undertake an equal access buyback of our ordinary shares by ordinary resolution of shareholders (although if we have bought back less than 10% of our shares over the period of the previous 12 months, shareholder approval may not be required); and
   
undertake a selective buyback of certain shareholders’ shares by special resolution passed by at least 75% of the votes cast by shareholders who vote by person or proxy at a duly convened shareholders meeting (and are not otherwise excluded by law), with no votes being cast in favor of the resolution by any person whose shares are proposed to be bought back or by their associates.

 

In certain circumstances, including the division of a class of shares into further classes of shares, the issue of additional shares or the issue of a new class of shares, we may require the approval of any class of shareholders whose rights are varied or are taken to be varied by special resolution of shareholders generally and by special resolution of the holder of shares in that class whose rights are varied or taken to be varied.

 

Dividends may be paid on shares of one class but not another and at different rates for different classes.

 

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Exchange Controls

 

Australia has largely abolished exchange controls on investment transactions. The Australian dollar is freely convertible into U.S. dollars. In addition, there are currently no specific rules or limitations regarding the export from Australia of profits, dividends, capital or similar funds belonging to foreign investors, except that certain payments to non-residents must be reported to the Australian Cash Transaction Reports Agency, which monitors such transaction, and amounts on account of potential Australian tax liabilities may be required to be withheld unless a relevant taxation treaty can be shown to apply.

 

Takeover Approval Provisions

 

Any proportional takeover scheme must be approved by those shareholders holding shares included in the class of shares in respect of which the offer to acquire those shares was first made. The registration of the transfer of any shares following the acceptance of an offer made under a scheme is prohibited until that scheme is approved by the relevant shareholders.

 

The Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975

 

Under Australian law, in certain circumstances foreign persons are prohibited from acquiring more than a limited percentage of the shares in an Australian company without approval from the Australian Treasurer. These limitations are set forth in the Australian Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act, or the Takeovers Act.

 

Under the Takeovers Act, as currently in effect, any foreign person, together with associates, or parties acting in concert, is prohibited from acquiring 20% or more of the shares in any company having total assets of A$275 million or more (or A$1,192 million or more in case of U.S. investors). “Associates” is a broadly defined term under the Takeovers Act and includes:

 

spouses, lineal ancestors and descendants, and siblings;

 

● partners, officers of companies, the company, employers and employees, and corporations;

 

their shareholders related through substantial shareholdings or voting power;

 

corporations whose directors are controlled by the person, or who control a person; and

 

associations between trustees and substantial beneficiaries of trust estates.

 

In addition, a foreign person may not acquire shares in a company having total assets of A$275 million or more (or A$1,192 million or more in case of U.S. investors) if, as a result of that acquisition, the total holdings of all foreign persons and their associates will exceed 40% in aggregate without the approval of the Australian Treasurer. If the necessary approvals are not obtained, the Treasurer may make an order requiring the acquirer to dispose of the shares it has acquired within a specified period of time. The same rule applies if the total holdings of all foreign persons and their associates already exceeds 40% and a foreign person (or its associate) acquires any further shares, including in the course of trading in the secondary market of the ADSs. At present, we do not have total assets of A$275 million or more and therefore no approval would be required from the Australian Treasurer (other than in respect of the announced temporary FIRB changes arising from COVID-19 as referred to below).

 

Each foreign person seeking to acquire holdings in excess of the above caps (including their associates, as the case may be) would need to complete an application form setting out the proposal and relevant particulars of the acquisition/shareholding. The Australian Treasurer then has 30 days to consider the application and make a decision. However, the Australian Treasurer may extend the period by up to a further 90 days by publishing an interim order. The Australian Treasurer has issued a guideline titled Australia’s Foreign Investment Policy which provides an outline of the policy. The policy provides that the Treasurer will reject an application if it is contrary to the national interest.

 

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If the level of foreign ownership exceeds 40% at any time, we would be considered a foreign person under the Takeovers Act. In such event, we would be required to obtain the approval of the Australian Treasurer for us, together with our associates, to acquire (i) more than 20% of an Australian company or business with assets totaling over A$275 million; or (ii) any direct or indirect ownership in Australian residential real estate and certain non-residential real estate.

 

The percentage of foreign ownership in us would also be included determining the foreign ownership of any Australian company or business in which it may choose to invest. Since we have no current plans for any such acquisition and do not own any property, any such approvals required to be obtained by us as a foreign person under the Takeovers Act will not affect our current or future ownership or lease of property in Australia.

 

Our Constitution does not contain any additional limitations on a non-resident’s right to hold or vote our securities.

 

Australian law requires any off market transfer of our shares to be made in writing. Otherwise, while our ordinary shares remain listed on the ASX, transfers take place electronically through the ASX’s exchange process and requirements. No stamp duty will be payable in Australia on the transfer of ADSs.

 

Under the Takeovers Act, as currently in effect, the Australian Commonwealth Government has announced in the light of COVID-19 conditions all proposed foreign investments into Australia subject to the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act will now require approval irrespective of the value of the investment or the nature of the foreign investor and that review period has been extended up to 6 months.

 

Liquidation Rights

 

After satisfaction of the claims of creditors, preferential payments to holders of outstanding preference shares and subject to any special rights or restrictions attached to shares, on a winding up, any available assets must be used to repay the capital contributed by the shareholders and any surplus must be distributed among the shareholders in proportion to the number of fully paid shares held by them. For this purpose a partly paid share is treated as a fraction of a share equal to the proportion which the amount paid bears to the total issue price of the share before the winding up began.

 

If we experience financial problems, the directors may appoint an administrator to take over our operations to see if we can come to an arrangement with our creditors. If we cannot agree with our creditors, Genetic Technologies Limited may be wound up.

 

A receiver, or receiver and manager, may be appointed by order of a court or under an agreement with a secured creditor to take over some or all of the assets of a company. A receiver may be appointed, for example, because an amount owed to a secured creditor is overdue.

 

We may be wound up by order of a court, or voluntarily if our shareholders pass a special resolution to do so. A liquidator is appointed when a court orders a company to be wound up or the shareholders of a company pass a resolution to wind up the company. A liquidator is appointed to administer the winding up of a company.

 

Pre-Funded Warrants

 

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the pre-funded warrants that are being offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of pre-funded warrant, the form of which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of pre-funded warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the pre-funded warrants.

 

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Duration and Exercise Price

 

Each pre-funded warrant offered hereby will have an initial exercise price per share equal to $0.0001. The pre-funded warrants will be immediately exercisable and will expire when exercised in full. The exercise price and number of ADSs issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our ADSs and the exercise price.

 

Exercisability

 

The pre-funded warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of ADSs purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of the pre-funded warrant to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% of the outstanding ordinary shares immediately after exercise, except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase the amount of beneficial ownership of outstanding stock after exercising the holder’s pre-funded warrants up to 9.99% of the number of ordinary shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the pre-funded warrants. Purchasers of pre-funded warrants in this offering may also elect prior to the issuance of the pre-funded warrants to have the initial exercise limitation set at 9.99% of our outstanding ordinary shares.

 

Cashless Exercise

 

If, at the time a holder exercises its pre-funded warrants, a registration statement registering the issuance of the ADSs underlying the pre-funded warrants under the Securities Act is not then effective or available for the issuance of such shares, then in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of ADSs determined according to a formula set forth in the pre-funded warrants.

 

Transferability

 

Subject to applicable laws, a pre-funded warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the pre-funded warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

 

Fractional Shares

 

No fractional ADSs will be issued upon the exercise of the pre-funded warrants. Rather, the number of ADSs to be issued will be rounded to the nearest whole number.

 

Trading Market

 

There is no trading market available for the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system. The ADSs issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants are currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

Right as a Stockholder

 

Except as otherwise provided in the pre-funded warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of ADSs, the holders of the pre-funded warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our ADSs, until they exercise their pre-funded warrants. The pre-funded warrants will provide that holders have the right to participate in distributions or dividends paid on our ADSs.

 

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Fundamental Transaction

 

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the pre-funded warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our ordinary shares, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding ordinary shares, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding ordinary shares, the holders of the pre-funded warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the pre-funded warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, will register and deliver ADSs. Each ADS represents six hundred ordinary shares (or a right to receive six hundred ordinary shares) deposited with HSBC Bank Australia Limited, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS also represents any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs are administered, and its executive offices, are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

 

You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American depositary receipt, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by holding ADSs in the Direct Registration System, or (B) indirectly through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold the ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADR holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

 

The Direct Registration System is a system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be confirmed by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.

 

As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. Australian law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the shares underlying the ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs set out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American depositary receipt. Directions on how to obtain copies of those documents are provided under “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

 

Dividends and Other Distributions

 

If we Pay a Dividend or Other Distribution, How Will You Receive Dividends and Other Distributions on the Shares?

 

In the event that we pay a cash dividend or make another distribution, the depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares the ADSs represent.

 

  Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADR holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

 

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    Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. The depositary will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
     
  Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares.
     
  Rights to Purchase Additional Shares. If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may make these rights available to you. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.
     
  If the depositary makes rights available to you, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to you. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay.
     
  U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.
     
  Other Distributions. The depositary will send to you anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute
     
  the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to you unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution.

 

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

 

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

 

How Are ADSs Issued?

 

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto.

 

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How Do ADS Holders Cancel an ADS?

 

You may turn in the ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, if feasible.

 

Voting Rights

 

How Do You Vote?

 

You may instruct the depositary to vote the deposited securities, but only if we ask the depositary to ask for your instructions. Otherwise, you won’t be able to exercise your right to vote unless you withdraw the shares. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the shares.

 

If we ask for your instructions, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how you may instruct the depositary to vote the shares or other deposited securities underlying the ADSs as you direct. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of Australia and our Constitution, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct or as described below. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the deposit agreement, the depositary will not exercise a discretionary proxy in respect of the deposited securities for which it has not timely received instructions.

 

If we ask the depositary to solicit your instructions but the depositary does not receive voting instructions from you by the specified date, it will consider you to have authorized and directed it to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the number of ordinary shares represented by your ADSs. The depositary will give a discretionary proxy in those circumstances to vote on all questions as to be voted upon unless we notify the depositary that:

 

  we do not wish to receive a discretionary proxy;
     
  there is substantial shareholder opposition to the particular questions; or
     
  the particular question would have an adverse impact on our shareholders.

 

We are required to notify the depositary if one or more of the conditions specified above exists.

 

We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

 

In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we will try to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date.

 

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Fees and Expenses

 

Persons Depositing or Withdrawing Shares Must    
Pay:   For:
     
US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)   Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property
      Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates
US$0.02 (or less) per ADS   Any cash distribution to you
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs   Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders
Expenses of the depositary   Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)
    Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian have to pay on any ADS or share underlying an ADS, for example, stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes   As necessary
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities   As necessary
US$0.02 (or less) per ADS per year   Depositary services

 

The depositary collects its fees for issuance and cancellation of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

 

Payment of Taxes

 

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on the ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of the ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of the ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by the ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by the ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

 

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers    
If we:   Then:

Change the nominal or par value of our shares

Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities

Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action

  The securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.
  ● The depositary may, and will if we ask it to, deliver new ADRs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

 

Amendment and Termination

 

How May the Deposit Agreement Be Amended?

 

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADSs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold the ADS, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

 

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How May the Deposit Agreement Be Terminated?

 

The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement at our direction by mailing a notice of termination to the ADS holders then outstanding at least 90 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement by mailing a notice of termination to us and the ADS holders then outstanding if at any time 90 days shall have expired after the depositary shall have delivered to our company a written notice of its election to resign and a successor depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment.

 

After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect dividends and other distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property, and deliver shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs. One year after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

 

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

 

Limits on Our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

 

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

 

  are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;
     
  are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement;
     
  are not liable if either of us exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;
     
  have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party if it involves expenses or liability unless you furnish satisfactory indemnity; and
     
  may rely upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting shares for deposit and any other holder of ADSs or any other person if we believes in good faith such person is competent to give such advice or information.
     
  In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

 

Requirements for Depositary Actions

 

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require:

 

  payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;
     
  satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and
     
  compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

 

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The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

 

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADRs

 

You have the right to cancel the ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

  When temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares.
     
  When you or other ADS holders seeking to withdraw shares owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges.
     
  When it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.
     
  This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

 

MATERIAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Holders

 

The following discussion describes certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the ownership and disposition of the ADSs by U.S. Holders. This discussion applies to U.S. Holders that purchase the ADSs pursuant to this offering and hold such ADSs as capital assets for tax purposes. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, and the income tax treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States, or the Treaty, all as in effect on the date hereof and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to specific U.S. Holders in light of their particular circumstances or to U.S. Holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law (such as certain financial institutions, insurance companies, dealers or traders in securities or other persons that generally mark their securities to market for U.S. federal income tax purposes, tax-exempt entities or governmental organizations, retirement plans, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, grantor trusts, brokers, dealers or traders in securities, commodities, currencies or notional principal contracts, certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States, persons who hold the ADSs as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or integrated investment, persons that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar, persons who are subject to the tax accounting rules of Section 451(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, persons that own directly, indirectly or through attribution 10% or more (by vote or value) of our equity, corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax, partnerships and other pass-through entities, and investors in such pass-through entities). This discussion does not address any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax consequences or any U.S. federal estate, gift or alternative minimum tax consequences.

 

As used in this discussion, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of the ADSs that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (1) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (2) a corporation (or entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, (3) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source or (4) a trust (x) with respect to which a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (y) that has elected under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a domestic trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the ADSs, the U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in such ADSs will depend upon the status and activities of such entity and the particular partner. Any such entity and a partner in any such entity should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to it (and, as applicable, its partners) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the ADSs.

 

We have not sought, nor will we seek, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a different position concerning the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of the ADSs or that any such position would not be sustained. Persons considering an investment in the ADSs should consult their own tax advisors as to the particular tax consequences applicable to them relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the ADSs, including the applicability of U.S. federal, state and local tax laws and non-U.S. tax laws.

 

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

 

A special set of U.S. federal income tax rules applies to a foreign corporation that is a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As noted above, based on our audited financial statements and relevant market and shareholder data, we believe that we were a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our taxable years ended June 30, 2018 and June 30, 2019, and expect to be classified as a PFIC in our current taxable year. In addition, given that the determination of PFIC status involves the application of complex tax rules, and that it is based on the nature of our income and assets from time to time, no assurances can be provided that we will or will not be considered a PFIC for any past or future taxable years.

 

In general, a foreign corporation is a PFIC if at least 75% of its gross income for the taxable year is passive income or if at least 50% of its assets for the taxable year produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income. In general, passive income for this purpose means, with certain designated exceptions, dividends, interest, rents, royalties (other than certain rents and royalties derived in the active conduct of trade or business), annuities, net gains from dispositions of certain assets, net foreign currency gains, income equivalent to interest, income from notional principal contracts and payments in lieu of dividends. Passive assets are those assets that are held for production of passive income or do not produce income at all. Thus cash will be a passive asset. Interest, including interest on working capital, is treated as passive income for purposes of the income test. The determination of whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC is a factual determination made annually and is therefore subject to change. Subject to exceptions pursuant to certain elections that generally require the payment of tax, once stock in a foreign corporation is stock in a PFIC in the hands of a particular shareholder that is a United States person, it remains stock in a PFIC in the hands of that shareholder.

 

If we are treated as a PFIC, contrary to the tax consequences described in “Distributions” and “Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of the ADSs” below, a U.S. holder that does not make an election described in the succeeding two paragraphs would be subject to special rules with respect to (i) any gain realized on a sale or other disposition of an ADS (for purposes of these rules, a disposition of an ADS includes many transactions on which gain or loss is not realized under general U.S. federal income tax rules) and (ii) any “excess distribution” by the Company to the U.S. holder (generally, any distribution during a taxable year in which distributions to the U.S. holder on the ADS exceed 125% of the average annual taxable distributions (whether actual or constructive and whether or not out of earnings and profits) the U.S. holder received on the ADS during the preceding three taxable years or, if shorter, the U.S. holder’s holding period for the ADS). Under those rules, (i) the gain or excess distribution would be allocated ratably over the U.S. holder’s holding period for the ADS, (ii) the amount allocated to the taxable year in which the gain or excess distribution is realized would be taxable as ordinary income in its entirety and not as capital gain, would be ineligible for the reduced qualified dividend rates, and could not be offset by any deductions or losses, and (iii) the amount allocated to each prior year, with certain exceptions, would be subject to tax at the highest tax rate in effect for that year, and the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax would be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each of those years. A U.S. holder who owns an ADS during any year we are a PFIC will generally have to file IRS Form 8621. A failure to file this return will suspend the statute of limitations with respect to any tax return, event, or period to which such report relates (potentially including with respect to items that do not relate to a U.S. Holder’s investment in the ADSs).

 

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The special PFIC rules described above will not apply to a U.S. holder if the U.S. holder makes a timely election, which remains in effect, to treat the Company as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”) in the first taxable year in which the U.S. holder owns an ADS and the Company is a PFIC and if the Company complies with certain reporting requirements. Instead, a shareholder of a QEF generally is currently taxable on a pro rata share of the Company’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain as ordinary income and long-term capital gain, respectively. Neither that ordinary income nor any actual dividend from the Company would qualify for the 20% maximum tax rate on dividends described above if the Company is a PFIC in the taxable year the ordinary income is realized or the dividend is paid or in the preceding taxable year. A U.S. holder would increase the tax basis in its PFIC ownership interest to reflect the holder’s pro rate share of the PFIC’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain. Any distribution earnings with respect to which the U.S. holder has already been taxed would be excluded from income upon receipt by such holder, and such holder would decrease the tax basis of its ownership interest by such distribution. Gain or loss realized on a sale or exchange of the ADSs will be a capital gain or loss. We have not yet determined whether we would make the computations necessary to supply U.S. holders with the information needed to report income and gain pursuant to a QEF election. It is, therefore, possible that U.S. holders would not be able to make or retain a QEF election in any year we are a PFIC. Although a QEF election generally cannot be revoked, if a U.S. holder made a timely QEF election for the first taxable year it owned an ADS and the Company is a PFIC (or is treated as having done so pursuant to any of certain elections), the QEF election will not apply during any later taxable year in which the Company does not satisfy the tests to be a PFIC. If a QEF election is not made in that first taxable year, an election in a later year generally will require the payment of tax and interest.

 

In lieu of a QEF election, a U.S. holder of stock in a PFIC that is considered marketable stock could elect to mark the stock to market annually, recognizing as ordinary income or loss each year an amount equal to the difference as of the close of the taxable year between the fair market value of the stock and the U.S. holder’s adjusted basis in the stock. Losses would be allowed only to the extent of net mark-to-market gain previously included in income by the U.S. holder under the election for prior taxable years. A U.S. holder’s adjusted basis in the ADSs will be adjusted to reflect the amounts included or deducted with respect to the mark-to-market election. If the mark-to-market election were made, the rules set forth in the second preceding paragraph would not apply for periods covered by the election. A mark-to-market election will not apply during any later taxable year in which the Company does not satisfy the tests to be a PFIC. If a U.S. holder makes a mark-to-market election, any gain such U.S. holder recognizes upon the sale or other disposition of the ADSs in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but such loss will only be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. In general, the ADSs will be marketable stock if the ADSs are traded, other than in de minimis quantities, on at least 15 days during each calendar quarter on a national securities exchange that is registered with the SEC or on a designated national market system or on any exchange or market that the Treasury Department determines to have rules sufficient to ensure that the market price accurately represents the fair market value of the stock. Under current law, the mark-to-market election may be available to U.S. holders of ADSs because the ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, which constitutes a qualified exchange, although there can be no assurance that the ADSs will be “regularly traded” for purposes of the mark-to-market election or that the ADSs will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

Given the complexities of the PFIC rules and their potentially adverse tax consequences, U.S. holders of ADSs are urged to consult their tax advisers about the PFIC rules, including the availability of, and consequences to them of making a QEF election or a mark-to-market election with respect to the ordinary shares in the event that the Company is classified as a PFIC for any taxable year.

 

The U.S. federal income tax rules relating to PFICs are very complex. Prospective U.S. investors are strongly urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the impact of PFIC status on the purchase, ownership and disposition of the ADSs, the consequences to them of an investment in a PFIC, any elections available with respect to the ADSs and the IRS information reporting obligations with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of ADSs of a PFIC.

 

The discussion below under “Distributions” and “Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of The ADSs” is written on the basis that we will not be or become classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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Distributions

 

Subject to the discussion above under “— Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules,” a U.S. Holder that receives a distribution with respect to the ADSs generally will be required to include the gross amount of such distribution in gross income as a dividend when actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of our current and/or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). To the extent a distribution received by a U.S. Holder is not a dividend because it exceeds the U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, it will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital and reduce (but not below zero) the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. Holder’s ADSs. To the extent the distribution exceeds the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. Holder’s ADSs, the remainder will be taxed as capital gain. Because we may not account for our earnings and profits in accordance with U.S. federal income tax principles, U.S. Holders should expect all distributions to be reported to them as dividends. The amount of a dividend will include any amounts withheld by the company in respect of United Kingdom taxes.

 

Distributions on the ADSs that are treated as dividends generally will constitute income from sources outside the United States for foreign tax credit purposes and generally will constitute passive category income. Subject to applicable limitations, some of which vary depending upon the U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, any United Kingdom income taxes withheld from dividends on ADSs at a rate not exceeding the rate provided by the Treaty will be creditable against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the creditability of foreign taxes in their particular circumstances. In lieu of claiming a foreign tax credit, U.S. Holders may, at their election, deduct foreign taxes, including any United Kingdom income tax, in computing their taxable income, subject to generally applicable limitations under U.S. law. An election to deduct foreign taxes instead of claiming foreign tax credits applies to all foreign taxes paid or accrued in the taxable year. The amount of any dividend income paid in a currency other than the U.S. dollar will be the U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the date of actual or constructive receipt, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars at that time. If the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars on the date of receipt, a U.S. holder should not be required to recognize foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the dividend amount. A U.S. Holder may have foreign currency gain or loss if the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars after the date of receipt.

 

Distributions paid on the ADSs will not be eligible for the “dividends received” deduction generally allowed to corporate shareholders with respect to dividends received from U.S. corporations under the Internal Revenue Code. Dividends paid by a “qualified foreign corporation” to non-corporate U.S. Holders are eligible for taxation at a reduced capital gains rate rather than the marginal tax rates generally applicable to ordinary income provided that a holding period requirement (more than 60 days of ownership, without protection from the risk of loss, during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date) and certain other requirements are met. Each U.S. Holder is advised to consult its tax advisors regarding the availability of the reduced tax rate on dividends to its particular circumstances. However, if we are a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year (see discussion above under “— Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”), we will not be treated as a qualified foreign corporation, and therefore the reduced capital gains tax rate described above will not apply.

 

A non-United States corporation (other than a corporation that is classified as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year) generally will be considered to be a qualified foreign corporation with respect to any dividend it pays on ADSs that are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States.

 

The amount of any dividend income that is paid in Pounds Sterling will be the U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. If the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars on the date of receipt (actual or constructive), a U.S. Holder should not be required to recognize foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the dividend income. A U.S. Holder may have foreign currency gain or loss if the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars after the date of receipt (actual or constructive).

 

76 
 

 

Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of The ADSs

 

Subject to the discussion above under “— Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules,” a U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of the ADSs in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the amount realized (i.e., the amount of cash plus the fair market value of any property received) on the sale, exchange or other disposition and such U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ADSs. Such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain taxable at a reduced rate for non-corporate U.S. Holders or long-term capital loss if, on the date of sale, exchange or other disposition, the ADSs were held by the U.S. Holder for more than one year. Any capital gain of a non-corporate U.S. Holder that is not long-term capital gain is taxed at ordinary income rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. Any gain or loss recognized from the sale or other disposition of the ADSs will generally be gain or loss from sources within the United States for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes.

 

Medicare Tax

 

Certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds generally are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which may include their gross dividend income and net gains from the disposition of the ADSs. If you are a U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate or trust, you are encouraged to consult your tax advisors regarding the applicability of this Medicare tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the ADSs.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

 

U.S. Holders may be required to file certain U.S. information reporting returns with the IRS with respect to an investment in the ADSs, including, among others, IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets). In addition, each U.S. Holder who is a shareholder of a PFIC must file an annual report containing certain information. U.S. Holders paying more than $100,000 for the ADSs may be required to file IRS Form 926 (Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation) reporting this payment. Substantial penalties and other adverse circumstances may be imposed upon a U.S. Holder that fails to comply with the required information reporting.

 

Dividends on and proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the ADSs generally have to be reported to the IRS unless the U.S. Holder establishes a basis for exemption. Backup withholding may apply to amounts subject to reporting if the holder (1) fails to provide an accurate U.S. taxpayer identification number or otherwise establish a basis for exemption, or (2) is described in certain other categories of persons. However, U.S. Holders that are corporations generally are excluded from these information reporting and backup withholding tax rules.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules generally will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if the required information is furnished by the U.S. Holder on a timely basis to the IRS.

 

U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the backup withholding tax and information reporting rules.

 

EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR ABOUT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO IT OF AN INVESTMENT IN OUR ADSs IN LIGHT OF THE INVESTOR’S OWN CIRCUMSTANCES. IN ADDITION, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS WERE RECENTLY ENACTED. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD ALSO CONSULT WITH THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH CHANGES IN U.S. TAX LAW AS WELL AS POTENTIAL CONFORMING CHANGES IN STATE TAX LAWS.

 

77 
 

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

Pursuant to an engagement agreement, dated March 29, 2020, we have engaged H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Placement Agent”) to act as our exclusive placement agent in connection with this offering. The Placement Agent is not purchasing or selling any such securities, nor is it required to arrange for the purchase and sale of any specific number or dollar amount of such securities, other than to use its “reasonable best efforts,” to arrange for the sale of such securities by us. The terms of this offering are subject to market conditions and negotiations between us, the Placement Agent, and prospective investors. The engagement agreement does not give rise to any commitment by the Placement Agent to purchase any of our securities, and the Placement Agent will have no authority to bind us by virtue of the engagement agreement. Further, the Placement Agent does not guarantee that it will be able to raise new capital in any prospective offering. The Placement Agent may engage sub-agents or selected dealers to assist with the offering.

 

We will enter into a securities purchase agreement directly with certain investors in connection with this offering. Investors who do not enter into a securities purchase agreement shall rely solely on this prospectus in connection with the purchase of our securities in this offering.

 

We will deliver the securities being issued to the investors upon receipt of investor funds for the purchase of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus. We expect to deliver the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus on or about , 2020.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

The following table show the total placement agent fees we will pay in connection with the sale of the securities in this offering, assuming the purchase of all of the securities we are offering.

 

    Per ADS  
Placement Agent Fees      
Total      

 

We have agreed to pay to the Placement Agent a cash fee equal to 7.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in this offering.

 

We estimate the total expenses payable by us for this offering to be approximately $1,121,050, which amount includes (i) a Placement Agent’s fee of $750,000, assuming the purchase of all of the securities we are offering; (ii) the management fee of $100,000 (equal to 1.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in this offering); (iii) a $25,000 non-accountable expense allowance payable to the Placement Agent; (iv) reimbursement of the accountable expenses of the Placement Agent equal to $50,000, including the legal fees of the Placement Agent being paid by us (none of which has been paid in advance); (v) the Placement Agent’s clearing expenses in the amount of $12,900 in connection with this offering; and (vi) other estimated expenses of approximately $183,150 which include legal, accounting, printing costs and various fees associated with the registration and listing of our shares. In addition, we have agreed to issue the Placement Agent’s Warrants to the Placement Agent. See “Placement Agent’s Warrants” below for additional detail.

 

Placement Agent’s Warrants

 

We have agreed to issue to the Placement Warrants to purchase 6.5% of the number of ADSs (including the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants) being sold in this offering. The Placement Agent’s Warrants will have a term of five years from the effective date of this prospectus and an exercise price per ADS equal to $ per share, which represents 125% of the public offering price for the ADSs sold in this offering. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g), the Placement Agent’s Warrants and any shares issued upon exercise of the Placement Agent’s Warrants shall not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of this offering, except the transfer of any security: (i) by operation of law or by reason of our reorganization; (ii) to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers or partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction set forth above for the remainder of the time period; (iii) if the aggregate amount of our securities held by the Placement Agent or related persons does not exceed 1.0% of the securities being offered; (iv) that is beneficially owned on a pro rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund and the participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or (v) the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities remain subject to the lock-up restriction set forth above for the remainder of the time period.

 

78 
 

 

Right of First Refusal

 

We have also granted the Placement Agent, a right of first refusal for a period of one year from the closing of this offering. Under this right of first refusal, if, from the date hereof until the 12-month anniversary following consummation of this offering, the Company or any of its subsidiaries decides to raise funds by means of a public offering (including at-the-market facility) or a private placement or any other capital-raising financing of equity, equity-linked or debt securities other than in Australia using an underwriter or placement agent, the Placement Agent shall have the right to act as sole book-running manager, sole underwriter or sole placement agent for such financing, provided it provides the Company with written notice of its agreement to so act three (3) business days after the Company provided the Placement Agent a written notice with respect to such prospective financing. If the Placement Agent decides to accept any such engagement, the agreement governing such engagement will contain, among other things, provisions for customary fees for transactions of similar size and nature, including indemnification, which are appropriate to such a transaction.

 

Tail Financing Payments

 

The Placement Agent will be entitled to compensation as set forth above, with respect to any public or private offering or other financing or capital-raising transaction of any kind (“Tail Financing”) to the extent that such financing or capital is received by the Company from (i) in connection with a public offering, investors whom the Placement Agent had contacted during the term of our engagement agreement with the Placement Agent or introduced to the Company during such term, or (ii) in connection with a non-public offering, investors whom the Placement Agent had brought over-the-wall during such term, if such Tail Financing is consummated at any time within the 12-month period following the expiration or termination of our engagement agreement with the Placement Agent and a list of such investors is provided to the Company as promptly as practicable following the expiration or termination of our engagement agreement with the Placement Agent.

 

Lock-Up Agreement

 

We have agreed with the placement agent to be subject to a lock-up period of 60 days following the date of closing of the offering pursuant to this prospectus. This means that, during the applicable lock-up period, we may not issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any ordinary shares or their equivalents, subject to certain exceptions (including with respect to any issuances in Australia or New Zealand). The placement agent may waive the terms of these lock-up agreements in its sole discretion and without notice. In addition, subject to certain exceptions (including with respect to any issuances in Australia or New Zealand), we have agreed to not issue any securities that are subject to a price reset based on the trading prices of ordinary shares or upon a specified or contingent event in the future, or enter into any agreement to issue securities at a future determined price for a period of one year following the closing date of this offering. The placement agent may waive this prohibition in its sole discretion and without notice.

 

Listing

 

Our ADSs are listed on Nasdaq, under the symbol “GENE” and our ordinary shares are listed on the ASX, under the symbol “GTG”. We do not plan to list the pre-funded warrants or the Placement Agent’s Warrants on the Nasdaq Capital Market or any other securities exchange or trading market.

 

Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the Placement Agent and specified other persons against some civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and to contribute to payments that the Placement Agent may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.

 

Regulation M

 

The Placement Agent may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act and any fees received by it and any profit realized on the sale of the securities by it while acting as principal might be deemed to be underwriting discounts or commissions under the Securities Act. The Placement Agent will be required to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 and Regulation M under the Exchange Act. These rules and regulations may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our securities by the Placement Agent. Under these rules and regulations, the Placement Agent may not (i) engage in any stabilization activity in connection with our securities; and (ii) bid for or purchase any of our securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of our securities, other than as permitted under the Exchange Act, until they have completed their participation in the distribution.

 

79 
 

 

Other Relationships

 

From time to time, the Placement Agent has in the past and may provide in the future, various advisory, investment and commercial banking and other services to us in the ordinary course of business, for which it may receive customary fees and commissions. However, except as disclosed in this prospectus, we have no present arrangements with the Placement Agent for any services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Placement Agent also acted as the placement agent for our registered direct offering that closed on April 3, 2020 and April 22, 2020, for which it received compensation.

 

EXPENSES OF THIS OFFERING

 

We estimate that our expenses in connection with this offering, other than placement agent fees, will be as follows:

 

    Amount  
SEC registration fee   $ 1,403  
FINRA filing fee   $ 11,750  
Printing and engraving expenses   $ 16,000  
Legal fees and expenses   $ 40,000  
Accounting fees and expenses   $ 107,100  
Miscellaneous costs   $ 6,897  
Total   $ 183,150  

 

All amounts in the table are estimates except the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee. We will pay all of the expenses of this offering.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity under this offering of the issue our securities under Australian law will be passed upon for us by K&L Gates, Melbourne, Australia, our Australian counsel and certain matters of U.S. federal law will be passed upon for us by Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP, New York, New York. The placement agent is being represented by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP , New York, New York .

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2019 included in this Prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern as described in Note 2(a) to the consolidated financial statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers are located at 2 Riverside Quay, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia.

 

80 
 

 

SERVICE OF PROCESS AND ENFORCEMENT OF LIABILITIES

 

We are a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Australia. A majority of our directors and executive officers are non-residents of the United States, and all or substantially all of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for you to:

 

  effect service of process within the United States upon any of our directors and executive officers or on us;
  enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained against any of our directors and executive officers or us in the U.S. courts in any action, including actions under the civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws;
  enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained against any of our directors and executive officers or us in courts of jurisdictions outside the United States in any action, including actions under the civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws; or
  to bring an original action in an Australian court to enforce liabilities against any of our directors and executive officers or us based upon U.S. securities laws.

 

You may also have difficulties enforcing in courts outside the United States judgments obtained in the U.S. courts against any of our directors and executive officers or us, including actions under the civil liability provisions of the U.S. securities laws.

 

We have appointed Puglisi & Associates as our agent to receive service of process in any action against us in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, arising of this offering or any purchase or sale of securities in connection therewith. We have not given consent for this agent to accept service of process in connection with any other claim.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed a registration statement relating to the securities offered by this prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As permitted by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this Prospectus omits certain information contained in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. For further information about us and the American Depositary Shares to be sold in this offering, you should refer to the registration statement and to the exhibits and schedules filed as part of the registration statement, as well as any documents incorporated by reference therein. Statements contained in this Prospectus regarding the contents of any agreement or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is made to the copy of the agreement filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or otherwise incorporated by reference therein, each statement being qualified by this reference.

 

This registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement, are available at the SEC’s web site, which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants (including us) that file electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission which can be accessed at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We are a “foreign private issuer” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act. As a result, although we are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, as a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from certain informational requirements of the Exchange Act which domestic issuers are subject to, including the proxy rules under Section 14 of the Exchange Act, the insider reporting and short-swing profit provisions under Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the requirement to file current reports on Form 6-K upon the occurrence of certain material events. We intend to fulfill the informational requirements that do apply to us as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act. We will also be subject to the informational requirements of the Australian Securities Exchange and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. You are invited to read and copy reports, statements or other information, other than confidential filings, that we have filed with the Australian Securities Exchange and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Our public filings with the Australian Securities Exchange are electronically available from the Australian Securities Exchange’s website (http://www.asx.com.au), and you may call the Australian Securities and Investments Commission at +61 3 5177 3988 for information about how to obtain copies of the materials that we file with it.

 

Except for the specific documents incorporated by reference above, no information available on or through our website, or any other website reference herein, shall be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it is a part.

 

81 
 

   

Genetic Technologies Limited

Condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income

For the half-year 31 December 2019

 

              Consolidated entity  
      Notes       31 December
2019
$
      31 December
2018
$
 
Revenue from contracts with customers             586       18,402  
Cost of sales of goods             (194,501 )     (79,674 )
Gross loss             (193,915 )     (61,272 )
Other income     3(a)       447,756       338,588  
Other gains/(losses) – net             258,078       161,857  
General and administrative expenses             (1,747,705 )     (1,921,790 )
Laboratory and Research and Development             (1,128,124 )     (1,401,189 )
Selling and Marketing             (276,550 )     (229,144 )
Operating loss             (2,640,460 )     (3,112,950 )
Finance expenses             (7,238 )     (10,422 )
Loss before income tax             (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Income tax expense             -       -  
Loss for the period             (2,647,698 )     (3,123,372 )
Other comprehensive loss
Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss:                        
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations     4(b)       (381,163 )     (54,789 )
Total comprehensive loss for the period             (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
Total comprehensive loss for the period is attributable to:                        
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited             (3,028,861 )     (3,178,161 )
             

 

 

Cents

      Cents  
Loss per share for profit from continuing operations attributable to the ordinary equity holders of the company:                        
Basic earnings per share     5       (0.08 )     (0.12 )
Diluted earnings per share     5       (0.08 )     (0.12 )
Loss per share for profit attributable to the ordinary equity holders of the company:                        
Basic earnings per share     5       (0.08 )     (0.12 )
Diluted earnings per share     5       (0.08 )     (0.12 )

 

The above Condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

1 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Condensed consolidated balance sheet

As at 31 December 2019

  

          Consolidated entity  
    Notes     31 December
2019
$
    30 June
2019
$
 
ASSETS
Current assets                        
Cash and cash equivalents             3,277,074       2,131,741  
Trade and other receivables             440,278       818,766  
Inventories             76,522       31,865  
Other current assets             174,274       213,300  
Total current assets             3,968,148       3,195,672  
Property, plant and equipment             32,448       69,333  
Right-of-use asset             343,010       -  
Total non-current assets             375,458       69,333  
Total assets             4,343,606       3,265,005  
LIABILITIES
Current liabilities                        
Trade and other payables             727,430       1,005,308  
Employee benefit obligations             390,770       487,682  
Lease liabilities             224,780       -  
Total current liabilities             1,342,980       1,492,990  
Non-current liabilities                        
Employee benefit obligations             1,014       809  
Lease liabilities             137,307       -  
Total non-current liabilities             138,321       809  
Total liabilities             1,481,301       1,493,799  
Net assets             2,862,305       1,771,206  
EQUITY
Share capital     4       127,807,987       125,498,824  
Other reserves     4(b)       7,454,278       6,009,932  
Retained earnings*             (132,399,960 )     (129,737,550 )
Total equity             2,862,305       1,771,206  

  

*The group has adopted AASB 16 on 1 July 2019 but has not restated comparatives for the 2019 reporting period, as permitted under the specific transitional provisions in the standard. The reclassifications and the adjustments arising from the new leasing rules are therefore recognised in the opening balance sheet on 1 July 2019.

 

The above condensed consolidated balance sheet should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

2 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Condensed consolidated statement of changes in equity

For the half-year 31 December 2019

 

    Attributable to owners of
Genetic Technologies Limited
       
Consolidated entity   Share capital
$
    Other reserves
$
    Retained earnings
$
    Total equity
$
 
Balance at 1 July 2018         122,372,662       5,651,162       (123,311,946 )     4,711,878  
Loss for the period         -       (54,789 )     (3,123,372 )     (3,178,161 )
Total comprehensive loss for the half-year         -       (54,789 )     (3,123,372 )     (3,178,161 )
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:                                    
Contributions of equity, net of transaction costs and tax         1,346,794       -       -       1,346,794  
Share-based payments         -       138,381       -       138,381  
          1,346,794       138,381       -       1,485,175  
Balance at 31 December 2018         123,719,456       5,734,754       (126,435,318 )     3,018,892  
Balance at 30 June 2019 as originally presented         125,498,824       6,009,932       (129,737,550 )     1,771,206  
Initial adoption of AASB 16*   1     -       -       (14,712 )     (14,712 )
                                     
Restated total equity at 1 July 2019         125,498,824       6,009,932       (129,752,262 )     1,756,494  
Loss for the period         -       (381,163 )     (2,647,698 )     (3,028,861 )
Total comprehensive loss for the half-year         -       (381,163 )     (2,647,698 )     (3,028,861 )
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:                                    
Contributions of equity, net of transaction costs and tax   4     2,309,163       -       -       2,309,163  
Reversal of forfeited Performance Rights   4     -       (81,982 )     -       (81,982 )
Issue of options to underwriters         -       1,873,720       -       1,873,720  
Share-based payments         -       33,771       -       33,771  
          2,309,163       1,825,509       -       4,134,672  
Balance at 31 December 2019         127,807,987       7,454,278       (132,399,960 )     2,862,305  

 

*See note 1 for details regarding the restatement as a result of a change in accounting policy.

 

The above condensed consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

3 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Condensed consolidated statement of cash flows

For the half-year 31 December 2019

 

          Consolidated entity  
    Notes     31 December
2019
$
    31 December
2018
$
 
Cash flows from operating activities                      
Receipts from customers           586       156,959  
Payments to suppliers and employees           (3,675,822 )     (3,875,281 )
R&D tax incentive and other grants received           805,231       -  
Interest received            10,754       15,320  
Net cash outflow from operating activities           (2,859,251 )     (3,703,002 )
Cash flows from investing activities                      
Payments for property, plant and equipment           (2,521 )     (3,255 )
Repayment of loans by related parties           43,380       -  
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment           37,002       -  
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investing activities           77,861       (3,255 )
Cash flows from financing activities                      
Proceeds from issues of shares and other equity securities   4       4,499,965       1,350,000  
Interest paid           (34,684 )     -  
Share issue cost           (317,082 )     (3,206 )
Lease payments           (99,723 )     -  
Net cash inflow from financing activities           4,048,476       1,346,794  
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents           1,267,086       (2,359,463 )
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the financial year           2,131,741       5,487,035  
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents           (121,753 )     107,068  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the half-year           3,277,074       3,234,640  

 

The above condensed consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

4 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

 

1 Basis of preparation of half-year report

 

This condensed consolidated interim financial report for the half-year reporting period ended 31 December 2019 has been prepared in accordance with Accounting Standard AASB 134 Interim Financial Reporting and the Corporations Act 2001.

 

These financial statements also comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”), as applicable to interim financial reporting.

 

This interim report does not include all the notes of the type normally included in an annual financial report. Accordingly, this report is to be read in conjunction with the annual report for the year ended 30 June 2019 and any public announcements made by Genetic Technologies Limited during the interim reporting period in accordance with the continuous disclosure requirements of the Corporations Act 2001.

 

The accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of the previous financial year and corresponding interim reporting period and the adoption of the new and amended standards as set out below. The Interim Financial Statements have been approved and authorised for issue by the board on 26 February 2020.

 

The Company has prepared the interim financial statements to conform to the requirements and needs of users of the financial statements located in both Australia and the U.S.

U.S. users: The Company has prepared the interim financial statements to conform to the requirements of IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting. Consistent with U.S. domestic registrants, the Company has labelled the interim financial information “unaudited” because the interim financial information is not subject to an audit by our independent registered public accounting firm. The auditor’s independence declaration and independent auditor’s review report are included within this filing to meet the requirements of Australian laws and regulations and are furnished, not filed, for the purposes of incorporation of the related financial statements in any U.S. registration document.

 

Australian users: The Company has prepared the interim financial statements to conform to the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and AASB 134 Interim Financial Reporting. A review of the interim financial information has been performed by the Company’s independent auditors to meet the requirements of Australian Auditing Standard on Review Engagements ASRE 2410 Review of a Financial Report Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity and users should refer to the auditor’s independence declaration and independent auditor’s review report included within this filing.

 

(a) Going concern

 

For the half-year ended 31 December 2019, the group incurred an operating loss of $2,647,698 (31 December 2018: $3,123,372) and net assets as at 31 December 2019 were $2,862,305 (30 June 2019: $1,771,206). The group’s cash position at 31 December 2019 was $3,277,074 (30 June 2019: $2,131,741).

 

The following matters have been considered by the directors in determining the appropriateness of the going concern basis of preparation:

 

During the 2020 financial year, the Directors expect stable cash outflows from operations as the Company continues to invest resources in expanding the research & development activities in support of the distribution of existing and new products.

 

As a result of these expected cash outflows to support the announcement of the launch of further new genetic testing products, the Directors intend to raise further new equity funding in order to ensure the Company continues to hold adequate levels of available cash resources to meet creditors and other commitments and to deliver on partner expectations in the USA.

 

The Company intends to raise further equity financing in the near future, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in this regard.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

5 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

 

(a) Going concern (continued)

 

In addition to planned equity financing in Australia and the US market through existing and new investors, the group has access to an equity placement facility with Kentgrove Capital Pty Ltd. Under this equity placement facility the group has an opportunity to raise equity funding of up to $20 million in a series of individual placements of up to $1 million(or a higher amount by mutual agreement), expiring 7 April 2020. The Group currently does not have any binding commitments under this facility and the quantum and timing of capital raised will be subject to the market price and trading volumes of our ordinary shares. At the date of this report the group is in negotiations to replace the Kentgrove facility with a new facility from an alternative provider.

 

The continuing viability of the Company and its ability to continue as a going concern and meet its debts and commitments as they fall due is dependent on both the satisfactory completion of planned equity raisings in the next three months, along with the successful commercialisation of existing and new products. In order to progress towards commercialisation and scale-up the operations the Company will require ongoing funding in the near term whilst the products become established in the market.

 

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing, quantum or the ability to raise additional equity, there is a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern and therefore, that it may be unable to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. However, the Directors believe that the Group will be successful in the above matters and accordingly, have prepared the financial report on a going concern basis. As such no adjustments have been made to the financial statements relating to the recoverability and classification of the asset carrying amounts or classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Group not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

References to matters that may cast significant doubt about the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern also raise substantial doubt as contemplated by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) standards.

 

(b) New and amended standards adopted by the group

 

During the reporting period the following amended standard became applicable for the current reporting period and the group had to change its accounting policies as a result of adopting this standard:

 

AASB 16 Leases.

 

The impact of the adoption of this standard and the new accounting policy is disclosed below.

 

(c) Impact of new and amended standards adopted by the Company
   
(i) AASB 16 Leases

 

AASB 16 will result in almost all leases being recognised on the balance sheet, as the distinction between operating and finance leases is removed. Under the new standard, an asset (the right to use the leased item) and a financial liability to pay rentals are recognised. The only exceptions are short-term and low-value leases.

 

On adoption of AASB 16, the group recognised lease liabilities in relation to leases which had previously been classified as ‘operating leases’ under the principles of AASB117 Leases. These liabilities were measured at the present value of the remaining lease payments, discounted using the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate as of 1 July 2019. The weighted average lessee’s incremental borrowing rate applied to the lease liabilities on 1 July 2019 was 5.37%.

 

The associated right-of use assets were measured at the amount equal to the lease liability, adjusted by the amount of any prepaid or accrued lease payments relating to that lease recognised in the balance sheet as at 1 July 2019. There were no onerous lease contracts that would have required an adjustment to the right-of-use assets at the date of initial application.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

6 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

 

1 Basis of preparation of half-year report (continued)

 

(c) Impact of new and amended standards adopted by the Company (continued)

 

(i) AASB 16 Leases (continued)

 

In applying AASB 16 for the first time, the group has used the following practical expedients permitted by the standard:

 

• the use of a single discount rate to a portfolio of leases with reasonably similar characteristics.

 

The group has also elected not to reassess whether a contract is, or contains a lease at the date of initial application. Instead, for contracts entered into before the transition date the group relied on its assessment made applying AASB 117 and interpretation 4 determining whether an arrangement contains a Lease.

 

    31 Dec 2019  
Operating lease commitments disclosed as at 30 June 2019   $ 487,837  
Discounted using the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate of at the date of initial application   $ 461,358  
         
Lease liability recognised as at 1 July 2019   $ 461,358  
         
Of which are:        
Current lease liabilities   $ 209,887  
Non-current lease liabilities   $ 251,471  
         
Right of use of assets increased by   $ 446,645  
Lease liabilities increased by   $ 461,358  
The net impact on retained earnings on 1 July 2019 was a decrease of   $ 14,712  

 

Loss per share decreased by 0.03c per share for the six months to 31 December 2019 as a result of the adoption of AASB 16.

 

(d) Accounting policies applied from 1 July 2019

 

From 1 July 2019, leases are recognised as a right-of-use asset and a corresponding liability at the date at which the leased asset is available for use by the group. Each lease payment is allocated between the liability and finance cost. The finance cost is charged to profit or loss over the lease period so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability for each period. The right-of-use asset is depreciated over the shorter of the asset’s useful life and the lease term on a straight-line basis.

 

Assets and liabilities arising from a lease are initially measured on a present value basis. Lease liabilities include the net present value of the following lease payments:

 

fixed payments (including in-substance fixed payments), less any lease incentives receivable
     
variable lease payment that are based on an index or a rate
     
amounts expected to be payable by the lessee under residual value guarantees
     
the exercise price of a purchase option if the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise that option, and
     
payments of penalties for terminating the lease, if the lease term reflects the lessee exercising that option.

 

The lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease. If that rate cannot be determined, the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate is used, being the rate that the lessee would have to pay to borrow the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value in a similar economic environment with similar terms and conditions.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

7 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

 

1 Basis of preparation of half-year report (continued)

 

(d) Accounting policies applied from 1 July 2019 (continued)

 

Right-of-use assets are measured at cost comprising the following:

 

the amount of the initial measurement of lease liability
     
any lease payments made at or before the commencement date less any lease incentives received
     
any initial direct costs, and
     
restoration costs.

 

Payments associated with short-term leases and leases of low-value assets are recognised on a straight-line basis as an expense in profit or loss. Short-term leases are leases with a lease term of 12 months or less.

 

2 Segment information
 
(a) Description of segments and principal activities

 

The company has identified a sole operating segment as reported that is consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision maker and is aligned to the one major revenue stream.

 

(b) Business Segments

 

The segment information for the reportable segment for the half-year 31 December 2019 is as follows:

 

Consolidated entity
December 2019
  Sales
$
    Other
$
    Totals
$
    Profit /(loss)
$
 
Operations     586       447,756       448,342       (2,647,698 )
December 2018                                
Operations     18,402       338,588       356,990       (3,123,372 )

 

Consolidated entity
December 2019
  Assets
$
    Liabilities
$
    Amortisation/
depreciation
$
    Purchases
of
equipment
$
 
Operations     4,343,606       (1,481,301 )     (39,561 )     2,521  
June 2019                                
Operations     3,265,005       (1,493,799 )     (156,248 )     5,353  

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

8 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

 

2 Segment Information (continued)

 

(c) Geographic information
Australia: is the home country of the parent entity and the location of the company’s genetic testing and licensing operations.
   
USA: is the home of Phenogen Sciences Inc. and GeneType Corporation.
   

Switzerland: is the home of GeneType AG (Liquidated December 2017). 

 

The segment information for the reportable segment for the half-year 31 December 2019 and 2018 is as follows:

 

Consolidated entity
December 2019
  Sales
$
    Other
$
    Totals
$
    Profit/(loss)
$
 
Australia     -       447,756       447,756       (2,418,577 )
U.S.     586       -       586       (229,121 )
Total     586       447,756       448,342       (2,647,698 )
                                 
December 2018                        
Australia     -       338,588       338,588       (1,580,663 )
U.S.     18,402       -       18,402       (1,542,709 )
Total     18,402       338,588       356,990       (3,123,372 )

 

Genetic Technologies recognises expenses per the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income by function. To assist with the readers understanding of the nature of such expenses, the following costs have been included within the respective line items

 

Within General and administrative expenses, depreciation amounting to $12,156 (2018: $12,199) has been recognised in respect of Property, plant and equipment at 31 December 2019, whilst an amount of $103,635 has been recognised for Leased Assets following the adoption of the new AASB 16 Leasing standard. An amount of $27,405 (2018: $28,408) has been included in Cost of goods sold reflecting the depreciation for laboratory specific equipment in the six-month period.

 

Employee expenses of $675,822 (2018: $1,100,509) have been included within Laboratory and Research and Development for the 6 month period, with a proportion of the total employee expenses, $109,581 (2018: 32,670), being allocated to Cost of goods sold -representing the wages incurred by the laboratory specific employees.

 

(d) Segment assets

 

The internal management reporting presented to key business decision makers report total assets on the basis consistent with that of the consolidated financial statements. These reports do not allocate assets based on the operations of each segment or by geographical location.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

9 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

2 Segment information (continued)
(d) Segment assets (continued)

 

Under the current management reporting framework, total assets are not reviewed to a specific reporting segment or geographical location.

 

(e) Segment liabilities

 

The internal management reporting presented to key business decision makers report total liabilities on the basis consistent with that of the consolidated financial statements. Under the current management reporting framework, total liabilities are not reviewed to a specific reporting segment or geographical location.

 

(f) Segment products and locations

 

The principal geographical segment in Australia, with the company’s headquarters being located in Melbourne in the State of Victoria, however the key sales activities take place in the U.S.

 

(g) Major customers

 

During the period ended 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2018 there was no customer from whom the company generated revenues representing more than 10% of the total consolidated revenue from operations or outstanding receivables.

 

(h) Segment reporting

 

Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operation decision maker. The chief operating decision maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing the performance of the operating segments, has been identified as the Chief Executive Officer.

 

3 Other income and expense items
   
(a) Other income

 

    Consolidated entity  
    31 December
2019
$
    31 December
2018
$
 
R&D Grant Income (i)     400,000       186,000  
Other     47,756       152,588  
      447,756       338,588  

 

(i) Government grants

 

The group’s research and development activities are eligible under an Australian government tax incentive for eligible expenditure. Management has assessed these activities and expenditure to determine which are likely to be eligible under the incentive scheme. Amounts are recognised when it has been established that the conditions of the tax incentive have been met and that the expected amount can be reliably measured. For the half year ended 31 December 2019, the group has included an item in other income of $400,000 (2018: $186,000) to recognise income over the period necessary to match the grant on a systematic basis with the costs that they are intended to compensate.

 

4 Equity

 

    31 December
2019
No.
    31 December
2019
$
    30 June
2019
No.
    30 June
2019
$
 
Fully paid     4,063,134,143       127,807,987       2,938,134,143       125,498,824  

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

10 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

  

4 Equity (continued)

 

(a) Share capital
(i) Movements in ordinary shares

 

Details   Number of
shares
    $  
Balance at 1 July 2019     2,938,134,143       125,498,824  
Rights issue*     1,125,000,000       4,499,965  
Less: transaction costs arising on share issue     -       (2,190,802 )
Balance at 31 December 2019     4,063,134,143       127,807,987  

 

*On 11 October 2019, the company invited its shareholders to subscribe to a fully underwritten rights issue of 1,125,000,000 ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.4 cents per share on the basis of 1 new share for every 2 fully paid ordinary shares held.

 

(ii) Rights of each type of share

 

Ordinary shares entitle the holder to participate in dividends and the proceeds on winding up of the group in proportion to the number of shares held. On a show of hands every holder of ordinary shares present at a meeting or by proxy, is entitled to one vote. Upon a poll every holder is entitled to one vote per share held. The ordinary shares have no par value.

 

(b) Other reserves

 

Consolidated entity   Share- based
payments
$
    Foreign
currency
translation
$
    Total
$
 
Balance at 1 July 2018     4,885,232       765,930       5,651,162  
Currency translation differences     -       23,668       23,668  
Other comprehensive income for the period     -       23,668       23,668  
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners                        
Share-based payment expenses     341,201       -       341,201  
Reversal of forfeited options     (6,099 )             (6,099 )
At 30 June 2019     5,220,334       789,598       6,009,932  

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

11 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

4 Equity (continued)
   
(b) Other reserves (continued)

  

Consolidated entity   Share- based
payments
$
    Foreign
currency
translation
$
    Total
$
 
Balance at 1 July 2019     5,220,334       789,598       6,009,932  
Currency translation differences     -       (381,163 )     (381,163 )
Other comprehensive income for the period     -       (381,163 )     (381,163 )
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners                        
Share-based payment expenses     33,771       -       33,771  
Reversal of forfeited performance rights     (81,982 )     -       (81,982 )
Issue of options to underwriters     1,873,720       -       1,873,720  
At 31 December 2019     7,045,843       470,648       7,516,491  

 

Details   Number of
Performance
Rights
    Number of
options
    Total
$
 
Balance at 1 July 2019     76,250,000       38,000,000       5,220,334  
Reversal of forfeited performance rights     (61,250,000 )     -       (81,982 )
Issue of Options to underwriters     -       500,000,000       1,873,720  
Share based payment expense     -       -       33,771  
Balance 31 December 2019     15,000,000       538,000,000       7,045,843  

 

The following are the valuation details towards the options issued to underwriters for the capital raise in October 2019.

 

    2019  
Grant Date   30 Oct 2019  
Options issued     250,000,000  
Dividend yield     -  
Historic volatility and expected volatility     136 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.008  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.003  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.008  
Risk-free interest rate     0.78 %
Expected life of an option     3 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

12 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

    2019  
Grant Date   20 Dec 2019  
Options issued     250,000,000  
Dividend yield     -  
Historic volatility and expected volatility     136 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.008  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.004  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.008  
Risk-free interest rate     0.85 %
Expected life of an option     3 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  

 

5 Loss per share
   
(a) Basic/diluted loss per share

 

    Consolidated entity  
    31 December
2019
Cents
    31 December
2018
Cents
 
From continuing operations     (0.08 )     (0.12 )

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

13 
 

  

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

5 Loss per share (continued)
   
(b) Reconciliation of earnings used in calculating earnings per share

 

    Consolidated entity  
    31 December
2019
$
    31 December
2018
$
 
Basic earnings per share
Loss attributable to the ordinary equity holders of the company used in calculating basic/diluted earnings per share:                
From continuing operations     2,647,698       3,123,372  

 

(c) Weighted average number of shares used as denominator

 

    Consolidated entity  
    31 December
2019
Number
    31 December
2018
Number
 
Weighted average number of ordinary shares used as the denominator in calculating basic and diluted loss per share     3,331,576,766       2,558,004,460  

 

6 Related party transactions
  Parent entities
(i) Ultimate parent

 

Genetic Technologies Limited is the ultimate Australian parent company. As at the date of this Report, no shareholder controls more than 50% of the issued capital of the company

 

(ii) Transactions within the group and with other related parties

 

During the half year ended 31 December 2019, the only transactions between entities within the group and other related parties occurred, are as listed below. Except where noted, all amounts were charged on similar to market terms and at commercial rates.

 

(iii) Blockchain Global Limited

 

As announced by the company on 15 February 2018, a non-binding terms sheet with Blockchain Global Limited (BCG) was entered to provide a framework for continuing discussions between the two companies, with the proposed transaction being subject to shareholder approval (by non-associated Shareholders); and as announced by the company on 2 August 2018, a framework agreement with BCG was entered formalizing the non-binding terms sheet and providing a framework for a strategic alliance between the company and BCG, with the agreement became binding on 29 November 2019 upon receiving the requisite shareholder approval. To date no shares have been issued under the framework agreements and no milestones have been achieved. Any rights to the 486 million milestone shares lapse between 27th Dec 2019 and 27 June 2020.

 

The company has accounted for these share issuances in accordance with its accounting policy for share-based payment transactions and has not recorded any associated expense in the current half-year given performance conditions have not been met and are not currently considering any Blockchain related projects.

 

A number of directors of the company presently or previously have had involvement with BCG. Mr Sam Lee has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 21% and is a director of BCG. Mr Peter Rubinstein has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 8%. Dr George Muchnicki has a direct and indirect share interest in BCG of 3.4%. Dr Paul Kasian was previously a director of BCG until July 2018.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

14 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

6 Related party transactions (continued)
(iv) Lodge Corporate

 

Dr. Kasian was a director of corporate finance and corporate advisor from December 2017 to February 2019 with Lodge Corporate. During the period, the company engaged in corporate advisory services with Lodge Corporate and had transactions worth $121,225 which also included $88,000 that related to 2% of the underwriting of the capital raise during the half year end 31 December 2019.

 

(v) Mr. Phillip Hains (Chief Financial Officer)

 

On July 11, 2019, the Company announced that it had appointed Mr. Phillip Hains (MBA, CA) as the Chief Financial Officer who has over 30 years of extensive experience in roles with a portfolio of ASX and NASDAQ listed companies and provides CFO services through his firm The CFO Solution. Prior to this point the Company had a similar arrangement with The CFO Solution, where it would engage and provided services of overall CFO, accounting and other finance related activities.

 

During the reporting period, the company had transactions valued at $251,170 with The CFO Solution towards provision of overall CFO, accounting and other finance related activities.

 

(vi) Issuance of options to directors towards underwriting the capital raise

 

As announced on 4 October 2019, the Company undertook an underwritten non-renounceable pro-rata entitlement offer at an Issue Price of 0.4 cents per new share.

 

On 11 October 2019, the Company updated the market to advise that the offer was from that time agreed to be underwritten by Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd and that two of the Company’s directors (Peter Rubinstein and Dr. George Muchnicki), had agreed to sub-underwrite the offer. Both directors, in conjunction with the underwriter Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd, subsequently agreed amongst themselves to alter the respective sub-underwritten amounts, but the total to be sub-written between them ($2 million) remained same, as did the total underwritten amount (of $4 million).

 

Accordingly, the underwritten offer subsequently was sub-underwritten by Peter Rubinstein and Dr. George Muchnicki (each as up to $1 million) in conjunction with a consortium of non-associated wholesale investors (also as sub-underwriters) who in aggregate equate to the underwritten amount of $4 million, each in accordance with the terms of their separate sub-underwriting agreements with Lodge Corporate Pty Ltd (each a Sub-Underwriting Agreement).

 

Dr. Muchnicki and Mr. Rubinstein reflecting the amount of their sub-writing commitment were to be granted on the same terms as all options to be granted to the relevant sub-underwriters. The number of options issued to both directors was calculated as 1 Option for every 2 Shares being sub-underwritten and were issued a total of 125,000,000 unlisted options to each of the directors.

 

As announced on October 11, 2019, within the rights issue offer document, upon exercise each such option converts into 1 fully paid share on terms consistent with the ASX Listing Rules; with a 3-year expiry date from grant and with an exercise price per underwriter option equal to the lower of:

 

• 0.008 cents; and

 

• The implicit price per share at which any raise done by Aegis capital within 3 months from the company’s shareholder meeting.

 

but in any event with a floor exercise price equal to 0.004 cents.

 

(vii) Performance rights issuance

 

After receiving requisite shareholder approval on 29 November 2018, the company has issued 76,250,000 performance rights to directors of the company as follows:

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

15 
 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

6 Related party transactions (continued)
(vii) Performance rights issuance (continued)
   
7,500,000 Class A Performance Rights, 25,000,000 Class B Performance Rights and 25,000,000 Class C Performance Rights to Dr Paul Kaisian
   
3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr Lindsay Wakefield
   
6,250,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr George Muchnicki
   
5,000,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Peter Rubinstein
   
3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Xue Lee

 

The company has accounted for these performance rights in accordance with its accounting policy for share-based payment transactions and has recorded $33,771 of associated expense in the current period end.

 

3,750,000 performance rights of the issued to Mr. Xue Lee that have been previously expensed off as at June 30, 2019 were cancelled during the half year ended 31 December 2019. Additionally, 57,500,000 performance rights issued to Dr. Paul Kasian were reversed in the current period for any expense recognised in the prior reporting year since they were forfeited. Due to the forfeiture of performance rights, a reversal amounting to $ 81,983 relating to prior period expense recognition was accounted for during the current reporting period.

 

(viii) Blockshine Health Joint Venture

 

The company, via its subsidiary Gene Ventures Pty Ltd, entered into a joint venture with Blockshine Technology Corporation (BTC). The joint venture company, called Blockshine Health, was to pursue and develop blockchain opportunities in the biomedical sector. Blockshine Health would have had as per the agreement full access to BTC’s technology (royalty free) as well as all of its opportunities in the biomedical sector. The company invested $250,000 into the joint venture and have a 49% equity stake. During the year ended 30 June 2019, the Company determined that the $250,000 investment in the Joint Venture agreement was fully impaired. On 6 August 2019 the Company announced the Joint Venture agreement was cancelled.

 

Subsequent to the announcement, the company managed to recover $43,380 from the investment in BTC.

 

Dr George Muchnicki is currently the director of both the company and Blockshine Health. At this time, no directors fees are payable to Dr Muchnicki by the joint venture company Blockshine Health.

 

(ix) Genetic Technologies HK Limited and Aocheng Genetic Technologies Co. Ltd - Joint Venture

 

In August 2018, the company announced a Heads of Agreement had been reached with Representatives of the Hainan Government - Hainan Ecological Smart City Group (“HESCG”), a Chinese industrial park development and operations company have formally invited Genetic Technologies Limited (“GTG”) to visit the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone to conduct a formal review and discuss opportunities for market entry into China via the Hainan Free Trade Zone initiative. The invitation was extended to GTG via Beijing Zishan Health Consultancy Limited (“Zishan”), demonstrating the potential for growth presented by the proposed Joint Venture between the parties (as announced to the market on 14 August 2018).

 

Participants in the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone gain access to the Chinese healthcare market with an estimated value in excess of US$800B. Discussions with HESCG form part of an official review process to evaluate the feasibility of offering GTG’s suite of genetic risk assessment tests into China through the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone.

 

Subsequently, the company announced the official formation of Genetic Technologies HK Limited and Aocheng Genetic Technologies Co. Ltd in Hong Kong to the market on March 27, 2019.

 

With a growing clinical market and increased government investment in health-related technology, China is poised to become one of the largest global markets for genomic testing. The invitation from representatives of the Hainan Government represents a significant opportunity for GTG to advance the adoption of genetic risk assessment tests in the region.

 

There were no transactions with parties related to Key Management Personnel during the period other than that disclosed above.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

16 
 

 

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements

31 December 2019

(continued)

 

6 Related party transactions (continued)
(a) Parent entities (continued)

Details of Directors and Key Management Personnel as at balance date.

 

Directors  
Dr Lindsay Wakefield (Non-Executive)
Dr Jerzy Muchnicki (Executive Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer)
Mr Peter Rubinstein (Non-Executive)
Mr. Nicholas Burrows (Non-Executive)
Dr. Paul Kasian (Former Chief Executive Officer) (resigned on 24 September 2019)
Executives  
Dr Richard Allman (Scientific Director)
Mr Phillip Hains (Chief Financial Officer)
Mr Paul Viney (Former Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary) (appointed on December 15, 2018 and resigned on July 15, 2019)
       

7 Events occurring after the reporting period

No matter or circumstance has occurred subsequent to period end that has significantly affected, or may significantly affect, the operations of the group, the results of those operations or the state of affairs of the group or economic entity in subsequent financial periods.

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

 

17 
 

 

GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED

 

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

    Page
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.   F-2
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/ (Loss) for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.   F-3
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2019 and 2018.   F-4
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.   F-6
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended June 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017.   F-5
     
Genetic Technologies Limited - Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.   F-7

 

F-1
 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Genetic Technologies Limited

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Genetic Technologies Limited and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of June 30, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income/(loss), consolidated statements of cash flows and consolidated statements of changes in equity for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2019, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of June 30, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2019 in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

 

Substantial Doubt about the Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2(a) to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses and cash outflows from operations that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2(a). The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting 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.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers

Melbourne, Australia

October 3, 2019

 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2009.

 

F-2
 

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/ (LOSS)

FOR 2019, 2018 and 2017

(in Australian dollars, except number of shares)

 

    Note   Year ended
June 30,
2019
    Year ended
June 30, 2018
    Year ended
June 30, 2017
 
          $       $       $  
Revenue from operations                            
Genetic testing services         25,444       189,254       518,506  
Less: cost of sales   4     (276,267 )     (300,088 )     (492,417 )
Gross profit from operations         (250,823 )     (110,834 )     26,089  
Selling and marketing expenses         (576,077 )     (1,066,404 )     (2,721,474 )
General and administrative expenses         (3,830,198 )     (3,015,818 )     (3,109,530 )
Laboratory, research and development costs         (2,360,762 )     (2,210,498 )     (2,366,334 )
Finance costs         (20,031 )     (28,843 )     (31,995 )
Foreign exchange gains reclassified on liquidation of subsidiary               527,049        
Other gains/(losses)   7     (407,482 )            
Impairment of intangible assets expenses                     (544,694 )
Non-operating income and expenses   5     1,019,769       441,476       344,112  
Loss from operations before income tax         (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Income tax expense   9                  
Loss for the year         (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss)                            
Exchange gains/(losses) on translation of controlled foreign operations         23,668       (522,966 )     (130,655 )
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the year, net of tax         23,668       (522,966 )     (130,655 )
Total comprehensive loss for the year         (6,401,936 )     (5,986,838 )     (8,534,481 )
Total loss for the year is attributable to:                            
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited         (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Non-controlling interests                      
Total loss for the year         (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Total comprehensive loss for the year is attributable to:                            
Owners of Genetic Technologies Limited         (6,401,936 )     (5,986,838 )     (8,534,481 )
Non-controlling interests                      
Total comprehensive loss for the year         (6,401,936 )     (5,986,838 )     (8,534,481 )
                             
Loss per share (cents per share)                            
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share   10     (0.24 )     (0.22 )     (0.40 )
Weighted-average shares outstanding   10     2,635,454,870       2,435,282,724       2,121,638,888  

 

The above consolidated statement of comprehensive income/(loss) should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

F-3
 

 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As at June 30, 2019

 

(in Australian dollars, except number of shares)

 

        Consolidated  
        2019     2018  
    Notes   $     $  
ASSETS                
Current assets                    
Cash and cash equivalents   11     2,131,741       5,487,035  
Trade and other receivables   12     818,766       301,383  
Prepayments and other assets   13     245,165       202,279  
Total current assets         3,195,672       5,990,697  
                     
Non-current assets                    
Property, plant and equipment   14     69,333       175,284  
Total non-current assets         69,333       175,284  
Total assets         3,265,005       6,165,981  
LIABILITIES                    
Current liabilities                    
Trade and other payables   15     1,005,308       945,130  
Provisions   16     487,682       505,583  
Total current liabilities         1,492,990       1,450,713  
                     
Non-current liabilities                    
Provisions   16     809       3,390  
Total non-current liabilities         809       3,390  
Total liabilities         1,493,799       1,454,103  
Net assets         1,771,206       4,711,878  
                     
EQUITY                    
Contributed equity   17     125,498,824       122,372,662  
Reserves   19     6,009,932       5,651,162  
Accumulated losses   20     (129,737,550 )     (123,311,946 )
Total equity         1,771,206       4,711,878  

 

The above consolidated balance sheets should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

F-4
 

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

For the year ended June 30, 2019

 

(in Australian dollars, except number of shares)

 

        Consolidated  
        2019     2018     2017  
    Notes   $     $     $  
Cash flows from/(used in) operating activities                            
Receipts from customers         204,768       758,452       964,520  
Payments to suppliers and employees         (6,575,163 )     (6,757,243 )     (8,077,083 )
R&D tax incentive and other grants received         297,213       362,258       260,159  
Net cash flows from/(used in) operating activities   11     (6,073,182 )     (5,636,533 )     (6,852,404 )
                             
Cash flows (used in)/ from investing activities                            
Proceeds from the sale of plant and equipment                     52,650  
Purchases of plant and equipment         (50,309 )     (2,385 )     (234,799 )
Interest received         25,849       15,218       38,765  
Payments for investments in related parties         (500,000 )            
Net cash flows (used in)/ from investing activities         (524,460 )     12,833       (143,384 )
Cash flows (used in)/ from financing activities                            
Proceeds from the issue of shares         3,557,509             8,049,369  
Equity transaction costs         (431,347 )     (9,963 )     (1,234,430 )
Facility fee rebate                     295,110  
Net cash flows (used in)/ from financing activities         3,126,162       (9,963 )     7,110,049  
                             
Net (decrease)/ increase in cash and cash equivalents         (3,471,480 )     (5,633,663 )     114,261  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year         5,487,035       10,988,255       11,179,687  
Net foreign exchange difference         116,186       132,443       (305,693 )
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year   11     2,131,741       5,487,035       10,988,255  

 

The above consolidated statements of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

F-5
 

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

For the year ended June 30, 2019

 

(in Australian dollars, except number of shares)

 

    Attributable to Members of Genetic Technologies Limited     Non-        
    Contributed
equity
    Reserves     Accumulated
losses
    Parent
interests
    controlling
interests
    Total
equity
 
Consolidated   $     $     $     $     $     $  
                                     
Balance at June 30, 2016     115,272,576       6,054,861       (109,444,248 )     11,883,189             11,883,189  
Loss for the year                 (8,403,826 )     (8,403,826 )           (8,403,826 )
Other comprehensive loss           (130,655 )           (130,655 )           (130,655 )
Total comprehensive loss           (130,655 )     (8,403,826 )     (8,534,481 )           (8,534,481 )
                                                 
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners                                                
Contributions of equity (net of transaction costs)     6,814,939                   6,814,939             6,814,939  
Share-based payments           120,287             120,287             120,287  
Share facility fee rebate     295,110                   295,110             295,110  
      7,110,049       120,287             7,230,336             7,230,336  
Balance at June 30, 2017     122,382,625       6,044,493       (117,848,074 )     10,579,044             10,579,044  
Loss for the year                 (5,463,872 )     (5,463,872 )           (5,463,872 )
Other comprehensive loss           (522,966 )           (522,966 )           (522,966 )
Total comprehensive loss           (522,966 )     (5,463,872 )     (5,986,838 )           (5,986,838 )
                                                 
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners                                                
Contributions of equity (net of transaction costs)     (9,963 )                 (9,963 )           (9,963 )
Share-based payments           129,635             129,635             129,635  
Share facility fee rebate                                    
      (9,963 )     129,635             119,672             119,672  
Balance at June 30, 2018     122,372,662       5,651,162       (123,311,946 )     4,711,878             4,711,878  
                                                 
Loss for the year                     (6,425,604 )                     (6,425,604 )
Other comprehensive income             23,668                               23,668  
Total comprehensive loss             23,668       (6,425,604 )                     (6,401,936 )
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners                                                
Contributions of equity, net of transaction costs and tax     3,126,162                               3,126,162  
Share-based payments           341,201                         341,201  
Reversal of forfeited options           (6,099 )                       (6,099 )
      3,126,162       335,102                         3,461,264  
                                                 
Balance at June 30, 2019     125,498,824       6,009,932       (129,737,550 )                 1,771,206  

 

The above consolidated statements of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 

F-6
 

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the year ended June 30, 2019

 

1. CORPORATE INFORMATION

 

The Financial Report of Genetic Technologies Limited (the “Company”) for the year ended June 30, 2019 was authorized for issue in accordance with a resolution of the Directors dated September 30, 2019. Genetic Technologies Limited is incorporated in Australia and is a company limited by shares. The Directors have the power to amend and reissue the financial statements.

 

The Company’s Ordinary Shares are publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol GTG and, via Level II American Depositary Receipts, on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker GENE.

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

(a) Basis of preparation

 

Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board

 

The Financial Report complies with the International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.

 

Historical cost convention

 

These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for financial assets and liabilities (including derivative instruments) which are measured at fair value.

 

Critical accounting estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires Management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Company’s accounting policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates are critical to the financial statements, are disclosed in Note 3.

 

Going concern

 

For the year ended 30 June 2019, the Company incurred a total comprehensive loss of $6,401,936 (2018: $5,986,838) and net cash outflow from operations of $6,073,182 (2018: $5,636,533). As at 30 June 2019 the Company held total cash and cash equivalents of $2,131,741.

 

During the 2020 financial year, the Directors expect stable cash outflows from operations as the Company continues to invest resources in expanding the research & development activities in support of the distribution of existing and new products.

 

As a result of these expected cash outflows to support the announcement of the launch of further new genetic testing products, the Directors intend to raise further new equity funding in order to ensure the Company continues to hold adequate levels of available cash resources to meet creditors and other commitments and to deliver on partner expectations in China and the USA.

 

The Company intends to raise further equity financing in October 2019, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in this regard. The Company does not currently have binding commitments from any party to subscribe for shares and any raise will be subject to maintaining active listing on the NASDAQ exchange as well as compliance with the Company’s obligations under ASX Listing Rule 7.1.

 

In addition to the plans to raise capital in the US, the Company has recorded a receivable at 30 June 2019 from the Australian Taxation Office in respect of the 2019 research and development tax incentive claim which the Company expects to receive this in October 2019. The Company also has access to equity placement facility with Kentgrove Capital Pty Ltd whereby it has an opportunity to raise equity funding of up to $20 million in a series of individual placements of up to $1 million (or a higher amount by mutual agreement), expiring 7 April 2020. The Company currently does not have any binding commitments under this facility and the quantum and timing of capital raised will be subject to the market price and trading volumes of our ordinary shares.

 

The continuing viability of the Company and its ability to continue as a going concern and meet its debts and commitments as they fall due is dependent on the satisfactory completion of planned equity raisings in October of 2019.

 

F-7
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

Going concern (cont.)

 

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing, quantum or the ability to raise additional equity, there is a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and therefore, that it may be unable to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. However, the Directors believe that the Company will be successful in the above matters and accordingly, have prepared the financial report on a going concern basis. As such no adjustments have been made to the financial statements relating to the recoverability and classification of the asset carrying amounts or classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

As a U.S. SEC registrant, the Company is required to have its financial statements audited in accordance with Public Company Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) standards. References in these IFRS financial statements to matters that may cast significant doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern also raise substantial doubt as contemplated by the PCAOB standards.

 

(b) New accounting standards and interpretations

 

Standards and Interpretations affecting amounts reported in the current period (and/or prior period)

 

The Company has applied the following standards and amendments for the first time for their annual reporting period commencing July 1, 2018:

 

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments

 

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments has replaced IAS 39 and addresses and classification, measurement and derecognition of financial assets and liabilities. It also addresses the new hedge accounting requirements, including changes to hedge effectiveness, treatment of hedging costs and risk components that can be hedged.

 

IFRS 9 introduced a new expected loss impairment model that requires entities to account for expected credit losses at the time of recognizing the asset. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on its classification and measurement of the financial assets and liabilities or its results on adoption of the new impairment model.

 

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

 

IFRS 15 provides a single, principles based five-step model to be applied to all contracts with customers. Guidance is provided on topics such as the point in which revenue is recognized, accounting for variable consideration, costs of fulfilling and obtaining a contract and various related matters. The adoption of this standard applies to the recognition of the sales related to the BREVAGENplus product as the Company’s current sole revenue stream. The Company has adopted the standard using the modified retrospective approach. There was no material impact on adoption of the new standard.

 

Other new standards affecting the current reporting period

 

The company also adopted the following standards during the period.

 

● Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions (Amendments to IFRS 2)

 

● Interpretation 22 Foreign Currency Transactions and Advance Consideration.

 

The adoption of these amendments did not have any impact on the current period or any prior period and is not likely to affect future periods.

 

Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for June 30, 2019 reporting periods and have not been early adopted by the Company. The Company’s assessment of the impact of these new standards and interpretations is set out below.

 

F-8
 

 

Standards and interpretations in issue but not yet adopted

 

Title of
standard
  IFRS 16 Leases
     
Nature of change   IFRS 16 was issued in February 2016. It will result in almost all leases being recognised on the consolidated balance sheet by lessees, as the distinction between operating and finance leases is removed. Under the new standard, an asset (the right to use the leased item) and a financial liability to pay rentals are recognised. The only exceptions are short-term and low-value leases.
     
Impact  

The Company has reviewed all leasing arrangements in light of the new lease accounting rules in IFRS 16. The standard will affect the accounting for the Company’s operating leases.

 

As at the reporting date, the Company has non-cancellable operating lease commitments of $487,849.

 

The Company expects to recognise at 1 July 2019 right-of-use assets of an amount approximating the nominal value of these non-cancellable operating lease commitments, discounted at the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. A corresponding lease liability will offset the amount recognised as a right-of-use asset at 1 July 2019. Overall net current assets will be $14,712 lower due to the presentation of a portion of the liability as a current liability.

 

In financial year 2020, the operating cash flows will increase and financing cash flows decrease by approximately $221,281 as repayment of the principal portion of the lease liabilities will be classified as cash flows from financing activities.

     
Mandatory application date/Date of adoption by the Company  

The Company will apply the standard from its mandatory adoption date of July 1, 2019.

 

The Company intends to apply the simplified transition approach and will not restate comparative amounts for the year prior to first adoption. Right-of-use assets for property leases will be measured on transition as if the new rules had always been applied. All other right-of-use assets will be measured at the amount of the lease liability on adoption (adjusted for any prepaid or accrued lease expenses).

 

There are no other new standards and interpretations that are not yet effective and that would be expected to have a material impact on the Company in the current or future reporting periods and on foreseeable future transactions.

 

(c) Principles of consolidation

 

Subsidiaries

 

The consolidated financial statements incorporate the assets and liabilities of all subsidiaries of Genetic Technologies Limited (the “Company” or “Parent Entity”) as at June 30, 2019 and the results of all subsidiaries for the year then ended. Genetic Technologies Limited and its subsidiaries together are referred to in this Financial Report as the “Company” or the “Consolidated Entity”.

 

Subsidiaries are all entities (including structured entities) over which the Company has control. The Company controls an entity when the Company is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement within the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power to direct the activities of the entity. Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date on which control is transferred to the Company. They are de-consolidated from the date that control ceases.

 

Intercompany transactions, balances and unrealized gains / losses on transactions between Company companies are eliminated. Unrealized losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of the impairment of the asset transferred. Accounting policies of subsidiaries have been changed where necessary to ensure consistency with the Company’s policies.

 

F-9
 

 

Non-controlling interests in the results and equity of subsidiaries are shown separately in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statements of changes in equity, respectively.

 

(d) Segment reporting

 

 

Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision maker. The chief operating decision maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing the performance of the operating segments, has been identified as the Chief Executive Officer.

 

(e) Parent entity financial information

 

The financial information for the parent entity, Genetic Technologies Limited has been prepared on the same basis as the consolidated financial statements, except that investments in subsidiaries are accounted for at cost in the financial statements of Genetic Technologies Limited. Loans to subsidiaries are written down to their recoverable value as at balance date.

 

(f) Foreign currency translation

 

The functional and presentation currency of Genetic Technologies Limited and its Australian subsidiaries is the Australian dollar (AUD). Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recorded in the functional currency at the exchange rates ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities which are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. All differences are taken to the statement of comprehensive income.

 

F-10
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

(f) Foreign currency translation (cont.)

 

Non-monetary items that are measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rate ruling at the date of the initial transaction. Non-monetary items measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rates ruling at the date when the fair value was determined. The functional currencies of the Company’s two overseas subsidiaries are as follows:

 

GeneType Corporation — United States dollars (USD)

Phenogen Sciences Inc. — United States dollars (USD)

 

As at the reporting date, the assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated into the presentation currency of Genetic Technologies Limited at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date and the statement of comprehensive income is translated at the weighted average exchange rates for the period unless this is not a reasonable approximation of the cumulative effect of the rates prevailing on the transaction dates, in which case income and expenses are translated at the dates of the transactions. The exchange differences arising on the retranslation are recognized in other comprehensive income and taken directly to a separate component of equity. On disposal of a foreign entity, the deferred cumulative amount recognized in equity relating to that particular foreign operation is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income.

 

(g) Earnings per share (“EPS”)

 

Basic EPS is calculated by dividing the profit attributable to owners of the Company, excluding any costs of servicing equity other than Ordinary Shares, by the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares outstanding during the financial year. Diluted EPS adjusts the figures used in the determination of basic EPS to take into account the after income tax effect of interest and other financing costs associated with dilutive potential Ordinary Shares and the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares that would have been outstanding assuming the conversion of all dilutive potential Ordinary Shares.

 

(h) Revenue recognition

 

IFRS 15 supersedes IAS 11 Construction Contracts, IAS18 Revenue and related interpretations and it applies to all revenue arising from contracts with customers, unless those contracts are in the scope of other standards. The new standard has been applied as at 1 July 2018 using the modified retrospective approach and establishes a five-step model to account for revenue arising from contracts with customers. Under IFRS 15, revenue is recognised at an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring goods or services to a customer. The standard requires entities to exercise judgement, taking into consideration all of the relevant facts and circumstances when applying each step of the model to contracts with their customers. The standard also specifies the accounting for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract and the costs directly related to fulfilling a contract. The adoption of IFRS 15 has not impacted the amounts disclosed within the financial statements. The following recognition criteria must also be met before revenue is recognized:

 

Genetic testing revenues

 

The Company operates facilities which provide genetic testing services. The Company recognises revenue from the provision of these services when the services have been completed.

 

Interest received

 

Income is recognized as the interest accrues using the effective interest method.

 

Government Grants

 

Research and development tax incentive

 

The Australian government replaced the research and development tax concession with research and development (R&D) tax incentive from July 1, 2011. The R&D tax incentive applies to expenditure incurred and the use of depreciating assets in an income year commencing on or after July 1, 2011. A refundable tax offset is available to eligible companies with an annual aggregate turnover of less than $20 million. Management has assessed the Company’s activities and expenditure to determine which are likely to be eligible under the incentive scheme. The Company accounts for the R&D tax incentive as a government grant. The grant is recognized as other income over the period in which the R&D expense is recognized.

 

F-11
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

Other

 

Other Grants from the government are recognized at their fair value where there is a reasonable assurance that the grant will be received and the company will comply with all attached conditions.

 

(i) Share-based payment and performance rights transactions

 

The fair value of options granted under an Employee Option Plan is recognized as an employee benefit expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The fair value is measured at grant date and recognized over the vesting period over which all of the specified vesting conditions are to be satisfied. The fair value at grant date is determined by management with the assistance of an independent valuer, using a Black-Scholes option pricing model or a Monte Carlo simulation analysis. The total amount to be expensed is determined by reference to the fair value of the options granted.

 

  including any market performance conditions (e.g., the entity’s share price)
  excluding the impact of any service and non-market performance vesting conditions (e.g., remaining an employee over a specified time period)

 

The cumulative employee benefits expense recognized at each reporting date until vesting date reflects (i) the extent to which the vesting period has expired; and (ii) the number of awards that, in the opinion of the Directors of the Company, will ultimately vest. This opinion is formed based on the best information available at balance date.

 

Where the terms of an equity-settled award are modified, as a minimum an expense is recognized as if the terms had not been modified. In addition, an expense is recognized for any increase in the value of the transaction as a result of the modification, as at the date of modification. Where appropriate, the dilutive effect of outstanding options is reflected as additional share dilution in the computation of diluted earnings per share. The Company’s policy is to treat the options of terminated employees as forfeitures.

 

The Performance Rights are not currently quoted on the ASX and as such have no ready market value. The Performance Rights each grant the holder a right of grant of one ordinary Share in the Company upon vesting of the Performance Rights for nil consideration. Accordingly, the Performance Rights may have a present value at the date of their grant. Various factors impact upon the value of Performance Rights including:

 

the period outstanding before the expiry date of the Performance Rights;
     
the underlying price or value of the securities into which they may be converted;
     
the proportion of the issued capital as expanded consequent upon conversion of the Performance Rights into Shares (i.e. whether or not the shares that might be acquired upon exercise of the options represent a controlling or other significant interest); and
     
the value of the shares into which the Performance Rights may be converted.

 

There are various formulae which can be applied to determining the theoretical value of options (including the formula known as the Black-Scholes Model valuation formula and the Monte Carlo simulation).

 

With the assistance of an independent valuer, the Company performed a valuation of the Performance Rights. The independent valuer has applied the Monte Carlo simulation in providing the valuation of the Performance Rights.

 

As the Performance Rights have market event hurdles for vesting, the valuation has been provided with a range of underlying share prices.

 

Inherent in the application of the Monte Carlo simulation are a number of inputs, some of which must be assumed. The data relied upon in applying the Monte Carlo simulation was:

 

a) a range of prices analysed from 0.5 cents per share to 1.5 cents per share (being an approximate 50% discount to a 50% premium) from GTG’s current share price of 1.1 cents per share as at October 5, 2018 for all classes of Performance Rights;

 

b) exercise price being 0.0 cents per Performance Right for all classes;

 

c) VWAP hurdle (10 days consecutive share price hurdle) equaling 2.0 cents for Class A and Class B and 3.3 cents for Class C Performance Rights;

 

d) the continuously compounded risk free rate being 2.02% for all classes of Performance Rights (calculated with reference to the RBA quoted Commonwealth Government bonds as at October 8, 2018 of similar duration to that of the expected life of each class of Performance Right);

 

F-12
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

(i) Share-based payment and performance rights transactions (cont.)

 

Performance Rights. As the Performance Rights have market event hurdles for vesting, the valuation has been provided with a range of underlying share prices.

 

Inherent in the application of the Monte Carlo simulation are a number of inputs, some of which must be assumed. The data relied upon in applying the Monte Carlo simulation was:

 

e) a range of prices analysed from 0.5 cents per share to 1.5 cents per share (being an approximate 50% discount to a 50%premium) from GTG’s current share price of 1.1 cents per share as at October 5, 2018 for all classes of Performance Rights;

 

f) exercise price being 0.0 cents per Performance Right for all classes;

 

g) VWAP hurdle (10 days consecutive share price hurdle) equaling 2.0 cents for Class A and Class B and 3.3 cents for Class C Performance Rights;

 

h) the continuously compounded risk free rate being 2.02% for all classes of Performance Rights (calculated with reference to the RBA quoted Commonwealth Government bonds as at October 8, 2018 of similar duration to that of the expected life of each class of Performance Right);

 

i) the expected option life of 2.8 years for all classes of Performance Rights; and

 

j) a volatility measure of 80%.

 

(j) Income tax

 

The income tax expense or revenue for the period is the tax payable on the current period’s taxable income based on the national income tax rate for each jurisdiction adjusted by changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to temporary differences and unused tax losses.

 

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of the tax laws enacted or substantively enacted at the end of the reporting period in the countries where the company’s subsidiaries and associates operate and generate taxable income.

 

Deferred income tax is provided in full, using the liability method, on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements. However, the deferred income tax is not accounted for if it arises from initial recognition of an asset or liability in a transaction other than a business combination that, at the time of the transaction, affects neither accounting nor taxable profit or loss. Deferred income tax is determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantially enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected to apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realised or the deferred income tax liability is settled. Deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary differences and unused tax losses only if it is probable that future taxable amounts will be available to utilise those temporary differences and losses.

 

Deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary differences and unused tax losses only if it is probable that future taxable amounts will be available to utilise those temporary differences and losses. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are not recognised for temporary differences between the carrying amount and tax bases of investments in controlled entities where the parent entity is able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences and it is probable that the differences will not reverse in the foreseeable future. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and when the deferred tax balances relate to the same taxation authority. Current tax assets and tax liabilities are offset where the entity has a legally enforceable right to offset and intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously. Current and deferred tax balances attributable to amounts

 

F-13
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

recognised directly in equity are also recognised directly in equity. Current and deferred tax is recognised in profit or loss, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity. In this case, the tax is also recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity, respectively.

 

Tax consolidation legislation

 

Genetic Technologies Limited (“GTG”) and its wholly-owned Australian-resident subsidiaries have implemented the tax consolidation legislation. The head entity, GTG, and the subsidiaries in the tax consolidated Company account for their own current and deferred tax amounts. These tax amounts are measured as if each entity in the tax consolidated Company continues to be a stand-alone taxpayer in its own right.

 

In addition to its own current and deferred tax amounts, GTG also recognizes the current tax assets / liabilities and the deferred tax assets arising from unused tax losses and tax credits assumed from subsidiaries in the tax consolidated Company. Assets or liabilities arising under tax funding agreements with the tax consolidated entities are recognized as amounts receivable from or payable to other entities in the Company. Any difference between the amounts assumed and amounts receivable or payable under the tax funding agreements are recognized as a contribution to (or distribution from) wholly-owned tax subsidiaries.

 

(k) Other taxes

 

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognized net of the amount of Goods and Services Tax (GST) except where the GST incurred on a purchase of goods and services is not recoverable from the taxation authority, in which case the GST is recognized as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of the expense item as applicable; and receivables and payables are stated with the amount of GST included. The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included as part of receivables or payables in the balance sheet. Cash flows are included in the cash flow statement on a gross basis and the GST component arising from investing and financing activities, which is recoverable from / payable to the taxation authority, are classified as operating cash flows.

 

(l) Withholding tax

 

The Company generates revenues from the granting of licenses to parties resident in overseas countries. Such revenues may, in certain circumstances, be subject to the deduction of local withholding tax. In such cases, revenues are recorded net of any withholding tax deducted.

 

(m) Finance costs

 

Finance costs are recognized using the effective interest rate method.

 

(n) Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents in the balance sheet comprise cash at bank and in hand and short-term deposits with an original maturity of 3 months or less. For the purposes of the cash flow statement, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and cash equivalents as defined above. Cash at bank earns interest at floating rates based on daily bank deposit rates. Short-term deposits are made for varying periods, depending on the immediate cash requirements of the Company, and earn interest at the respective short-term deposit rates.

 

F-14
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

(o) Trade and other receivables

 

Trade receivables, which are non-interest bearing and generally have terms of between 30 to 90 days, are recognized and carried at original invoice amount less an allowance for any uncollectible amounts. For the comparative periods prior to July 1, 2018, an allowance for doubtful debts is made when there is objective evidence that a receivable is impaired. Such evidence includes an assessment of the debtor’s ability and willingness to pay the amount due. The amount of the allowance/impairment loss is measured as the difference between the carrying amount of the trade receivables and the estimated future cash flows expected to be received from the relevant debtors.

 

The Company has applied IFRS 9 from July 1, 2018. To measure the loss allowance on trade receivables, the Company uses the simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses which uses a lifetime expected loss allowance for all trade receivables.

 

To measure the expected credit losses, trade receivables assets would be grouped based on shared credit risk characteristics and the days past due.

 

(p) Inventories

 

Inventories principally comprise laboratory and other supplies and are valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Inventory costs are recognized as the purchase price of items from suppliers plus freight inwards and any applicable landing charges. Costs are assigned on the basis of weighted average cost.

 

(q) Property, plant and equipment

 

Plant and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any impairment in value. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the respective asset as follows:

 

Laboratory equipment — 3 to 5 years

Computer equipment — 3 years

Office equipment — 3 to 5 years

Leasehold improvements — lease term, being between 1 and 3 years

 

Costs relating to day-to-day servicing of any item of property, plant and equipment are recognized in profit or loss as incurred. The cost of replacing larger parts of some items of property, plant and equipment are capitalized when incurred and depreciated over the period until their next scheduled replacement, with the replacement parts being subsequently written off.

 

(r) Intangible assets

 

Patents

 

Patents held by the Company are used in the licensing, testing and research areas and are carried at cost and amortized on a straight-line basis over their useful lives, being 10 years. External costs incurred in filing and protecting patent applications, for which no future benefit is reasonably assured, are expensed as incurred.

 

Research and development costs

 

Costs relating to research activities are expensed as incurred. An intangible asset arising from development expenditure on an internal project is recognized only when the Company can demonstrate the technical feasibility of completing the intangible asset so that it will be available for use or sale, its intention to complete and its ability to use or sell the asset, how the asset will generate future economic benefits, the availability of resources to complete the development and the ability to measure reliably the expenditure attributable to the intangible asset during its development. To date, all development costs have been expensed as incurred as their recoverability cannot be regarded as assured.

 

F-15
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

(s) Impairment of assets

 

The Company assesses at each reporting date whether there is an indication that an asset may be impaired. If any such indication exists, the Company makes an estimate of the asset’s recoverable amount. An asset’s recoverable amount is the higher of its fair value less costs of disposal or its value in use and is determined for an individual asset, unless the asset does not generate cash inflows that are largely independent of those from other assets or groups of assets and the asset’s value-in-use cannot be estimated to be close to its fair value. In such cases, the asset is tested for impairment as part of the cash-generating unit to which it belongs. When the carrying amount of an asset or cash-generating unit exceeds its recoverable amount, the asset or cash-generating unit is considered impaired and is written down to its recoverable amount.

 

In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. Impairment losses relating to operations are recognized in those expense categories consistent with the function of the impaired asset unless the asset is carried at its revalued amount, in which case the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation decrease.

 

An assessment is made at each reporting date as to whether there is any indication that previously recognized impairment losses may no longer exist or may have decreased. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount is estimated. A previously recognized impairment loss is reversed only if there has been a change in the estimates used to determine the asset’s recoverable amount since the last impairment loss was recognized. If so, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to its recoverable amount. The increased amount cannot exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation, had no impairment loss been recognized for the asset in prior years. Such reversal is recognized in profit or loss unless it reverses a decrement previously charged to equity, in which case the reversal is treated as a revaluation increase. After such a reversal, the depreciation charge is adjusted in future periods to allocate the asset’s revised carrying amount, less any residual value, on a systematic basis over its remaining useful life.

 

(t) Employee benefits

 

(i) Short-term obligations

 

Provision is made for employee benefits accumulated as a result of employees rendering services up to the reporting date. These benefits include wages and salaries, annual leave and long service leave. Liabilities arising in respect of wages and salaries, expected to be settled within twelve months of the reporting date are measured at their nominal amounts based on remuneration rates which are expected to be paid when the liability is settled. Expenses for non-accumulating sick leave are recognized when the leave is taken during the year and are measured at rates paid or payable.

 

ii) Other long-term employee benefit obligations

 

The liabilities for long service leave and annual leave are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months after the end of the reporting period in which the employee renders the related service. They are therefore recognized in the provision for employee benefits and measured as the present value of expected future payments to be made in respect of services provided by employees up to the end of the reporting period using the projected unit credit method. Consideration is given to expected future wage and salary levels, experience of employee departures and periods of service. Expected future payments are discounted using market yields at the end of the reporting period of corporate bonds with terms and currencies that match, as closely as possible, the estimated future cash outflows.

 

(t) Employee benefits (cont.)

 

The obligations are presented as current liabilities in the balance sheet if the entity does not have an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting period, regardless of when the actual settlement is expected to occur.

 

(iii) Retirement benefit obligations

 

The Company does not have any defined benefit funds. Statutory contributions to defined contribution superannuation funds are recognized as an expense as they become payable. Prepaid contributions are recognized as an asset to the extent that a cash refund or a reduction in the future payments is available. Statutory contributions are legally enforceable in Australia.

 

F-16
 

 

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)

 

(u) Provisions

 

Provisions for legal claims, service claims and make good obligations are recognized when the Company has a present obligation (legal or constructive) as a result of a past event, it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. Where the Company expects some or all of a provision to be reimbursed, the reimbursement is recognized as a separate asset but only when the reimbursement is virtually certain. The expense relating to any provision is presented in the statement of comprehensive income net of any reimbursement.

 

If the effect of the time value of money is material, provisions are determined by discounting the expected future cash flows at a pre-tax rate that reflects market assessments of the time value of money and, where appropriate, the risks specific to the liability. Where discounting is used, the increase in the provision due to the passage of time is recognized as a finance cost.

 

(v) Trade and other payables

 

 

Trade payables and other payables are carried at amortized cost and represent liabilities for goods and services provided to the Company prior to the end of the financial year that are unpaid and arise when the Company becomes obliged to make future payments in respect of the purchase of these goods and services. Trade payables and other payables generally have terms of between 30 and 60 days.

 

(w) Contributed equity

 

 

Issued and paid up capital is recognized at the fair value of the consideration received by the Company. Transaction costs arising on the issue of Ordinary Shares are recognized directly in equity as a deduction, net of tax, of the proceeds received. The Company has a share-based payment option plan under which options to subscribe for the Company’s shares have been granted to certain executives and other employees.

 

3. CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND JUDGEMENTS

 

Estimates and judgements are evaluated and based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that may have a financial impact on the Company and that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

 

Critical accounting estimates and assumptions

 

The carrying amounts of certain assets and liabilities are often determined based on estimates and assumptions of future events. The key estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities within the next annual reporting period are set out below.

 

Share-based payments transactions

 

The Company measures the cost of equity-settled transactions with employees by reference to the value of the equity instruments at the date on which they are granted. Management determined the fair value with the assistance of an independent valuer using a Black-Scholes and Monte Carlo simulation options pricing model.

 

4. COST OF SALES

 

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Inventories used     55,995       93,869       172,070  
Direct labour costs     103,601       88,690       152,767  
Depreciation expense     55,480       65,853       71,139  
Inventories written off (1)     61,191       51,676       96,441  
Total cost of sales     276,267       300,088       492,417  

 

 

(1) Inventories written off include $Nil (2018: $24,506 and 2017: $53,856) of items that expired during the year.

 

F-17
 

 

5. NON OPERATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

 

 

    2019
A$
    2018
A$
    2017
A$
 
Net profit on disposal of plant and equipment                 52,188  
Research and development tax incentive     856,707       299,351       253,159  
Export Marketing & Development Grant           126,907        
Interest income     25,794       15,218       38,765  
Rental income                  
Other income     137,268              
Total non operating income and expenditure     1,019,769       441,476       344,112  

 

6. FOREIGN EXCHANGE GAIN RECLASSIFIED ON LIQUIDATION OF SUBSIDIARY

 

Reclassification of net foreign exchange gains previously recognised in other comprehensive income, reclassified to profit or loss   Nil  
Total gain on liquidation of subsidiary   Nil  

 

Total gain is attributable to the liquidation of GeneType AG, a dormant subsidiary, that was completed on 13 December 2017

 

7. OTHER GAINS / (LOSSES)

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Net foreign exchange gains/(losses)     92,518              
Net impairment losses(1)     (500,000 )            
Total other gains / (losses)     (407,482 )            

 

 

(1) In August 2018, the Company invested $250,000 into Swisstec towards the proposed joint venture to enable the Company and Swisstec to collaborate to develop a medical and health service platform using blockchain technology. The Company has recorded an impairment against the investment during the financial year ended June 30, 2019, due to cessation of activities in relation to the joint venture.

 

(1) In December 2018, Genetic Technologies Limited entered and invested $250,000 into a Joint Venture agreement with Blockshine Health Pty Ltd. with an ownership of 49%. The Company has recorded an impairment against the investment during the financial year ended June 30, 2019, due to the cancellation of the project.

 

F-18
 

 

8. EXPENSES

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Amortization of intangible assets                 63,783  
Depreciation of fixed assets     156,248       303,749       307,828  
Employee benefits expenses     2,414,408       2,657,232       3,594,936  
Operating lease expenses     312,956       326,192       310,413  
Research and development expenses     310,703       459,026       418,598  

 

F-19
 

 

9. INCOME TAX

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Reconciliation of income tax expense to prima facie tax payable                  
Loss before income tax expense     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Tax at the Australian tax rate of 27.50% (2018: 27.50% and 2017: 28.50%)     (1,767,041 )     (1,502,565 )     (2,311,052 )
Tax effect amounts which are not deductible/(taxable) in calculating taxable income                        
Share-based payments expense     92,153       35,650       33,079  
Research and development tax incentive     541,596       148,346       108,163  
Other non-deductible items     590       1,509       1,257  
Other assessable items                 81,155  
      (1,132,702 )     (1,317,060 )     (2,087,398 )
                         
Difference in overseas tax rates     41,009       67,557       (96,775 )
Under /(over) provision     1,126,722       (268,092 )     (75,054 )
Temporary differences not recognized     (121,965 )            
Research and development tax credit     (238,084 )     (82,322 )     (69,619 )
Tax losses not recognized     325,020       1,599,917       2,328,846  
Income tax expense                  
                         
Net deferred tax assets                        
                         
Deferred tax assets not recognized                        
Property, plant and equipment     863       1,381       2,802  
Capital raising costs     232,328       347,370       320,417  
Applera settlement                  
Intangible assets     1,893,220       1,949,601       2,003,505  
Provisions     187,958       201,492       333,103  
Other                  
Total deferred tax assets     2,314,369       2,499,844       2,659,827  
Deferred tax liabilities not recognized                        
Prepayments                  
Total deferred tax liabilities                  
Net deferred tax assets on temporary differences not brought to account     (2,314,369 )     (2,499,844 )     (2,659,827 )
Total net deferred tax assets                  

 

F-20
 

 

9. INCOME TAX (cont.)

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Tax losses                        
Unused tax losses for which no deferred tax asset has been recognized     90,254,547       87,970,140       80,706,629  
Potential tax benefit @ 27.50% (2016: 28.50%)     23,104,882       22,596,182       22,194,323  

 

Subject to the Company continuing to meet the relevant statutory tests, the tax losses are available for offset against future taxable income.

 

At June 30, 2019, the Company had a potential tax benefit related to tax losses carried forward of $23,104,882 (2018:22,596,182). Such amount includes net losses of $5,541,152 (2018:$5,155,038) related to subsidiaries in the United States (U.S.). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted by Congress in the U.S. on December 22, 2017 cut the top corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the graduated corporate tax rate structure is eliminated and corporate taxable income will be taxed at 21-percent flat rate. Additionally, the previous 20-year limitation on carry forward net operating losses (NOL’s) has been removed, allowing the NOL’s to be carried forward indefinitely. The remaining tax losses carried forward of $ 17,563,730 (2018:17,441,144) are indefinite and are attributable to the Company’s operations in Australia. As such the total unused tax losses available to the Company, equal $23,104,882 (2018:$22,596,182).

 

As at balance date, there are unrecognized tax losses with a benefit of approximately $23,104,882 (2018: $22,596,182 and 2017: $22,194,323) that have not been recognized as a deferred tax asset to the Company. These unrecognized deferred tax assets will only be obtained if:

 

(a)  The Company companies derive future assessable income of a nature and amount sufficient to enable the benefits to be realized;
   
(b)  The Company companies continue to comply with the conditions for deductibility imposed by the law; and
   
(c)  No changes in tax legislation adversely affect the Company companies from realizing the benefit.

 

Tax consolidation legislation

 

Genetic Technologies Limited and its wholly-owned Australian subsidiaries implemented the tax consolidation legislation as from July 1, 2003. The accounting policy in relation to this legislation is set out in Note 2(j).

 

The entities in the tax consolidated Company have entered into a Tax Sharing Agreement which, in the opinion of the Directors, limits the joint and several liabilities of the wholly-owned entities in the case of a default by the head entity, Genetic Technologies Limited.

 

The entities have also entered into a Tax Funding Agreement under which the wholly-owned entities fully compensate Genetic Technologies Limited for any current tax payable assumed and are compensated by Genetic Technologies Limited for any current tax receivable and deferred tax assets relating to unused tax losses or unused tax credits that are transferred to Genetic Technologies Limited under the tax consolidation legislation. The funding amounts are determined by reference to the amounts recognized in the respective subsidiaries’ financial statements.

 

The amounts receivable or payable under the Tax Funding Agreement are due upon receipt of the funding advice from the head entity, which is issued as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year.

 

As at June 30, 2019, there are no unrecognised temporary differences associated with the Company’s investments in subsidiaries, as the Company has no liability for additional taxation should unremitted earnings be remitted (2017: $nil).

 

F-21
 

 

10. LOSS PER SHARE

 

The following reflects the income and share data used in the calculations of basic and diluted loss per share:

 

    2019
A$
    2018
A$
    2017
A$
 
Loss for the year attributable to the owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares used in calculating loss per share     2,635,454,870       2,435,282,724       2,121,638,888  

 

Note: None of the 114,250,000 (2018: 55,102,778 and 2017: 75,102,778) options/performance rights over the Company’s Ordinary Shares that were outstanding as at the reporting date are considered to be dilutive for the purposes of calculating diluted earnings per share.

 

F-22
 

 

11. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents                  
Cash at bank and on hand     2,131,741       5,487,035       10,988,255  
Total cash and cash equivalents     2,131,741       5,487,035       10,988,255  
                         
Reconciliation of loss for the year                        
Reconciliation of loss for the year after income tax to net cash flows used in operating activities is as follows:                        
Loss for the year after income tax     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )     (8,403,826 )
                         
Adjust for non-cash items                        
Amortization and depreciation expenses     156,260       303,749       371,611  
Impairment of intangible assets                   544,694  
Impairment of investments     500,000                  
Share-based payments expense     335,102       129,635       120,287  
interest classified as investing cash flows     (25,850 )     15,219        
Net (profit) / loss on disposal of plant and equipment                 (52,188 )
Net (gains) / losses on liquidation of subsidiary           (527,049 )      
Net foreign exchange (gains) / losses     (92,518 )     (128,360 )     175,038  
                         
Adjust for changes in assets and liabilities                        
(Increase) / decrease in trade and other receivables     (517,383 )     124,889       204,501  
(Increase) / decrease in prepayments and other assets     (42,885 )     14,843       103,488  
Increase / (decrease) in trade and other payables     60,178       47,027       60,120  
Increase / (decrease) in provisions     (20,482 )     (122,176 )     62,636  
Net cash flows from / (used in) operating activities     (6,073,182 )     (5,636,533 )     (6,813,639 )
Financing facilities available                        
As at June 30, 2019, the following financing facilities had been negotiated and were available:                        
Total facilities                        
Credit cards     95,714       183,770       306,128  
Facilities used as at reporting date                        
Credit cards     (6,516 )     (12,031 )     (12,428 )
Facilities unused as at reporting date                        
Credit cards     89,198       171,739       293,700  

 

F-23
 

 

12. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES (CURRENT)

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Trade receivables     16,529       10,503  
Less: 2019: Impairment allowance / 2018: provision for doubtful debts            
Net trade receivables     16,529       10,503  
Other receivables*     802,237       290,880  
Total net current trade and other receivables     818,766       301,383  

 

Other receivables majorly consists of R&D income grant receivable.

 

Note: Trade and other receivables for the Company include amounts due in US dollars of USD Nil (2018: USD 7,114).

 

Refer Note 28 for details of aging, interest rate and credit risks applicable to trade and other receivables for which, due to their short-term nature, their carrying value approximates their fair value.

 

13. PREPAYMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS (CURRENT)

 

    2019
A$
    2018
A$
 
Prepayments     159,844       139,767  
Inventories at the lower of cost and net realizable value     31,865       59,007  
Performance bond and deposits     53,456       3,505  
Total current prepayments and other assets     245,165       202,279  

 

F-24
 

 

14. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Laboratory equipment, at cost     1,451,389       1,451,389  
Less: accumulated depreciation     (1,410,877 )     (1,355,397 )
Net laboratory equipment     40,512       95,992  
Computer equipment, at cost     609,550       609,550  
Add: additions during the year     47,715        
Less: accumulated depreciation     (628,868 )     (563,208 )
Net computer equipment     28,397       46,342  
Office equipment, at cost     167,564       167,564  
Less: accumulated depreciation     (167,564 )     (166,807 )
Net office equipment           757  
Equipment under hire purchase, at cost     594,626       594,626  
Less: accumulated depreciation     (594,626 )     (594,626 )
Net equipment under hire purchase            
Leasehold improvements, at cost     462,797       462,797  
Add: additions during the year     2,583          
Less: accumulated depreciation     (464,956 )     (430,604 )
Net leasehold improvements     424       32,193  
Total net property, plant and equipment     69,333       175,284  
Reconciliation of property, plant and equipment                
Opening gross carrying amount     3,285,926       3,283,541  
Add: additions purchased during the year     50,297       2,385  
Less: disposals made during the year            
Closing gross carrying amount     3,336,223       3,285,926  
Opening accumulated depreciation and impairment losses     (3,110,642 )     (2,806,893 )
Add: disposals made during the year            
Less: depreciation expense charged     (156,248 )     (303,749 )
Closing accumulated depreciation and impairment losses     (3,266,890 )     (3,110,642 )
Total net property, plant and equipment     69,333       175,284  

 

Reconciliation of movements in property, plant and equipment by asset category

 

    Opening                       Closing  
    net carrying     Additions     Disposals     Depreciation     net
carrying
 
    amount     during year     during year     expense     amount  
Asset category   A$     A$     A$     A$     A$  
Laboratory equipment     95,992                   (55,480 )     40,512  
Computer equipment     46,342       47,714             (66,416 )     28,397  
Leasehold improvements     32,193       2,583             (34,352 )     424  
Totals     175,284       50,297             (156,248 )     69,333  

 

F-25
 

 

15. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES (CURRENT)

 

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Trade payables     590,231       535,924  
Other payables     68,423       222,502  
Accrued expenses     346,654       186,704  
Total current trade and other payables     1,005,308       945,130  

 

Note: Trade payables for the Company include amounts due in US dollars of USD 126,829 (2018: USD 116,063) and Swiss francs of CHF 0 (2017: CHF 380).

 

Refer Note 28 for details of management of interest rate, foreign exchange and liquidity risks applicable to trade and other payables for which, due to their short-term nature, their carrying value approximates their fair value.

 

16. PROVISIONS (CURRENT AND NON-CURRENT)

 

    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Current provisions                
Annual leave     152,352       145,449  
Long service leave     243,740       268,544  
Make good *     91,590       91,590  
Total current provisions     487,682       505,583  
Non-current provisions                
Long service leave     809       3,390  
Make good *            
Total non-current provisions     809       3,390  
Total provisions     488,491       508,973  

 

 

* Make good provision

 

Genetic Technologies Limited is required to restore the leased premises situated in Fitzroy, Melbourne to their original condition at the end of the lease terms. A provision has been recognized for the present value of the estimated expenditure required to remove any leasehold improvements. These costs have been capitalized as part of the cost of leasehold improvements and are amortized over the shorter of the term of the lease or the useful life of the assets. See Note 2 (u) for the Company’s other accounting policies relevant to provisions.

 

F-26
 

 

16. PROVISIONS (CURRENT AND NON-CURRENT) (cont.)

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Reconciliation of annual leave provision            
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     145,499       239,821  
Add: obligation accrued during the year     91,106       155,967  
Less: utilized during the year     (84,253 )     (250,289 )
Balance at the end of the financial year     152,352       145,499  
Reconciliation of long service leave provision                
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     271,933       299,739  
(Less)/ Add: obligation accrued during the year     10,226       (27,806 )
Less: utilized during the year     (37,610 )      
Balance at the end of the financial year     244,549       271,933  

 

Note: The current provisions for annual leave and long service leave include a total amount of $335,655 (2018: $325,421) in respect of obligations which, based on historical evidence, the Company estimates will be settled more than 12 months from balance date.

 

F-27
 

 

17. CONTRIBUTED EQUITY

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Issued and paid-up capital                
Fully paid Ordinary Shares     125,498,824       122,372,662  
Total contributed equity     125,498,824       122,372,662  
Movements in shares on issue                
                 
Year ended June 30, 2018     Shares       $  
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     2,435,282,724       122,382,625  
Less: transaction costs arising on share issue           (9,963 )
Balance at the end of the financial year     2,435,282,724       122,372,662  
                 
Year ended June 30, 2019     Shares       $  
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     2,435,282,724       122,372,662  
Shares issued during the year     502,851,419       3,557,509  
Less: transaction costs arising on share issue             (431,347 )
Balance at the end of the financial year     2,938,134,143       125,498,824  

 

Terms and conditions of contributed equity

 

Ordinary shares have the right to receive dividends as declared and, in the event of winding up the Company, to participate in the proceeds from the sale of all surplus assets in proportion to the number of and amounts paid up on shares held. Ordinary shares, which have no par value, entitle their holder to one vote, either in person or by proxy, at a meeting of the Company.

 

Capital management

 

When managing capital, Management’s objective is to ensure that the Company continues as a going concern as well as to provide returns for shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders. Management also aims to maintain a capital structure to reduce the entity’s cost of capital.

 

F-28
 

 

18. RESERVES

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Foreign currency translation     789,598       765,930  
Share-based payments     5,220,334       4,885,232  
Total reserves     6,009,932       5,651,162  
Reconciliation of foreign currency translation reserve                
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     765,930       1,288,896  
Add: net currency translation gain / (loss)     23,668       (522,966 )
Balance at the end of the financial year     789,598       765,930  
Reconciliation of share-based payments reserve                
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     4,885,232       4,755,597  
Add: share-based payments expense     341,201       129,635  
Less: Reversal of forfeited/lapsed options     (6,099 )        
Balance at the end of the financial year     5,220,334       4,885,232  

 

Nature and purpose of reserves

 

Foreign currency translation reserve

 

This reserve is used to record exchange differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign subsidiaries.

 

Share-based payments reserve

 

This reserve is used to record the value of share-based payments provided to employees and others providing similar services as part of their remuneration.

 

19. ACCUMULATED LOSSES

 

Balance at the beginning of the financial year     (123,311,946 )     (117,848,074 )
Add: net loss attributable to owners of Genetic Technologies Limited     (6,425,604 )     (5,463,872 )
Balance at the end of the financial year     (129,737,550 )     (123,311,946 )

 

20. OPTIONS

 

The fair value of options granted under an Employee Option Plan is recognised as an employee benefit expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The fair value is measured at grant date and recognized over the vesting period over which all of the specified vesting conditions are to be satisfied. The fair value at grant date is determined by management with the assistance of an independent valuer, using a Black-Scholes option pricing model or a Monte Carlo simulation analysis. The total amount to be expensed is determined by reference to the fair value of the options granted;

 

● including any market performance conditions (e.g. the entities share price)

● excluding the impact of any service and non-market performance vesting conditions (e.g. remaining an employee over a specified time period)

 

F-29
 

 

The cumulative employee benefits expense recognised at each reporting date until vesting date reflects (i) the extent to which the vesting period has expired; and (ii) the number of awards that, in the opinion of the Directors of the Company, will ultimately vest. This opinion is formed based on the best information available at balance date.

 

Where the terms of an equity-settled award are modified, as a minimum an expense is recognised as if the terms had not been modified. In addition, an expense is recognised for any increase in the value of the transaction as a result of the modification, as at the date of modification. Where appropriate, the dilutive effect of outstanding options is reflected as additional share dilution in the computation of diluted earnings per share. The Company’s policy is to treat the options of terminated employees as forfeitures.

 

On November 30, 2001, the Directors of the Company established a Staff Share Plan. On November 19, 2008, the shareholders of the Company approved the introduction of a new Employee Option Plan. Under the terms of the respective Plans, the Directors may, at their discretion, grant options over the ordinary shares in the Genetic Technologies Limited to executives, consultants, employees, and former Non-Executive Directors, of the Company.

 

During the year 16,000,000 options over ordinary shares were granted pursuant the Employee Option Plan. The following information relates to ordinary shares granted pursuant to the Employee Option Plan at no cost for year ended 30 June 2019;

 

Set out below are summaries of all listed and unlisted options, including ESOP:

 

   

Ave. exercise

price per option

   

Number of

options and

performance

rights

 
As at 1 July   $ 0.017       55,102,778  
Granted to KentGrove Capital   $ 0.015       12,500,000  
Granted to employees during the year   $ 0.010       16,000,000  
Lapsed during the year   $ 0.020       (19,236,111 )
Forfeited during the year   $ 0.001       (6,000,000 )
Lapse of unlisted options attached to convertible notes   $ 0.015       (20,366,667 )
As at 30 June   $ 0.015       38,000,000  

 

Note:

 

On August 8, 2018, the Company announced that it issued the following securities to Kentgrove Capital Pty Ltd:

 

● 8,833,100 Shares in lieu of payment of the Establishment Fee (Establishment Shares);

● 12,500,000 Options exercisable at $0.0153 each and expiring 3 years after issue (Establishment Options); and

● 100,000,000 Shares as security for the Company’s obligations under the Kentgrove Facility (Collateral Shares).

 

F-30
 

 

Fair value of options granted

 

The options granted to Kentgrove Capital Pty Ltd were valued based on the following:

 

    2019  
Grant Date   08 Aug 2018  
Options issued     12,500,000  
Dividend yield      
Historic volatility and expected volatility     80 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.0153  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.0153  
Risk-free interest rate     2.02 %
Expected life of an option     3 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.0040  

 

As at June 30, 2019, the following options over Ordinary Shares in the Company were outstanding.

 

    2019     Weighted ave. exercise price     2018     Weighted ave. exercise price  
Unlisted employee options (refer below)     25,500,000     $ 0.015       34,736,111     $ 0.017  
Unlisted options attached to convertible notes                 20,366,667     $ 0.015  
Unlisted options granted to KentGrove Capital     12,500,000     $ 0.015              
      38,000,000     $ 0.015       55,102,778     $ 0.016  

 

On November 30, 2001, the Directors of the Company established a Staff Share Plan. On November 19, 2008, the shareholders of the Company approved the introduction of a new Employee Option Plan. Under the terms of the respective Plans, the Directors of the Company may grant options over Ordinary Shares in Genetic Technologies Limited to executives, consultants and employees of the Company. The options, which are granted at nil cost, are not transferable and are not quoted on the ASX. As at June 30, 2019, there was 1 executive and 12 employees who held options that had been granted under the Plans. Options granted under the Plans carry no rights to dividends and no voting rights.

 

F-31
 

 

20. OPTIONS (cont.)

 

The movements in the number of options granted under the Plans are as follows:

 

    2019     Weighted ave. exercise price     2018     Weighted ave. exercise price  
Unlisted employee options                                
Balance at the beginning of the financial year     34,736,111     $ 0.017       54,736,111     $ 0.016  
Add: options granted during the year     16,000,000     $ 0.010              
Less: options lapsed during the year     (19,236,111 )   $ 0.020              
Less: options forfeited during the year     (6,000,000 )   $ 0.010       (20,000,000 )   $ 0.014  
Balance at the end of the financial year     25,500,000     $ 0.015       34,736,111     $ 0.017  

 

There were no options exercised under the Employee Option Plan during the year ended June 30, 2019 (2018: Nil).

 

The numbers of options outstanding as at June 30, 2019 by ASX code, including the respective dates of expiry and exercise prices, are tabled below (refer Note 23 for further information). The options tabled below are not listed on ASX.

 

Option description   2019     Weighted ave. exercise price     2018     Weighted ave. exercise price  
Unlisted employee options                                
Options to Kentgrove (expiring August 8, 2021)     12,500,000     $ 0.015              
GTGAD (expiring September 14, 2020)                        
GTGAD (expiring November 24, 2020)                 19,236,111     $ 0.020  
GTGAD (expiring March 31, 2021)     5,000,000     $ 0.020       5,000,000     $ 0.020  
GTGAD (expiring February 16, 2022)     5,500,000     $ 0.010       10,500,000     $ 0.010  
ESOP options (expiring December 11, 2021)     15,000,000     $ 0.010              
Balance at the end of financial year     38,000,000     $ 0.015       34,736,111     $ 0.017  
                                 
Unlisted options attached to convertible notes                                
GTGAC (expiring December 2, 2018)                 20,366,667     $ 0.015  
Balance at the end of the financial year     38,000,000     $ 0.015       55,102,778     $ 0.016  
Exercisable at the end of the financial year     38,000,000     $ 0.015       48,102,778     $ 0.017  

 

The weighted average remaining contractual life of options outstanding as at June 30, 2019 was 2.16 years (2018: 1.94 years).

 

F-32
 

 

21. SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

Identification of reportable segments

 

The Company has identified a sole operating segment as reported that is consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision maker and is aligned to the one major revenue stream.

 

The Company’s operating segment is summarized as follows:

 

Business segments

 

          Revenues and income  
Segment         Sales     Other     Totals     Profit / (loss)  
          A$     A$     A$     A$  
Operations     2019       25,444       1,019,769       1,045,213       (6,425,604 )
      2018       189,254       441,476       630,730       (5,463,872 )
      2017       518,506       344,112       862,618       (8,403,826 )

 

                      Amortization     Purchases of  
Segment         Assets     Liabilities     /depreciation     equipment  
              A$       A$       A$       A$  
Operations     2019       3,265,005       (1,493,799 )     (156,248 )     5,353  
      2018       6,165,981       (1,454,103 )     (303,749 )     2,385  
      2017       12,108,297       (1,529,253 )     (371,611 )     234,799  

 

Geographic information

 

Australia — is the home country of the parent entity and the location of the Company’s genetic testing and licensing operations.

 

U.S. — is the home of Phenogen Sciences Inc. and GeneType Corporation.

 

Switzerland — is the home of GeneType AG (Liquidated December 2017).

 

Geographic information

 

          Revenues and income  
          Sales     Other     Totals     Profit/(Loss)  
          A$     A$     A$     A$  
Australia     2019       5,247       1,019,769       1,025,016       (5,791,950 )
      2018             441,476       441,476       (3,504,098 )
      2017       18,215       344,112       362,327       (7,000,994 )
U.S.     2019       20,197             20,197       (633,654 )
      2018       189,254             189,254       (1,959,774 )
      2017       500,291             500,291       (1,371,001 )
Other     2019                          
      2018                          
      2017                         (31,831 )
Totals     2019       25,444       1,019,769       1,045,213       (6,425,604 )
      2018       189,254       441,476       630,730       (5,463,872 )
      2017       518,506       344,112       862,618       (8,403,826 )

 

F-33
 

 

21. SEGMENT INFORMATION (cont.)

 

Segment assets:

 

The internal management reporting presented to key business decision makers report total assets on the basis consistent with that if the consolidated financial statements. These reports do not allocate assets based on the operations of each segment or by geographical location.

 

Under the current management reporting framework, total assets are not reviewed to a specific reporting segment or geographical location.

 

Segment Liabilities:

 

The internal management reporting presented to key business decision makers report total liabilities on the basis consistent with that if the consolidated financial statements. Under the current management reporting framework, total liabilities are not reviewed to a specific reporting segment or geographical location.

 

Other revenues and income includes interest received of $25,790 (2018: $15,218 and 2017: $38,765).

 

Expenses includes employee benefits expenses of $2,414,408 (2018: $2,657,232 and 2017: $3,594,936).

 

Included in the above figures are the following intersegment balances and transactions:

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Foreign exchange gain (U.S.) and foreign exchange loss (Australia)     291,542       981,141       776,295  
Cost of sales (U.S.) and sales (Australia)     9,708       38,352       74,762  

 

Segment products and locations

 

The principal geographic segment is Australia, with the Company’s headquarters being located in Melbourne in the State of Victoria however the key sales activities take place in the U.S..

 

Major customers

 

During the years ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018 there was no customer from whom the Company generated revenues representing more than 10% of the total consolidated revenue from operations or outstanding receivables.

 

F-34
 

 

22. SHARE BASED PAYMENTS

 

(a) Employee option plan

 

On November 30, 2001, the Directors of the Company established a Staff Share Plan. On November 19, 2008, the shareholders of the Company approved the introduction of a new Employee Option Plan. Under the terms of the respective Plans, the Directors may, at their discretion, grant options over the Ordinary Shares in the Genetic Technologies Limited to executives, consultants, employees, and former Non-Executive Directors, of the Company.

 

During the year 16,000,000 options over Ordinary Shares were granted pursuant the Employee Option Plan. The following information relates to Ordinary Shares granted pursuant to the Employee Option Plan at no cost for year ended 30 June 2019;

 

  i. 16,000,000 unlisted options (Expiring on December 11, 2021 with an exercise price of $0.01 vesting on 30 June 2019) over Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Employee Option Plan were granted. The fair value of each option granted is estimated by an external valuer using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with assumptions as follows:

 

    2019  
Grant Date   12 Dec 2018  
Options issued     16,000,000  
Dividend yield      
Historic volatility and expected volatility     80 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.010  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.030  
Risk-free interest rate     2.02 %
Expected life of an option     2.8 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.0051  

 

As at 30 June 2019, there were 14 employee who held options that had been granted under the Plan.

 

During the financial year 2018 no options over ordinary shares were granted pursuant the Employee Option Plan. The following information relates to ordinary shares granted pursuant to the Employee Option Plan at no cost for year ended 30 June 2017;

 

F-35
 

 

The following information relates to Ordinary Shares granted pursuant to the Employee Option Plan at no cost for year ended 30 June 2017;

 

  i. 1,250,000 options to a number of employees of the Company’s US Subsidiary, Phenogen Sciences Inc. The options vest based on non-market performance conditions (requirement to remain employed by the Company) in three tranches commencing on the date of the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company and then at each of the 12 and 24 month anniversaries thereafter. The fair value of each option granted is estimated by an external valuer using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with assumptions as follows

 

    2017  
Grant Date   17 Feb 2017  
Options issued     1,250,000  
Dividend yield      
Historic volatility and expected volatility     60 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.010  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.010  
Risk-free interest rate     2.19 %
Expected life of an option     4.5 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.0050  

 

As at 30 June 2019, there was 1 employee (2018: 1) who held options that had been granted under the Plan.

 

  ii. 21,500,000 options to a number of KMP. The options vest based on non-market performance conditions (requirement to remain employed by the Company) in three tranches commencing on the date of the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company and then at each of the 12 and 24 month anniversaries thereafter. The fair value of each option granted is estimated by an external valuer using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with assumptions as follows

 

    2017  
Grant Date   17 Feb 2017  
Options issued     21,500,000  
Dividend yield      
Historic volatility and expected volatility     60 %
Option exercise price   $ 0.010  
Weighted average exercise price   $ 0.010  
Risk-free interest rate     2.19 %
Expected life of an option     4.5 years  
Model used     Black-Scholes  
Fair value of options at grant date   $ 0.0050  

 

F-36
 

 

  iii. 1,250,000 options (2016: 2,000,000 options) to a number of employees of the Company’s US Subsidiary, Phenogen Sciences Inc. The options vest based on non-market performance conditions (requirement to remain employed by the Company) in three tranches commencing on the date of the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company and then at each of the 12 and 24 month anniversaries thereafter (2016: three equal tranches after 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months from date of grant, respectively). The fair value of each option granted is estimated by an external valuer using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with assumptions as follows

 

    2017   2016
Grant Date   17 Feb 2017   1 April 2016   25 Nov 2015
Options issued   1,250,000   500,000   1,500,000
Dividend yield      
Historic volatility and expected volatility   60%   80%   80%
Option exercise price   $0.010   $0.039   $0.058
Fair value of options at grant date   $0.0050   $0.0065   $0.0139
Weighted average exercise price   $0.010   $0.039   $0.058
Risk-free interest rate   2.19%   1.93%   2.22%
Expected life of an option   4.5 years   4.3 years   4.5 years
Model used   Black-Scholes   Black-Scholes   Black-Scholes

 

(b) Performance Rights Issuance

 

After receiving requisite shareholder approval on November 29, 2018, the Company has issued 76,250,000 performance rights to Directors of the Company as follows:

 

7,500,000 Class A Performance Rights, 25,000,000 Class B Performance Rights and 25,000,000 Class C performance Rights to Dr Paul Kasian

 

3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr Lindsay Wakefield

 

6,250,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr Jerzy Muchnicki

 

5,000,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Peter Rubinstein

 

3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Xue Lee

 

Further detail around each tranche of performance rights has been detailed within the explanatory memorandum accompanying the Notice of Meeting lodged with the ASX on October 30, 2018. The Company has accounted for these performance rights in accordance with its accounting policy for share-based payment transactions and has recorded $104,441 of associated expense in the current year-end.

 

F-37
 

 

Valuation of Performance Rights

 

The Performance Rights are not currently quoted on the ASX and as such have no ready market value. The Performance Rights each grant the holder a right of grant of one ordinary Share in the Company upon vesting of the Performance Rights for nil consideration. Accordingly, the Performance Rights may have a present value at the date of their grant. Various factors impact upon the value of Performance Rights including:

 

  the period outstanding before the expiry date of the Performance Rights;
     
  the underlying price or value of the securities into which they may be converted;
     
  the proportion of the issued capital as expanded consequent upon conversion of the Performance Rights into Shares (i.e. whether or not the shares that might be acquired upon exercise of the options represent a controlling or other significant interest); and
     
  the value of the shares into which the Performance Rights may be converted.

 

There are various formulae which can be applied to determining the theoretical value of options (including the formula known as the Black-Scholes Model valuation formula and the Monte Carlo simulation).

 

The Company has commissioned an independent valuation of the Performance Rights. The independent valuer has applied the Monte Carlo simulation in providing the valuation of the Performance Rights.

 

Inherent in the application of the Monte Carlo simulation are a number of inputs, some of which must be assumed. The data relied upon in applying the Monte Carlo simulation was:

 

  a)  exercise price being 0.0 cents per Performance Right for all classes;
     
  b) VWAP hurdle (10 days consecutive share price hurdle) equaling 2.0 cents for Class A and Class B and

 

3.3cents for Class C Performance Rights;

 

  c) the continuously compounded risk-free rate being 2.02% for all classes of Performance Rights (calculated with reference to the RBA quoted Commonwealth Government bonds as at October 8,2018 of similar duration to that of the expected life of each class of Performance Right);
     
  d) the expected option life of 2.8 years for all classes of Performance Rights; and
     
  e) a volatility measure of 80%.

 

F-38
 

 

Based on the independent valuation of the performance rights, the company agrees that the total value of the performance rights to be issued to each director (depending on the share price at issue) is as follows:

 

Valuation of Class A Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class A (cents)

   

Total fair value of Class

A Performance Rights

   

Expense accounted

for during the year

 
Dr Paul Kasian     7,500,000       0.77     $ 57,750     $ 11,229  
Dr Lindsay Wakefield     3,750,000       0.77     $ 28,875     $ 5,614  
Dr Jerzy Muchnicki     6,250,000       0.77     $ 48,125     $ 9,358  
Mr Peter Rubinstein     5,000,000       0.77     $ 38,500     $ 7,486  
Mr Sam Lee     3,750,000       0.77     $ 28,875     $ 5,614  

 

Valuation of Class B Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class B (cents)

   

Class B Performance

Rights

   

Expense accounted for

during the year

 
Dr Paul Kasian     25,000,000       0.77     $ 192,500     $ 37,431  

 

Valuation of Class C Performance Rights

 

   

Number of

Performance

Rights issued

   

Valuation per

Class C (cents)

   

Class C Performance

Rights

   

Expense accounted for

during the year

 
Dr Paul Kasian     25,000,000       0.57     $ 142,500     $ 27,708  

 

F-39
 

 

22. SHARE BASED PAYMENTS (cont.)

 

(b) Expenses arising from share-based payment transactions

 

Total expenses arising from share-based payment transactions recognized during the period as part of employee benefit expense were as follows:

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
Kentgrove options issued     15,278              
Performance rights issued     104,441             120,287  
Options issued under employee option plan     215,383       129,635       120,287  
Total expenses arising from share-based payments     335,102       129,635       120,287  

 

 

23. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
Operating lease expenditure commitments   A$     A$     A$  
Minimum operating lease payments                        
- not later than one year     250,068       41,625       227,992  
- later than one year but not later than five years     266,560             35,676  
- later than five years                  
Total minimum operating lease payments     516,628       41,625       263,668  

 

As at June 30, 2019, the above operating leases related to the following premises that are currently occupied by the Company:

 

Location   Landlord   Use  

Date of expiry

of lease

 

Minimum

payments

($)

 
60-66 Hanover Street
Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Australia
  Crude Pty. Ltd.   Office / laboratory   August 31, 2021     487,837  
1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina   Mid-Town Partners LLC   Office   Month to month     28,791  
            Total     516,628  

 

F-40
 

 

Apart from the above, there were no other commitments or contingencies as at June 30, 2019.

 

On July 3, 2018 the lease agreement for the Fitzroy premises in Melbourne was extended for 3 years from September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2021. In addition, Phenogen Sciences Inc. has vacated the Harris Corners Parkway office in Charlotte and entered into a lease agreement effective July 23, 2018 for premises situated at 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 157, Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

24. AUDITORS’ REMUNERATION

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Audit and assurance services                        
PricewaterhouseCoopers in respect of:                        
Audit(1)     288,000       288,200       325,972  
Audit related                 107,451  
Other audit firms in respect of:                        
Audit of the Financial Reports of subsidiaries                 4,070  
Total remuneration in respect of audit services     288,000       288,200       437,493  

 

 

(1) Audit fees consist of services that would normally be provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements, including services that generally only the independent accountant can reasonably provide.

 

25. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

 

Ultimate parent

 

Genetic Technologies Limited is the ultimate Australian parent company. As at the date of this Report, no shareholder controls more than 50% of the issued capital of the Company.

 

Transactions within the Group and with other related parties

 

During the year ended 31 December 2019, the only transactions between entities within the Group and other related parties occurred, are as listed below. Except where noted, all amounts were charged on similar to market terms and at commercial rates.

 

Debt convertible notes

 

During the year ended 30 June 2015, the Company finalised the raising of $2,150,000 via the issue of unlisted secured (debt) notes to existing and new Australian institutional and wholesale investors. The debt notes carried a 10.0% coupon rate, and as approved at the Annual General Meeting, held on 25 November 2014, became convertible notes which could convert into ordinary shares (at a 10.0% discount to the 5 day VWAP). These convertible notes also carry free attached options to purchase further shares in the Company.

 

F-41
 

 

Of these convertible notes, $125,000 were issued to a holder associated with Dr Lindsay Wakefield, a Company director at the time of issue, on the same terms and conditions as other note holders, all of which were converted during the year ended 30 June 2015. The 8,333,333 share options attached to these convertible notes expired during the year ended 30 June 2019. Dr Muchnicki and Mr Rubinstein, both of whom were elected as Directors of the Company on 31 January 2018, also participated in the debt convertible notes raising, during the year ended 30 June 2019 associated options indirectly held of 6,666,667 and 5,000,000 respectively expired.

 

Blockchain Global Limited

 

As announced by the Company on 15 February 2018, a non-binding terms sheet with Blockchain Global Limited(BCG) was entered to provide a framework for continuing discussions between the two companies, with the proposed transaction being subject to shareholder approval (by non-associated Shareholders); and as announced by the Company on 2 August 2018, a framework agreement with BCG was entered formalizing the non-binding terms sheet and providing a framework for a strategic alliance between the Company and BCG, with the agreement became binding on 29 November 2018 upon receiving the requisite shareholder approval. The agreement proposed the issue of 486 million shares to BCG in 3 tranches subject to the achievement of certain milestones. To date no shares have been issued under the framework agreements and no milestones have been achieved. Any rights to the 486 million milestone shares lapse between 27th December 2019 and 27 June 2020.

 

The company has accounted for these share issuances in accordance with its accounting policy for share-based payment transactions and has not recorded any associated expense in the current year given performance conditions have not been met and are not currently considering any Blockchain related projects.

 

A number of Directors of the Company presently or previously have had involvement with BCG. Mr Sam Lee has a direct and indirect share interest and was a CEO and managing director of BCG. Mr Peter Rubinstein held a minority shareholding in the entity and was also a director in BCG. Dr Jerzy Muchnicki has a direct and indirect interest in BCG. Dr Paul Kasian was previously a director of BCG until July 2018.

 

Performance Rights Issuance

 

After receiving requisite shareholder approval on 29 November 2018, the Company has issued 76,250,000 performance rights to Directors of the Company as follows:

 

● 7,500,000 Class A Performance Rights, 25,000,000 Class B Performance Rights and 25,000,000 Class C performance Rights to Dr Paul Kasian

 

● 3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr Lindsay Wakefield

 

● 6,250,000 Class A Performance Rights to Dr Jerzy Muchnicki

 

● 5,000,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Peter Rubinstein

 

● 3,750,000 Class A Performance Rights to Mr Xue Lee

 

F-42
 

 

The Company has accounted for these performance rights in accordance with its accounting policy for share-based payment transactions and has recorded $104,441 of associated expense in the current year.

 

Valuation of Performance Rights

 

The Performance Rights are not currently quoted on the ASX and as such have no ready market value. The Performance Rights each grant the holder a right of grant of one ordinary Share in the Company upon vesting of the Performance Rights for nil consideration. Accordingly, the Performance Rights may have a present value at the date of their grant. Various factors impact upon the value of Performance Rights including:

 

● the period outstanding before the expiry date of the Performance Rights;

 

● the underlying price or value of the securities into which they may be converted;

 

● the proportion of the issued capital as expanded consequent upon conversion of the Performance Rights into Shares (i.e. whether or not the shares that might be acquired upon exercise of the options represent a controlling or other significant interest); and

 

● the value of the shares into Which the Performance Rights may be converted.

 

Blockshine Health Joint Venture

 

The Company, via its subsidiary Gene Ventures Pty Ltd, entered into a joint venture with Blockshine Technology Corporation (BTC). The joint venture company, called Blockshine Health, will pursue and develop blockchain opportunities in the biomedical sector. Blockshine Health will have full access to BTC’s technology (royalty free) as well as all of its opportunities in the biomedical sector. The Company invested $250,000 into the joint venture for a 49% equity stake. The Company has recorded an impairment against the investment during the financial year ended June 30, 2019, due to the cancellation of the project.

 

Dr Jerzy Muchnicki (GTG’s nominee for directorship) is currently the director of both the Company and Blockshine Health. At this time, no Directors fees are payable to Dr Muchnicki by the joint venture company Blockshine Health.

 

There were no transactions with parties related to Key Management Personnel during the year other than that disclosed above.

 

Genetic Technologies HK Limited and Aocheng Genetic Technologies Co. Ltd - Joint Venture

 

In August 2018, the Company announced a Heads of Agreement had been reached with Representatives of the Hainan Government - Hainan Ecological Smart City Group (“HESCG”), a Chinese industrial park development & operations company have formally invited Genetic Technologies Limited (“GTG”) to visit the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone to conduct a formal review and discuss opportunities for market entry into China via the Hainan Free Trade Zone initiative. The invitation was extended to GTG via Beijing Zishan Health Consultancy Limited (“Zishan”), demonstrating the potential for growth presented by the proposed Joint Venture between the parties (as announced to the market on 14 August 2018).

 

F-43
 

 

Participants in the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone gain access to the Chinese healthcare market with an estimated value in excess of US$800B. Discussions with HESCG form part of an official review process to evaluate the feasibility of offering GTG’s suite of genetic risk assessment tests into China through the Hainan Medical Pilot Zone.

 

Subsequently, the Company announced the official formation of Genetic Technologies HK Limited and Aocheng Genetic Technologies Co. Ltd in Hong Kong to the market on March 27, 2019,

 

With a growing clinical market and increased government investment in health-related technology, China is poised to become one of the largest global markets for genomic testing. The invitation from representatives of the Hainan Government represents a significant opportunity for GTG to advance the adoption of genetic risk assessment tests in the region.

 

GTG’s Chairman, Dr Paul Kasian has been named in the formation Heads of Agreement document to be the Chairman of the Joint Venture entity. At this time, no Directors fees or emoluments have been paid to Dr Kasian, nor have agreements regarding fees been reached.

 

Lodge Corporate

 

Dr. Kasian was a director of corporate finance and corporate advisor from December 2017 to February 2019 with Lodge Corporate. During the year, the company engaged in corporate advisory services with Lodge Corporate and had transactions worth $67,000 during the financial year end 2019.

 

Mr. Phillip Hains (Chief Financial Officer)

 

Subsequent to the financial year end 2019, on July 11, 2019, the Company announced that it had appointed Mr. Phillip Hains (MBA, CA) as the Chief Financial Officer who has over 30 years of extensive experience in roles with a portfolio of ASX and NASDAQ listed companies and provides CFO services through his firm The CFO Solution. The Company had a similar arrange with The CFO Solution, where it would engage and provided services of overall CFO, accounting and other finance related activities.

 

During the financial year 2019, the company had transactions valued at $45,459 with The CFO Solution towards provision of overall CFO, accounting and other finance related activities.

 

Details of Directors and Key Management Personnel as at balance date

 

Directors

 

• Dr Paul Kasian (Former Chairman and Interim CEO) (resigned September 24, 2019)

• Dr Lindsay Wakefield (Non-Executive)

• Dr Jerzy Muchnicki (Executive Director and Interim CEO) (appointed on September 24, 2019)

• Mr Peter Rubinstein (Non-Executive)

• Mr Xue Lee (Non-Executive) (resigned on July 9, 2019)

 

Executives

 

• Dr Richard Allman (Scientific Director)

• Mr Paul Viney (Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary) (appointed on December 15, 2018 and resigned on July 15, 2019)

• Kevin Fischer (Chief Financial Officer) (resigned on December 31, 2018)

 

F-44
 

 

25. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES (cont.)

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018     2017  
    A$     A$     A$  
Remuneration of Key Management Personnel                  
Short-term employee benefits     964,162       1,215,632       1,533,457  
Post-employment benefits     86,130       96,315       101,320  
Share-based payments     157,886       130,385       121,269  
Other long-term benefits     734       2,371       61,594  
Termination benefits           164,760        
Total remuneration of Key Management Personnel     1,208,912       1,609,463       1,817,640  

 

F-45
 

 

26. SUBSIDIARIES

 

The following diagram is a depiction of the Company structure as at June 30, 2019.

 

 

F-46
 

 

        Company interest (%)    

Net carrying value

($)

 
Name of Company   Incorporation details   2019     2018     2019     2018  
Entities held directly by parent                                    
GeneType Pty. Ltd.
(Dormant)
  September 5, 1990
Victoria, Australia
    100 %     100 %            
Genetic Technologies Corporation Pty. Ltd.
(Genetic testing)
  October 11, 1996
N.S.W., Australia
    100 %     100 %     2       2  
Gene Ventures Pty. Ltd. *
(Dormant)
  March 7, 2001
N.S.W., Australia
    100 %     100 %     10       10  
GeneType AG **
(Dormant)
  February 13, 1989
Zug, Switzerland
                       
GeneType Corporation
(Dormant)
  December 18, 1989
California, U.S.A.
    100 %     100 %            

Phenogen Sciences Inc.

(BREVAGenTM )

  June 28, 2010
Delaware, U.S.A.
    100 %     100 %     11,006       11,006  
Genetic Technologies HK Ltd   March 18, 2019
Hong Kong, China
    100 %     N/A              
Total carrying value                         11,018       11,018  

 

 

* On 26 April 2018, the name of RareCellect Pty Ltd (ACN 096 135 9847) was changed to Gene Ventures Pty Ltd (ACN 096 135 947)

 

** Liquidation of GeneType AG was completed on 13 December 2017

 

F-47
 

 

27. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT

 

The Company’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks such as credit risk, market risk (including foreign currency risk and interest rate risk) and liquidity risk. The Company’s overall risk management program focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimize potential adverse effects on the financial performance of the Company. The Company uses different methods to measure the different types of risk to which it is exposed. These methods include sensitivity analysis in the case of foreign exchange, interest rate and aging analysis for credit risk.

 

Risk management is managed by the Executive under guidance provided by the Board of Directors via its Audit Committee, which provides guidance for overall risk management, as well as policies covering specific areas, such as credit risk, foreign exchange risk and interest rate risk. The Committee identifies and evaluates financial risks in close cooperation with the Company’s executive management.

 

The Company’s principal financial instruments comprise cash and cash equivalents. The Company also has other financial assets and liabilities, such as trade receivables and payables, which arise directly from its operations.

 

The Company does not typically enter into derivative transactions, such as interest rate swaps or forward currency contracts. It is, and has been throughout the period under review, the Company’s policy that no trading in financial instruments shall be undertaken. The main risks arising from the Company’s financial instruments are credit risk exposures, foreign currency risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk. The policies for managing each of these risks are summarized below.

 

Details of the significant accounting policies and methods adopted, including the criteria for recognition, the basis of measurement and the basis on which income and expenses are recognized, in respect of each class of financial asset, financial liability and equity instrument are disclosed in Note 2.

 

The Company holds the following financial instruments:

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Financial assets                
Cash at bank / on hand     2,131,741       5,487,035  
Trade and other receivables     818,766       301,383  
Performance bond and deposits     53,456       3,505  
Total financial assets     3,003,963       5,791,923  
                 
Financial liabilities                
Trade and other payables     1,005,308       945,130  
Total financial liabilities     1,005,308       945,130  

 

Credit risk

 

The Company’s credit risk is managed on a Company basis. Credit risk arises from cash and cash equivalents and deposits with banks and financial institutions, as well as credit exposures to customers, including outstanding receivables and committed transactions. Other receivables represent amounts accrued for which reimbursement will be applied for from the Australian Taxation Authority under the Governments Research & Development grant. The maximum exposures to credit risk at June 30, 2019 in relation to each class of recognized financial asset is the carrying amount of those assets, as indicated in the balance sheet.

 

Financial assets included on the balance sheet that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents and trade receivables. In accordance with the guidelines of the Company’s Short Term Investment Policy, the Company minimizes this concentration of risk by placing its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions that maintain superior credit ratings in order to limit the degree of credit exposure. For banks and financial institutions, only independently-rated parties with a minimum rating of “A-1” are accepted. The Company has also established guidelines relative to credit ratings, diversification and maturities that seek to maintain safety and liquidity. The Company does not require collateral to provide credit to its customers. The Company has not entered into any transactions that qualify as a financial derivative instrument.

 

F-48
 

 

27. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT (cont.)

 

Credit risk (cont.)

 

The trade receivables balance is reflective of historical collection rates which are monitored on an ongoing basis and adjusted accordingly based on changing collection and test data. As at June 30, 2019, the balance of the Company’s total accrued net trade receivables was $16,529 (2018: $10,503 (refer Note 12)).

 

Credit risk further arises in relation to financial guarantees given by the Company to certain parties in respect of obligations of its subsidiaries. Such guarantees are only provided in exceptional circumstances.

 

An analysis of the aging of trade and other receivables s is provided below:

 

    Consolidated  
    2019     2018  
    A$     A$  
Net trade and other receivables                
Current (less than 30 days)     802,237       294,454  
31 days to 60 days     11,159       3142  
61 days to 90 days (note)           783  
Greater than 90 days (note)     5,370       3004  
Total net trade and other receivables (Note 12)     818,766       301,383  

 

Market risk

 

Foreign currency risk

 

The Company operates internationally and is exposed to foreign currency exchange risk, primarily with respect to the US dollar, through financial assets and liabilities. It is the Company’s policy not to hedge these transactions as the exposure is considered to be minimal from a consolidated operations perspective. Further, as the Company incurs expenses which are payable in US dollars, the financial assets that are held in US dollars provide a natural hedge for the Company.

 

Foreign exchange risk arises from planned future commercial transactions and recognized assets and liabilities denominated in a currency that is not the entity’s functional currency and net investments in foreign operations. The risk is measured using sensitivity analysis and cash flow forecasting.

 

The Company has a Foreign Exchange Management Policy which was developed to establish a formal framework and procedures for the efficient management of the financial risks that impact on Genetic Technologies Limited through its activities outside of Australia, predominantly in the United States. The policy governs the way in which the financial assets and liabilities of the Company that are denominated in foreign currencies are managed and any risks associated with that management are identified and addressed. Under the policy, which is updated on a regular basis as circumstances dictate, the Company generally retains in foreign currency only sufficient funds to meet the expected expenditures in that currency. Surplus funds are converted into Australian dollars as and when deemed appropriate by the Board in consultation with the CFO.

 

F-49
 

 

27. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT (cont.)

 

Market risk (cont.)

 

As at June 30, 2019, the Company held the following financial assets and liabilities that were denominated in foreign currencies:

 

Consolidated   Year     USD     EUR     CHF  
Financial assets                                
Cash at bank / on hand     2019       201,737       27,052        
      2018       2,154,291       28,952        
Bonds and deposits     2019       1,986              
      2018       3,505              
Total financial assets     2019       203,723       27,052        
      2018       2,157,796       28,952        
Financial liabilities                                
Trade and other payables     2019       117,992       1,900        
      2018       116,063              
Total financial liabilities     2019       117,992       1,900        
      2018       116,063              

 

Notes: USD — United States dollars EUR — European euros CHF — Swiss francs

 

During the year ended June 30, 2019, the Australian dollar / US dollar exchange rate weakened by 5.13%, from 0.7403 at the beginning of the year to 0.7023 at the end of the year.

 

Based on the financial instruments held at June 30, 2019, had the Australian dollar weakened/ strengthened by 10% against the US dollar with all other variables held constant, the Company’s loss for the year would have been $11,851 lower/ $9,696 higher (2018: 306,000 lower/ $250,000 higher), mainly as a result of changes in the values of cash and cash equivalents which are denominated in US dollars, as detailed in the above tables.

 

Interest rate risk

 

The Company’s main interest rate risk arises in relation to its short-term deposits with various financial institutions. If rates were to decrease, the Company may generate less interest revenue from such deposits. However, given the relatively short duration of such deposits, the associate risk is relatively minimal.

 

The Company has a Short Term Investment Policy which was developed to manage the Company’s surplus cash and cash equivalents. In this context, the Company adopts a prudent approach that is tailored to cash forecasts rather than seeking high returns that may compromise access to funds as and when they are required. Under the policy, the Company deposits its surplus cash in a range of deposits / securities over different time frames and with different institutions in order to diversify its portfolio and minimize risk.

 

On a monthly basis, Management provides the Board with a detailed list of all cash and cash equivalents, showing the periods over which the cash has been deposited, the name and credit rating of the institution holding the deposit and the interest rate at which the funds have been deposited.

 

At June 30, 2019, if interest rates had changed by +/- 50 basis points from the year-end rates, with all other variables held constant, the Company’s loss for the year would have been $8,969 lower / higher (2018: loss $12,000 lower / higher), as a result of higher / lower interest income from cash and cash equivalents.

 

F-50
 

 

27. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT (cont.)

 

Market risk (cont.)

 

The exposure to interest rate risks and the effective interest rates of financial assets and liabilities, both recognized and unrealized, for the Company is as follows:

 

          Floating rate     Fixed rate    

Carrying

amount

   

Weighted

ave. effective

rate

   

Ave. maturity

Period

Consolidated   Year     A$     A$     A$     %     Days
Financial assets                                            
Cash at bank / on hand     2019       2,131,741               2,131,741       1.74 %   At call
      2018       2,394,754             2,394,754       1.74 %   At call
Performance bond / deposits     2019               53,456       53,456           At call
      2018             3,505       3,505           At call
Totals     2019       2,131,741       53,456       2,131,741              
      2018       2,394,754       3,505       2,398,259              
Financial liabilities                                            
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss     2019                            
      2018                            
Totals     2019                                
      2018                                

 

Note The Company holds the balance of its cash in non-interest bearing bank accounts.

 

Liquidity risk

 

Prudent liquidity risk management implies maintaining sufficient cash and cash equivalents and the availability of funding through an adequate amount of committed credit facilities, such as its hire purchase and credit card facilities. The Company manages liquidity risk by continuously monitoring forecast and actual cash flows and, wherever possible, matching the maturity profiles of financial assets and liabilities. Due to the dynamic nature of the underlying businesses, Management aims to maintain flexibility in funding by keeping committed credit lines available. Surplus funds are generally only invested in instruments that are tradeable in highly liquid markets. Refer note 2(a) for further information on the material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

F-51
 

 

27. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT (cont.)

 

Liquidity risk (cont.)

 

A balanced view of cash inflows and outflows affecting the Company is summarized in the table below:

 

          < 6 months     6 to 12 months     1 to 5 years     > 5 years     Totals  
Consolidated   Year     A$     A$     A$     A$     A$  
Financial assets                                                
Cash at bank / on hand     2019       2,131,741                               2,131,741  
      2018       5,487,035                         5,487,035  
Trade and other receivables     2019       818,766                               818,766  
      2018       301,383                         301,383  
Performance bond and deposits     2019       53,456                               53,456  
      2018       3,505                         3,505  
Total financial assets     2019       3,003,963                               3,003,963  
      2018       5,791,923                         5,791,923  
Financial liabilities                                                
Trade and other payables     2019       1,005,308                               1,005,308  
      2018       945,130                         945,130  
Total financial liabilities     2019       1,005,308                               1,005,308  
      2018       945,130                         945,130  
Net maturity     2019       (1,998,655 )                             (1,998,655 )
      2018       4,846,793                         4,846,793  

 

The Company had access to the following undrawn borrowing facility as at June 30, 2019:

 

    Facility limit     Amount used     Amount available  
    A$     A$     A$  
Nature of facility                        
Credit card facility     95,714       -6,516       89,198  

 

F-52
 

 

28. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Significant events after balance date

 

The following significant events have occurred after balance date;

 

  The Company appointed Mr. Nick Burrows as Non- Executive Independent Director to the board on September 2, 2019.
     
  On August 15, 2019, the Company announced a ratio change on the ADR program from 1 ADS representing 150 Ordinary Shares to a new ratio of 1 ADS representing 600 Ordinary Shares. The ratio change will result in a reverse split on Genetic Technologies ADSs on the basis of 1 ADS for 4 old ADS held. The Ordinary Shares of Genetic Technologies Limited will not be affected by this change in the ADS to ordinary shares ratio.
     
  On July 11, 2019, the Company announced the appointment of a new Company Secretary in form of Mr. Justyn Stedwell and appointed a new Chief Financial Officer of the Company in form of Mr. Phillip Hains. These appointments replace roles performed by Mr. Paul Viney due to his departure which was announced during the same month.
     
  On September 24, 2019, the Company announced resignation of Dr. Paul Kasian (current Chairman and interim Chief Executive Officer) with immediate effect with Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki taking up the role of the interim Chief Executive Officer.
     
  On September 23, 2019, the Company announced the signing of a three-year collaboration agreement with Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) of Phoenix, Arizona USA. The agreement includes cooperation in the design feasibility analysis of clinical research studies to support the clinical application of GTG’s polygenic risk tests and identification of appropriate clinical partners to participate in the studies.

 

F-53
 

 

 

Up to 4,878,048 American Depositary Shares and

or

Up to 4,878,048 Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase Shares of American Depositary Shares

(and 4,878,048 American Depositary Shares Issuable Upon Exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants)

 

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

, 2020

 

 

H.C. Wainwright & Co.

 

     

 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “Genetic Technologies “ or the “company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to Genetic Technologies Limited and its subsidiaries.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Except as hereinafter set forth, there is no provision of the Company’s Constitution or any contract, arrangement or statute under which any director or officer of the Company is insured or indemnified in any manner against liability which he may incur in his capacity as such.

 

Rule 22 of the Company’s Constitution provides:

 

To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each person who is or has been an officer of the Company or an officer of a related body corporate of the Company, on a full indemnity basis against any liability incurred by the person:

 

  in his capacity as an officer of the Company or a related body corporate; and
     
  to a person other than the Company or a related body corporate of the Company, unless the liability arises out of conduct of the officer which involves a lack of good faith.

 

To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each person who is or has been an officer of the Company or an officer of a related body corporate of the Company, on a full indemnity basis against any liability for costs and expenses incurred by the person in connection with proceedings involving the person in his or her capacity as an officer of the Company or a related body corporate.

 

The Company may:

 

  enter into, or agree to enter into; and
     
  pay, or agree to pay, a premium in respect of,

 

a contract insuring a person who is or has been an officer of the Company or of a related body corporate of the Company against a liability incurred by the person as such an officer, except in circumstances prohibited by the Law.

 

Without limiting a person’s right under this Rule 22, the Company may enter into a deed agreeing with the person to give effect to the rights of the person conferred by this rule or the exercise of a discretion under this rule, on such terms and conditions as the directors think fit and which are not inconsistent with this Rule 22.

 

This Rule 22 does not limit any right the person otherwise has.

 

In this Rule 22, an officer means a director or secretary of the Company and such other persons as the directors decide from time to time.

 

The Company maintains liability insurance policies insuring the Company’s directors and officers against certain liabilities that they may incur in such capacities.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the charter provision, by-law, contract, arrangements, statute or otherwise, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

 

  II-1  

 

 

Item 7. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

 

During the prior three years, we issued and sold to third parties the securities listed below without registering the securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof and Regulations D and S thereunder. None of these transactions involved any public offering. All our securities were sold through private placement either (i) outside the United States or (ii) in the United States to a limited number of investors in transactions not involving any public offering. As discussed below, we believe that each issuance of these securities was exempt from, or not subject to, registration under the Securities Act.

 

On October 29, 2019, the Company completed a rights offering to the holders of its ordinary shares in which it issued 1,125,000,000 ordinary shares at an issue price of A$0.004, resulting in gross proceeds to the Company before transaction costs of A$4,500,000. Lodge Corporate acted as the underwriter in the rights offering with respect to A$4,000,000 of the A$4,500,000 total proceeds raised in the rights offering, and was paid a commission of 2% of A$4,000,000. In addition, Lodge Corporate and sub-underwriters in the Rights Offering became entitled to be issued three-year options to purchase an aggregate of 500,000,000 ordinary shares at an exercise price of A$0.008 per ordinary share. The sub-underwriters of the underwritten portion of the Rights Offering included Peter Rubinstein and Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki, who were issued options to purchase 125,000,000 ordinary shares.

 

In addition, the Company sold securities in the three prior fiscal years as follows:

 

        Issue Price     Total Value  
Date   Details   AUD$     AUD$  
May 6, 2019   72,596,869 ordinary shares issued to Kentgrove Capital Growth Fund   $ 0.00676       490,755  
                     
October 24, 2018   100,000,0000 ordinary shares issued to Kentgrove Capital Growth Fund   $ 0.0135       1,350,000  
                     
August 8, 2018   108,833,100 ordinary shares issued to Kentgrove Capital Growth Fund   $ 0.0113       1,229,814  

 

In addition, we issued to the placement agent’s designees warrants to purchase 66,857 ADSs and 46,963 ADSs at an exercise price of $2.1875 and $2.50, respectively, as compensation in connection with the April Offerings.

 

  II-2  

 

 

Item 8. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

 

Exhibit

Number

  Description
      
Exhibit 3.1   Constitution (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.1 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on December 21, 2010)
     
Exhibit 4.1   Deposit Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2002, by and among Genetic Technologies Limited, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary, and the Owners and Holders of American Depositary Receipts (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-6 relating to the ADSs filed with the Commission on September 12, 2012)
     
Exhibit 4.2   Form of American Depositary Receipt (incorporated by reference to Rule 424(b)(3) filing (File No. 333-183861), filed with the Commission on August 15, 2019)
     
Exhibit 4.3   Form of Warrant issued on May 23, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on May 23, 2019)
     
Exhibit 4.4  

Form of Compensation Warrant issued on April 3, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on April 2, 2020)

 

Exhibit 4.5   Form of Pre-funded Warrant (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 4.6   Form of Placement Agent Warrant (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 5.1   Opinion of K&L Gates (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 5.2   Opinion of Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 10.2   License and Services Agreement, dated November 29, 2016, between The University of Melbourne and Genetic Technologies Limited (previously filed)
     
Exhibit 10.3   Collaborative Research Agreement between Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge; and Phenogen Sciences, Inc. (previously filed)
     
Exhibit 10.4   Master Collaboration Agreement, dated September 13, 2019, between Genetic Technologies Limited and The Translational Genomics Research Institute (previously filed)
     
Exhibit 10.5   Exhibit A-1 entered into under Master Collaboration Agreement, dated September 13, 2019, between Genetic Technologies Limited and The Translational Genomics Research Institute (previously filed)
     
Exhibit 10.6   Form of Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of May 22, 2019, between Genetic Technologies Limited and the investors listed therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on May 23, 2019)
     
Exhibit 10.7   Form of Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of April 1, 2020, between Genetic Technologies Limited and the investors listed therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on April 2, 2020)
     
Exhibit 10.8   Placement Agent Agreement effective March 30, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on April 2, 2020)
     
Exhibit 10.9   Form of Securities Purchase Agreement (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 10.10   Renewal of Lease over premises in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia with an effective date of September 1, 2018 (incorporated by reference to 20-F filed October 3, 2019)
     
Exhibit 23.1   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (filed herewith)
     
Exhibit 23.2   Consent of K&L Gates (included in Exhibit 5.1)
     
Exhibit 23.3   Consent of Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)
     
Exhibit 24.1   Power of Attorney (previously filed)

 

  II-3  

 

 

Financial Statement Schedules.

 

All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

 

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

  (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the placement agent at the closing specified in the placement agency agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the placement agent to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
     
  (b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
     
  (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
     
  (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  II-4  

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Melbourne, Victoria Australia, on the 12th day of May 2020.

 

  GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
   
  By: /s/ Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki
    Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki
    Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki   Interim Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   May 12, 2020
Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki        
         
         
/s/ Phillip Hains   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)   May 12, 2020
Phillip Hains        
         
/s/ Dr. Lindsay Wakefield   Director   May 12, 2020
Dr. Lindsay Wakefield        
         
/s/ Peter Rubinstein   Director   May 12, 2020
Peter Rubinstein        
         
/s/ Nick Burrows   Director   May 12, 2020
Nick Burrows        

 

Authorized U.S. Representative

 

Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Genetic Technologies Limited, has signed this registration statement in the City of Newark, Delaware, on May 12, 2020.

 

  By: /s/ DONALD J. PUGLISI
  Name: Donald J. Puglisi
  Title: Managing Director
  Authorized Representative in the United States

 

  II-5  

 

 

Exhibit 4.5

 

PREFUNDED AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES PURCHASE WARRANT

 

geneTIC technologies LIMITED

 

Warrant ADSs: _________ Issue Date: ________, 2020

 

THIS PREFUNDED AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, ____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “Initial Exercise Date”) until this Warrant is exercised in full (the “Termination Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Genetic Technologies Limited, an Australian corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing six hundred (600) ordinary shares, no par value, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”) (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) (the ADSs issuable hereunder, the “Warrant ADSs”). The purchase price of one ADS under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

 

Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed, provided that banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or obligated to be closed due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar closure of physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority if such banks’ electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) are open for use by customers on such day.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Deposit Agreement” means the Deposit Agreement dated as of January 14, 2002, as amended, among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon as Depositary and the owners and holders of ADSs from time to time, as such agreement may be amended or supplemented.

 

  1  

 

 

Depositary” means The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary under the Deposit Agreement.

 

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

 

Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares or ADSs, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred shares, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares or ADSs.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Purchase Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, by and among the Company and certain holders of the Warrants, dated as of _______, 2020.

 

Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-235542).

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the ADSs are traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

  2  

 

 

Section 2. Exercise.

 

a)       Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company and the Depositary, as applicable, of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by electronic mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (“Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the ADSs specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank, unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has exercised all of the Warrant ADSs available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant ADSs available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant ADSs issuable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant ADSs exercised. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant ADSs issued and the date of such exercises. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Business Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the exercise of a portion of the Warrant ADSs hereunder, the number of Warrant ADSs available for exercise hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

b)       Exercise Price. The aggregate exercise price of this Warrant, except for a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per Warrant ADS, was pre-funded to the Company on or prior to the Initial Exercise Date and, consequently, no additional consideration (other than the nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per Warrant ADS) shall be required to be paid by the Holder to any Person to effect any exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-paid aggregate exercise price under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever, including in the event this Warrant shall not have been exercised prior to the Termination Date. The remaining unpaid exercise price per ADS under this Warrant shall be $0.0001, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

 

  3  

 

 

c)       Cashless Exercise. This Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant ADSs equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the ADS on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant ADSs that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant ADSs are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that, in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant ADSs shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADS is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the ADS for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADS is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADS is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADS are then reported in The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

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VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADS is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADS is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADS is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADS are then reported in The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

d) Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i.       Delivery of Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause its registrar to deposit the Warrant Shares subject to such exercise with Depositary, and cause the Depositary to credit the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Depositary is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to or resale of the Warrant ADSs by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of the Warrant Shares, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant ADSs to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”) provided that the Warrant ADS Delivery Date shall not be deemed to have occurred until such time that the Company has received the aggregate Exercise Price. Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant ADSs with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant ADSs. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant ADSs subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the ADS on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant ADS Delivery Date until such Warrant ADSs are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a registrar (which can be the depositary) that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the ADSs as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant ADSs subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date and the Initial Exercise Date shall be the Warrant ADS Delivery Date for purposes hereunder.

 

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ii.       Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant, at the time of delivery of the Warrant ADSs, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to exercise the unexercised Warrant ADSs called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii.       Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Depositary to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs pursuant to Section 2(c)(i) by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Warrant ADSs or Ordinary Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Warrant ADSs pursuant to this Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

iv.       Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(c)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the ADSs so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant ADSs that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant ADSs for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of ADSs that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases ADSs having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrants with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver ADSs upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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v.       No Fractional ADSs or Scrip. No fractional ADSs or scrip representing fractional ADSs shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant.

 

vi.       Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant ADSs shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant ADSs, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant ADSs shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant ADSs are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Depositary fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant ADSs.

 

vii.       Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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e)       Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and its Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares underlying such Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares underlying Warrant ADSs which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Ordinary Share Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Depositary setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding Ordinary Shares was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be [4.99/9.99%] of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

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Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a)       Share Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a share dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on its Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Ordinary Shares or ADSs (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any ADSs issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), as applicable, (ii) subdivides outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a larger number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse share split) outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a smaller number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, or (iv) issues by reclassification of Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any shares of capital stock of the Company, as applicable, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of ADSs (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of ADSs outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, the Exercise Price of this Warrant will not be adjusted in the event that the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sell or grant any right to reprice, or otherwise dispose of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents, at an effective price per share less than the Exercise Price then in effect.

 

b)       Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Ordinary Share Equivalents or rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Ordinary Shares or ADSs (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) 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 Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable, are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares or ADSs as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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c)       Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable, are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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d)       Fundamental Transactions. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company (and all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole), directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of ADSs are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding ADSs, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the ADSs or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the ADSs is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, merger or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding ADSs (not including any ADSs held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share underlying the Warrant ADSs that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of ADSs of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). If holders of ADSs are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the ADSs acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and which required no additional consideration upon exercise, and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

e)       Change in ADS Ratio. If after the Issuance Date the ADS ratio is increased or reduced, then the number of Warrant ADSs to be provided on exercise of a Warrant will be reduced or increased (respectively) in inverse proportion to the change in the ADS ratio Ordinary Shares per ADS.

 

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f)       Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of Ordinary Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g)       Notice to Holder.

 

i.       Adjustment. Whenever this Warrant is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly notify, in writing, the Holder of the adjusted terms of this Warrant after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii.       Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Ordinary Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Ordinary Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Ordinary Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Ordinary Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Ordinary Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Ordinary Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Ordinary Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their Ordinary Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 6-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a)       Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant ADSs without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b)       New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the original Issue Date and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant ADSs issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c)       Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

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Section 5. Miscellaneous.

 

a)       Currency. Unless otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Warrant are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”). All amounts owing under this Warrant shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies shall be converted in the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Warrant, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal (NY edition) on the relevant date of calculation.

 

b)       No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 2(d)(i), Section 2(d)(iv) and or Section 3(d) herein, and without limiting the rights of the Holder to effect a cashless exercise or under Section 2(c) herein, in no event shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.

 

c)       Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant ADSs, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

d)       Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

e)       Authorized Shares.

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of any rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of the rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the ADS or Ordinary Shares may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

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Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant ADSs above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

f)       Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding 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 Warrant 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. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

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g)       Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal or foreign securities laws.

 

h)       Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Purchase Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

i)       Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at ___________, Attention: ___________, facsimile number: _________, email address: ___________, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 6-K.

 

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j)       Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to receive Warrant ADSs, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any ADS or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

k)       Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

l)       Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant ADSs.

 

m)       Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

n)       Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

o)       Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

  geneTIC technologies LIMITEd
                                  
  By:  
  Name:
  Title:

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: geneNTIC technologies lIMITEd

 

(1)       The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant ADSs of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any,

 

(2)       Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[ ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[ ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3)       Please issue said Warrant ADSs in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

The Warrant ADSs shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: _______________________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _______________________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________________________________________

 

     

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to exercise Warrant ADSs.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:
  (Please Print)
   
Address:
  (Please Print)
   
Phone Number:  
Email Address:  
Dated: _______________ __, ______  
Holder’s Signature:__________________________  
Holder’s Address:___________________________  

 

     

 

 

Exhibit 4.6

 

PLACEMENT AGENT AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES PURCHASE WARRANT

 

geneTIC technologies LIMITED

 

Warrant ADSs: _________ Issue Date: ________, 2020

 

THIS PLACEMENT AGENT AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, ____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on _______ __, _____ (the “Termination Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Genetic Technologies Limited, an Australian corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing six hundred (600) ordinary shares, no par value, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”) (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) (the ADSs issuable hereunder, the “Warrant ADSs”). The purchase price of one ADS under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant is issued pursuant to that certain Engagement Agreement, by and between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, dated as of March 29, 2020.

 

Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed, provided that banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or obligated to be closed due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar closure of physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority if such banks’ electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) are open for use by customers on such day.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Deposit Agreement” means the Deposit Agreement dated as of January 14, 2002, as amended, among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon as Depositary and the owners and holders of ADSs from time to time, as such agreement may be amended or supplemented.

 

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Depositary” means The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary under the Deposit Agreement.

 

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

 

Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares or ADSs, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred shares, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares or ADSs.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Purchase Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, by and among the Company and certain holders of the Warrants, dated as of _______, 2020.

 

Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-235542).

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the ADSs are traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

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Section 2. Exercise.

 

a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company and the Depositary, as applicable, of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by electronic mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (“Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the ADSs specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank, unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has exercised all of the Warrant ADSs available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant ADSs available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant ADSs issuable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant ADSs exercised. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant ADSs issued and the date of such exercises. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Business Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the exercise of a portion of the Warrant ADSs hereunder, the number of Warrant ADSs available for exercise hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per ADS under this Warrant shall be $_____, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant ADSs equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the ADS on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

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(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant ADSs that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant ADSs are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that, in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant ADSs shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADS is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the ADS for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADS is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADS is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADS are then reported in The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADS is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADS is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADS is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADS are then reported in The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

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d) Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i. Delivery of Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause its registrar to deposit the Warrant Shares subject to such exercise with Depositary, and cause the Depositary to credit the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Depositary is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to or resale of the Warrant ADSs by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of the Warrant Shares, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant ADSs to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”) provided that the Warrant ADS Delivery Date shall not be deemed to have occurred until such time that the Company has received the aggregate Exercise Price. Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant ADSs with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant ADSs. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant ADSs subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the ADS on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant ADS Delivery Date until such Warrant ADSs are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a registrar (which can be the depositary) that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the ADSs as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

 

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant, at the time of delivery of the Warrant ADSs, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to exercise the unexercised Warrant ADSs called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

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iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Depositary to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs pursuant to Section 2(c)(i) by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Warrant ADSs or Ordinary Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Warrant ADSs pursuant to this Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(c)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the ADSs so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant ADSs that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant ADSs for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of ADSs that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases ADSs having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrants with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver ADSs upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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v. No Fractional ADSs or Scrip. No fractional ADSs or scrip representing fractional ADSs shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant ADSs shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant ADSs, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant ADSs shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant ADSs are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Depositary fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant ADSs.

 

vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and its Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares underlying such Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares underlying Warrant ADSs which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Ordinary Share Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Depositary setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding Ordinary Shares was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

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Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Share Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a share dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on its Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Ordinary Shares or ADSs (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any ADSs issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), as applicable, (ii) subdivides outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a larger number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse share split) outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a smaller number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, or (iv) issues by reclassification of Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any shares of capital stock of the Company, as applicable, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of ADSs (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of ADSs outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, the Exercise Price of this Warrant will not be adjusted in the event that the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sell or grant any right to reprice, or otherwise dispose of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents, at an effective price per share less than the Exercise Price then in effect.

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Ordinary Share Equivalents or rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Ordinary Shares or ADSs (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) 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 Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable, are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares or ADSs as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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c) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, by way of return of capital or otherwise, other than cash (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable, are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

d) Fundamental Transactions. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company (and all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole), directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of ADSs are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding ADSs, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the ADSs or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the ADSs is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, merger or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding ADSs (not including any ADSs held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share underlying the Warrant ADSs that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of ADSs of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). If holders of ADSs are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the ADSs acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and which required no additional consideration upon exercise, and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

9

 

 

e) Change in ADS Ratio. If after the Issuance Date the ADS ratio is increased or reduced, then the number of Warrant ADSs to be provided on exercise of a Warrant will be reduced or increased (respectively) in inverse proportion to the change in the ADS ratio Ordinary Shares per ADS.

 

f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of Ordinary Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder.

 

i. Adjustment. Whenever this Warrant is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly notify, in writing, the Holder of the adjusted terms of this Warrant after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Ordinary Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Ordinary Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Ordinary Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Ordinary Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Ordinary Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Ordinary Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Ordinary Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their Ordinary Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 6-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a) Transferability. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the offering pursuant to which this Warrant is being issued, except the transfer of any security:

 

  (i) by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of the Company;
     
  (ii) to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers and partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period;
     
  (iii) if the aggregate amount of securities of the Company held by the Holder or related person do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;
     
  (iv) that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or
     
  (v) the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period.
     

Subject to the foregoing restriction, this Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant ADSs without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the original Issue Date and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant ADSs issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

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Section 5. Miscellaneous.

 

a) Currency. Unless otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Warrant are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”). All amounts owing under this Warrant shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies shall be converted in the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Warrant, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal (NY edition) on the relevant date of calculation.

 

b) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 2(d)(i), Section 2(d)(iv) and or Section 3(d) herein, and without limiting the rights of the Holder to effect a cashless exercise or under Section 2(c) herein, in no event shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.

 

c) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant ADSs, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

d) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

e) Authorized Shares.

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of any rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of the rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the ADS or Ordinary Shares may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

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Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant ADSs above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

f) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding 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 Warrant 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. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

13

 

 

g) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant ADSs and the underlying Ordinary Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal or foreign securities laws.

 

h) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Purchase Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

i) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at ___________, Attention: ___________, facsimile number: _________, email address: ___________, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 6-K.

 

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j) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to receive Warrant ADSs, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any ADS or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

k) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

l) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant ADSs.

 

m) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

n) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

o) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

  geneTIC technologies LIMITEd
   
  By:                     
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: geneNTIC technologies lIMITEd

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant ADSs of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any,

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[  ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[  ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant ADSs in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

  ______________________________  

 

The Warrant ADSs shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

  _______________________________  
     
  _______________________________  
     
  _______________________________  

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to exercise Warrant ADSs.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:  
  (Please Print)
   
Address:  
  (Please Print)
   
Phone Number:  
Email Address:  
Dated: _______________ __, ______  
Holder’s Signature: ________________________  
Holder’s Address: _________________________  

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

11 May 2020 Partner: Andrew Gaffney
  andrew.gaffney@klgates.com
  T +61 3 9640 4329
  Our ref: gaffnea

 

The Board of Directors

Genetic Technologies Limited

60-66 Hanover Street

Fitzroy VIC 3065

 

Dear Sirs

 

Form F-1 Registration Statement

 

We have acted as Australian legal counsel for Genetic Technologies Limited ACN 009 212 328, a company incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia (“Company”), in connection with its filing of a registration statement on Form F-1 (“Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933 (USA), as amended (the “Act”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) offering for sale of up to 5,319,149 American Depositary Shares or up to 5,319,149 Pre-Funded Warrants to purchase American Depositary Shares (“Offer”). Each of the American Depositary Shares are convertible into 600 fully paid ordinary shares in the Company (“Shares”).

 

Assumptions in providing our opinion

 

As to various questions of fact relevant to this opinion, we have relied on and assumed the accuracy of, without independent verification:

 

  an online search of the Company on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”) records on 8 May 2020 (“ASIC search”);
     
  a certificate from the Company’s Company Secretary detailing the securities it has issued in Australia in the prior 12 months and a calculation of the Company’s capacity as at the date of this letter to issue securities pursuant to ASX Listing Rules 7.1 and 7.1A;
     
  the Company’s Constitution (a copy of which was provided to us by the Company).  

 

For the purpose of the opinions set out below, we have also assumed, with your agreement and without independent investigation or verification, that:

 

  (a) the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents, instruments and certificates submitted to us as originals and the exact conformity with the authentic originals of all documents, instruments and certificates submitted to us as copies or forms or originals;
     
  (b) that each party to each document has all the requisite power and authority (corporate and otherwise) to execute and deliver and perform its obligations there under;

 

K&L GATES

Level 25 South Tower 525 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia

GPO Box 4388 Melbourne VIC 3001 DX 405 Melbourne

T +61 3 9205 2000 F +61 3 9205 2055 klgates.com

 

     

 

 

  (c) all matters of internal management required by the constitution of each of the parties to the relevant documents have been duly attended to (including, without limitation, the holding of properly constituted meetings of the boards of directors of each of those parties and the passing at those meetings of appropriate resolutions);
     
  (d) that any documents which purport to be governed by the law of any jurisdiction other than the federal and state laws of the Commonwealth of Australia are legal, valid and binding obligations on all of the parties thereto and under the applicable law and that none of the execution, delivery or performance of any document by any party thereto violates or contravenes or is rendered invalid, not binding or unenforceable under any applicable law under any jurisdiction other than the federal and state laws of the Commonwealth of Australia;
     
  (e) the Company will not engage in fraudulent or unconscionable conduct or conduct which is misleading or deceptive or which is likely to mislead or deceive in relation to the issuance or sale of Shares or ADS;
     
  (f) there is no bad faith, fraud, undue influence, coercion or duress or similar conduct on the part of the Company in relation to the issuance or sale of Shares or ADS under the Registration Statement;
     
  (g) all information provided to us by or on behalf of officers of the Company was true, correct and complete when provided and remains so at the date of this letter, containing all information required, without us making any separate enquiry or investigation other than viewing the ASIC search, in order for us to provide this opinion;
     
  (h) no party has contravened or will contravene any provision of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (including Chapters 2E, 2J, 6 or generally sections 1041H or 1043A) (Corporations Act) by the issue of the Registration Statement or giving effect to any transaction in connection with a Registration Statement or undertaking or being involved in a transaction related to or connected with the Registration Statement or generally in any subsequent dealing in the Shares or ADS issued under the Registration Statement;
     
  (i) the Company will at all times duly comply with all its obligations under the Corporations Act, the ASX Listing Rules and otherwise required by law, including the lodgement of an Appendix 3A and a cleansing notice under Section 708A(5) of the Corporations Act upon each issue of securities under the Registration Statement or otherwise as permitted under Part 6D.2 of the Corporations Act;
     
  (j) the Company is and will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due and is otherwise solvent as at the time the Shares or ADS are issued or sold;
     
  (k) the ASIC search we have examined is accurate and that the information disclosed by the search conducted by us is true and complete and that such information has not since then been altered and that such search did not fail to disclose any information which had been delivered for registration or filing against the Company’s records but which did not appear on the public records at the date of our search;
     
  (l)

the Company will lodge all requisite notices with the ASX in respect of the contemplated issue of securities under Offer (including an Appendix 3B) and on closing the Company will also lodge with the ASX an appendix 2A and 708A(5) Corporations Act cleansing notice in respect of the Shares allotted under the Offer.

 

Opinion

 

Based on and subject to the foregoing and in reliance thereof, in our opinion, the Shares which the American Depositary Shares the subject of the Offer under the Registration Statement are convertible-

 

1. have been duly authorized by the Company; and
   
2. when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable securities of the Company.

 

This opinion is limited to the federal and state laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and no opinion or representation is given in respect of the application of any foreign laws to the issue or transfer of the securities or the contents or generally the compliance of the Registration Statement or any other matters under any applicable US laws or regulations.

 

  2  

 

 

Applicability

 

This opinion is given as at the date of this letter and we undertake no obligation to advise you of any changes (including but not limited to any subsequently enacted, published or reported laws, regulations or individual decisions) that may occur or come to our attention after the date of this letter which may affect our opinion.

 

We consent to incorporation by reference of this opinion in the Registration Statement and we consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

Yours faithfully

 

/s/ Andrew Gaffney  
Andrew Gaffney  
Partner  

 

  3  

 

 

Exhibit 5.2

 

 

May 12, 2020

 

Genetic Technologies Limited

60-66 Hanover Street

Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia

 

Re: Registration Statement on Form F-1
  File No. 333-235542

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This opinion is furnished to you in connection with a Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-235542) (as amended to date, the “Registration Statement”) filed by Genetic Technologies Limited., an Australian company (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for the registration and proposed offering by the Company of (i) up to $10,000,000 of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing 600 ordinary shares, no par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”) or, in lieu of ADSs, pre-funded warrants to purchase ADSs (the “Pre-funded Warrants”) and (ii) $812,500 of warrants to purchase ADSs issuable to the placement agent (the “Placement Agent Warrants”, and, together with the ADSs, the Pre-funded Warrants, and the Ordinary Shares, the “Securities”). The Securities are being registered by the Company, which has engaged H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC to act as the exclusive placement agent in connection with a public offering of the Company.

 

We are acting as U.S. securities counsel for the Company in connection with the Registration Statement. In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements, certificates and statements of public officials, certificates of officers or representatives of the Company, and such other documents, certificates and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth herein. In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of all originals of such latter documents. In making our examination of the documents executed by the parties, we have assumed that such parties had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof. In addition, we have assumed that when issued and paid for pursuant to the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Placement Agent Warrants, the Ordinary Shares underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants and Placement Agent Warrants will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Except as expressly set forth herein, we have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the existence or absence of facts material to the opinions expressed herein and no inference as to our knowledge concerning such facts should be drawn from the fact that such representation has been relied upon by us in connection with the preparation and delivery of this opinion. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others, including those set forth in the Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, copy of which has been filed as Exhibit 10.9 to the Registration Statement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”).

 

We are admitted to the Bar in the State of New York. We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York.

 

1185 Avenue of the Americas | 37th Floor | New York, NY | 10036

T (212) 930 9700 | F (212) 930 9725 | WWW.SRF.LAW

 

     

 

 

You are separately receiving an opinion from K&L Gates with respect to the corporate proceedings relating to the issuance of the Securities.

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the ADSs, Pre-Funded Warrants and Placement Agent Warrants, when issued and sold by the Company and delivered by the Company in accordance with and in the manner described in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof and, the Securities Purchase Agreement, when executed and delivered by the Company, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and equitable principles of general applicability.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and we further consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission. This opinion letter is limited to the matters expressly set forth herein and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly so stated. This opinion letter is given as of the date hereof and we do not undertake any liability or responsibility to inform you of any change in circumstances occurring, or additional information becoming available to us, after the date hereof which might alter the opinions contained herein.

 

1185 Avenue of the Americas | 37th Floor | New York, NY | 10036

T (212) 930 9700 | F (212) 930 9725 | WWW.SRF.LAW

 

     

 

 

The opinion set forth herein is rendered as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in the law which may hereafter occur (which may have retroactive effect). In addition, the foregoing opinions are qualified to the extent that (a) enforceability may be limited by and be subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including, without limitation, concepts of notice and materiality), and by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ and debtors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, any state or federal law in respect of fraudulent transfers); and (b) no opinion is expressed herein as to compliance with or the effect of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.

 

This opinion is rendered to you in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement. This opinion may not be relied upon for any other purpose, or furnished to, quoted or relied upon by any other person, firm or corporation for any purpose, without our prior written consent.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  /s/ Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP
  Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP

 

1185 Avenue of the Americas | 37th Floor | New York, NY | 10036

T (212) 930 9700 | F (212) 930 9725 | WWW.SRF.LAW

 

     

 

 

Exhibit 10.9

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of ______ __, 2020, between Genetic Technologies Limited, an Australian corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.5.

 

Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

 

ADS(s)” means American Depositary Shares issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement (as defined below), each representing six hundred (600) Ordinary Shares.

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Australian Company Counsel” means K&L Gates, with offices located at Level 25 South Tower 525 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia.

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed, provided that banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or obligated to be closed due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar closure of physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority if such banks’ electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) are open for use by customers on such day.

 

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Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date hereof.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Deposit Agreement” means the Deposit Agreement dated as of January 14, 2002, among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon as Depositary and the owners and holders of ADSs from time to time, as such agreement may be amended or supplemented.

 

Depositary” means The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary under the Deposit Agreement.

 

Company Counsel” means Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP, with offices located at 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 37th Floor, New York, New York 10036.

 

Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules of the Company delivered concurrently herewith.

 

Disclosure Time” means, (i) if this Agreement is signed on a day that is not a Trading Day or after 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) and before midnight (New York City time) on any Trading Day, 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent, and (ii) if this Agreement is signed between midnight (New York City time) and 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, no later than 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent.

 

Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) ADSs, Ordinary Shares or options to employees, officers, or directors of the Company pursuant to any share or option plan in existence as of the date hereof, (b) ADSs or Ordinary Shares upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into ADSs or Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities or to extend the term of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.12(a) herein, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, (d) issuances of restricted ADSs or restricted Ordinary Shares to consultants of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights and (e) up to $_______ of Shares and/or the Prefunded Warrants issued to other purchasers pursuant to the Prospectus concurrently with the Closing at the applicable Per Share Purchase Price or Per Prefunded Warrant Purchase Price, less such aggregate dollar amount of Shares and Prefunded Warrants sold pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(s).

 

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

 

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

FDA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

 

FDCA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

 

IFRS” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

 

Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).

 

Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).

 

Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

 

Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(n).

 

Ordinary Share(s)” means the ordinary shares of the Company, no par value per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares or ADSs, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares or ADSs.

 

3

 

 

Per Prefunded Warrant Purchase Price” equals $_____, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the ADSs that occur after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date.

 

Per Share Purchase Price” equals $____, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the ADSs that occur after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Pharmaceutical Product” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

 

Placement Agent” means H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC.

 

Prefunded Warrant” means, collectively, the Prefunded American Depositary Shares purchase warrants delivered to the applicable Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Prefunded Warrants shall be exercisable immediately and shall expire when exercised in full, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

 

Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed for the Registration Statement.

 

Prospectus Supplement” means the supplement to the Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that is filed with the Commission and delivered by the Company to each Purchaser at the Closing.

 

Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.8.

 

Registration Statement” means the effective registration statement with Commission on Form F-1, file No. 333-235542 which registers the sale of the Ordinary Shares represented by the ADSs, the Prefunded Warrants, the Warrant Shares and the Warrant ADSs.

 

Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

 

4

 

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

 

Securities” means the Shares, the ADSs, the Prefunded Warrants, the Warrant ADSs and the Warrant Shares.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Shares” means the Ordinary Shares, as represented by ADSs issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, each ADS representing six hundred (600) Ordinary Shares, issued and issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include locating and/or borrowing Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs).

 

Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Shares and/or Prefunded Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a), and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the ADSs or Ordinary Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the Australian Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

5

 

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Prefunded Warrants all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

Variable Rate Transaction” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(b).

 

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of an ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which an ADS is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of an ADS for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for ADSs are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of an ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Warrant ADSs” means ADSs representing Warrant Shares.

 

Warrant Shares” means the Ordinary Shares represented by the Warrant ADSs that are issuable upon exercise of the Prefunded Warrants.

 

ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, up to an aggregate of approximately $____ million of Shares; provided, however, that, to the extent that a Purchaser determines, in its sole discretion, that such Purchaser (together with such Purchaser’s Affiliates, and any Person acting as a group together with such purchaser or any of such Holder’s Affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, or as such Purchaser may otherwise choose, in lieu of purchasing Shares, such Purchaser may elect to purchase Prefunded Warrants in such manner to result in the same aggregate purchase price being paid by such Purchaser to the Company. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, at the election of the Purchaser prior to Closing, 9.99%) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities on the Closing Date. Each Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser shall be made available for “Delivery Versus Payment” settlement with the Company and the Company shall deposit the Shares and instruct the Depositary to deliver to each Purchaser its respective Shares, and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Each Purchaser acknowledges that, concurrently with the Closing and pursuant to the Prospectus, the Company may sell up to $______ of additional Shares and Prefunded Warrants and Common Warrants to purchasers substantially concurrent with this Purchase Agreement, less the aggregate dollar amount of Shares and Prefunded Warrants sold pursuant to this Agreement; provided, the Company will issue to each other purchaser Shares and Prefunded Warrants in the same form and at the same Per Share Purchase Price or Per Prefunded Warrant Purchase Price, as the case may be, as issued to a Purchaser hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise (as defined in the Prefunded Warrants) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the this Agreement, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date and the Closing Date shall be the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined in the Prefunded Warrants) for purposes hereunder. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of the Placement Agent or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree. Unless otherwise directed by the Placement Agent, settlement of the Shares shall occur via “Delivery Versus Payment” (“DVP”) (i.e., on the Closing Date, the Company shall issue the Shares registered in the Purchasers’ names and addresses and released by the Depositary directly to the account(s) at the Placement Agent identified by each Purchaser; upon receipt of such Shares, the Placement Agent shall promptly electronically deliver such Shares to the applicable Purchaser, and payment therefor shall be made by the Placement Agent (or its clearing firm) by wire transfer to the Company).

 

6

 

 

2.2 Deliveries.

 

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

(ii) a legal opinion of Company Counsel and Australian Company Counsel to the Company, in forms reasonably acceptable to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers;

 

(iii) the Company shall have provided each Purchaser with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer;

 

(iv) subject to the last sentence in Section 2.1, a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Depositary instructing the Depositary to deliver on an expedited basis via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) ADSs equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per ADS Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

 

(v) for each Purchaser of Prefunded Warrants pursuant to Section 2.1, a Prefunded Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a Warrant ADSs equal to the portion of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount applicable to Prefunded Warrants divided by the Per Prefunded Warrant Purchase Price, with an exercise price equal to $0.0001, subject to adjustment therein; and

 

7

 

 

(vi) the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement (which may be delivered in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).

 

(b) On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser

 

(ii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount with respect to the Shares purchased by such Purchaser, which shall be made available for “Delivery Versus Payment” settlement with the Company or its designees; and

 

(iii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, with respect to the Pre-Funded Warrants purchased by such Purchaser, if any, by wire transfer to the account specified by the Company in Section 2.2(a)(iii) above, or as otherwise agreed by the Company and the Placement Agent.

 

2.3 Closing Conditions.

 

(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

(iii) the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

 

(b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

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(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

 

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

 

(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and

 

(v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the ADSs and Ordinary Shares shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market for such securities, and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.

 

ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

 

(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.

 

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(b) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the applicable Securities for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) such filings as are required to be made under applicable Australian and U.S. state securities laws and the Australian Stock Exchange (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

(f) Issuance of the Securities; Registration. The Shares, the Warrant Shares and the Warrant ADSs are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Prefunded Warrants are duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement. The Company has prepared and filed the Registration Statement in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, which became effective on March 23, 2020, including the Prospectus, and such amendments and supplements thereto as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. The Company and the Depositary have prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement relating to ADSs on Form F-6 (File No. 333-183861) for registration under the Securities Act (the “ADS Registration Statement”). The Registration Statement and ADS Registration Statement are effective under the Securities Act and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission. The Company, if required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, shall file the Prospectus Supplement with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). At the time the Registration Statement, ADS Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(g) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company as of the date hereof is as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g), which Schedule 3.1(g) shall also include the number of Ordinary Shares and ADSs owned beneficially, and of record, by Affiliates of the Company as of the date hereof. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report or Form 6-K under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of Ordinary Shares to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Ordinary Share Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report or Form 6-K under the Exchange Act. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g), there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional Ordinary Shares, ADS or Ordinary Share Equivalents. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue Ordinary Shares, ADSs or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all non-U.S., U.S. federal and U.S. state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

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(h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“IFRS”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by IFRS, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

(i) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to IFRS or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.

 

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(j) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

(k) Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(l) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(n) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.

 

(o) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with IFRS and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

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(p) Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

(r) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(r), none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

 

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(s) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

(t) Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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(v) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(w) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The ADSs are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the ADSs under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(w), the Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the ADSs are or have been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(w), the Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The ADSs are currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

(x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.

 

(y) Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus Supplement. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

 

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(z) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

(aa) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. Schedule 3.1(aa) sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with IFRS. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

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(bb) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

 

(cc) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.

 

(dd) Accountants. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is as named in the Prospectus. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.

 

(ee) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

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(ff) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.14 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the ADSs or Ordinary Shares, and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

 

(gg) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Company’s placement agent in connection with the placement of the Securities.

 

(hh) FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (together with any non-U.S. regulatory body equivalents, “FDA”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (together with any similar non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations, the “FDCA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each such product, a “Pharmaceutical Product”), such Pharmaceutical Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Pharmaceutical Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Pharmaceutical Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.

 

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(ii) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Ordinary Shares on the date such stock option would be considered granted under IFRS and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

(jj) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

 

(kk) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

 

(ll) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

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(mm) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):

 

(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(b) Understandings or Arrangements. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.

 

(c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is either, and on each date on which it exercises any Prefunded Warrants, it will either be: (i) an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act.

 

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(d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

(e) Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports and has been afforded, (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment. Such Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate of the Placement Agent has provided such Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Securities and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it. In connection with the issuance of the Securities to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.

 

(f) Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

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The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1 Warrant Shares. If all or any portion of a Prefunded Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the issuance or resale of the Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares or if the Prefunded Warrant is exercised via cashless exercise, the Warrant ADSs and/or Warrant Shares issued pursuant to any such exercise shall be issued free of all legends. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement (or any subsequent registration statement registering the sale or resale of the Warrant ADSs and/or Warrant Shares) is not effective or is not otherwise available for the sale or resale of the Warrant ADSs and/or the Warrant Shares, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Prefunded Warrants in writing that such registration statement is not then effective and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the registration statement is effective again and available for the sale or resale of the Warrant ADSs and/or the Warrant Shares (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Company to issue, or any Purchaser to sell, any of the Warrant ADSs and/or Warrant Shares in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Company shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to keep a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) registering the issuance or resale of the Warrant ADSs and/or Warrant Shares effective during the term of the Prefunded Warrants.

 

4.2 Furnishing of Information. Until the time that no Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

 

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4.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall (a) by the Disclosure Time, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) file a Report on Form 6-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto, with the Commission within the time required by the Exchange Act. From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company represents to the Purchasers that it shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the issuance of such press release, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates on the one hand, and any of the Purchasers or any of their Affiliates on the other hand, shall terminate. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

 

4.5 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.

 

4.6 Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, which shall be disclosed pursuant to Section 4.4, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have consented to the receipt of such information and agreed with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to a Purchaser without such Purchaser’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Purchaser shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates, or a duty to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Purchaser shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Report on Form 6-K. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

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4.7 Use of Proceeds. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes and shall not use such proceeds: (a) for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s debt (other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the Company’s business and prior practices), (b) for the redemption of any ADSs, Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents, (c) for the settlement of any outstanding litigation or (d) in violation of FCPA or OFAC regulations.

 

4.8 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any material breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a material breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (x) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (y) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (z) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (1) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (2) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.8 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

 

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4.9 Reservation of Ordinary Shares and ADSs. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of ADSs and Ordinary Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Shares and Warrant Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

4.10 Listing. The Company hereby agrees to use best efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the ADSs and Ordinary Shares on the Trading Market on which they are currently listed, and concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall apply to list or quote all of the Shares on such Trading Market and promptly secure the listing of all of the Shares, Warrant Shares and Warrant ADSs on such Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the ADSs traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Shares, Warrant Shares and Warrant ADSs, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares, Warrant Shares and Warrant ADSs to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of the ADSs and Ordinary Shares on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the ADSs for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

4.11 Reserved.

 

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4.12 Subsequent Equity Sales.

 

(a) From the date hereof until sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any ADSs, Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents except with respect to any financings with investors in Australia and New Zealand.

 

(b) From the date hereof until the one (1) year anniversary of the Closing Date, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of ADSs, Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional ADSs or Ordinary Shares either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the ADSs and Ordinary Shares at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for ADSs or Ordinary Shares or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price. For the avoidance of doubt, sales effected under the Company’s existing “at-the-market” facility (or any replacement thereof) with a facility provider in Australia and New Zealand or under an “at-the-market” facility through the Placement Agent, shall not be considered a Variable Rate Transaction. Any Purchaser shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.12 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt Issuance.

 

4.13 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration (including any modification of the Agreement) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of the Agreement unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to the Agreement. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.

 

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4.14 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Disclosure Schedules. Notwithstanding the foregoing and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality or duty not to trade in the securities of the Company to the Company or its Subsidiaries after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

 

4.15 Capital Changes. During the sixty (60) day period following the Closing Date, the Company shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of the Ordinary Shares (or any equivalent adjustment to the ADSs) without the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a majority in interest of the Shares.

 

4.16. Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and shall deliver Warrant ADSs and/or Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

 

ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date hereof; providedhowever, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).

 

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5.2 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Depositary fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers.

 

5.3 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

5.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Report on Form 6-K.

 

5.5 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and Purchasers which purchased at least 50.1% in interest of the Shares and Warrant ADSs initially underlying the Prefunded Warrants based on the initial Subscription Amounts hereunder or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Purchaser (or group of Purchasers), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Purchaser (or group of Purchasers) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Purchaser relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Purchasers shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Purchaser. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company.

 

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

 

5.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

 

5.8 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. The Placement Agent shall be the third party beneficiary of the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 3.1 and the representations and warranties of the Purchasers in Section 3.2. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8 and this Section 5.8.

 

5.9 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding 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. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.8, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

 

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5.10 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.

 

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

 

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

 

5.13 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided , however , that in the case of a rescission of an exercise of a Prefunded Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any Warrants ADSs or Warrant Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Prefunded Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

5.14 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

 

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5.15 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

5.16 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

5.17 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, each Purchaser and its respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through EGS. EGS does not represent any of the Purchasers and only represents the Placement Agent. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

 

5.18 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

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5.19 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to ADS or share prices and ADSs or Ordinary Shares in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the ADSs or Ordinary Shares that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

5.20 Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

 

5.21 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED   Address for Notice:
     
By:                                                  
Name:   E-Mail:
Title:   Fax:
     
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):    

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

Name of Purchaser:    
 
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:    
   
Name of Authorized Signatory:    
   
Title of Authorized Signatory:    
   
Email Address of Authorized Signatory:    
   
Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory:    
               

Address for Notice to Purchaser:

 

Address for Delivery of Shares to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

 

DWAC for Shares:

 

Subscription Amount: $__________________

 

Shares:______________________

 

Prefunded Warrants: _________________

 

EIN Number: ______________________

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the use in this Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form F-1 of Genetic Technologies Limited of our report dated October 3, 2019 relating to the financial statements of Genetic Technologies Limited, which appears in this Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers  
Melbourne, Australia  
May 11, 2020