UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 30, 2020
ADVAXIS, INC. |
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
Delaware | 001-36138 | 02-0563870 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
305 College Road East Princeton, New Jersey |
08540 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (609) 452-9813
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
[ ] | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
[ ] | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
[ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
[ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share | ADXS | Nasdaq Global Select Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company [ ]
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On July 30, 2020, Advaxis, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) and a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”), pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth therein, the Company has the right to sell to Lincoln Park up to $20 million of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at our discretion as described below (the “Offering”).
Over the 36-month term of the Purchase Agreement, up to an aggregate amount of $20,000,000 (subject to certain limitations) of shares of Common Stock, we have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time, in our sole discretion and subject to certain conditions, including that the closing price of our Common Stock is not below $0.10 per share, to direct Lincoln Park to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares (the “Regular Purchase Share Limit”) of our Common Stock (each such purchase, a “Regular Purchase”). Lincoln Park’s maximum obligation under any single Regular Purchase will not exceed $1,000,000, unless we mutually agree to increase the maximum amount of such Regular Purchase. The purchase price for shares of Common Stock to be purchased by Lincoln Park under a Regular Purchase will be the equal to the lower of (in each case, subject to the adjustments described in the Purchase Agreement): (i) the lowest sale price for our Common Stock on the applicable purchase date, and (ii) the arithmetic average of the three lowest sale prices for our Common Stock during the ten trading days prior to the purchase date.
If we direct Lincoln Park to purchase the maximum number of shares of Common Stock we then may sell in a Regular Purchase, then in addition to such Regular Purchase, and subject to certain conditions and limitations in the Purchase Agreement, we may direct Lincoln Park to make an “accelerated purchase” of an additional amount of Common Stock that may not exceed the lesser of (i) 300% of the number of shares purchased pursuant to the corresponding Regular Purchase and (ii) 30% of the total number of shares of our Common Stock traded during a specified period on the applicable purchase date as set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Under certain circumstances and in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, the Company may direct Lincoln Park to purchase shares in multiple accelerated purchases on the same trading day.
The Purchase Agreement prohibits us from issuing or selling to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement (i) in excess of 12,326,314 shares of our Common Stock (the “Exchange Cap”), unless we obtain stockholder approval to issue shares in excess of the Exchange Cap or the average price of all applicable sales of our Common Stock to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement equal or exceed the lower of (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement or (ii) the average of the five Nasdaq Official Closing Prices for the Common Stock immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement, as adjusted in accordance with the rules of the Principal Market, and (ii) any shares of our Common Stock if those shares, when aggregated with all other shares of our Common Stock then beneficially owned by Lincoln Park and its affiliates would result in Lincoln Park and its affiliates having beneficial ownership of more than 9.99% of the then total outstanding shares of our Common Stock.
The Purchase Agreement does not limit our ability to raise capital from other sources at our sole discretion, except that we may not enter into any equity line or similar transaction for 36 months, other than an “at-the-market” offering. The Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement contain customary representations, warranties and agreements of us and Lincoln Park, indemnification rights and other obligations of the parties. We have the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time, at no cost to us.
As consideration for entering into the Purchase Agreement, we issued 1,084,266 shares of our Common Stock to Lincoln Park as a commitment fee (the “Commitment Shares”). We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the Commitment Shares. Also pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Lincoln Park has agreed to an initial purchase of 3,510,527 shares of our Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $1,999,999.89. Lincoln Park has covenanted not to cause or engage in any manner whatsoever, any direct or indirect short selling or hedging of our shares of Common Stock.
The Offering is being made pursuant to our effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-226988) (the “Registration Statement”), which was previously filed with the SEC on August 23, 2018, and declared effective by the SEC on August 30, 2018, and the prospectus supplement related to the Offering to be filed with the SEC on August 3, 2020. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, under certain circumstances, if the Registration Statement is no longer available for use with respect to the Offering, we will be required to file additional registration statement(s).
We expect to use the proceeds from the Offering for continued research and development initiatives in connection with our product pipeline including, but not limited to, investment in our ADXS-HOT program and for general corporate purposes.
The foregoing description of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, which are attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and 4.1, respectively, and incorporated by reference herein.
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the shares in any state or country in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or country.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD.
On August 3, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing the entry into the Purchase Agreement. The full text of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The information in this report (including Exhibit 99.1) that is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
August 3, 2020 | ADVAXIS, INC. | |
By: | /s/ Molly Henderson | |
Name: | Molly Henderson | |
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 4.1
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), July 30, 2020, by and between ADVAXIS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (together with its permitted assigns, the “Investor”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement by and between the parties hereto, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Purchase Agreement”).
WHEREAS:
A. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, (i) the Company has agreed to issue to the Investor, and the Investor has agreed to purchase, up to Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (such shares, the “Purchase Shares”), and (ii) the Company has agreed to issue to the Investor upon the execution of the Purchase Agreement such number of shares of Common Stock asset forth the Purchase Agreement (the “Commitment Shares”); and
B. To induce the Investor to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Register,” “Registered,” and “Registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more registration statements of the Company in compliance with the Securities Act and providing for offering securities on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule (“Rule 415”), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement(s) by the SEC.
(b) “Registrable Securities” means the Purchase Shares that may from time to time be issued or issuable to the Investor upon purchases of the Available Amount under the Purchase Agreement (without regard to any limitation or restriction on purchases), the Commitment Shares issued or issuable to the Investor, and any Common Stock issued or issuable with respect to the Purchase Shares, the Commitment Shares or the Purchase Agreement as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event, without regard to any limitation on purchases under the Purchase Agreement.
(c) “Registration Statement” means the Shelf Registration Statement and any other registration statement of the Company that Registers Registrable Securities, including a New Registration Statement, as amended when each became effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus subsequently filed with the SEC.
(d) “Shelf Registration Statement” means the Company’s existing registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333- 226988).
2. REGISTRATION.
(a) Mandatory Registration. The Company agrees that it shall, as soon as possible and within the time required under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, file with the SEC the Initial Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act specifically relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents, containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B under the Securities Act, and disclosing all information relating to the transactions contemplated hereby required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the date of the Initial Prospectus Supplement, including, without limitation, information required to be disclosed in the section captioned “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus. The Investor acknowledges that it will be identified in the Initial Prospectus Supplement as an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. The Company shall permit the Investor to review and comment upon the Initial Prospectus Supplement at least two (2) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC, the Company shall give due consideration to all such comments, and the Company shall not file the Initial Prospectus Supplement with the SEC in a form to which the Investor reasonably objects. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon the Initial Prospectus Supplement within one (1) Business Day from the date the Investor receives a substantially complete draft thereof from the Company. The Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Securities held by it and the intended method of distribution thereof, including any arrangement between the Investor and any other Person relating to the sale or distribution of the Securities, as shall be reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Initial Prospectus Supplement, and shall otherwise cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Initial Prospectus Supplement with the SEC.
(b) Effectiveness. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Registration Statement effective under the Securities Act, and to keep the Registration Statement and the Prospectus current and available for issuances and sales of all possible Registrable Securities by the Company to the Investor, and for the resale of all of the Registrable Securities by the Investor, at all times until the earlier of (i) the date on which the Investor shall have sold all the Securities and no Available Amount remains under this Agreement and (ii) 180 days following the earlier of termination of this Agreement and the Maturity Date (the “Registration Period”). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during the Registration Period, the Company shall (a) take all action necessary to cause the Common Stock to continue to be Registered as a class of securities under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and shall not take any action or file any document (whether or not permitted by the Exchange Act) to terminate or suspend such registration and (b) file or furnish on or before their respective due dates all reports and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act, and shall not take any action or file any document (whether or not permitted by the Exchange Act) to terminate or suspend its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act. The Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) Prospectus Amendments or Supplements. Except as provided in this Agreement and other than periodic and current reports required to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company shall not file with the SEC any amendment to the Registration Statement or any supplement to the Base Prospectus that refers to the Investor, the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby (including, without limitation, any Prospectus Supplement filed in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents), in each case with respect to which (a) the Investor shall not previously have been advised and afforded the opportunity to review and comment thereon at least two (2) Business Days prior to filing with the SEC, as the case may be, (b) the Company shall not have given due consideration to any comments thereon received from the Investor or its counsel, or (c) the Investor shall reasonably object, unless the Company reasonably has determined that it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or make any supplement to the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or any other applicable law or regulation, in which case the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) so inform the Investor, the Investor shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon any disclosure referring to the Investor, the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, as applicable, and the Company shall expeditiously furnish to the Investor a copy thereof. In addition, for so long as, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Investor, the Prospectus is required to be delivered in connection with any acquisition or sale of Securities by the Investor, the Company shall not file any Prospectus Supplement with respect to the Securities without furnishing to the Investor as many copies of such Prospectus Supplement, together with the Prospectus, as the Investor may reasonably request.
(d) Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under the Shelf Registration Statement at any time is insufficient to cover the Registrable Securities, the Company shall, to the extent necessary and permissible, amend the Shelf Registration Statement or file a new registration statement (together with any prospectuses or prospectus supplements thereunder, a “New Registration Statement”), so as to cover all of such Registrable Securities as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days after the necessity therefor arises. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment and/or New Registration Statement become effective as soon as reasonably practicable following the filing thereof.
(e) Offering. If the SEC seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities that does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used by the Investor under Rule 415 at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), or if after the filing of the Initial Prospectus Supplement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a) of this Agreement, the Company is otherwise required by the Staff or the SEC to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such initial Registration Statement, then the Company shall reduce the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such initial Registration Statement (with the prior consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, of the Investor and its legal counsel as to the specific Registrable Securities to be removed therefrom) until such time as the SEC shall so permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used as aforesaid. In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall file one or more New Registration Statements in accordance with Section 2(d) until such time as all Registrable Securities have been included in Registration Statements that have been declared effective and the prospectuses contained therein is available for use by the Investor.
3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
With respect to the Registration Statement and whenever any Registrable Securities are to be Registered pursuant to Section 2, including on the Shelf Registration Statement or on any New Registration Statement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof and, pursuant thereto, the Company shall have the following obligations:
(a) Notifications. The Company will notify the Investor promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the SEC and/or has become effective or where a receipt has been issued therefor or any subsequent supplement to a Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the SEC for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any Prospectus or for additional information.
(b) Amendments. The Company will prepare and file with the SEC, promptly upon the Investor’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Shelf Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any Prospectus, as applicable, that, in the reasonable opinion of the Investor and the Company, may be necessary or advisable in connection with any acquisition or sale of Registrable Securities by the Investor (provided, however, that the failure of the Investor to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder).
(c) Investor Review. The Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Investor, the Registrable Securities or the transactions contemplated hereby unless (A) the Investor shall have been advised and afforded the opportunity to review and comment thereon at least two (2) Business Days prior to filing with the SEC, (B) the Company shall have given due consideration to any comments thereon received from the Investor or its counsel, and (C) the Investor has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of the Investor to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder), and the Company will furnish to the Investor at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or any Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR.
(d) Form S-3. The Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the SEC as required pursuant to the rules of Form S-3.
(e) Copies Available. The Company will furnish to the Investor and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein), any Prospectus Supplement, any New Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any New Registration Statement that are filed with the SEC during the Registration Period (including all documents filed with or furnished to the SEC during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable upon the Investor’s request and in such quantities as the Investor may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Investor’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Registrable Securities may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Investor to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
(f) Qualification. The Company shall take all such action, if any, as is reasonably necessary in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify (i) the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the sale of the Purchase Shares to the Investor under this Agreement and (ii) any subsequent resale of all Commitment Shares and all Purchase Shares by the Investor, in each case, under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States in such states as is reasonably requested by the Investor during the Registration Period, and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor. During the Registration Period, the Company shall promptly notify the Investor of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
(g) Notification of Stop Orders; Material Changes. The Company shall advise the Investor promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) and shall confirm such advice in writing, in each case: (i) of the Company’s receipt of notice of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendment of or a supplement to the Registration Statement or any Prospectus or for any additional information; (ii) of the Company’s receipt of notice of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement, or any New Registration Statement, or of the Company’s receipt of any notification of the suspension of qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; and (iii) of the Company becoming aware of the happening of any event, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of any Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or of the necessity to amend the Registration Statement or any Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or any other law. The Company shall not be required to disclose to the Investor the substance or specific reasons of any of the events set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) of the immediately preceding sentence, but rather, shall only be required to disclose that the event has occurred. If at any time the SEC, or any other federal or state governmental authority shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest practicable time. The Company shall furnish to the Investor, without charge, a copy of any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC, or any other federal or state governmental authority to the Company or its representatives relating to the Shelf Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any Prospectus, or Prospectus Supplement as the case may be. The Company shall not deliver to the Investor any Regular Purchase Notice, Accelerated Purchase Notice or Additional Accelerated Purchase Notice, and the Investor shall not be obligated to purchase any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement, during the continuation or pendency of any of the foregoing events. If at any time the SEC shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest practicable time. The Company shall furnish to the Investor, without charge, a copy of any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the Company or its representatives relating to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
(h) Listing on the Principal Market. The Company shall promptly secure the listing, or conditional listing as applicable, of all of the Purchase Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued to the Investor hereunder on the Principal Market (subject to standard listing conditions, if any, for transactions of this nature, official notice of issuance and the Exchange Cap) and upon each other national securities exchange or automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock are then listed, and shall maintain, so long as any Common Stock shall be so listed, such listing of all such Registrable Securities from time to time issuable hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Principal Market and shall comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules and regulations of the Principal Market. The Company shall not take any action that would reasonably be expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Principal Market. The Company shall promptly, and in no event later than the following Business Day, provide to the Investor copies of any notices it receives from any Person regarding the continued eligibility of the Common Stock for listing on the Principal Market; provided, however, that the Company shall not provide the Investor copies of any such notice that the Company reasonably believes constitutes material non-public information and that the Company would not be required to publicly disclose such notice in any report or statement filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act (including on Form 8-K) or the Securities Act. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 3(h).
(i) Delivery of Shares. The Company shall cooperate with the Investor to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of DWAC Shares (not bearing any restrictive legend) representing the Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement and enable such DWAC Shares to be in such denominations or amounts as the Investor may reasonably request and registered in such names as the Investor may request.
(j) Transfer Agent. The Company shall at all times maintain the services of the Transfer Agent with respect to its Common Stock.
(k) Approvals. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by any Registration Statement to be Registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities in the United States as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
(l) Confirmation of Effectiveness. If reasonably requested by the Investor at any time, the Company shall deliver to the Investor a written confirmation from Company’s counsel of whether or not the effectiveness of such Registration Statement has lapsed at any time for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order) and whether or not the Registration Statement is currently effective and available to the Company for sale of all of the Registrable Securities.
(m) Further Assurances. The Company agrees to take all other reasonable actions as necessary and reasonably requested by the Investor to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investor of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement.
(n) Suspension of Sales. The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any suspension or stop order as set forth in Section 3(f) or 3(g), the Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until the Investor’s receipt of the copies of a notice regarding the resolution or withdrawal of the suspension or stop order as contemplated by Section 3(f) or 3(g). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to promptly deliver to the Investor DWAC Shares without any restrictive legend in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which the Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or 3(g) and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
(o) Transfer Agent Instructions. On or before the date the Initial Prospectus Supplement is filed with the SEC, the Company shall issue to the Transfer Agent the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in the form agreed to prior to the date hereof, and on the date any Registration Statement which includes the Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the Transfer Agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investor) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached as an exhibit to the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTOR.
(a) Investor Information. The Investor has furnished to the Company in Exhibit A hereto such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition thereof, including any arrangement between the Investor and any other Person relating to the sale or distribution of the Securities, as required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. The Company shall notify the Investor in writing of any other information the Company reasonably requires from the Investor in connection with any Registration Statement hereunder. The Investor will as promptly as practicable notify the Company of any material change in the information set forth in Exhibit A, other than changes in its ownership of Common Stock.
(b) Investor Cooperation. The Investor agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of any amendments and supplements to any Registration Statement or New Registration Statement hereunder.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses of the Company, other than sales or brokerage commissions and fees and disbursements of counsel for, and other expenses of, the Investor, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, shall be paid by the Company.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Investor, each Person, if any, who controls the Investor, the members, the directors, officers, partners, employees, members, managers, agents, representatives of the Investor and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, amounts paid in settlement (with the consent of the Company, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) or reasonable expenses, (collectively, “Claims”) reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency or body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in the Shelf Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the final Prospectus or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement or (iv) any material violation by the Company of this Agreement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) being, collectively, “Violations”). The Company shall reimburse each Indemnified Person promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable out-of-pocket legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (A) shall not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Investor or such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such in each case if the foregoing was timely made available by the Company; (B) with respect to any superseded prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any such Person from whom the Person asserting any such Claim purchased the Registrable Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any other Indemnified Person) if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the superseded prospectus was corrected in the revised prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such revised prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e), and the Indemnified Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect prospectus prior to the use giving rise to a violation; (C) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Investor to deliver, or to cause to be delivered, the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was theretofore made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); and (D) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 8.
(b) In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or Prospectus, the Investor agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Shelf Registration Statement or signs any New Registration Statement, each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an “Indemnified Party”), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information about the Investor set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto or updated from time to time in writing by the Investor and furnished to the Company by the Investor expressly for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or any New Registration Statement or from the failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); and, subject to Section 6(d), the Investor will reimburse any reasonable out-of-pocket legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the net proceeds to the Investor as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 8.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its written consent, provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(d) The indemnification required by this Section 6 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 Indemnified Damages are incurred. Any Person receiving a payment pursuant to this Section 6 which person is later determined to not be entitled to such payment shall return such payment to the person making it.
(e) The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that: (i) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Investor; provided, however, that any transaction, whether by merger, reorganization, restructuring, consolidation, financing or otherwise, whereby the Company remains the surviving entity immediately after such transaction shall not be deemed an assignment. The Investor may not assign its rights under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Company, other than to an affiliate of the Investor controlled by Jonathan Cope or Josh Scheinfeld, in which case the assignee must agree in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
9. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the parties from and after the date that is one Business Day immediately preceding the initial filing of the Initial Prospectus Supplement with the SEC. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be (i) amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto or (ii) waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
10. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Notices. Any notices, consents or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt when sent by facsimile or email (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Advaxis, Inc. | |
305 College Road East | |
Princeton, NJ 08540 | |
Telephone: 609-452-9813 | |
E-mail: | henderson@advaxis.com |
Attention: | Molly Henderson, Chief Financial Officer |
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP | |
502 Carnegie Center | |
Princeton, NJ 08540-6289] | |
Telephone: | (609) 919-6600 |
Facsimile: | (609) 919-6701 |
E-mail: | david.schwartz@morganlewis.com |
Attention: | David C. Schwartz, Esq. |
If to the Investor:
Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC | |
440 North Wells, Suite 410 | |
Chicago, IL 60654 | |
Telephone: | (312) 822-9300 |
Facsimile: | (312) 822-9301 |
E-mail: | jscheinfeld@lpcfunds.com/jcope@lpcfunds.com |
Attention: | Josh Scheinfeld/Jonathan Cope |
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
K&L Gates, LLP | |
200 S. Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 3900 | |
Miami, Florida 33131 | |
Telephone: | (305) 539-3306 |
Facsimile: | (305) 358-7095 |
E-mail: | clayton.parker@klgates.com |
Attention: | Clayton E. Parker, Esq. |
or at such other address, email and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or email account containing the time, date, and recipient facsimile number or email address, as applicable, and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile, email or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(b) No Waiver. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
(c) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Illinois or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Illinois. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the County of Cook, in the State of Illinois 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 brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. 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 to such party at the address for such 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 manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(d) Integration. This Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the other Transaction Documents constitute the entire understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the other Transaction Documents supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Investor, the Company, their affiliates and persons acting on their behalf with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
(e) No Third Party Benefits. Subject to the requirements of Section 8, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
(h) Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(i) No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
(j) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
* * * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of date first written above.
THE COMPANY: | ||
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Molly Henderson | |
Name: | Molly Henderson | |
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
INVESTOR: | ||
LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC | ||
BY: | LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL, LLC | |
BY: | Rockledge Capital Corporation |
By: | /s/ John Scheinfeld | |
Name: | John Scheinfeld | |
Title: | President |
Exhibit 5.1
August 3, 2020
Advaxis, Inc.
305 College Road East
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Re: Advaxis, Inc., Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-226988)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing of the prospectus supplement of the Company, dated July 30, 2020, including the accompanying prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) included in the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-226988) (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on August 23, 2018 and declared effective by the Commission on August 30, 2018, which prospectus supplement was filed by the Company with the Commission on July 30, 2020, pursuant to Rule 424(b) promulgated under the Act (such prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Prospectus relates to (a) the issuance and sale from time to time to Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park Capital”), pursuant to the Registration Statement, of up to $20,000,000 aggregate offering price of shares (the “Purchase Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (b) the issuance and sale to Lincoln Park Capital of an additional 1,084,266 shares of Common Stock (the “Commitment Shares” and, together with the Purchase Shares, the “Shares”), all as contemplated by a purchase agreement dated as of July 30, 2020, by and between the Company and Lincoln Park Capital (the “Purchase Agreement”).
As to all matters of fact (including factual conclusions and characterizations and descriptions of purpose, intention or other state of mind), we have relied, with your permission, entirely upon written actions by the board of directors of the Company and certificates of certain officers of the Company and have assumed, without independent inquiry, the accuracy of those certificates and written actions by the board of directors of the Company.
As counsel to the Company, in rendering the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have examined and relied upon originals or copies of such corporate records, agreements, documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for purposes of this opinion, including (i) the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, as amended and restated to date, (ii) the Registration Statement and the exhibits thereto filed with the Commission, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the Purchase Agreement, and (v) the written actions of the board of directors referenced above.
This opinion is limited solely to the Delaware General Corporation Law without regard to choice of law, to the extent that the same may apply to or govern the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement. We express no opinion as to the effect of events occurring, circumstances arising, or changes of law becoming effective or occurring, after the date hereof on the matters addressed in this opinion.
Based on such examination and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. | The Commitment Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and |
2. | The Purchase Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Commission (and its incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement) in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act and to the reference to this firm therein and under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. In rendering this opinion, we are opining only as to the specific legal issues expressly set forth herein, and no opinion shall be inferred as to any other matter or matters. This opinion is intended solely for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose.
Very truly yours, | |
/s/ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP |
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Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of July 30, 2020, by and between ADVAXIS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (the “Investor”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are defined in Section 1 hereof.
WHEREAS:
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company wishes to sell to the Investor, and the Investor wishes to buy from the Company, up to Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”). The shares of Common Stock to be purchased hereunder (including, without limitation, the Initial Purchase Shares (as defined in Section 2(a) hereof)) are referred to herein as the “Purchase Shares.”
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 the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. | CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. |
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Accelerated Purchase Date” means, with respect to any Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof or any Additional Accelerated Purchase pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof, the Business Day immediately following the applicable Purchase Date with respect to the corresponding Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.
(b) “Accelerated Purchase Period” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof, such period of time on the Accelerated Purchase Date beginning at the official open of trading on the Principal Market, and ending at the earliest of (i) the official close of trading on the Principal Market on such Accelerated Purchase Date, (ii) such time that the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market has exceeded the quotient of (A) the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount, divided by (B) 0.3, and (iii) such time on the Accelerated Purchase Date that the Sale Price has fallen below any minimum price threshold set forth in the applicable Purchase Notice by the Company.
(c) “Accelerated Purchase Share Amount” means, with respect to an Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof or an Additional Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof, the number of Purchase Shares directed by the Company to be purchased by the Investor in a Purchase Notice, which number of Purchase Shares shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 300% of the applicable Regular Purchase Share Limit for the corresponding Regular Purchase and (ii) 30% of the total volume of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market during the Accelerated Purchase Period or the Additional Accelerated Purchase Period, as applicable; provided, that the parties may mutually agree to increase the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount for any Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase.
(d) “Additional Accelerated Purchase Period” means, with respect to an Additional Accelerated Purchase pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof, such period of time on the Accelerated Purchase Date beginning at the latest of (i) the end of the Accelerated Purchase Period for the corresponding Accelerated Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof on such Accelerated Purchase Date, (ii) the end of the Additional Accelerated Purchase Period for the most recently completed prior Additional Accelerated Purchase pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof on such Accelerated Purchase Date, as applicable, and (iii) the time at which all Purchase Shares for all prior Purchases, including, those effected on the applicable Accelerated Purchase Date have theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement, and ending at the earliest of (i) the official close of trading on the Principal Market on the Accelerated Purchase Date, (ii) such time that the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Principal Market has exceeded the quotient of (A) the Accelerated Purchase Share Amount, and (B) 0.3, and (iii) such time that the Sale Price has fallen below any minimum price threshold set forth in the applicable Purchase Notice by the Company.
(e) “Available Amount” means, initially, Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) in the aggregate, which amount shall be reduced by the Purchase Amount each time the Investor purchases shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(f) “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
(g) “Base Prospectus” means the Company’s final base prospectus, dated August 30, 2018, a preliminary form of which is included in the Registration Statement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.
(h) “Business Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading, including any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading for a period of time less than the customary time.
(i) “Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing sale price for such security on the Principal Market as reported by the Principal Market.
(j) “Confidential Information” means any information disclosed by either party to the other party, either directly or indirectly, in writing, orally or by inspection of tangible objects (including, without limitation, documents, prototypes, samples, plant and equipment), which is designated as “Confidential,” “Proprietary” or some similar designation. Information communicated orally shall be considered Confidential Information if such information is confirmed in writing as being Confidential Information within ten (10) Business Days after the initial disclosure. Confidential Information may also include information disclosed to a disclosing party by third parties. Confidential Information shall not, however, include any information which (i) was publicly known and made generally available in the public domain prior to the time of disclosure by the disclosing party; (ii) becomes publicly known and made generally available after disclosure by the disclosing party to the receiving party through no action or inaction of the receiving party; (iii) is already in the possession of the receiving party without confidential restriction at the time of disclosure by the disclosing party as shown by the receiving party’s files and records immediately prior to the time of disclosure; (iv) is obtained by the receiving party from a third party without a breach of such third party’s obligations of confidentiality; or (v) is independently developed by the receiving party without use of or reference to the disclosing party’s Confidential Information, as shown by documents and other competent evidence in the receiving party’s possession.
(k) “DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, or any successor performing substantially the same function for the Company.
(l) “DWAC Shares” means shares of Common Stock that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and (iii) timely credited by the Company to the Investor’s or its designee’s specified Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (DWAC) account with DTC under its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
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(m) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(n) “Floor Price” means $0.10, which shall be adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, share split or other similar transaction and, effective upon the consummation of any of the foregoing, the Floor Price shall mean the lower of (i) the adjusted price and (ii) $0.10.
(o) “Initial Prospectus Supplement” means the prospectus supplement of the Company relating to the Securities, including the accompanying Base Prospectus, to be prepared and filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, together with all documents and information incorporated therein by reference.
(p) “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) the results of operations, assets, business or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any material adverse effect that resulted exclusively from (A) any change in the United States or foreign economies or securities or financial markets in general that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (B) any change that generally affects the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (C) any change arising in connection with earthquakes, hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions or any escalation or material worsening of any such hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions existing as of the date hereof, (D) any action taken by the Investor, its affiliates or its or their successors and assigns with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (E) the effect of any change in applicable laws or accounting rules that does not have a disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (F) any change resulting from compliance with terms of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or (iii) the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document to be performed as of the date of determination.
(q) “Maturity Date” means the first day of the month immediately following the Thirty-Six (36) month anniversary of the Commencement Date.
(r) “Person” means an individual or entity including but not limited to any limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(s) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Select Market; provided, however, that in the event the Company’s Common Stock is ever listed or traded on The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Capital Market, the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE American, the NYSE Arca, the OTC Bulletin Board, or the OTCQB or the OTCQX operated by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing), then the “Principal Market” shall mean such other market or exchange on which the Company’s Common Stock is then listed or traded.
(t) “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by any Prospectus Supplement (including the Initial Prospectus Supplement), including the documents and information incorporated by reference therein.
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(u) “Prospectus Supplement” means any prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus (including the Initial Prospectus Supplement) filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the documents and information incorporated by reference therein.
(v) “Purchase” means the Initial Purchase, or any Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase made hereunder, as applicable.
(w) “Purchase Amount” means, with respect to the Initial Purchase, or any Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase made hereunder, as applicable, the portion of the Available Amount to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(x) “Purchase Date” means, with respect to a Regular Purchase made pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Business Day on which the Investor receives, after 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on such Business Day, a valid Purchase Notice for such Regular Purchase in accordance with this Agreement; provided that any Business Day that is twenty (20) days or less before the filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or New Registration Statement (as such term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), and until the effective date of any such post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or New Registration Statement shall not be a Purchase Date.
(y) “Purchase Notice” means a notice delivered to the Investor pursuant to Section 2 with respect to any Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase, respectively.
(z) “Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain Registration Rights Agreement, of even date herewith between the Company and the Investor.
(aa) “Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
(bb) “Regular Purchase Share Limit” means One Million (1,000,000) Purchase Shares, in each case to be adjusted following any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock, split or other similar transaction effected with respect to the Common Stock; provided, that if following such an adjustment, the Regular Purchase Share Limit as adjusted would preclude the Company from delivering to the Investor a Purchase Notice hereunder for a Purchase Amount equal to or greater than Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000), the Regular Purchase Share Limit shall equal the maximum number of Purchase Shares that would enable the Company to deliver to the Investor a Purchase Notice for a Purchase Amount equal to, or as closely approximating without exceeding, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000); provided, further, that the Investor’s committed obligation under any single Regular Purchase shall not exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000); provided, further, however, that the parties may mutually agree to increase the Regular Purchase Share Limit for any Regular Purchase up to Three Million (3,000,000) Purchase Shares.
(cc) “Sale Price” means any trade price for the shares of Common Stock on the Principal Market as reported by the Principal Market.
(dd) “SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(ee) “Securities” means, collectively, the Purchase Shares and the Commitment Shares.
(ff) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(gg) “Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
(hh) “Subsidiary” means any Person the Company wholly-owns or controls, or in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns a majority of the voting stock or similar voting interest, in each case that would be disclosable pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
(ii) “Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement and the schedules and exhibits hereto, the Registration Rights Agreement and the schedules and exhibits thereto, and each of the other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments entered into or furnished by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(jj) “Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or such other Person who is then serving as the transfer agent for the Company in respect of the Common Stock.
(kk) “VWAP” means in respect of an applicable Accelerated Purchase Date, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock on the Principal Market, as reported on the Principal Market or by another reputable source such as Bloomberg, L.P.
2. | PURCHASE OF COMMON STOCK. |
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company has the right to sell to the Investor, and the Investor has the obligation to purchase from the Company, Purchase Shares as follows:
(a) Initial Purchase of Common Stock. Upon the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof (the “Commencement” and the date of satisfaction of such conditions the “Commencement Date”), the Investor shall purchase 3,510,527 Purchase Shares at an aggregate purchase price of $1,999,999.89 (such purchase the “Initial Purchase” and such Purchase Shares, the “Initial Purchase Shares”).
(b) Commencement of Regular Purchases of Common Stock. Beginning one Business Day following the Commencement Date and thereafter, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of a Purchase Notice from time to time on any Purchase Date on which the Closing Sale Price is not below the Floor Price, to purchase up to the Regular Purchase Share Limit (each such purchase, a “Regular Purchase”) at the lower of: (i) the lowest Sale Price of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date and (ii) the arithmetic average of the three (3) lowest Closing Sale Prices for the Common Stock during the ten (10) consecutive Business Days ending on the Business Day immediately preceding such Purchase Date (the “Purchase Price”). The Company may deliver Purchase Notices to the Investor for multiple Regular Purchases on a Purchase Date subject to the second sentence of Section 2(h).
(c) Accelerated Purchases. On any Purchase Date, provided that the Company properly submitted a Purchase Notice for a Regular Purchase for a number of Purchase Shares not less than the Regular Purchase Share Limit then in effect on such Purchase Date and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company shall also have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of a Purchase Notice from time to time in accordance with this Agreement, to purchase the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount (each such purchase, an “Accelerated Purchase”) at ninety-seven percent (97%) of the lower of (i) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on such applicable Accelerated Purchase Date and (ii) the VWAP for the Accelerated Purchase Period (the “Accelerated Purchase Price”). Within one (1) Business Day after completion of each Accelerated Purchase Date for an Accelerated Purchase, the Investor will provide to the Company a written confirmation of such Accelerated Purchase setting forth the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount and Accelerated Purchase Price for such Accelerated Purchase.
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(d) Additional Accelerated Purchases. On any Accelerated Purchase Date, provided that the Company properly submitted a Purchase Notice for an Accelerated Purchase and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company shall also have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of a Purchase Notice from time to time in accordance with this Agreement, to purchase the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount (each such purchase, an “Additional Accelerated Purchase”) at the Accelerated Purchase Price. The Company may deliver Purchase Notices to the Investor for multiple Additional Accelerated Purchases on an Accelerated Purchase Date subject to the second sentence of Section 2(h).
(e) Payment for Purchase Shares. For the Initial Purchase and each Regular Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Purchase Amount with respect to such Initial Purchase or Regular Purchase, as applicable, as full payment for such Purchase Shares via wire transfer of immediately available funds on the same Business Day that the Investor receives such Purchase Shares, if such Purchase Shares are received by the Investor before 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, or, if such Purchase Shares are received by the Investor after 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, the next Business Day. Within one (1) Business Day after completion of each Accelerated Purchase Date for an Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase, respectively, the Investor will provide to the Company a written confirmation of such Accelerated Purchase setting forth the applicable Accelerated Purchase Share Amount and Accelerated Purchase Price for such Purchase. For each Accelerated Purchase and each Additional Accelerated Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Purchase Amount with respect to such Purchase as full payment for such Purchase Shares via wire transfer of immediately available funds on the second Business Day following the date that the Investor receives the Purchase Shares for such Purchase. If the Company or the Transfer Agent shall fail for any reason or for no reason to electronically transfer any Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares with respect to any Purchase within three (3) Business Days following the receipt by the Company of the Purchase Price or Accelerated Purchase Price, as applicable, for any Purchase therefor in compliance with this Section 2(e), and if on or after such Business Day the Investor purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of Purchase Shares in anticipation of receiving Purchase Shares from the Company with respect to such Purchase, then the Company shall, within three (3) Business Days after the Investor’s request, either (i) pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Cover Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Investor such Purchase Shares as DWAC Shares and pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Cover Price over the total Purchase Amount paid by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement for all of the Purchase Shares to be purchased by the Investor in connection with such purchases. The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Common Stock upon any Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase or Additional Accelerated Purchase. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock up or down to the nearest whole share. All payments made under this Agreement shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America or wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Agreement is due on any day that is not a Business Day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day.
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(f) Compliance with Rules of the Principal Market. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, and in addition to the limitations set forth in Section 2(g), the Company shall not issue more than 12,326,314 shares (including the Commitment Shares) of Common Stock (the “Exchange Cap”) under this Agreement, which equals 19.99% of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the date hereof, unless stockholder approval is obtained to issue in excess of the Exchange Cap; provided, however, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply if at any time the Exchange Cap is reached and at all times thereafter the average price paid for all shares of Common Stock issued under this Agreement is equal to or greater than $0.605 (the “Minimum Price”), a price equal to the lower of (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement or (ii) the arithmetic average of the five (5) Nasdaq Official Closing Prices for the Common Stock immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement, as adjusted in accordance with the rules of the Principal Market (in such circumstance, for purposes of the Principal Market, the transaction contemplated hereby would not be “below market” and the Exchange Cap would not apply). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required or permitted to issue, and the Investor shall not be required to purchase, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement if such issuance would violate the rules or regulations of the Principal Market. The Company may, in its sole discretion, determine whether to obtain stockholder approval to issue more than 19.99% of its outstanding shares of Common Stock hereunder if such issuance would require stockholder approval under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market. The Exchange Cap shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under applicable rules of the Principal Market.
(g) Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or sell, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement which, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Investor and its affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder) would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor and its affiliates of more than 9.99% of the then issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). Upon the written or oral request of the Investor, the Company shall promptly (but not later than one (1) Business Day) confirm orally or in writing to the Investor the amount of Common Stock then outstanding. The Investor and the Company shall each cooperate in good faith in the determinations required hereby and the application hereof. The Investor’s written certification to the Company of the applicability of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the resulting effect thereof hereunder at any time, shall be conclusive with respect to the applicability thereof and such result absent manifest error.
(h) Excess Share Limitations. If the Company delivers any Purchase Notice for a Purchase Amount in excess of the limitations contained in this Section 2, such Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the number of Purchase Shares set forth in such Purchase Notice exceeds the number of Purchase Shares that the Company is permitted to include in such Purchase Notice in accordance herewith, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase such excess Purchase Shares in respect of such Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the number of Purchase Shares that the Company is permitted to include in such Purchase Notice. If the Company delivers a Purchase Notice, and all Purchase Shares subject to all prior Purchases have not theretofore been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement, such Purchase Notice shall not be deemed to have been delivered and the Investor shall not be required to purchase any Purchase Shares until all Purchase Shares for such prior Purchases have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares. If any issuance of Purchase Shares would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock to the nearest whole share.
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(i) Adjustments for Shares and Prices. Except as specifically stated otherwise, all share-related and dollar-related limitations contained in this Section 2, shall be adjusted to take into account any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock, split or other similar transaction effected with respect to the Common Stock.
3. | INVESTOR’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:
(a) Organization, Authority. Investor is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with the requisite power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(b) Accredited Investor Status. The Investor is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.
(c) Investment Purpose. The Investor is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account for investment only and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other Persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting the Investor’s right to sell the Securities at any time pursuant to the Registration Statement described herein or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Investor is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
(d) Information. The Investor understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. The Investor (i) is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities including a total loss thereof, (ii) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the proposed investment in the Securities and (iii) has had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the officers of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters related to an investment in the Securities. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Investor or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in Section 4 below. The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities. The Investor acknowledges and agrees that neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their officers, employees, representatives, or advisors, makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, other than those specifically set forth in Section 4 hereof.
(e) No Governmental Review. The Investor understands that no U.S. federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of an investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
(f) Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Investor and is a valid and binding agreement of the Investor enforceable against the Investor in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforceability to general principles of equity and to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
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(g) Residency. The Investor’s principal place of business is in the State of Illinois.
(h) No Short Selling. The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that at no time prior to the date of this Agreement has any of the Investor, its agents, representatives or affiliates engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
4. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. |
The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:
(a) 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 corporate 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 or default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of formation or incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents except as would not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 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, would not reasonably be expected to result in 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. The Company has no Subsidiaries except as set forth in the SEC Documents.
(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents, and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including without limitation, the issuance of the Commitment Shares (as defined below in Section 5(e)) and the reservation for issuance and the issuance of the Purchase Shares issuable under this Agreement, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or its stockholders (except as set forth in Section 2(f) hereof), (iii) this Agreement has been, and each other Transaction Document shall be on the Commencement Date, duly executed and delivered by the Company and (iv) this Agreement constitutes, and each other Transaction Document upon its execution on behalf of the Company, shall constitute, the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies. The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the resolutions (the “Signing Resolutions”) substantially in the form as set forth as Exhibit B attached hereto to authorize this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Signing Resolutions are valid, in full force and effect and have not been modified or supplemented in any respect. The Company has delivered to the Investor a true and correct copy of a unanimous written consent adopting the Signing Resolutions executed by all of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Except as set forth in this Agreement, no other approvals or consents of the Company’s Board of Directors, any other authorized committee thereof, and/or stockholders is necessary under applicable laws and the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and/or the Company’s Bylaws in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”) to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, but not limited to, the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the issuance of the Purchase Shares.
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(c) Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company is set forth in the SEC Documents (as defined below). Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, (i) no shares of the Company’s capital stock are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company, (ii) there are no outstanding debt securities, (iii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the Securities Act (except the Registration Rights Agreement), (v) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities as described in this Agreement and (vii) the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. The Company has furnished to the Investor true and correct copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws, and summaries of the terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, if any, and copies of any documents containing the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
(d) Issuance of Securities. Upon issuance and payment therefor in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Securities shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens, charges, restrictions, rights of first refusal and preemptive rights with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. 34,000,000 shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon purchase under this Agreement as Purchase Shares and Commitment Shares.
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(e) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Securities) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation, any Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or the Bylaws or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market applicable to the Company) or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, except in the case of conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations under clause (ii), which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or is in default under any material contract, agreement, mortgage, indebtedness, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or order or any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for possible conflicts, defaults, terminations or amendments that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The business of the Company and its Subsidiaries is not being conducted, and shall not be conducted, in violation of any law, ordinance, regulation of any governmental entity, except for possible violations, the sanctions for which either individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. Except as set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, all consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations that the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be obtained or effected on or prior to the Commencement Date. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, since one year prior to the date hereof, the Company has not received nor delivered any notices or correspondence from or to the Principal Market, and the Principal Market has not commenced any delisting proceedings against the Company.
(f) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the 12 months preceding the date hereof (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Documents”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Documents prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable. None of the SEC Documents, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements (i) have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), 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 GAAP, and (ii) 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. Except as publicly available through the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or in connection with a confidential treatment request submitted to the SEC, the Company has received no notices or correspondence from the SEC for the one year preceding the date hereof other than SEC comment letters relating to the Company’s filings under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act. To the Company’s knowledge, the SEC has not commenced any enforcement proceedings against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(g) Absence of Certain Changes. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, since December 31, 2019, there has been no change that would constitute a Material Adverse Effect in the business, properties, operations, financial condition or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to any Bankruptcy Law nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings. The Company is financially solvent and is generally able to pay its debts as they become due.
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(h) Absence of Litigation. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any of the Company’s or the Company’s Subsidiaries’ officers or directors in their capacities as such, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(i) Acknowledgment Regarding Investor’s Status. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The Company further acknowledges that the Investor is not 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 hereby and thereby and any advice given by the Investor or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to the Investor’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Investor that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives and advisors.
(j) No Aggregated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has sold any security under circumstances that would reasonably be expected to cause this offering of the Securities to be aggregated with prior offerings by the Company in a manner that would require stockholder approval pursuant to the rules of the Principal Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Principal Market.
(k) Intellectual Property Rights. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all material trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and rights necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted. None of the Company’s material trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, government authorizations, trade secrets or other intellectual property rights have expired or terminated, or, by the terms and conditions thereof, could expire or terminate within two years from the date of this Agreement, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.. The Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or other party, of any material trademark, trade name rights, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, service names, service marks, service mark registrations, trade secret or other similar rights of others, or of any such development of similar or identical trade secrets or technical information by others, and there is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought against, or to the Company’s knowledge, being threatened against, the Company or its Subsidiaries regarding trademark, trade name, patents, patent rights, invention, copyright, license, service names, service marks, service mark registrations, trade secret or other infringement, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“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, except where, in each of the three foregoing clauses, the failure to so comply could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
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(m) Title. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company does not own any real property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have 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, encumbrances and defects (“Liens”) and, except for 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 Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, 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 with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(n) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor any such 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 at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(o) Regulatory Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all material certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations, or permits would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such material certificate, authorization or permit.
(p) Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made or filed all federal, state and foreign income and all other material tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject (unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all unpaid and unreported taxes) and 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, except those being contested in good faith and has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all 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 know of no basis for any such claim.
(q) Transactions With Affiliates. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company’s stockholders covered by Item 403(a) of Regulation S-K, officers or directors or any family member or affiliate of any of the foregoing, has either directly or indirectly an interest in, or is a party to, any transaction that would be required to be disclosed as a related party transaction pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
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(r) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its Board of Directors have taken or will take prior to the Commencement Date 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 Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the state of its incorporation which is or could become applicable to the Investor as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Investor’s ownership of the Securities.
(s) Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that will be timely publicly disclosed by the Company, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Investor or its agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the SEC Documents. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting purchases and sales of securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Investor regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the disclosure schedules to this Agreement, taken as a whole, is true and correct in all material respects 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the 12 months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole did not as of their issue date contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor neither makes nor has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(t) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other Person acting on behalf of the Company, 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 made by any Person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) that is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
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(u) Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed the Shelf Registration Statement with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act. The Shelf Registration Statement was declared effective by order of the SEC on August 30, 2018. The Shelf Registration Statement is effective pursuant to the Securities Act and available for the issuance of the Securities thereunder, and the Company has not received any written notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop order or other similar order with respect to the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus or that the SEC otherwise has (i) suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or (ii) issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in either case, either temporarily or permanently or intends or, to the knowledge of the Company, has threatened in writing to do so. The “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus permits the issuance of the Securities under the terms of this Agreement. At the time the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date hereof and at each deemed effective date thereof pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the Securities Act, the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with 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 Base Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, at the time such Base Prospectus or such Prospectus Supplement thereto was issued and on the Commencement Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with 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 not misleading; provided that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Prospectus Supplement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use therein. The Company meets all of the requirements for the use of a registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to the Securities Act in reliance on General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3 for the offering and issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, and the SEC has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, as of its effective date, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) pursuant to the Securities Act. At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another participant in the transactions contemplated hereby made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) relating to any of the Securities, the Company was not, and as of the date hereof the Company is not, an “Ineligible Issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act). The Company has not distributed any offering material in connection with the offering and issuance of any of the Securities, and until the Investor does not hold any of the Securities, shall not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of any of the Securities, to or by the Investor, in each case, other than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement required pursuant to applicable law or the Transaction Documents. The Company has not made and shall not make an offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act without the consent of the Investor.
(v) DTC Eligibility. The Company, through the Transfer Agent, currently participates in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program and the Common Stock can be transferred electronically to third parties via the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program.
(w) Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is in compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, as applicable to it as of the date hereof.
(x) Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company 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 Investor 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 4(x) that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company shall pay, and hold the Investor harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and out of pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim.
(y) Investment Company. The Company is not required to be registered as, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities will not be required to be registered as, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(z) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) 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 Common Stock pursuant to the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the SEC is currently contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not been since December 31, 2018, and currently is not, an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Exchange Act).
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(aa) Accountants. The Company’s accountants are set forth in the SEC Documents and, to the knowledge of the Company, such accountants are an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act.
(bb) No Market Manipulation. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no Person 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.
(cc) Regulatory. Except as described in the SEC Documents, during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date hereof, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries: (A) was and at all times has been in material compliance with all applicable U.S. and foreign statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to Company and its Subsidiaries (“Applicable Laws”), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) have not received any written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other federal, state, or foreign governmental authority having authority over the Company (“Governmental Authority”) alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possess all material Authorizations and such material Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and, to the Company’s knowledge, are not in violation of any term of any such material Authorizations; (D) have not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Authority or third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and have no knowledge that any such Governmental Authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) have not received written notice that any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and the Company has no knowledge that any such Governmental Authority is considering such action; and (F) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or material Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). During the 12-month period immediately preceding the date hereof, to the Company’s knowledge, the studies, tests and preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company were and, if still pending, are, in all material respects, being conducted in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or quasi-governmental body exercising comparable authority; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the SEC Documents are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; and the descriptions in the SEC Documents of the results of such clinical trials are consistent in all material respects with such results and to the Company’s knowledge there are no other studies or other clinical trials whose results are materially inconsistent with or otherwise materially call into question the results described or referred to in the SEC Documents. The Company has concluded that it uses commercially reasonable efforts to review, from time to time, the progress and results of the studies, tests and preclinical studies and clinical trials and, based upon (i) the information provided to the Company by the third parties conducting such studies, tests, preclinical studies and clinical trials that are described in the SEC Documents and the Company’s review of such information, and (ii) the Company’s actual knowledge, the Company reasonably believes that the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests, preclinical studies and clinical trials are accurate and complete in all material respects.
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(dd) Benefit Plans; Labor Matters. Each benefit and compensation plan, agreement, policy and arrangement that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company for current or former employees or directors of, or independent contractors with respect to, the Company has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, and the Company has complied in all material respects with all applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations in regard to such plans, agreements, policies and arrangements. Each stock option granted under any equity incentive plan of the Company (each, a “Stock Plan”) was granted with a per share exercise price no less than the market price per common share on the grant date of such option in accordance with the rules of the Principal Market, and no such grant involved any “back-dating,” “forward-dating” or similar practice with respect to the effective date of such grant; each such option (i) was granted in compliance in all material respects with Applicable Laws and with the applicable Stock Plan(s), (ii) was duly approved by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and (iii) has been properly accounted for in the Company’s financial statements and disclosed, to the extent required, in the Company’s filings or submissions with the SEC, and the Principal Market. No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers or contractors, that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ee) Shell Company Status. The Company is not, and has not been in the past twenty-four (24) months, an issuer identified in Rule 144(i)(1) under the Securities Act and has filed with the SEC current “Form 10 information” (as defined in Rule 144(i)(3) under the Securities Act) at least twelve (12) months prior to the date of this Agreement reflecting its status as an entity that is no longer an issuer identified in Rule 144(i)(1) under the Securities Act.
5. | COVENANTS. |
(a) Filing of Current Report and Initial Prospectus Supplement. The Company agrees that it shall, on the date hereof, file with the SEC a current report on Form 8-K relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents (the “Current Report”). The Company further agrees that it shall, on the date hereof, file with the SEC the Initial Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act specifically relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents, containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B under the Securities Act, and disclosing all information relating to the transactions contemplated hereby required to be disclosed in the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the date of the Initial Prospectus Supplement, including, without limitation, information required to be disclosed in the section captioned “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus. The Investor acknowledges that it will be identified in the Initial Prospectus Supplement as an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. The Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Securities held by it and the intended method of distribution thereof, including any arrangement between the Investor and any other Person relating to the sale or distribution of the Securities, as shall be reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Current Report and the Initial Prospectus Supplement, and shall otherwise cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Current Report and the Initial Prospectus Supplement with the SEC.
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(b) Blue Sky. The Company shall take all such action, if any, as is reasonably necessary in order to obtain an exemption for or to register or qualify (i) the issuance of the Commitment Shares and the sale of the Purchase Shares to the Investor under this Agreement and (ii) any subsequent resale of all Commitment Shares and all Purchase Shares by the Investor, in each case, under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States in such states as is reasonably requested by the Investor from time to time, and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor.
(c) Listing/DTC. The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Purchase Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued to the Investor hereunder on the Principal Market (subject to official notice of issuance) and upon each other national securities exchange or automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain, so long as any shares of Common Stock shall be so listed, such listing of all such Securities from time to time issuable hereunder. The Company shall maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Principal Market and shall comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules and regulations of the Principal Market. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action that would reasonably be expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Principal Market. The Company shall promptly, and in no event later than the following Business Day, provide to the Investor copies of any notices it receives from the Principal Market regarding the continued eligibility of the Common Stock for listing on the Principal Market; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to provide the Investor copies of any such notice that the Company reasonably believes constitutes material non-public information and the Company would not be required to publicly disclose such notice in any report or statement filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act (including on Form 8-K) or the Securities Act. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 5(d). The Company shall take all action necessary to ensure that its Common Stock can be transferred electronically as DWAC Shares.
(d) Prohibition of Short Sales and Hedging Transactions. The Investor agrees that beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date of termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 11, neither the Investor nor its agents, representatives or affiliates shall in any manner whatsoever enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
(e) Issuance of Commitment Shares. In consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company shall cause to be issued to the Investor a total of 1,084,266 shares of Common Stock (the “Commitment Shares”) and shall deliver to the Transfer Agent the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions with respect to the issuance of such Commitment Shares. For the avoidance of doubt, all of the Commitment Shares shall be fully earned as of the date of this Agreement, whether or not the Commencement shall occur or any Purchase Shares are purchased by the Investor under this Agreement and irrespective of any subsequent termination of this Agreement.
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(f) Due Diligence; Non-Public Information. The Investor shall have the right, from time to time as the Investor may reasonably deem appropriate, and upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, to perform reasonable due diligence on the Company during normal business hours. The Company and its officers and employees shall provide information and reasonably cooperate with the Investor in connection with any reasonable request by the Investor related to the Investor’s due diligence of the Company. Each party hereto agrees not to disclose any Confidential Information of the other party to any third party and shall not use the Confidential Information for any purpose other than in connection with, or in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated hereby. Each party hereto acknowledges that the Confidential Information shall remain the property of the disclosing party and agrees that it shall take all reasonable measures to protect the secrecy of any Confidential Information disclosed by the other party. The receiving party may disclose Confidential Information to the extent such information is required to be disclosed by law, regulation or order of a court of competent jurisdiction or regulatory authority, provided that the receiving party shall promptly notify the disclosing party when such requirement to disclose arises, and shall cooperate with the disclosing party so as to enable the disclosing party to: (i) seek an appropriate protective order; and (ii) make any applicable claim of confidentiality in respect of such Confidential Information; and provided, further, that the receiving party shall disclose Confidential Information only to the extent required by the protective order or other similar order, if such an order is obtained, and, if no such order is obtained, the receiving party shall disclose only the minimum amount of such Confidential Information required to be disclosed in order to comply with the applicable law, regulation or order. In addition, any such Confidential Information disclosed pursuant to this Section 5(f) shall continue to be deemed Confidential Information. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Investor agree that neither the Company nor any other Person acting on its behalf shall provide the Investor or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes material, non-public information, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company or any Person acting on its behalf (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Investor), in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, if the Investor is holding any Securities at the time of the disclosure of such material non-public information, the Investor shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company; provided the Investor shall have first provided notice to the Company that it believes it has received information that constitutes material, non-public information, the Company shall have at least twenty-four (24) hours to either publicly disclose such material, non-public information in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD or to demonstrate to the Investor that such information does not constitute material, non-public information. The Investor shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure by the Company. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor shall be relying on the foregoing covenants in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
(g) Purchase Records. The Investor and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Available Amount at any given time and the dates and Purchase Amounts for each Regular Purchase, Accelerated Purchase and Additional Accelerated Purchase or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Investor and the Company.
(h) Taxes. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp or similar taxes that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of any shares of Common Stock to the Investor made under this Agreement.
(i) No Aggregation. From and after the date of this Agreement, neither the Company, nor or any of its affiliates will, and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that no Person acting on their behalf will, directly or indirectly, make any offers or sales of any security or solicit any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities by the Company to the Investor to be aggregated with other offerings by the Company in a manner that would require stockholder approval pursuant to the rules of the Principal Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated unless stockholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction in accordance with the rules of such Principal Market.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds from the offering as described in the Prospectus.
(k) Other Transactions. The Company shall not enter into, announce or recommend to its stockholders any agreement, plan, arrangement or transaction in or of which the terms thereof would restrict, materially delay, conflict with or impair the ability or right of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, the obligation of the Company to deliver the Purchase Shares and the Commitment Shares to the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents.
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(l) Limitation on Financings. From and after the date of this Agreement until the later of (i) the thirty-sixth (36) month anniversary of the date of this Agreement and (ii) the thirty-sixth (36) month anniversary of the Commencement Date (if the Commencement has occurred), in any case irrespective of any earlier the termination of this Agreement, the Company shall be prohibited from entering into any “equity line” or similar transaction whereby an investor is irrevocably bound to purchase securities over a period of time from the Company at a price based on the market price of the Common Stock at the time of such purchase; provided, however, that this Section 5(l) shall not be deemed to prohibit the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to an “at-the-market offering” by the Company exclusively through a registered broker-dealer acting as agent of the Company pursuant to a written agreement between the Company and such registered broker-dealer. The Investor shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
(m) Publicity. The Company shall afford the Investor and its counsel with the opportunity to review and comment upon, shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of, and shall give due consideration to all such comments from the Investor or its counsel on, any press release, SEC filing or any other public disclosure by or on behalf of the Company that relates to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the issuance, filing or public disclosure thereof; provided that the Company shall not be required to provide to the Investor any disclosures that are materially similar to those previously reviewed by the Investor. The Investor must be provided with a substantially final version of any such press release, SEC filing or other public disclosure at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to any release, filing or use by the Company thereof. The Company agrees and acknowledges that its failure to fully comply with this provision constitutes a Material Adverse Effect.
6. | TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS. |
On the Commencement Date, the Company shall issue to the Transfer Agent (and any subsequent transfer agent) irrevocable instructions, in the form substantially similar to those used by the Investor in substantially similar transactions, to issue the Purchase Shares and the Commitment Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”). All Securities to be issued to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued as DWAC Shares. The Company warrants to the Investor that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 6 will be given by the Company to the Transfer Agent with respect to the Securities, and the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company; provided that if Commencement has not occurred before January 30, 2021, the Company shall issue instructions to the Transfer Agent to issue the Commitment Shares to the Investor.
7. | CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S RIGHT TO COMMENCE SALES OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK. |
The right of the Company hereunder to commence sales of the Purchase Shares on the Commencement Date is subject to the satisfaction or, where legally permissible, the waiver of each of the following conditions:
(a) The Investor shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Company;
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(b) No stop order with respect to the Registration Statement shall be pending or threatened by the SEC;
(c) The Common Stock shall be listed on the Principal Market, and all Securities to be issued by the Company to the Investor under the Transaction Documents shall have been approved for listing on the Principal Market in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, subject only to official notice of issuance; and
(d) The representations and warranties of the Investor shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties is already qualified as to materiality in Section 3 above, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct without further qualification) as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time.
8. | CONDITIONS TO THE INVESTOR’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK. |
The obligation of the Investor to buy Purchase Shares under this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction or, where legally permissible, the waiver of each of the following conditions on or prior to the Commencement Date and, once such conditions have been initially satisfied, there shall not be any ongoing obligation to satisfy such conditions after the Commencement has occurred:
(a) The Company shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Investor;
(b) The Investor shall have received the opinions and the negative assurances letter of the Company’s legal counsel dated as of the Commencement Date substantially in the form agreed to prior to the date of this Agreement by the Company’s legal counsel and the Investor’s legal counsel;
(c) The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties is already qualified as to materiality in Section 4 above, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct without further qualification) as of the date when made and as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement Date. The Investor shall have received a certificate, executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date, to the foregoing effect in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A;
(d) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted resolutions substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C to the secretary’s certificate referenced in Section 5(h) below, which resolutions shall be in full force and effect without any amendment or supplement thereto as of the Commencement Date;
(e) As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock solely for the purpose of effecting purchases of Purchase Shares hereunder, 34,000,000 shares of Common Stock;
(f) The Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company and the Company’s Transfer Agent (or any successor transfer agent), and the Commitment Shares required to be issued on the date of this Agreement in accordance with Section 5(e) hereof shall have been issued directly to the Investor electronically as DWAC Shares;
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(g) The Company shall have delivered to the Investor a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and a certificate evidencing the incorporation and good standing of the Company in the State of Delaware, each issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, as well as a certificate evidencing the authorization to do business in New Jersey and in each state where the Company is required to be authorized to do business, as of a date within ten (10) Business Days of the Commencement Date;
(h) The Company shall have delivered to the Investor a secretary’s certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B;
(i) The Registration Statement shall continue to be effective and no stop order with respect to the Registration Statement shall be pending or threatened by the SEC. The Company shall have a maximum dollar amount of Common Stock registered under the Registration Statement which is sufficient to issue to the Investor not less than (i) the full Available Amount worth of Purchase Shares plus (ii) all of the Commitment Shares. The Current Report and the Initial Prospectus Supplement each shall have been filed with the SEC, as required pursuant to Section 5(a), and in compliance with the Registration Rights Agreement. The Prospectus shall be current and available for issuances and sales of all of the Securities by the Company to the Investor and for the resale of all of the Securities by the Investor. Any other Prospectus Supplements required to have been filed by the Company with the SEC under the Securities Act at or prior to the Commencement Date shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under the Securities Act. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the SEC at or prior to the Commencement Date pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under the Exchange Act;
(j) No Event of Default (as defined below) has occurred, and no event which, after notice and/or lapse of time, would reasonably be expected to become an Event of Default has occurred;
(k) No statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, threatened or endorsed by any federal, state, local or foreign court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or which would materially modify or delay any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents;
(l) No action, suit or proceeding before any federal, state, local or foreign arbitrator or any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been commenced or threatened, and no inquiry or investigation by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been commenced or threatened, against the Company, or any of the officers, directors or affiliates of the Company, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, or seeking material damages in connection with such transactions; and
(m) All federal, state and local governmental laws, rules and regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby in accordance with the terms thereof shall have been complied with, and all consents, authorizations and orders of, and all filings and registrations with, all federal, state and local courts or governmental agencies and all federal, state and local regulatory or self-regulatory agencies necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby in accordance with the terms thereof shall have been obtained or made, including, without limitation, in each case those required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws or applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, or otherwise required by the SEC, the Principal Market or any state securities regulators.
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9. | INDEMNIFICATION. |
In consideration of the Investor’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities hereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Investor and all of its affiliates, officers, directors, members, managers, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Person’s agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of or relating to: (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee and arising out of or resulting from the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby other than, in the case of clause (c), with respect to Indemnified Liabilities which directly and primarily result from the fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct of an Indemnitee. The indemnity in this Section 9 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law. Payment under this indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date the Indemnitee makes written request for it. A certificate containing reasonable detail as to the amount of such indemnification submitted to the Company by the Indemnitee shall be conclusive evidence, absent manifest error, of the amount due from the Company to the Indemnitee, provided that the Indemnitee shall undertake to repay any amounts paid to it hereunder if it is ultimately determined, by a final and non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction, that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Indemnified Liabilities by the Company pursuant to this Agreement. If any action shall be brought against any Indemnitee in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Indemnitee 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 Indemnitee. Any Indemnitee 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 Indemnitee, except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Indemnitee, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel.
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10. | EVENTS OF DEFAULT. |
An “Event of Default” shall be deemed to have occurred at any time as any of the following events occurs:
(a) the effectiveness of the Registration Statement registering the Securities lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order or similar order), the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is unavailable for the sale by the Company to the Investor (or the resale by the Investor) of any or all of the Securities to be issued to the Investor under the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, as a result of any failure of the Company to satisfy all of the requirements for the use of a registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to the Securities Act for the offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement), and any such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of ten (10) consecutive Business Days or for more than an aggregate of thirty (30) Business Days in any 365-day period, but excluding a lapse or unavailability where (i) the Company terminates the Registration Statement after the Investor has confirmed in writing that all of the Securities covered thereby have been resold or (ii) the Company supersedes the Shelf Registration Statement with a New Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), including (without limitation) when the Registration Statement is effectively replaced with a New Registration Statement covering Securities (provided in the case of this clause (ii) that all of the Securities covered by the superseded (or terminated) registration statement that have not theretofore been sold to the Investor are included in the superseding (or new) registration statement);
(b) the suspension of the Common Stock from trading on the Principal Market for a period of one (1) Business Day, provided that the Company may not direct the Investor to purchase any shares of Common Stock during any such suspension;
(c) the delisting of the Common Stock from The Nasdaq Global Select Market; provided, however, that the Common Stock is not immediately thereafter trading on The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Capital Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Arca, the NYSE American, the OTC Bulletin Board, or the OTCQB or the OTCQX operated by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing);
(d) the failure for any reason by the Transfer Agent to issue Purchase Shares to the Investor within three (3) Business Days after the applicable Purchase Date or Accelerated Purchase Date (as applicable) on which the Investor is entitled to receive such Purchase Shares;
(e) the Company breaches any representation, warranty, covenant or other term or condition under any Transaction Document if such breach would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except, in the case of a breach of a covenant which is reasonably curable, only if such breach continues for a period of at least five (5) Business Days;
(f) if any Person commences a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law;
(g) if the Company is at any time insolvent, or, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, (i) commences a voluntary case, (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (iii) consents to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law (a “Custodian”) of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors or is generally unable to pay its debts as the same become due;
(h) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Subsidiary;
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(i) if at any time the Company is not eligible to transfer its Common Stock electronically as DWAC Shares; or
(j) if at any time after the Commencement Date, the Exchange Cap is reached (to the extent the Exchange Cap is applicable pursuant to Section 2(f) hereof) and the Company’s stockholders have not approved the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Select Market, any other Principal Market on which the Common Stock may be listed or quoted after the date of this Agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws.
In addition to any other rights and remedies under applicable law and this Agreement, so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or if any event that, after notice and/or lapse of time, would become an Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing, the Company shall not deliver to the Investor any Purchase Notice, and the Investor shall not purchase any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement.
11. | TERMINATION |
This Agreement may be terminated only as follows:
(a) If pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors (any of which would be an Event of Default as described in Sections 10(f), 10(g) and 10(h) hereof), this Agreement shall automatically terminate without any liability or payment to the Company (except as set forth below) without further action or notice by any Person.
(b) In the event that the Commencement shall not have occurred on or before September 30, 2020, due to the failure to satisfy the conditions set forth in Sections 7 and 8 above with respect to the Commencement, either the Company or the Investor shall have the option to terminate this Agreement at the close of business on such date or thereafter without liability of any party to any other party (except as set forth below); provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 11(b) shall not be available to any party if such party is then in breach of any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any representation or warranty of such party contained in this Agreement fails to be true and correct such that the conditions set forth in Section 7(d) or Section 8(c), as applicable, could not then be satisfied.
(c) At any time after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have the option to terminate this Agreement for any reason or for no reason by delivering notice (a “Company Termination Notice”) to the Investor electing to terminate this Agreement without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below). The Company Termination Notice shall not be effective until one (1) Business Day after it has been received by the Investor.
(d) This Agreement shall automatically terminate on the date that the Company sells and the Investor purchases the full Available Amount as provided herein, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below).
(e) If, for any reason or for no reason, the full Available Amount has not been purchased in accordance with Section 2 of this Agreement by the Maturity Date, this Agreement shall automatically terminate on the Maturity Date, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement (except as set forth below).
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Except as set forth in Sections 11(a) (in respect of an Event of Default under Sections 10(f), 10(g) and 10(h)), 11(d) and 11(e), any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be effected by written notice from the Company to the Investor, or the Investor to the Company, as the case may be, setting forth the basis for the termination hereof. The representations and warranties of the Company and the Investor contained in Sections 3 and 4 hereof, the indemnification provisions set forth in Section 9 hereof and the agreements and covenants set forth in Sections 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12 shall survive the Commencement and any termination of this Agreement. No termination of this Agreement shall (i) affect the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under (A) this Agreement with respect to any pending Initial Purchase, Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases, and Additional Accelerated Purchases and the Company and the Investor shall complete their respective obligations with respect to any pending Initial Purchase, Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases under this Agreement and (B) the Registration Rights Agreement, which shall survive any such termination in accordance with its terms, or (ii) be deemed to release the Company or the Investor from any liability for intentional misrepresentation or willful breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
12. | MISCELLANEOUS. |
(a) Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders. All other questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Illinois or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Illinois. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Illinois, County of Cook, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or under the other Transaction Documents or in connection herewith or therewith, 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 brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. 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 to such party at the address for such 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 manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(b) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
(c) Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
(d) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
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(e) Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Investor, the Company, their affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf with respect to the subject matter thereof, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Investor makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. The Company acknowledges and agrees that is has not relied on, in any manner whatsoever, any representations or statements, written or oral, other than as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents.
(f) Notices. Any notices, consents or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt when sent by facsimile or email (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Advaxis, Inc.
305 College Road East
Princeton, NJ 08540
Telephone: 609-452-9813
E-mail: | henderson@advaxis.com | |
Attention: | Molly Henderson, Chief Financial Officer |
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
502 Carnegie Center
Princeton, NJ 08540-6289
Telephone: | (609) 919-6600 | |
Facsimile: | (609) 919-6701 | |
E-mail: | david.schwartz@morganlewis.com | |
Attention: | David C. Schwartz, Esq. |
If to the Investor:
Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC
440 North Wells, Suite 410
Chicago, IL 60654
Telephone: | (312) 822-9300 | |
Facsimile: | (312) 822-9301 | |
E-mail: | jscheinfeld@lpcfunds.com/jcope@lpcfunds.com | |
Attention: | Josh Scheinfeld/Jonathan Cope |
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With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice or service of process):
K&L Gates, LLP
200 S. Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 3900
Miami, Florida 33131
Telephone: | (305) 539-3306 | |
Facsimile: | (305) 358-7095 | |
E-mail: | clayton.parker@klgates.com | |
Attention: | Clayton E. Parker, Esq. |
If to the Transfer Agent:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004-1561
Telephone: | (212) 845-3299 | |
E-mail: | saqui@continentalstock.com | |
Attention: | Stacy Aqui/Victoria Fish |
or at such other address, email and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or email account containing the time, date, and recipient facsimile number or email address, as applicable, and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile, email or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Investor, including by merger or consolidation. The Investor may not assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement.
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and, except as set forth in Section 9, is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
(i) Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to consummate and make effective, as soon as reasonably possible, the Commencement, and to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(j) No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
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(k) Remedies, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief. The Investor’s remedies provided in this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Investor’s remedies provided in Section 9, shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available to the Investor under this Agreement, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), no remedy of the Investor contained herein shall be deemed a waiver of compliance with the provisions giving rise to such remedy and nothing herein shall limit the Investor’s right to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Investor and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the Investor shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
(l) Enforcement Costs. If: (i) this Agreement is placed by the Investor in the hands of an attorney for enforcement or is enforced by the Investor through any legal proceeding; (ii) an attorney is retained to represent the Investor in any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceedings affecting creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Agreement; or (iii) an attorney is retained to represent the Investor in any other proceedings whatsoever in connection with this Agreement, then the Company shall pay to the Investor, as incurred by the Investor, all reasonable costs and expenses including attorneys’ fees incurred in connection therewith, in addition to all other amounts due hereunder.
(m) Waiver; Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
** Signature Page Follows **
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Investor and the Company have caused this Purchase Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
THE COMPANY: | ||
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Molly Henderson | |
Name: | Molly Henderson | |
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
INVESTOR: | ||
LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL FUND, LLC | ||
BY: | LINCOLN PARK CAPITAL, LLC | |
BY: | Rockledge Capital Corporation |
By: | /s/ John Scheinfeld | |
Name: | John Scheinfeld | |
Title: | President |
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit A | Form of Officer’s Certificate |
Exhibit B | Form of Secretary’s Certificate |
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Exhibit 99.1
Advaxis Announces Common Stock Purchase Agreement for up to $20 Million with Lincoln Park Capital
PRINCETON, N.J.– August 3, 2020 – Advaxis, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADXS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapy products today announced that it has entered into a common stock purchase agreement for up to $20 million with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (LPC), a Chicago-based institutional investor. Upon execution of the purchase agreement, Lincoln Park made an initial purchase of $2 million of common stock at $0.57 per share.
Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Advaxis will have the right at its sole discretion, but not the obligation, to sell to LPC up to $20 million worth of shares over the 36-month term of the agreement, subject to certain conditions. There are no upper limits to the price per share LPC may pay to purchase the shares, and the purchase price of the shares will be based on the prevailing market prices at the time of each sale to LPC. Advaxis controls the timing and amount of any future sales of its stock to LPC.
There are no warrants, derivatives, financial or business covenants associated with the agreement, and LPC has agreed not to cause or engage in any direct or indirect short selling or hedging of Advaxis’ common stock. Advaxis may terminate the purchase agreement at any time, at its discretion, without any cost or penalty. In consideration for LPC entering into the purchase agreement, Advaxis issued shares of its common stock to LPC as a fee for LPC’s obligation to purchase shares at the Company’s discretion.
Advaxis intends to use any net proceeds from the sale of its common stock to LPC to advance its ADXS-HOT program and for general corporate purposes.
Additional information regarding the purchase agreement with LPC is available in the Current Report on Form 8-K that Advaxis will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of common stock, nor shall there be any sale of shares of common stock in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
About Advaxis, Inc.
Advaxis, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of proprietary Lm-based antigen delivery products. These immunotherapies are based on a platform technology that utilizes live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) bioengineered to secrete antigen/adjuvant fusion proteins. These Lm-based strains are believed to be a significant advancement in immunotherapy as they integrate multiple functions into a single immunotherapy and are designed to access and direct antigen presenting cells to stimulate anti-tumor T cell immunity, activate the immune system with the equivalent of multiple adjuvants, and simultaneously reduce tumor protection in the tumor microenvironment to enable T cells to eliminate tumors.
To learn more about Advaxis, visit www.advaxis.com and connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
About Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC
LPC is a long-only institutional investor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. LPC’s experienced professionals manage a portfolio of investments in public and private entities. These investments are in a wide range of companies and industries emphasizing life sciences and technology. LPC’s investments range from multi-year financial commitments to fund growth to special situation financings to long-term strategic capital offering companies’ flexibility and consistency. For more information, please visit www.lpcfunds.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statements that express the current beliefs and expectations of management, including but not limited to statements related to the expected clinical development of the Company’s drug product candidates. These and other risks are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on December 20, 2019 as amended on Form 10-K/A on January 21, 2020 and February 28, 2020, and its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Any statements contained herein that do not describe historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Tim McCarthy, LifeSci Advisors, LLC
212.915.2564
tim@lifesciadvisors.com