As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 2022.
Registration No. 333-260492
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
POST EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Scotland | 8731 | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of | (Primary Standard Industrial | (I.R.S. Employer | ||
incorporation or organization) | Classification Code Number) | Identification No.) |
Maxim 1, 2 Parklands Way
Holytown, Motherwell, ML1 4WR
Scotland, United Kingdom
+44
(0) 141 433 7557
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
TC BioPharm (North America) Inc.
c/o Business Filings, Inc.
108 West 13th Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
(800) 981-7183
(Name,
address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
Copy of all communications including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:
Andrew D. Hudders, Esq. Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP 711 Third Avenue – 17th Floor New York, NY 10017 (212) 907-7300 ahudders@golenbock.com |
Joseph Lucosky, Esq. Lucosky Brookman LLP 101 Wood Avenue South 5th Floor Woodbridge, NJ 08830 (732) 395-4402 jlucosky@lucbro.com |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company.
Emerging Growth Company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each class of securities to be registered | Proposed maximum aggregate offering price (1) | Amount of Registration Fee | ||||||
Ordinary shares, £0.01 par value (2) | $ | 18,356,706 | $ | 1,701.67 | ||||
Warrants to purchase ordinary shares (2) (3) | $ | 43,294 | $ | 4.01 | ||||
Ordinary shares, £0.01 par value, issuable upon exercise of the warrants to purchase ordinary shares, at 100% of the public offering price (2) (4) | $ | 36,800,002 | $ | 3,411.36 | ||||
Ordinary shares, £0.01 par value, issuable to selling shareholders (2) (5) | $ | 19,654,054 | $ | 1,821.93 | ||||
Warrants to purchase ordinary shares (2) (3) (5) | $ | 46,354 | $ | 4.30 | ||||
Ordinary shares, £0.01 par value, issuable upon exercise of the warrants to purchase ordinary shares, issuable to selling shareholders at 100% of the public- offering price (2) (4) (5) | $ | 39,400,815 | $ | 3,652.46 | ||||
Representative’s warrants for ordinary shares (2) (3) | - nil | -nil | ||||||
Ordinary shares, £0.01 par value, issuable upon exercise of the representative’s warrants at 100% of the public offering price (2) (4) | $ | 552,000 | $ | 51.17 | ||||
Total fee due | $ | 10,646.89 | ||||||
Amount of fee previously paid | $ | 12,973.31 | ||||||
Additional fee paid with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 | $ | -nil |
(1) | Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Includes the offering price of ordinary shares represented by American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, that the Underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any. |
(2) | These ordinary shares are represented by ADSs, each of which represents one ordinary share of the registrant. ADSs issuable upon deposit of the ordinary shares registered hereby are being registered pursuant to a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-262149). In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of ordinary shares as may be issuable with respect to the ordinary shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar anti-dilutive transactions. |
(3) | The registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act is paid with the ordinary shares as the warrants are only sold in tandem with an ordinary share. |
(4) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act. |
(5) | These ordinary shares are represented by ADSs, each of which represents one ordinary share of the registrant. ADSs issuable upon deposit of the ordinary shares registered hereby are being registered pursuant to a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-262149). In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of ordinary shares as may be issuable with respect to the ordinary shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar anti-dilutive transactions. Includes ADSs that may be issued from time to time in payment of interest. Represents shares of the ADSs being offered for distribution by the security holders named in this registration statement. |
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc is filing this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its registration statement on Form F-1 (the “Registration Statement”) as an exhibits-only filing. The exhibits being filed are the final versions of the underwriting agreement and the warrant agreement with the final pricing information included therein, both of which forms were filed by pre-effective amendment to the Registration Statement. Accordingly, this amendment consists only of the facing page, this explanatory note, Item 8 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and the filed exhibits. The remainder of the Registration Statement is unchanged and has therefore been omitted.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Exhibits:
* | Filed Herewith |
** | Previously filed. |
⸶ | To be filed by amendment. |
+ | Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. |
Schedules:
None
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing this amended registration statement on Form F-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, on March 8, 2022.
TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC | ||
By: | /s/ Michael Leek | |
Dr. Michael Leek | ||
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this amended registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Michael Leek | Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer) | March 8, 2022 | ||
Dr. Michael Leek | ||||
/s/ Bryan Kobel | Chief Executive Officer and Director | March 8, 2022 | ||
Bryan Kobel | ||||
/s/ Martin Thorp | Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | March 8, 2022 | ||
Martin Thorp | ||||
/s/ Dr. Mark Bonyhadi | Director | March 8, 2022 | ||
Dr. Mark Bonyhadi | ||||
/s/ James Culverwell | Director | March 8, 2022 | ||
James Culverwell | ||||
/s/ Arlene Morris | Director | March 8, 2022 | ||
Arlene Morris | ||||
/s/ Edward Niemczyk | Director | March 8, 2022 | ||
Edward Niemczyk |
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED U.S. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of the registrant has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto on March 8, 2022.
TC BioPharm (North America) Inc. | ||
By: | /s/ Bryan Kobel | |
Name: | Bryan Kobel | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Director | |
Authorized Representative in the United States |
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC
and
EF HUTTON
division of Benchmark Investments, LLC,
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
New York, New York
February 10, 2022
EF Hutton,
division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc, a public limited company incorporated in Scotland pursuant to the Companies Act 2006, as amended (the “Companies Act”) with company number SC713098 (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) as being subsidiaries, the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”), and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. PURCHASE AND SALE.
1.1. Firm Securities.
1.1.1. Purchase of Firm Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, and the Underwriters agree to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the following securities of the Company:
(a) | an aggregate of 4,117,648 Ordinary Shares, par value £0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”) to be represented by American Depositary Shares (the “Firm Shares”, each individually an “ADS” and collectively, the “ADSs”), each ADS representing one authorized and issued Ordinary Share and | |
(b) | an aggregate of 8,235,296 warrants to purchase 8,235,296 Ordinary Shares (“Warrants”), with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one (1) Ordinary Share at the exercise price thereof with such Ordinary Share being deposited upon issuance with the Depositary (as defined below) in exchange for an ADS (the “Firm Warrants”, and together with the Firm Shares, the “Firm Securities”) |
each, as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 hereto, at a combined purchase price (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) of $3.91 per one ADS and 2 Warrants, being equal to 92% of the public offering price of the Firm Securities. The combined purchase price of $3.91 shall be $3.9008 per ADS (the “Share Purchase Price”) and $0.0092 per two Warrants (the “Warrant Purchase Price”). The Firm Securities are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
Each ADS represents one Ordinary Share deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”) pursuant to a deposit agreement, dated the date of this Agreement, among the Company, the Depositary and all owners and holders (as defined therein) from time to time of ADSs (the “Deposit Agreement”). The Depositary may issue American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) evidencing the ADSs. The Warrants are to be issued pursuant to a Warrant Agent Agreement dated the date hereof (the “Warrant Agent Agreement”), between the Company and Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Computershare”), and its wholly owned subsidiary, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”).
1.1.2. Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:00 p.m. New York City time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Lucosky Brookman LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Securities is called the “Closing Date”. Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representative of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Firm Securities (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Firm Securities for delivery, at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Securities. The term “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay-at-home,” “shelter-in-place,” “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
1.2. Over-allotment Option.
1.2.1. Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Securities, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 617,647 Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs (“Option Shares”) and up to an additional 1,235,294 Warrants (“Option Warrants”), representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Securities sold in the offering (the Option Shares and the Option Warrants together being as the “Option Securities”), from the Company (the “Over-allotment Option”). The Option Securities shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Securities. The Option Securities shall be purchased for the account of each of the several Underwriters in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities, set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule 1 hereto, bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representative to eliminate fractions). No Option Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Option Securities, or any portion thereof, may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representative to the Company. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the Share Purchase Price and the Purchase price to be paid per Option Warrant shall be the Warrant Purchase Price, each as set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof. The Firm Securities and the Option Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Public Securities.” The offering and sale of the Public Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering.”
2 |
1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Securities within 45 days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in accordance with Section 1.2.1 hereof setting forth the number of Option Shares and Option Warrants to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares and Option Warrants (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of counsel to the Underwriters or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Securities does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Securities subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Shares and Option Warrants specified in such notice and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase the number of Option Shares and Option Warrants specified in such notice.
1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Securities shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Option Securities for delivery, at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Securities.
1.3. Representative’s Warrants.
1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date a warrant (“Representative’s Warrant”) exercisable for an aggregate of 123,529 Ordinary Shares (or 142,058 Ordinary Shares if the Underwriters exercise the Over-allotment Option in full) representing 3% of the aggregate number of Firm Shares pursuant to a warrant agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Representative’s Warrant Agreement”). Each Representative’s Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Ordinary Share at the exercise price thereof, with such Ordinary Share being deposited upon issuance with the Depositary (as defined herein) in exchange for an ADS. The Representative’s Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is six (6) months after the Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price of $4.25 per share, which is equal to 100% of the initial public offering price of the Firm Shares. The Representative’s Warrant, the Ordinary Shares and the ADSs issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities”. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 on the transfer of the Representative’s Warrant and the ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Representative Warrant during the one hundred eighty (180) day period commencing on the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing restrictions and those in the Representative’s Warrant Agreement.
3 |
1.3.2. Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has prepared and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form F-1 (File No. 333-260492), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”). The conditions for use of Form F-1 as set forth in the General Instructions to such Form, to register the Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities under the Securities Act, have been satisfied. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering, that includes the Rule 430A Information, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
A registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-262149) covering the registration of the ADSs (the “ADS Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act has also been filed with the Commission by the Company and the Depositary.
“Applicable Time” means 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
4 |
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File No. 001-41231) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Ordinary Shares and the Warrants (including the Ordinary Shares to be represented by ADSs and Ordinary Shares into which the Warrants are exercisable); provided, however, that the Ordinary Shares are not being registered for trading, but only in connection with the registration of the Ordinary Shares to be represented by ADSs and Ordinary Shares for which the Warrants are exercisable pursuant to requirements of the Commission). The registration of the Ordinary Shares and the Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the ADSs, Warrants or Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2. Stock Exchange Listing. The ADSs and Warrants have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Exchange”), subject only to official notice of issuance, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the ADSs or Warrants from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.
(i) At the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement (or at the time of any post-effective amendments thereto) and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus do and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and did or will, in all material respects, conform to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s EDGAR filing system (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated under the Securities Act (“Regulation S-T”).
5 |
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict in any material respect with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an 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, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: the names of the Underwriters, the information in the second paragraph under the subheading titled “Discounts, Commissions and Reimbursement” and the information under the subheadings titled “Stabilization” and “Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Securities” (the “Underwriters’ Information”).
(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.
2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined in Section 2.5.1 below). To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental or regulatory agency, authority, body, entity or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
6 |
2.4.3. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations relating to the Offering and the Company’s business as currently conducted or contemplated are correct and complete in all material respects and no other such laws, rules or regulations are required under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.4.4. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.
2.5. Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, results of operations, or business, assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, or assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.6. Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (the “Auditor”), whose reports are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity. To the Company’s knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, the Auditor is currently registered and in good standing with the PCAOB. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
7 |
2.7. Financial Statements, etc.
2.7.1 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules (if any) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present the consolidated financial position, the results of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows at the dates and for the periods to which they apply. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (the “IASB”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all of the notes required by IFRS and the supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The financial data set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial Data,” “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Capitalization” fairly present, in all material respects, the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus disclose all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) since the date of the last balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the ordinary course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt. The Company represents that it has no direct or indirect subsidiaries other than those listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
2.7.2. Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries make and keep accurate books and records and maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed, and which the Company reasonably believes is sufficient, to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS as issued by IASB and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has not received any notice, oral or written, from the Company’s board of directors stating that it is reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Company’s board of directors review or investigate, (i) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; or (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years.
2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Ordinary Shares or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
8 |
2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission or the ability to force the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase such securities with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or rights of participation of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Ordinary Shares conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, options, warrants and other outstanding securities convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements. The description of the Company’s share option, stock bonus and other related plans or arrangements, and options and/or other rights granted thereunder, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, accurately and fairly present, in all material respects, the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Public Securities and Representative’s Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities are and will be free from all pre-emptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company, or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Public Securities and Representative’s Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrant have been duly authorized for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with the Representative’s Warrant and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and such ordinary shares are not and will not be subject to the pre-emptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company.
2.9.3. Validity of the ADSs. Upon the issuance, sale and payment for the Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs in accordance with the terms hereof and the due issuance by the Depositary of the ADSs against the deposit of the Ordinary Shares in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADSs will be duly and validly issued, and the persons in whose names the ADSs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement. Upon the exercise of the Warrants pursuant to their terms, the issuance, sale and payment for the Ordinary Shares issued upon exercise of the Warrants and the due issuance by the Depositary of the ADSs representing the Ordinary Shares issued upon exercise of Warrants in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADSs will be duly and validly issued, and the persons in whose names the ADSs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement and the ADSs conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. There has been no change in the Company’s agreement with the Depositary in connection with any pre-release of the Company’s ADSs and no such change is currently contemplated.
2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any options, warrants, rights or other securities exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in the Registration Statement or any other registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrants, and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Deposit Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.
9 |
2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrants, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and all documents ancillary thereto, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association (as the same have been amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) of the Company; (ii) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or as to which any property of the Company is a party except breaches, conflicts or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or (iii) violate in any material respect any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof, except, in the case of (ii) or (iii), for those breaches, conflicts, defaults or violations which (individually or in the aggregate) would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.13. No Defaults; Violations. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject except, in each case, for any such default that would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except for such violations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all requisite consents, authorizations, approvals, licenses, certificates, clearances, permits and orders and supplements and amendments thereto (collectively, “Authorizations”) of and from all Governmental Entities that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except, in each case, where the failure to have such Authorizations (individually or in the aggregate) would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all Authorizations required in connection therewith have been obtained. No Authorization of, and no filing with, any Governmental Entity, the Exchange or another body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement or the Deposit Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities or blue-sky laws, the rules of the Exchange and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
2.15. D&O Questionnaires. All information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers prior to the Offering, as may be updated to the time of the Offering (the “Insiders”) and as may be supplemented by all information concerning the Insiders described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus provided to the Representative and to counsel to the Underwriters, is, to the knowledge of the Company, true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete.
10 |
2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Public Securities on the Exchange, and is required to be disclosed therein.
2.17. Due Incorporation; Valid Existence. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a public limited company in the United Kingdom and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.18. Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance (including, without limitation, as to directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage), with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate as are customary for companies engaged in similar business, and to the Company’s knowledge all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments in connection with the Offering (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. There is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
11 |
2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to counsel to the Underwriters specifically for use by them in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act / UK Bribery Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and with the UK Bribery Act 2010.
2.21. Compliance with Sanction Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or by HM Treasury’s Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation (“OFSI”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any sanctions administered by OFAC or OFSI.
2.22. Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the U.S. Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, including the U.S. Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, the rules and regulations thereunder, the rules and regulations thereunder, the U.K. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.23. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel to the Underwriters on the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and each owner of 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares (or securities convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibits B-1 through B-3 (each, a “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
12 |
2.25. Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s “subsidiaries” (for purposes of this Agreement, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership limited liability company or similar corporate entity, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding share capital or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. None of the outstanding share capital or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations.
2.27. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the provisions applicable to the Company of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.
2.28.1. Disclosure Controls. The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that comply in all material respects with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.
2.28.2. Compliance. The Company is and at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and has taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.29. Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, which (i) enable the Company to comply with the applicable international rules for companies; (ii) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities; and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
13 |
2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in and pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware that any officer, key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.
2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) for the conduct of the business of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change: (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. For all Company Intellectual Property, the Company and its Representatives have met their duty of candor as required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.56 and complied with analogous Law outside the United States requiring disclosure of references. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has taken all actions reasonably necessary to protect, and where necessary register, the copyrights, trademarks, patent rights and trade secrets owned by or licensed exclusively to the Company (solely where the Company has the right to take such actions as to in-licensed intellectual property rights). Each current and former employee and individual contractor of the Company who is or was involved in the creation or development of any Company Intellectual Property has executed and delivered and, to the Company’s knowledge, is in compliance with an employment or consulting agreement containing nondisclosure, assignment and non-solicitation provisions, except as could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
14 |
2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary except those that are being contested in good faith or as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no material issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no tax liens against the assets, properties or business of the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
2.34. Compliance with Laws. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the business of the Company as currently conducted (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, would not or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any Governmental Entity alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any Authorizations; (C) possesses all Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations, except where the invalidity of such Authorizations or the failure of such Authorizations to be in full force and effect would not or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any activity conducted by the Company is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except where the failure to be so in compliance, individually or in the aggregate, would not or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
15 |
2.35. Environmental Laws. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change. In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on its business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.
2.36. Title to Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are, to the Company’s knowledge, in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
2.37. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.
2.38. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.39. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the Effective Date and at the time of any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Securities and at the Effective Date, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
16 |
2.40. Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged in any Section 5(d) Written Communication or any Section 5(d) Oral Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) the time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (ii) the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as defined herein).
2.41. Foreign Private Issuer Status. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, Rule 3b-4 under the Exchange Act and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5005(a)(19).
2.42. Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
2.43. Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.
2.44. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Public Securities to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.45. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock (to the extent that any such prohibition or restriction on dividends and/or distributions would have a material effect to the Company), from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except as may otherwise be provided in current loan or mortgage-related documents.
2.46. Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.47. Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.
2.48. Confidentiality and Non-Competition. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer (other than the Company) or prior employer that could materially affect his or her ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or such Subsidiary or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.49. Corporate Records. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters and such books (i) contain minutes of all material meetings and actions of the Board of Directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company, and (ii) reflect all material transactions referred to in such minutes.
17 |
2.50. Diligence Materials. The Company has provided to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters all materials required or necessary to respond in all material respects to the diligence request submitted to the Company or Company Counsel by the Representative.
2.51. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.
2.52. Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its articles of association, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar constitutional or organizational documents, as applicable, or (ii) is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Deposit Agreement and by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of association, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar constitutional or organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or any subsidiary (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Deposit Agreement and by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or FINRA, the Companies Act, the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended, EU Regulation (EU 596/2014) on market abuse (the “Market Abuse Regulation”), the Nasdaq, or the UK Financial Conduct Authority. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the purchase redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
2.53. Clinical Data and Regulatory Compliance. The preclinical tests and clinical trials, and other studies (collectively, “studies”) that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “FDA”) or any committee thereof or of any other U.S. or foreign government or drug or medical device regulatory agency, or health care facility Institutional Review Board; each description of the results of such studies is accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly presents the data derived from such studies, and the Company and its subsidiaries have no knowledge of any other studies the results of which are materially inconsistent with, or otherwise call into question, the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; for such studies that have been or are being conducted, the Company and its subsidiaries have made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as may be required by foreign government or drug or medical device regulatory agencies, or foreign health care facility Institutional Review Boards; and no investigational new drug application filed by or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries with the FDA has been terminated or suspended by the FDA, and neither the FDA nor any applicable foreign regulatory agency has commenced, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to initiate, any action to place a clinical hold order on, or otherwise terminate, delay or suspend, any proposed or ongoing studies conducted or proposed to be conducted by or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
18 |
2.54. Corporate Governance. The directors of the Company have considered the compliance by the Company with the provisions of the Companies Act.
2.55. No Public Offering in the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. The Company has not made and will not make an offer to the public of the Public Securities in any member state of the European Economic Area or in the United Kingdom.
2.56. Regulatory Compliance. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, have or may reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change, the Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all time since inception have been, in compliance with all applicable Health Care Laws, and have not engaged in activities which are, as applicable, cause for false claims liability, civil penalties, or mandatory or permissive exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other state health care program or federal health care program. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.), the federal Anti-kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq.), the federal False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. §1320a-7a), all criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including, but not limited, to 18 U.S.C. §§ 286 and 287, the exclusions law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), the statutes, regulations and directives of Medicare (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act), Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act) and all other government funded or sponsored healthcare programs, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. §17921 et seq.), the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws, and all other comparable local, state, federal, national, and foreign laws relating to the regulation of the Company. The Company is not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental authority regarding any alleged non-compliance with applicable Health Care Laws. In addition, none of the Company or its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents is or has been debarred, suspended or excluded, or has been convicted of any crime or, to the knowledge of the Company or its subsidiaries, engaged in any conduct that would result in a debarment, suspension or exclusion from any federal or state government health care program or human clinical research, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to any inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action by a governmental authority that could reasonably be expected to result in any such debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, at least one (1) Business Day (or such shorter time mutually agreed by the parties hereto) prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
19 |
3.2. Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of its receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement; or (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters or Company Counsel, to (i) amend the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement will not include an 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; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser; or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement; and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act. For a period of two (2) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not deregister the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative.
20 |
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Schedule 2-B. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
3.3. Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters, without charge, conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) upon receipt of a written request therefor from such Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.4. Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative promptly and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
21 |
3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.
3.7. Listing. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of the Securities on the Exchange until at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement.
3.8. Financial Public Relations. Within six (6) months from the Effective Date, the Company shall have retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and the Company, which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in initial public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.
3.9. Reports to the Representative.
3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 6-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; (v) a copy of each report or other communication furnished to stockholders and (vi) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system or press releases shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1. Any documents not filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be delivered to jrallo@efhuttongroup.com, with a copy to dboral@efhuttongroup.com.
3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Computershare Investor Services plc is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the Ordinary Shares.
3.9.3. Depositary. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a depositary for the ADSs acceptable to the Representative. The Bank of New York Mellon is acceptable to the Representative to act as depositary.
3.9.4. Trading Reports. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, during such time as any of the Public Securities are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Public Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably request.
22 |
3.10. Payment of Expenses
3.10.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses related to the Offering or otherwise incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Public Securities and Representative’s Securities on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine, including any fees charged by DTC; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (h) the costs and expenses of a public relations firm; (i) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (j) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the Ordinary Shares; (k) fees and expenses of the warrant agent under the Warrant Agent Agreement and the fees and expenses of the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement; (l) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (m) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (n) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (o) the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters; (p) the cost associated with the Underwriters’ use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; (q) to the extent approved by the Company in writing, the costs associated with post-Closing advertising the Offering in the national editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times; and (r) the Underwriters’ actual accountable expenses for the Offering, including, without limitation related to the “road show.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company’s obligations to reimburse the Representative for any out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred as set forth in the preceding sentence shall not exceed $150,000 in the aggregate for legal fees and related expenses. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, less the Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3 hereof).
3.11. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.12. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the sixteenth (16th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by an independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.13. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.
3.14. Internal Controls. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
23 |
3.15. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm, as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that Ernst & Young LLP, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom is acceptable to the Representative.
3.16. FINRA. For a period of 90 days from the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, the Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.17. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3.18. Company Lock-Up Agreement. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of one hundred fifty (150) days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract act to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company other than a registration statement on Form S-4 or S-8 or any analogous form for foreign private issuers for so long as the Company qualifies as such; (iii) complete any offering of debt securities of the Company, other than entering into a line of credit or senior credit facility with a traditional bank or other lending institution; or (iv) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
The restrictions contained in this Section 3.18 shall not apply to (i) the Primary Securities to be sold hereunder, as well as the Representative’s Warrants and any Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs into which the Warrants and Representative’s Warrants are exercisable; (ii) the issuance by the Company of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant, the conversion of a security, or pursuant to a contractual obligation, in each case outstanding on the date hereof, provided that such options, warrants, securities or contracts are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities or to extend the term of such securities, (iii) the issuance of Ordinary Shares issued as part of the purchase price in connection with the acquisitions or strategic transactions, provided certain conditions are met, or (iv) the issuance by the Company of any Ordinary Shares or standard options to purchase Ordinary Shares to directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company or its Subsidiaries in their capacity as such pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan (as defined below). “Approved Stock Plan” means any employee benefit plan which has been approved by the board of directors of the Company prior to or subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to which Ordinary Shares and standard options to purchase Ordinary Shares may be issued to any employee, officer, director or consultant for services provided to the Company in their capacity as such.
3.19. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director or 5% or greater shareholder of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
24 |
3.20. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.21. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
3.22. Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of Section 2(a) of the Securities Act at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Public Securities and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.
3.23. Foreign Private Issuer Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act and Rule 3b-4 under the Exchange Act at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Public Securities and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.
3.24. Press Releases. Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall not issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Representative is notified), without the prior written consent of the Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such press release or communication is required by law.
3.25. Sarbanes-Oxley. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall at all times comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in effect from time to time.
3.26. IRS Forms. If requested by the Representative, the Company shall deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.
3.27. Warrant Agent. For so long as the Warrants are outstanding, the Company will maintain the Warrant Agent Agreement in full force and effect with the Warrant Agent or a warrant agent of similar competence and quality. The Firm Warrants, and, if applicable, Option Warrants, will be issued in accordance with the Warrant Agent Agreement.
25 |
4. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS’ OBLIGATIONS.
The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
4.1. Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement have each become effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representative, and, at each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes shall have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A under the Securities Act Regulations.
4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. Exchange Clearance. On the Closing Date, ADSs shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2. Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinions of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received (i) the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP (“Company Counsel”), counsel to the Company as to law of the United States and of the State of New York, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative as representative of the Underwriters, in the substantially the form of Exhibits D and E hereto, respectively and (ii) the opinion and negative assurance letter of Addleshaw Goddard (“Scottish Counsel”), counsel for the Company as to the law of Scotland, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative as representative of the Underwriters, substantially in the form of Exhibits E and F hereto.
4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel for the Company. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received (i) the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in its opinion and negative assurance letter delivered on the Closing Date and (ii) the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Scottish Counsel dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in its opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3. Opinions of Patent Counsel for the Company. On each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the opinion of Murgitroyd & Company Limited, patent counsel for the Company, dated as of such dates, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.
4.3. Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed the Representative shall have received a “cold comfort letter” from the Auditor containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative and to counsel to the Underwriters, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
26 |
4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letters. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditors reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1.
4.4. Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer or President, and its Chief Financial Officer stating that on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity that (i) such officers have examined the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto after the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto after the Effective Date, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) to their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iii) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, a Material Adverse Change.
4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), certifying on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity: (i) that each of the Memorandum and Articles of the Company is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5. Depositary Matters.
4.5.1. Opinions of Counsel to the Depositary. On each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received an opinion, dated as of such dates, of Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP, counsel for the Depositary, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative;
4.5.2. Depositary Certificate. The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representative a certificate of one of its authorized officers reasonably satisfactory to the Representative with respect to the deposit with the Depositary of the Ordinary Shares and the issuance of the ADSs representing the Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Deposit Agreement to the DTC Participant Account and such other matters related thereto as the Representative may reasonably request;
27 |
4.6. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.7. No Material Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.8. Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Public Securities, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Depositary Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel to the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
4.9. Delivery of Agreements.
4.9.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 3 hereto.
4.9.2. Other Agreements. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Deposit Agreement.
4.10. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) counsel to the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling counsel to the Underwriters to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities and Representative’s Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters.
28 |
5. INDEMNIFICATION.
5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriters.
5.1.1. General. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities and the Representative’s Warrant and the Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs for which the Representative’s Warrant is exercisable under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party (a) is based on the Underwriters’ Information, (b) results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Securities to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof, or (c) is found in a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of such Underwriter Indemnified Party.
5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) the action includes both the Company and the indemnified party as defendants and such indemnified party or parties shall have been advised by its counsel in writing that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company which makes it impossible or inadvisable for the Company and such indemnified party to be represented in the action by the same counsel (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Parties who are party to such action (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
29 |
5.2. Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) which arise out of or are based upon untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
5.3. Contribution.
5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the Offering purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discount and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total discount and commission received by such Underwriter in connection with the Offering less the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or becomes liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission, act or alleged act or failure to act or alleged failure to act. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
30 |
5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid 15 days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 5.3 are several and in proportion to their respective underwriting obligation, and not joint.
6. DEFAULT BY AN UNDERWRITER.
6.1. Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or Option Securities. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Securities or Option Securities with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares and accompanying Firm Warrants or Option Shares and accompanying Option Warrants that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Securities or Option Securities to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2. Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or Option Securities. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the number of Firm Shares and accompanying Firm Warrants or Option Shares and accompanying Option Warrants, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Securities or Option Securities to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the number of Firm Shares and accompanying Firm Warrants or Option Shares and accompanying Option Warrants, the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Securities or Option Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Representative to purchase said Firm Securities or Option Securities on such terms. In the event that neither the Representative nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by the Representative or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Securities, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3. Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Firm Securities or Option Securities.
31 |
7. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS.
7.1. Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. The Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representative’s prior written consent, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the fortieth (40th) day after the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
7.2. Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with (to as long as the Company is a “foreign private issuer” under Rule 405 under the Securities Act and Rule 3b-4 under the Exchange Act or as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, with such provisions as may be applicable to the Company as such) the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Exchange Act and the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Public Securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.
8. EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION THEREOF.
8.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.
8.2. Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the Representative’s opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Securities or Option Securities; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of a Material Adverse Change, or an adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities.
8.3. Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) up to $150,000, inclusive of the $15,000 advance for accountable expenses previously paid by the Company to the Representative (the “Advance”), and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall also pay to the Underwriters a non- accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of the Offering at Closing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
32 |
8.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
8.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Securities.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
9.1. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or emailed and confirmed (which may be by email) or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Representative:
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attn: Joseph T. Rallo, Head of Investment Banking
E-Mail: jrallo@efhuttongroupcm.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor
Woodbridge, NJ 08330
Attn: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.
Fax No.: (732) 395-4401
E-Mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com
If to the Company:
TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc
Maxim 1, 2 Parklands Way
Holytown, Motherwell ML1 4WR
Scotland, United Kingdom
+44 (0) 141 433 7557
Attn: Martin Thorp
E-Mail: m.thorp@tcbiopharm.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP
711 Third Avenue – 17th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Attn: Andrew D. Hudders, Esq.
E-Mail: ahudders@golenbock.com
33 |
9.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
9.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters. For the avoidance of doubt, it is specifically intended and the parties agree (including the Underwriters) that the Underwriters shall have all the rights and benefits of this Agreement and shall be able to rely upon and enforce this Agreement as if each was separately a signatory to it.
9.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page Follows]
34 |
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us as of the date first above written.
Very truly yours, | ||
TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC | ||
|
||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto: |
EF HUTTON,
division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
35 |
Exhibit 4.4
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT (this “Warrant Agreement”) dated as of February 10, 2022 (the “Issuance Date”) between TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc, a company incorporated in Scotland, under the law of the United Kingdom (the “Company”), and Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Computershare”), and its wholly owned subsidiary, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company (the “Warrant Agent”).
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of that certain Underwriting Agreement (“Underwriting Agreement”), dated February 10, 2022, between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as representative of the underwriters set forth therein, the Company is engaged in a public offering (the “Offering”) of up to 4,117,648 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing one ordinary share of the Company, par value £0.01 per share (“Ordinary Shares”), and up to 8,235,296 Warrants (the “Warrants”), with each Warrant representing the right of the holder thereof to purchase two ADSs (each, a “Warrant ADS”) for $4.25 per ADS, subject to adjustment as described herein, plus applicable fees, charges and taxes;
WHEREAS, the ADSs are issuable under the Deposit Agreement dated as of February 10, 2022 (the “Deposit Agreement”) among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and all Owners and Holders (each as defined in the Deposit Agreement) from time to time of the ADSs issued thereunder;
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1, File No. 333-260492 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of, among other securities, the Ordinary Shares, the Warrants and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”), and the Registration Statement was declared effective on February 10, 2022;
WHEREAS, the Depositary has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form F-6, File No. 333-262149 (the “ADS Registration Statement”) for the registration under the Securities Act of the ADSs that may be issued in exchange for Ordinary Shares and the Warrant Shares, and the Registration Statement was declared effective on February 10, 2022.
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Warrant Agreement in connection with the issuance, registration, registration of transfer and exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Warrant Agreement and all other acts and things necessary to make the Warrants the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company have been done and performed.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company with respect to the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the express terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant Agreement (and no implied terms or conditions).
1 |
2. Warrants.
2.1 Form of Warrants. The Warrants shall be registered securities in book entry form and shall be evidenced by a global certificate (“Global Certificate”) in the form of Annex C to this Warrant Agreement, which shall be deposited on behalf of the Company with a custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC or as otherwise directed by DTC. If DTC subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent to provide written instructions to DTC to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation the Global Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver each holder of the Warrants separate certificates in the form of Annex A evidencing Warrants (“Definitive Certificates” and, together with the Global Certificate, “Warrant Certificates”) registered as requested through the DTC system. In the event Definitive Certificates are delivered to the holders, the transfer, exchange or exercise of the Warrants shall be conducted in accordance with the customary procedures of the Warrant Agent. The Company shall use its best efforts to enable the Warrants be “DTC eligible” so that the interests in the Warrants may be held in book-entry through DTC for the term of the Warrants.
2.1.1 Exchange of Interest in Global Certificate for Definitive Certificate. Notwithstanding Section 2.1 above, a holder of a security entitlement in Warrants evidenced by the Global Certificate has the right to elect at any time to exchange it for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants. Upon written notice by a Participant having Warrants credited to its DTC account for the exchange of some or all that entitlement for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex B (a “Warrant Certificate Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Holder, the “Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date” and the exchange made pursuant to the Warrant Certificate Request Notice, a “Warrant Exchange”), and upon surrender by that Participant of the Warrants to be exchanged to the Warrant Agent through DTC’s system, the Warrant Agent shall, without unreasonable delay, effect the Warrant Exchange by issuing and delivering a Definitive Certificate for such number of Warrants in the name and mailed to the address set forth in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice. Such Definitive Certificate shall be dated the original issue date of the Warrants, shall be manually executed by an authorized signatory of the Company and shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex A In connection with a Warrant Exchange, the Company agrees to deliver, or to direct the Warrant Agent to deliver, the Definitive Certificate to the specified holder within ten (10) Business Days of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice (the “Warrant Certificate Delivery Date”). “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
2.1.2 Opinion of Counsel. The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent an opinion of counsel on or prior to the issuance of Warrants to set up a reserve of Warrant Shares for the outstanding Warrants. The opinion shall state that all Warrants or Warrant Shares, as applicable, are (i) registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (ii) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
2.2 Issuance and Registration of Warrants.
2.2.1 Warrant Register. Upon the receipt of all relevant information from the Company or its agents, the Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.
2.2.2 Issuance of Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue the Global Certificate and deliver the Warrants in the DTC book-entry settlement system in accordance with written instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained (i) by DTC and (ii) by institutions that have accounts with DTC (each, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).
2 |
2.2.3 Beneficial Owner; Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name that Warrant shall be registered on the Warrant Register (the “Holder”, which shall include, if the Warrants are held in “street name,” a Participant or a designee appointed by such Participant) as the absolute owner of such Warrant for purposes of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Warrant Agent or any agent of the Company or the Warrant Agent from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Warrant. The rights of beneficial owners in a Warrant evidenced by the Global Certificate shall be exercised by the Holder through the DTC system.
2.2.4 Execution. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any authorized officer of the Company (an “Authorized Officer”), which need not be the same authorized signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent either by manual, electronic or facsimile signature, which need not be the same signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, and no Warrant Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any Authorized Officer of the Company that signed any of the Warrant Certificates ceases to be an Authorized Officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Warrant Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be an Authorized Officer of the Company authorized to sign such Warrant Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an Authorized Officer. The rights of holders of Warrant Certificates shall be identical regardless of the Authorized Officer signing for and on behalf of the Company and of the authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent signing such certificates.
2.2.5 Registration of Transfer. At any time at or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), a transfer of any Warrants may be registered and any Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates may be split up, combined or exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. Any Holder desiring to register the transfer of Warrants or to split up, combine or exchange any Warrant Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the Warrants the transfer of which is to be registered or that is or are to be split up, combined or exchanged and, in the case of registration of transfer, shall provide a signature guarantee by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program.” Thereupon, the Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company and the Warrant Agent may require payment by the Holder requesting a registration of transfer of Warrants or a split-up, combination or exchange of a Warrant Certificate (but, for purposes of clarity, not upon the exercise of the Warrants and issuance of Warrant ADS to the Holder) of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with such registration of transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, together with reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto. The Warrant Agent shall not have any duty or obligation to take any action under any section of this Warrant Agreement that requires the payment of taxes and/or charges unless and until it is satisfied that all such payments have been made.
2.2.6 Loss, Theft and Mutilation of Warrant Certificates. Upon receipt by the Company and the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security acceptable to the Warrant Agent, and reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant Certificate if mutilated, the Warrant Agent shall, on behalf of the Company, countersign and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. The Warrant Agent may charge the Holder an administrative fee for processing the replacement of lost Warrant Certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates. The Warrant Agent may receive compensation from the surety companies or surety agents for administrative services provided to them. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in connection with a Warrant in book-entry form through DTC, no posting of a bond shall be required under this Section 2.2.6.
3 |
2.2.7 Proxies. The Holder of a Warrant may grant proxies or otherwise authorize any person, including Participants and beneficial holders that may own interests through Participants, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Warrant Agreement or the Warrants; provided, however, that at all times that Warrants are evidenced by a Global Certificate, exercise of those Warrants shall be effected on their behalf by Participants through DTC in accordance with the procedures administered by DTC.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1 Exercise Price. Each Warrant shall entitle the Holder, subject to the provisions of the applicable Warrant Certificate and of this Warrant Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of ADSs stated therein, at the price of $4.25 per ADS, subject to the subsequent adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof. The term “Exercise Price” as used in this Warrant Agreement refers to the price per ADS at which ADSs may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised.
3.2 Duration of Warrants. Warrants may be exercised only during the period (“Exercise Period”) commencing on the Issuance Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time (the “close of business”) on February 10, 2028 (“Expiration Date”). Each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Warrant Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the Expiration Date.
3.3 Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1 Exercise and Payment. (a) Subject to the provisions of this Warrant Agreement, a Holder (or a Participant acting on behalf of a Holder in accordance with DTC procedures) may exercise Warrants by delivering to the Warrant Agent, not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on any Business Day during the Exercise Period an election to purchase the Warrant ADSs to be exercised (A) in the form included in Exhibit A to the Warrant or (B) via an electronic warrant exercise through the DTC system (each, an “Election to Purchase”). Within one Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase, the Holder shall deliver (i) the Warrants to be exercised by (A) surrender of the Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants to the Warrant Agent at its office designated for such purpose or (B) delivery of the Warrants to an account of the Warrant Agent at DTC designated for such purpose in writing by the Warrant Agent to DTC from time to time, and (ii) the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), in lawful money of the United States of America by (A) certified or official bank check or wire transfer from a United States bank payable to the Warrant Agent or (B) payment to the Warrant Agent through the DTC system. Upon giving irrevocable instructions to its DTC participant to exercise Warrants, solely for purposes of Regulation SHO, the holder whose interest in the Warrant is a beneficial interest shall be deemed to have exercised such Warrant, regardless of when the applicable Warrant ADSs are delivered to such holder.
(b) Upon receipt of a Notice of Exercise for a Cashless Exercise provided by a holder to the Depositary and/or the Company, as applicable (as provided in Section 3.3.1(a) above), the Company will promptly calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with such Cashless Exercise and deliver a copy of the Notice of Exercise to the Warrant Agent, which shall cause to be delivered in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(c) such number of Warrant Shares in connection with such Cashless Exercise.
(c) Upon the exercise of the Warrant pursuant to the terms of Section 4(c) of the Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agent shall cause the Warrant Shares underlying such Definitive Certificate or Global Warrant to be delivered to or upon the order of the Holder of such Definitive Certificate or Global Warrant, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such Holder, no later than the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as such term is defined in the Warrant Certificate). If the Company is then a participant in the DWAC system of the Depositary and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) the Warrant is being exercised via Cashless Exercise, then the certificates for Warrant Shares shall be transmitted by the Warrant Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s broker with the Depositary through its DWAC system. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Company becomes obligated to pay any amounts to any Holders pursuant to Section 4(e)(i) or 4(m) of the Warrant Certificate, such obligation shall be solely that of the Company and not that of the Warrant Agent. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a Cashless Exercise, if any Holder fails to duly deliver payment to the Company of an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Warrant Shares to be purchased upon exercise of such Holder’s Warrant as set forth in this Section 3.3.1 by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Warrant Agent will not be obligated to deliver such Warrant Shares (via DWAC or otherwise) until following receipt by the Company of such payment, and the applicable Warrant Share Delivery Date shall be deemed extended by one day for each day (or part thereof) until such payment is delivered to the Company.
4 |
(d) If any of (i) the Warrants, (ii) the Election to Purchase, or (iii) the Exercise Price therefor (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), is received by the Warrant Agent on any date after 5:00 P.M., New York City time, or on a date that is not a Trading Day, the Warrants with respect thereto will be deemed to have been received and exercised on the Trading Day next succeeding such date. The “Exercise Date” will be the date on which the Election to Purchase is delivered to the Warrant Agent; however, the Warrants shall not be deemed to be exercised if the Warrants and the Exercise Price therefor are not received by the Warrant Agent on or prior to the Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase. If the Warrants are received or deemed to be received after the Expiration Date, the exercise thereof will be null and void and any funds delivered to the Warrant Agent will be returned to the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, as soon as practicable. “Trading Day” means any day on which the ADSs are traded on the Trading Market, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal trading market for the ADSs, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market in the United States on which the ADSs are then traded. “Trading Market” means NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange.
(e) The Warrant Agent shall deposit all funds received by it in payment of the Exercise Price in the account maintained by the Warrant Agent in its name as agent for the Company. The Warrant Agent shall remit to the Company funds received for warrant exercises in a given month by the fifth Business Day of the following month by wire transfer to an account designated by the Company, or as otherwise from time to time as reasonably requested by the Company. All funds received by Computershare under this Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by Computershare in the performance of services hereunder (the “Funds”) shall be held by Computershare as agent for the Company and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by Computershare in its name as agent for the Company. Until paid pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement, Computershare will hold the Funds in deposit accounts with U.S. commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion or with ratings above investment grade by S&P Global Ratings (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Moody’s Investors Service (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg L.P.). Computershare shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit made by Computershare in accordance with this Section 3.3.1(c), including any losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. Computershare may from time to time receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits. Computershare shall not be obligated to pay such interest, dividends or earnings to the Company, any holder or any other party.
(f) If less than all the Warrants evidenced by a surrendered Warrant Certificate are exercised, the Warrant Agent shall split up the surrendered Warrant Certificate and return to the Holder a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants that were not exercised.
3.3.2 Issuance of Warrant Shares. (a) The Warrant Agent shall, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, advise the Company, the transfer agent and registrar for Ordinary Shares and the Depositary, in respect of (i) the number of Warrant Shares indicated on the Election to Purchase as issuable upon such exercise with respect to such exercised Warrants, (ii) the instructions of the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, provided to the Warrant Agent with respect to the delivery of the Warrant ADSs and the number of Warrants that remain outstanding after such exercise and (iii) such other information as the Company or the Depositary shall reasonably request.
(b) The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause its registrar to deliver the Warrant Shares issuable upon that exercise to the Depositary’s custodian for deposit under the Deposit Agreement and instruct the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs issuable upon that deposit of Warrant Shares as requested in the Election to Purchase.
5 |
(c) The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the second Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to the Election to Purchase (the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”).
3.3.3 Valid Issuance. All Warrant Shares and Warrant ADSs issuable by the Company upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Warrant Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3.3.4 No Fractional Exercise. No fractional Warrant ADSs will be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant, but rather the Company shall adjust the number of Warrant Shares issued up or down to the nearest integral multiple of the number of Ordinary Shares at the time represented by one ADS.
3.3.5 No Transfer Taxes. The Company shall not be required to pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with the exercise of Warrants; and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any Warrant ADSs until such tax or other charge shall have been paid or it has been established to the satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that no such tax or other charge is due. For purposes of clarity, the Company shall pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with any issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of Warrants.
3.3.6 Date of Issuance. (a) The Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant ADSs only on the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, except that, if the Exercise Date is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the open of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books are open; provided, however, Warrant ADSs will not be registered or issued until the Depositary receives notice from its custodian that the Warrant Shares have been deposited under the Deposit Agreement; provided further, however, that the Company shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the Warrant ADSs are delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date in accordance with Section 3.3.2(c) hereof and, if the Warrant ADSs are not delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the provisions of Section 3.3.9 shall apply.
(b) No exercising Holder, which Holder effected a Warrant Exchange pursuant to Section 2.1.1 prior to the Exercise Date, shall be required to surrender its Warrant to the Warrant Agent, unless such exercise is for the remaining numbers of ADSs issuable upon exercise of such Warrant, in which case the Holder shall deliver the Warrant Certificate to the Warrant Agent within three (3) Business Days.
3.3.7 Restrictive Legend Events. (a) The Company shall use its reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement and the current status of the prospectuses included therein or to file and maintain the effectiveness of another registration statement and another current prospectus covering the Warrants and the Warrant Shares at any time that the Warrants are exercisable. The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent and each Holder prompt written notice of any time that the Company is unable to deliver the Warrant ADSs via DTC transfer or otherwise upon a cash exercise without restrictive legend because (A) the Commission has issued a stop order with respect to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (D) the prospectuses contained in the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement are not available for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to the Holder, (E) the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement or the prospectuses contained therein are not current and do not conform to the requirements of the applicable rules and regulations, or the SEC has not declared effective a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement if one is required to be filed to update the disclosures therein, or (F) otherwise (each a “Restrictive Legend Event”). To the extent that the Warrants cannot be exercised for cash as a result of a Restrictive Legend Event, the Company shall, at the election of the Holder, which shall be given within five (5) days of receipt of such notice of the Restrictive Legend Event, either (A) rescind the previously submitted Election to Purchase and the Company shall return all consideration paid by registered holder for such shares upon such rescission or (B) treat the attempted exercise as a cashless exercise as described in Section 3.3.7 (a) below and refund the cash portion of the exercise price to the Holder.
6 |
(b) If a Restrictive Legend Event has occurred, the Warrant may also be exercisable on a cashless basis. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, but without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to this Section 3.3.7 or to receive cash payments, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant Shares. Upon a “cashless exercise”, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient (if such quotient would be a positive number) obtained by dividing (A-B) (X) by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(77) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 3.3.7 hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of the Warrant, as adjusted as set forth herein; and | |
(X) = | the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of the Warrant in accordance with the terms of the Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
(c) If the Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that, in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised and the Company agrees not to take any position contrary thereto. Upon receipt of a Notice of Exercise for a cashless exercise, the Warrant Agent will promptly deliver a copy of the Notice of Exercise to the Company to confirm the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with the cashless exercise. The Company shall calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent in a written notice, and the Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation under this Section 3.3.7 to calculate, the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with any cashless exercise. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on any such written notice provided by the Company, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with such written instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement.
3.3.8 Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant ADSs issuable in connection with any exercise, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs that are not disputed.
3.3.9 Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to Section 3.3.2, and if after such date the beneficial owner is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the beneficial owner’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs or Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the beneficial owner of the Warrant ADSs, which the beneficial owner anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the beneficial owner’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (i) the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (ii) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its delivery obligations. For example, if the beneficial owner purchases ADSs or Ordinary Shares having a total purchase price (including brokerage commissions) of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrant ADSs with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000 for the benefit of the beneficial owner. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit right of a Holder to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Warrant ADSs upon exercise of Warrants as required pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent shall have no liability for the Company’s failure to deliver to the Holders the Warrant ADSs as set forth in this Section 3.3.9.
7 |
In addition, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs subject to an Election to Purchase by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant ADSs subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the ADSs on the date of the applicable Election to Purchase), $10 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such Warrant ADS Delivery Date until such Warrant ADSs are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. In addition, if the Company fails to cause the Depository to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
For purposes of this Warrant Agreement:
“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the ADSs are then reported in the OTCQB maintained by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company, and
“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the Bid Price of the ADSs for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADSs are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the ADSs so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
3.3.10 The Company shall pay all Warrant Agent and Depositary fees required for timely processing of any Election to Purchase and all fees to DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for electronic issuance and delivery of the Warrant ADSs for timely delivery of Warrant ADSs on or prior to the Warrant ADSs Delivery Date. The Company shall pay all applicable fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the issuance of the Warrants ADSs hereunder.
8 |
4. Adjustments.
The Exercise Price, the number of Warrant ADSs covered by each Warrant and the number of Warrants outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 5 of the Warrant Certificate. In the event that at any time, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 5 of the Warrant Certificate, the Holder of any Warrant thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Warrant ADSs, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the shares contained in Section 5 of the Warrant Certificate with respect to the Warrant ADSs shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. All Warrants originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Exercise Price pursuant to the Warrant Certificate shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of Warrant ADSs purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Warrants, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
5. Restrictive Legends; Fractional Warrants.
In the event that a Warrant Certificate surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not register that transfer until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend upon that transfer. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the transfer of or delivery of a Warrant Certificate for a fraction of a Warrant.
6. Expense Reimbursement.
The Company shall reimburse the Holder, upon the Holder’s request, for any reasonable fees charged to the Holder by the Depositary in connection with the issuance or holding or sale of ADSs, Warrant ADSs and/or Ordinary Shares.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1 No Rights as Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, a Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of Warrants, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant Agreement be construed to confer upon a Holder, solely in its capacity as the registered holder of Warrants, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of share capital, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights or rights to participate in new issues of shares, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of Warrants.
7.2 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Warrant Agreement and which are available to be issued for that purpose without restriction (including without prejudice to the generality) by restriction of pre-emption or offer round or other consent rights).
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1 (a) Whether or not any Warrants are exercised, the Company agrees to pay to the Warrant Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand of the Warrant Agent , to reimburse the Warrant Agent for all of its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, negotiation, amendment, administration and execution of this Warrant Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
(b) All amounts owed by the Company to the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement are due within 30 days of the invoice date. Delinquent payments are subject to a late payment charge of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month commencing 45 days from the invoice date. The Company agrees to reimburse the Warrant Agent for any attorney’s fees and any other costs associated with collecting delinquent payments.
9 |
(c) No provision of this Warrant Agreement shall require Warrant Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties under this Warrant Agreement or in the exercise of its rights.
8.2 As agent for the Company hereunder the Warrant Agent:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth in this Warrant Agreement or as may subsequently be agreed to in writing by the Warrant Agent and the Company, subject to the Section 8.11(c);
(b) shall have no obligation to effect any delivery of Warrant ADSs other than to instruct the Depositary with respect to that delivery;
(c) shall be regarded as making no representations and having no responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value, or genuineness of the Warrants or any Warrant Shares or Warrant ADSs;
(d) shall not be obligated to take any legal action under this Warrant Agreement; if, however, the Warrant Agent determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, to take any legal action under this Warrant Agreement, and where the taking of such action might, in its judgment, subject or expose it to any expense or liability it shall not be required to act unless it has been furnished with an indemnity satisfactory to it;
(e) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or other document or security delivered to the Warrant Agent and believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties;
(f) shall not be liable or responsible for any recital or statement contained in the Registration Statement or any other documents relating thereto, this Warrant Agreement or any Warrant Certificate except as to its countersignature thereof, or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only;
(g) shall not have any liability for or be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Warrant Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Warrant Agent ) or in respect of the legality or validity or execution of any Warrant Certificate (including in the case of book entry shares, by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership), except its countersignature thereof; nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or failure by the Company to satisfy any condition contained in this Warrant Agreement or in any Warrant Certificate; nor shall it be liable or responsible for modification by or order of any court, tribunal, or governmental authority in connection with the foregoing, any change in the exercisability of the Warrant ADSs or any adjustment required under this Warrant Agreement or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment;
(h) shall not be liable or responsible for any failure on the part of the Company to comply with any of its covenants and obligations relating to the Warrants, including without limitation obligations under this Warrant Agreement and applicable securities laws;
(i) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon the written, telephonic or oral instructions with respect to any matter relating to its duties as Warrant Agent covered by this Warrant Agreement (or supplementing or qualifying any such actions) of officers of the Company, and is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Company or counsel to the Company, and may apply to the Company, for advice or instructions in connection with the Warrant Agent’s duties hereunder, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions; any applications by the Warrant Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Warrant Agent , set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective; the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Warrant Agent in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date such application is sent to the Company, unless the Company shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action, the Warrant Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted;
10 |
(j) may consult with counsel satisfactory to the Warrant Agent and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it hereunder in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel;
(k) may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Warrant Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company, to Holders or any other person resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence or wilful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence or wilful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction);
(l) is not authorized, and shall have no obligation, to pay any brokers, dealers, or soliciting fees to any person;
(m) shall not be required hereunder to comply with the laws or regulations of any country other than the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof; and Warrant Agent may, after consulting with the Company to the extent practical, consult with foreign counsel, the fees and expenses of which shall be at the Company’s expense, to resolve any foreign law issues that may arise as a result of the Company or any other party being subject to the laws or regulations of any foreign jurisdiction;
(n) any stockholder, affiliate, member, director, officer, agent, representative or employee of the Warrant Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Warrant ADSs or other securities of the Company or may become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Warrant Agent or any such stockholder, affiliate, director, member, officer, agent, representative or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other person; and
(o) shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any event or condition hereunder, including any event or condition that may require action by the Warrant Agent , unless the Warrant Agent shall be specifically notified in writing of such event or condition by the Company, and all notices or other instruments required by this Warrant Agreement to be delivered to the Warrant Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Warrant Agent as specified in Section 8.10 hereof, and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Warrant Agent may conclusively assume no such event or condition exists.
8.3 (a) In the absence of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on its part (which gross negligence or wilful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it or for any error of judgment made by it in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement. Anything in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall Warrant Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Warrant Agent has been advised of the possibility of such losses or damages and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of the Warrant Agent will be limited in the aggregate to the amount of fees (but not reimbursed costs, charges or expenses) paid by the Company hereunder for the twelve months preceding the event for which recovery from the Warrant Agent is being sought. The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any failures, delays or losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond its reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, work stoppages or labor disputes, fires, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, storms, electrical or mechanical failure, computer hardware or software failure, communications facilities failures including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, pandemics, acts of God or similar occurrences.
11 |
(b) In the event any question or dispute arises with respect to the proper interpretation of the Warrants or the Warrant Agent’s duties under this Warrant Agreement or the rights of the Company or of any Holder, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to act and shall not be held liable or responsible for its refusal to act until the question or dispute has been judicially settled (and, if appropriate, it may, but shall not be required to, file a suit in interpleader or for a declaratory judgment for such purpose) by final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction, binding on all persons interested in the matter which is no longer subject to review or appeal, or settled by a written document in form and substance satisfactory to Warrant Agent and executed by the Company and each such Holder. In addition, the Warrant Agent may require for such purpose, but shall not be obligated to require, the execution of such written settlement by all the Holders and all other persons that may have an interest in the settlement.
(c) The Warrant Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case of the receipt of any written demand from any Holder with respect to any action or default by the Company, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise or to make any demand upon the Company on behalf of any Holder.
8.4 The Company covenants to indemnify the Warrant Agent and hold it harmless from and against loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) that may be paid to any third party, incurred or suffered by it, or which it may become subject, without gross negligence or illegal or willful misconduct on the part of the Warrant Agent (which gross negligence or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by the Warrant Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly, or enforcing its rights hereunder against any third party. The provisions under Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and this Section 8.4 shall survive the expiration of the Warrant ADSs and the termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Warrant Agent. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be borne by the Company.
8.5 Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Warrant Agreement shall terminate 90 days after the earlier of the Expiration Date and the date on which no Warrants remain outstanding (the “Termination Date”). On the Business Day following the Termination Date, the Agent shall deliver to the Company any entitlements, if any, held by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement. The Agent’s right to be indemnified and held harmless and to be reimbursed for fees, charges and out-of-pocket expenses as provided in this Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement.
8.6 If any provision of this Warrant Agreement shall be held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable by any court, this Warrant Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been contained herein and shall be deemed an agreement among the parties to it to the full extent permitted by applicable law; provided, however, that if such excluded provision shall adversely affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Warrant Agent, the Warrant Agent shall be entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to the Company.
8.7 The Company represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, (b) the offer and sale of the Warrants and the execution, delivery and performance of all transactions contemplated thereby (including this Warrant Agreement) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of association, bylaws or any similar document of the Company or any indenture, agreement or instrument to which it is a party or is bound, (c) this Warrant Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company, (d) the Warrants will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and (e) to the best of its knowledge, there is no litigation pending or threatened as of the date hereof in connection with the offering of the Warrants.
12 |
8.8 In the event of inconsistency between this Warrant Agreement and the descriptions in the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement, as they may from time to time be amended, the terms of this Warrant Agreement shall control.
8.9 Set forth in Annex C hereto is a list of the names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement. The Company shall, from time to time, certify to the Warrant Agent the names and signatures of any other persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement (collectively, the “Authorized Representatives”). The Warrant Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the advice or instructions received from any such Authorized Representatives.
8.10 Except as expressly set forth elsewhere in this Warrant Agreement, all notices, instructions and communications under this Warrant Agreement shall be in writing, by overnight delivery service, first-class mail, postage prepaid, properly addressed shall be effective upon receipt (or in the case of notice via e-mail, the notice shall be deemed delivered upon sending as long as an automated e-mail is not generated indicating that the e-mail has not been delivered) and shall be addressed, if to the Company, to its address set forth beneath its signature to this Warrant Agreement, or, if to the Warrant Agent, to:
Computershare Inc.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
150 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Client Services
E-mail: maxine.marshall1@computershare.com
or to such other address of which a party hereto has notified the other party; and, if to a Holder made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or overnight delivery service, addressed to such Holder at the last address of such Holder set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register.
8.11 (a) This Warrant Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. All actions and proceedings relating to or arising from, directly or indirectly, this Warrant Agreement may be brought in courts of the State of New York or of the United States of America sitting within the Borough of Manhattan in the City and State of New York. The Company hereby submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and consents that any service of process may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to the Company at its address last specified for notices hereunder. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives the right to a trial by jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Warrant Agreement.
(b) This Warrant Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of the parties hereto. This Warrant Agreement may not be assigned, or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part, by either party without the prior written consent of the other party, which the other party will not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay; except that (i) consent is not required for an assignment or delegation of duties by Warrant Agent to any affiliate of Warrant Agent and (ii) any reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other form of business combination by Warrant Agent or the Company shall not be deemed to constitute an assignment of this Warrant Agreement.
(c) No provision of this Warrant Agreement may be amended, modified or waived, except in a written document signed by both parties. The Company and the Warrant Agent may amend or supplement this Warrant Agreement without the consent of any Holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Warrant Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties determine, in good faith, shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders in any material respect. All other amendments and supplements shall require the vote or written consent of Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Warrants, provided, however, that no modification of the terms (including but not limited to the adjustments described in Section 4 herein) upon which the Warrants are exercisable or the rights of the holders of Warrants to receive payments in cash from the Company, or no reduction of the percentage required for consent to modification of this Warrant Agreement or no requirement for a holder of Warrants in book entry or electronic form held through DTC to deliver any ink-original Election to Purchase or any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of an Election to Purchase or reimbursement to the Holder pursuant to Section 6 may be made without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Warrant affected thereby. As a condition precedent to the Warrant Agent executing any amendment or supplement, the Company shall deliver a certificate from an Authorized Representative which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 8.11(c). Notwithstanding anything in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to execute any supplement or amendment to this Warrant Agreement that it has determined would adversely affect its own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under this Warrant Agreement.
13 |
8.12 Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Warrant Shares or Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company may require the Holders to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares. The Warrant Agent may refrain from registering any transfer of Warrants or any delivery of any Warrant ADSs unless or until the persons requesting the registration or issuance shall have paid to the Warrant Agent for the account of the Company the amount of such tax or charge, if any, or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that such tax or charge, if any, has been paid.
8.13 Resignation of Warrant Agent.
8.13.1 Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Company, or such shorter period of time agreed to by the Company. The Company may terminate the services of the Warrant Agent, or any successor Warrant Agent, after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent. In the event any transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Warrant Agent terminates, the Warrant Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Warrant Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation, termination or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent, then the Warrant Agent or any Holder may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Pending appointment of a successor to such Warrant Agent, either by the Company or by such a court, the duties of the Warrant Agent shall be carried out by the Company. Any successor Warrant Agent (but not including the initial Warrant Agent), whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a person organized and existing under the laws of any state of the United States of America, in good standing, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed, and except for executing and delivering documents as provided in the sentence that follows, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall have no further duties, obligations, responsibilities or liabilities hereunder, but shall be entitled to all rights that survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent , including but not limited to its right to indemnity hereunder. If for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate or at the request of the Company, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder, except the rights and immunities retained by the predecessor Warrant Agent under the terms hereof; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver at the expense of the Company any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.13.2 Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer agent for the ADSs not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
14 |
8.13.3 Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any person into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party or any person succeeding to the shareowner services business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement, without any further act or deed. For purposes of this Warrant Agreement, “person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereof or thereto.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1 Persons Having Rights under this Warrant Agreement. Nothing in this Warrant Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the Holders any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof.
9.2 Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Warrant Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent designated for such purpose for inspection by any Holder. Prior to such inspection, the Warrant Agent may require any such holder to provide reasonable evidence of its interest in the Warrants.
9.3 Counterparts. This Warrant Agreement may be executed in any number of original, facsimile or electronic counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.4 Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.5 Further Assurance. The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required or requested by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Warrant Agent of the provisions of this Warrant Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
15 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Warrant Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
Annex A Form of Warrant Certificate
Exhibit A – Notice of Exercise
Exhibit B – Assignment Form
Annex B – Warrant Certificate Request Notice
Annex C – Global Warrant Request Notice
Annex C Authorized Representatives
Annex D Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice
16 |
ANNEX A
Warrant Certificate
PURCHASE WARRANT FOR ADSs (ORDINARY SHARE)
TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC
Number of ADSs: [_______] | Initial Exercise Date: February 10, 2022 |
This certifies that the person whose name and address appears below, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Warrants set forth herein. Each Warrant entitles its registered holder to purchase from TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc, a company incorporated in Scotland at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on February 10, 2028, at the designated office of Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as warrant agent, one American Depositary Share, each ADS representing one (1) ordinary share, par value £0.01, of the Company, upon payment of the exercise price set forth below in Section 4(a), subject to possible adjustments as provided herein. The Company will pay the issuance fee for each ADS issued pursuant to the Warrants to the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement.
This Warrant Certificate, with or without other Warrant Certificates, upon surrender at the designated office of the Warrant Agent, may be exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. A transfer of the Warrants evidenced hereby may be registered upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate at the designated office of the Warrant Agent by the registered holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, a signature guarantee, and such other and further documentation as the Warrant Agent may reasonably request and duly stamped as may be required by the law of the State of New York and of the United States of America.
The terms and conditions of the Warrants and the rights and obligations of the holder of this Warrant Certificate are set forth in the Warrant Agency Agreement dated as of February 10, 2022.
Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“ADS” means an American Depositary Share, and ADSs means American Depositary Shares.
“American Depositary Shares” means the ADSs issuable under the Deposit Agreement representing ordinary shares of the Company.
“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the Bid Price of the ADSs for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADSs are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the ADSs so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
17 |
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company” means TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc.
“Deposit Agreement” means the deposit agreement between the Company and Bank of New York Mellon, dated as of February 10, 2022.
“Equivalent Securities” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares.
“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of
(i) | Ordinary Shares or options to employees, officers or directors of the Company or consultants to the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan or other written agreement duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, provided, however, until the expiration of the lock-up agreements entered into in connection with the IPO offering in which this warrant was issued, such issuance excluding options disclosed in the prospectus for the offering in which this warrant was issued (A) shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of the date hereof, (B) shall be at no less than fair market value (as measured by the closing price of the Ordinary Shares on the Trading Market on the date of issuance) and (C) in the first year from the date hereof shall be issued as restricted securities; | |
(ii) | securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding on the date of the Warrant Agent Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date thereof to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities; | |
(iii) | securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company or securities issued in financing transactions, the primary purpose of which is to finance acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a person (or to the equity holders of a person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to a person or an entity whose primary business is investing in securities; |
18 |
(iv) | Ordinary Shares, options or convertible securities issued to banks, equipment lessors or other financial institutions, or to real property lessors, pursuant to a debt financing, equipment leasing or real property leasing transaction approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company but shall not include a transaction in which the company is primarily issuing Ordinary Shares or Equivalent Securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to a person or an entity whose primary business is investing in securities; | |
(v) | Ordinary Shares, options or convertible securities issued in connection with the provision of goods or services pursuant to transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing Ordinary Shares or Equivalent Securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to a person or an entity whose primary business is investing in securities; and | |
(vi) | Ordinary Shares, options or convertible securities issued in connection with sponsored research, collaboration, technology license, development, investor or public relations, marketing or other similar agreements or strategic partnerships approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is primarily issuing Ordinary Shares or Equivalent Securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to a person or an entity whose primary business is investing in securities; provided, however, that issuances to consultants pursuant to clause (i) above shall be limited in the aggregate to 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares (and/or an equivalent number of ADSs) (subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock dividends, reverse stock splits or similar events with respect to the Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable) during each twelve consecutive month period while the Warrants are outstanding. |
“Exercise Price” means the price per ADS at which the ADSs may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised, which price is set forth in Section 4(a).
“Expiration Date” is as defined in Section 4(b).
“Ordinary Shares” means the ordinary shares, par value £0.01 per share of the Company, which may be represented as American Depositary Shares, or ADSs.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No.333- 260492), relating to the Warrants and the ordinary shares, and the registration statement filed by the Bank of New York Mellon, on Form F-6 (File No. 333-262149) relating to the ADSs.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Trading Day” means any day on which the ADSs are traded on the Trading Market, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal trading market for the ADSs, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market in the United States on which the ADSs are then traded.
“Trading Market” means NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange on the date in question (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“Transfer Agent” means Computershare Investor Services plc, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZZ, United Kingdom and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
19 |
“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the ADSs are then reported in the OTCQB maintained by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Warrant Agency Agreement” means that certain warrant agency agreement, dated on or about the Initial Exercise Date, between the Company and the Warrant Agent.
“Warrant Agent” means Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company and any successor warrant agent of the Company.
“Warrants” means this Warrant and other warrants of like tenor issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.
Section 2. Warrants.
a) Form of Warrants. The Warrants shall be registered securities in book entry form and shall be evidenced by a global certificate (“Global Certificate”) in the form of this Annex A to the Warrant Agreement, which shall be deposited on behalf of the Company with a custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. If DTC subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent to provide written instructions to DTC to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation the Global Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver each holder of the Warrants separate certificates in the form of Annex A evidencing Warrants (“Definitive Certificates” and, together with the Global Certificate, “Warrant Certificates”) registered as requested through the DTC system. In the event Definitive Certificates are delivered to the holders, the transfer, exchange or exercise of the Warrants shall be conducted in accordance with the customary procedures of the Warrant Agent. The Company shall use its best efforts to enable the Warrants be “DTC eligible” so that the interests in the Warrants may be held in book-entry through DTC for the term of the Warrants.
b) Exchange of Interest in Global Certificate for Definitive Certificate. Notwithstanding Section 2(a) above, a holder of a security entitlement in Warrants evidenced by the Global Certificate has the right to elect at any time to exchange it for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants. Upon written notice by a participant having Warrants credited to its DTC account for the exchange of some or all that entitlement for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached to the Warrant Agreement in the form of Annex B (a “Warrant Certificate Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Holder, the “Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date” and the exchange made pursuant to the Warrant Certificate Request Notice, a “Warrant Exchange”), and upon surrender by that Participant of the Warrants to be exchanged to the Warrant Agent through DTC’s system, the Warrant Agent shall, without unreasonable delay, effect the Warrant Exchange by issuing and delivering a Definitive Certificate for such number of Warrants in the name and mailed to the address set forth in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice. Such Definitive Certificate shall be dated the original issue date of the Warrants, shall be manually executed by an authorized signatory of the Company and shall be in the form attached to the Warrant Agreement as Annex A In connection with a Warrant Exchange, the Company agrees to deliver, or to direct the Warrant Agent to deliver, the Definitive Certificate to the specified holder within ten (10) Business Days of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice (the “Warrant Certificate Delivery Date”).
20 |
Section 3. Issuance and Registration of Warrants.
a) Warrant Register. Upon the receipt of all relevant information from the Company or its agents, the Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.
b) Issuance of Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue the Global Certificate and deliver the Warrants in the DTC book-entry settlement system in accordance with written instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained (i) by DTC and (ii) by institutions that have accounts with DTC (each, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).
c) Beneficial Owner; Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name that Warrant shall be registered on the Warrant Register (the “Holder”, which shall include, if the Warrants are held in “street name,” a participant or a designee appointed by such participant) as the absolute owner of such Warrant for purposes of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Warrant Agent or any agent of the Company or the Warrant Agent from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Warrant. The rights of beneficial owners in a Warrant evidenced by the Global Certificate shall be exercised by the Holder through the DTC system.
d) Execution. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any authorized officer of the Company (an “Authorized Officer”), which need not be the same authorized signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent either by manual, electronic or facsimile signature, which need not be the same signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, and no Warrant Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any Authorized Officer of the Company that signed any of the Warrant Certificates ceases to be an Authorized Officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Warrant Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be an Authorized Officer of the Company authorized to sign such Warrant Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an Authorized Officer. The rights of holders of Warrant Certificates shall be identical regardless of the Authorized Officer signing for and on behalf of the Company and of the authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent signing such certificates.
e) Registration of Transfer. At any time at or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), a transfer of any Warrants may be registered and any Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates may be split up, combined or exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. Any Holder desiring to register the transfer of Warrants or to split up, combine or exchange any Warrant Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the Warrants the transfer of which is to be registered or that is or are to be split up, combined or exchanged and, in the case of registration of transfer, shall provide a signature guarantee by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program.” Thereupon, the Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company and the Warrant Agent may require payment by the Holder requesting a registration of transfer of Warrants or a split-up, combination or exchange of a Warrant Certificate (but, for purposes of clarity, not upon the exercise of the Warrants and issuance of Warrant ADS to the Holder) of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with such registration of transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, together with reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto. The Warrant Agent shall not have any duty or obligation to take any action under any section of this Warrant that requires the payment of taxes and/or charges unless and until it is satisfied that all such payments have been made.
21 |
f) Loss, Theft and Mutilation of Warrant Certificates. Upon receipt by the Company and the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security acceptable to the Warrant Agent, and reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant Certificate if mutilated, the Warrant Agent shall, on behalf of the Company, countersign and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. The Warrant Agent may charge the Holder an administrative fee for processing the replacement of lost Warrant Certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates. The Warrant Agent may receive compensation from the surety companies or surety agents for administrative services provided to them. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in connection with a Warrant in book-entry form through DTC, no posting of a bond shall be required under this Section 3(f).
g) Proxies. The Holder of a Warrant may grant proxies or otherwise authorize any person, including participants and beneficial holders that may own interests through participants, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Warrant; provided, however, that at all times that Warrants are evidenced by a Global Certificate, exercise of those Warrants shall be effected on their behalf by participants through DTC in accordance with the procedures administered by DTC.
Section 4. Exercise.
a) Exercise Price. Each Warrant shall entitle the Holder, subject to the provisions of the of this Warrant, to purchase from the Company the number of ADSs stated therein, at the price of $4.25 per ADS, subject to the subsequent adjustments provided in Section 5 hereof.
b) Duration of Warrants. Warrants may be exercised only during the period (“Exercise Period”) commencing on the Issuance Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time (the “close of business”) on February 10, 2028 (“Expiration Date”). Each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Warrant Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the Expiration Date.
c) Exercise. Subject to the provisions of this Warrant, a Holder (or a participant acting on behalf of a Holder in accordance with DTC procedures) may exercise Warrants by delivering to the Warrant Agent, not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on any Business Day during the Exercise Period an election to purchase the Warrant ADSs to be exercised (A) in the form included in Exhibit A to this Warrant or (B) via an electronic warrant exercise through the DTC system (each, an “Election to Purchase”). Within one Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase, the Holder shall deliver (i) the Warrants to be exercised by (A) surrender of the Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants to the Warrant Agent at its office designated for such purpose or (B) delivery of the Warrants to an account of the Warrant Agent at DTC designated for such purpose in writing by the Warrant Agent to DTC from time to time, and (ii) unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 4(d) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), in lawful money of the United States of America by (A) certified or official bank check or wire transfer from a United States bank payable to the Warrant Agent or (B) payment to the Warrant Agent through the DTC system.
22 |
If any of (i) the Warrants, (ii) the Election to Purchase, or (iii) the Exercise Price therefor (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), is received by the Warrant Agent on any date after 5:00 P.M., New York City time, or on a date that is not a Trading Day, the Warrants with respect thereto will be deemed to have been received and exercised on the Trading Day next succeeding such date. The “Exercise Date” will be the date on which the Election to Purchase is delivered to the Warrant Agent; however, the Warrants shall not be deemed to be exercised if the Warrants and the Exercise Price therefor are not received by the Warrant Agent on or prior to the Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase. If the Warrants are received or deemed to be received after the Expiration Date, the exercise thereof will be null and void and any funds delivered to the Warrant Agent will be returned to the Holder or participant, as the case may be, as soon as practicable.
The Warrant Agent shall deposit all funds received by it in payment of the Exercise Price in the account maintained by the Warrant Agent in its name as agent for the Company. The Warrant Agent shall remit to the Company funds received for warrant exercises in a given month by the fifth Business Day of the following month by wire transfer to an account designated by the Company, or as otherwise from time to time as reasonably requested by the Company. All funds received by Computershare under this Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by Computershare in the performance of services hereunder (the “Funds”) shall be held by Computershare as agent for the Company and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by Computershare in its name as agent for the Company. Until paid pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement, Computershare will hold the Funds in deposit accounts with U.S. commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion or with ratings above investment grade by S&P Global Ratings (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Moody’s Investors Service (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg L.P.). Computershare shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit made by Computershare in accordance with this Section 4(c), including any losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. Computershare may from time to time receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits. Computershare shall not be obligated to pay such interest, dividends or earnings to the Company, any holder or any other party.
If less than all the Warrants evidenced by a surrendered Warrant Certificate are exercised, the Warrant Agent shall split up the surrendered Warrant Certificate and return to the Holder a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants that were not exercised.
(d) Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(77) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and |
23 |
(X) = | the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, but without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to this Section 2(d) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 4(e)(i) and Section 4(m) herein, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant Shares. The original Holder has paid $0.005 towards the nominal value of the Warrant Shares to be used in the event of a cashless exercise and, no additional consideration for the nominal value shall be required to be paid by the Holder to effect an exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-funded nominal value under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever, including in the event this Warrant shall not have been exercised prior to the Termination Date. If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(d).
(e) Mechanics of Exercise.
i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date and the Initial Exercise Date shall be the Warrant Share Delivery Date for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Warrant Share Delivery Date
24 |
ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 4(e)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
f) Issuance of Warrant Securities. The Warrant Agent shall, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, advise the Company, the transfer agent and registrar for ordinary shares and the Depositary, in respect of (i) the number of Warrant ADSs indicated on the Election to Purchase as issuable upon such exercise with respect to such exercised Warrants, (ii) the instructions of the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, provided to the Warrant Agent with respect to the delivery of the Warrant ADSs and the number of Warrants that remain outstanding after such exercise and (iii) such other information as the Company or the Depositary shall reasonably request.
The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause its registrar to deliver the Warrant ADSs issuable upon that exercise to the Depositary’s custodian for deposit under the Deposit Agreement and instruct the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs issuable upon that deposit of ordinary shares as requested in the Election to Purchase Warrant ADSs.
The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the second Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to the Election to Purchase (the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”).
g) Valid Issuance. All Warrant ADSs issuable by the Company upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Warrant Agreement shall be validly issued and fully paid.
h) No Fractional Exercise. No fractional Warrant ADSs will be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant, but rather the Company shall adjust the number of Warrant ADSs issued up or down to the nearest integral multiple of the number of ADSs representing the ordinary shares.
i) No Transfer Taxes. The Company shall not be required to pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with the exercise of Warrants; and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any ADSs until such tax or other charge shall have been paid or it has been established to the satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that no such tax or other charge is due. For purposes of clarity, the Company shall pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with any issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of Warrants.
j) Date of Issuance. (a) The Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant ADSs only on the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, except that, if the Exercise Date is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the open of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books are open; provided, however, Warrant ADSs will not be registered or issued until the Depositary receives notice from its custodian that the ordinary shares relating to the ADSs have been deposited under the Deposit Agreement; provided further, however, that the Company shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the Warrant ADSs are delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date in accordance with Section 4(d) hereof and, if the Warrant ADSs are not delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the provisions of Section 4(m) shall apply.
25 |
No exercising Holder, which Holder effected a Warrant Exchange pursuant to Section 2(b) prior to the Exercise Date, shall be required to surrender its Warrant to the Warrant Agent, unless such exercise is for the remaining numbers of ADSs issuable upon exercise of such Warrant, in which case the Holder shall deliver the Warrant Certificate to the Warrant Agent within three (3) Business Days.
k) Restrictive Legend Events. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement and the current status of the prospectuses included therein or to file and maintain the effectiveness of another registration statement and another current prospectus covering the Warrants and the Warrant ADSs (and related ordinary shares) at any time that the Warrants are exercisable. The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent and each Holder prompt written notice of any time that the Company is unable to deliver the Warrant ADSs via DTC transfer or otherwise upon a cash exercise without restrictive legend because (A) the Commission has issued a stop order with respect to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (D) the prospectuses contained in the Registration Statement and the ADS Registration Statement are not available for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to the Holder, (E) the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement or the prospectuses contained therein are not current and do not conform to the requirements of the applicable rules and regulations, or the SEC has not declared effective a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement are if one is required to be filed to update the disclosures therein, or (F) otherwise (each a “Restrictive Legend Event”). To the extent that the Warrants cannot be exercised for cash as a result of a Restrictive Legend Event, the Company shall, at the election of the Holder, which shall be given within five (5) days of receipt of such notice of the Restrictive Legend Event, either (A) rescind the previously submitted Election to Purchase and the Company shall return all consideration paid by registered holder for such shares upon such rescission or (B) treat the attempted exercise as a cashless exercise as described in Section 4(d) above.
l) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant ADSs issuable in connection with any exercise, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs that are not disputed.
m) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to Section 4(e), and if after such date the beneficial owner is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the beneficial owner’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs or ordinary shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the beneficial owner of the Warrant ADSs, which the beneficial owner anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the beneficial owner’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Warrant ADSs so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (i) the number of Warrant ADSs, as applicable, that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (ii) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant ADSs, as applicable, for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs, as applicable, that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its delivery obligations. For example, if the beneficial owner purchases ADSs having a total purchase price (including brokerage commissions) of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrant ADSs with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000 for the benefit of the beneficial owner. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit right of a Holder to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Warrant ADSs upon exercise of Warrants as required pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent shall have no liability for the Company’s failure to deliver to the Holders the Warrant ADSs as set forth in this Section 4(m).
26 |
In addition, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs subject to an Election to Purchase by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant ADSs subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the ADSs on the date of the applicable Election to Purchase), $10 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such Warrant ADS Delivery Date until such Warrant ADSs are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. In addition, if the Company fails to cause the Depository to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
n) Expenses. The Company shall pay all Warrant Agent and Depositary fees required for timely processing of any Election to Purchase and all fees to DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for electronic issuance and delivery of the Warrant ADSs for timely delivery of Warrant ADSs on or prior to the Warrant ADSs Delivery Date. The Company shall pay all applicable fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the issuance of the Warrants ADSs hereunder.
Section 5. Certain Adjustments.
a) | Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: | |
i) | pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on Ordinary Shares or any other equity or Equivalent Securities payable in Ordinary Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Warrant ADSs issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), |
ii) | subdivides outstanding Ordinary Shares into a larger number of shares, |
iii) | combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, or |
iv) | issues by reclassification of Ordinary Shares any shares of capital stock of the Company, |
then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of Ordinary Shares and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of Ordinary Shares and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 5(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
b) Subsequent Equity Sales. If the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, shall sell, enter into an agreement to sell, or grant any option to purchase, or sell, enter into an agreement to sell, or grant any right to reprice, or otherwise dispose of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Ordinary Shares or Equivalent Securities, at an effective price per share less than the Exercise Price then in effect (such lower price, the “Base Share Price” and such issuances collectively, a “Dilutive Issuance”) (it being understood and agreed that if the holder of the Ordinary Shares or such other securities so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or rights per share which are issued in connection with such issuance, be entitled to receive Ordinary Shares at an effective price per share that is less than the Exercise Price, such issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Exercise Price on such date of the Dilutive Issuance at such effective price), then simultaneously with the consummation (or, if earlier, the announcement) of each Dilutive Issuance the Exercise Price shall be reduced and only reduced to equal the Base Share Price provided that the Base Share Price shall not be less than $0.50 (subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, recapitalizations and similar transactions following the Initial Issuance Date). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustments shall be made, paid or issued under this Section 5(b) in respect of an Exempt Issuance. The Company shall notify the Holder, in writing, no later than the Trading Day following the issuance or deemed issuance of any Ordinary Shares Stock or Equivalent Securities subject to this Section 5(b), indicating therein the applicable issuance price, or applicable reset price, exchange price, conversion price and other pricing terms (such notice, the “Dilutive Issuance Notice”). For purposes of clarification, whether or not the Company provides a Dilutive Issuance Notice pursuant to this Section 5(b), upon the occurrence of any Dilutive Issuance, the Holder is entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares based upon the Base Share Price regardless of whether the Holder accurately refers to the Base Share Price in the Notice of Exercise. If the Company enters into a Variable Rate Transaction, the Company shall be deemed to have issued Ordinary Shares or Equivalent Securities at the lowest possible price, conversion price or exercise price at which such securities may be issued, converted or exercised.
27 |
c) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 5(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Equivalent Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.
d) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution. To the extent that this Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Warrant.
e) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding,
(i) | the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another person; |
(ii) | the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions; |
(iii) | any direct or indirect purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another person) is completed pursuant to which holders of ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the total voting power of the Company’s ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) (not including any ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) held by the other person or other persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other persons making, such purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer); |
28 |
(iv) | the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of ADSs or ordinary shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the ADSs or ordinary shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property; or |
(v) | the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another person or group of persons whereby such other person or group acquires more than 50% of the total voting power of the Company’s ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) (not including any ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) held by the other person or group or other persons or group making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other persons or group making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), |
then, upon any subsequent exercise of a Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant ADS that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder, the number of shares of capital stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, or depositary shares representing those shares, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction. For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one ADS in such Fundamental Transaction and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of ADSs are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value (as defined below) of the remaining unexercised portion of this Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, that, if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company’s control, including not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction; provided, further, that if holders of ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) of the Company are not offered or paid any consideration in such Fundamental Transaction, such holders will be deemed to have received common stock of the Successor Entity (which Entity may be the Company following such Fundamental Transaction) in such Fundamental Transaction.
29 |
“Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg (determined utilizing a 365 day annualization factor) as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the highest VWAP during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately preceding the announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction (or the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, if earlier) and ending on the Trading Day of the Holder’s request pursuant to this Section 3(e) and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date and (E) a zero cost of borrow. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds (or such other consideration) within the later of (i) five (5) Business Days of the Holder’s election and (ii) the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”), to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5(e) pursuant to written agreements in form reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to such Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant that is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the Warrant ADSs acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the ADSs or ordinary shares prior to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value this Warrant had immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant Agreement and the Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
The Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent in writing to mail, by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder, written notice of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement with the Successor Entity. Any supplemented or amended agreement entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall provide for adjustments, which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 5(e). The Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such agreement or such notice, including but not limited to any provisions relating either to the kind or amount of securities or other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments, and shall be entitled to rely conclusively for all purposes upon the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 5(e) shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, sales and conveyances of the kind described above.
f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 5 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 5, the number of shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
g) Notice to Holder.
i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 5, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant ADSs and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
30 |
ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Ordinary Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Ordinary Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of Ordinary Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of Ordinary Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its Subsidiaries) is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby Ordinary Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of record of Ordinary Shares to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of record of the Ordinary Shares shall be entitled to exchange their Ordinary Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
h) Voluntary Adjustment by Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Trading Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant, subject to the prior written consent of the Holder, reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the board of directors of the Company.
Section 6. Miscellaneous.
a) No Rights as Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, a Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of Warrants, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon a Holder, solely in its capacity as the registered holder of Warrants, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of share capital, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights or rights to participate in new issues of shares, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of Warrants. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to Section 4(d) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 4(e)(i) and Section 4(m) herein, in no event shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.
b) Due Authorization. The Company represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, (b) the offer and sale of the Warrants and the execution, delivery and performance of all transactions contemplated thereby (including this Warrant) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of association, bylaws or any similar document of the Company or any indenture, agreement or instrument to which it is a party or is bound, (c) this Warrant has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company, (d) the Warrants will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and (e) to the best of its knowledge, there is no litigation pending or threatened as of the date hereof in connection with the offering of the Warrants.
31 |
c) Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued ordinary shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Warrant Agreement.
d) Authorized Shares. The Company covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant ADSs may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the ordinary shares may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant ADS which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant ADS in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
e) Restrictive Legends; Fractional Warrants. In the event that a Warrant Certificate surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not register that transfer until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend upon that transfer. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the transfer of or delivery of a Warrant Certificate for a fraction of a Warrant. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant ADSs acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
f) Expense Reimbursement. The Company shall reimburse the Holder, upon the Holder’s request, for any reasonable fees charged to the Holder by the Depositary in connection with the issuance or holding or sale of ADSs, Warrant ADSs and/or ordinary shares.
g) Notices to Warrant Agent. Except as expressly set forth elsewhere in this Warrant Agreement, all notices, instructions and communications under this Warrant Agreement shall be in writing, by overnight delivery service, first-class mail, postage prepaid, properly addressed shall be effective upon receipt (or in the case of notice via e-mail, the notice shall be deemed delivered upon sending as long as an automated e-mail is not generated indicating that the e-mail has not been delivered) and shall be addressed, if to the Company, to its address set forth beneath its signature to this Warrant Agreement, or, if to the Warrant Agent, to:
Computershare Inc.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
150 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Client Services
E-mail: maxine.marshall1@computershare.com
or to such other address of which a party hereto has notified the other party; and, if to a Holder made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or overnight delivery service, addressed to such Holder at the last address of such Holder set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register.
32 |
h) Governing Law. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City and County of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
i) Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company may require the Holders to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares. The Warrant Agent may refrain from registering any transfer of Warrants or any delivery of any Warrant ADSs unless or until the persons requesting the registration or issuance shall have paid to the Warrant Agent for the account of the Company the amount of such tax or charge, if any, or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that such tax or charge, if any, has been paid.
j) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant ADSs, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Warrant ADSs or as a shareholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
k) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
l) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant ADSs.
m) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder or the beneficial owner of this Warrant, on the other hand.
n) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
o) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
p) Warrant Agency Agreement. If this Warrant is held in global form through DTC (or any successor depositary), this Warrant is issued subject to the Warrant Agency Agreement. Without limiting any of the rights and immunities of the Warrant Agent or modifying the Warrant Agent’s express duties and obligations under the Warrant Agreement, to the extent any provision of this Warrant conflicts with the express provisions of the Warrant Agency Agreement, the provisions of this Warrant shall govern and be controlling.
********************
(Signature Page Follows)
33 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.
TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Computershare Inc. Computershare Trust Company N.A.
|
||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
34 |
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
TO: TC BIOPHARM (HOLDINGS) PLC
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant ADSs of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full (unless cashless exercise is applicable), together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
☐ in lawful money of the United States; or
☐ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 4(d), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 4(d).
(3) Please issue said Warrant ADSs in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
_______________________________
The Warrant ADSs shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: |
Name of Authorized Signatory: |
Title of Authorized Signatory: |
Date: |
35 |
EXHIBIT B
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to
Name: | ||
(Please Print) | ||
Address: | ||
(Please Print) | ||
Phone Number | ||
Email Address | ||
Dated: ______________ ___, _______ | ||
Holder’s Signature: | ||
Holder’s Address: |
36 |
ANNEX B
Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice
WARRANT CERTIFICATE REQUEST NOTICE
To: Computershare Inc., as Warrant Agent for TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc (the “Company”)
The undersigned Holder of Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Global Warrants issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:
1. | Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants: | |
2. | Name of Holder in Warrant Certificate (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants): | |
3. | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants: | |
4. | Number of Warrants for which Warrant Certificate shall be issued: | |
5. | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants after issuance of Warrant Certificate, if any: | |
6. | Warrant Certificate shall be delivered to the following address: |
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Warrant Certificate, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Global Warrants in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Warrant Certificate.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: |
Name of Authorized Signatory: |
Title of Authorized Signatory: |
Date: |
37 |
ANNEX C
Form of Global Warrants Request Notice
GLOBAL WARRANTS REQUEST NOTICE
To: Computershare Inc., as Warrant Agent for TC BioPharm (Holdings) plc (the “Company”)
The undersigned Holder of Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Warrants Certificates issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Global Warrant evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:
1. | Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates: | |
2. | Name of Holder in Global Warrant (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates): | |
3. | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Warrant Certificates: | |
4. | Number of Warrants for which Global Warrant shall be issued: | |
5. | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Warrant Certificates after issuance of Global Warrant, if any: | |
6. | Global Warrant shall be delivered to the following address: |
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Global Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Global Warrant, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Warrant Certificates in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Global Warrant.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: |
Name of Authorized Signatory: |
Title of Authorized Signatory: |
Date: |
38 |