SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.2
Execution Version
THIS SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of July 9, 2021 (the “Execution Date”), by and between Bicycle Therapeutics plc, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales having an office at Building 900, Babraham Research Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx XX00 0XX (the “Company”), and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a Delaware corporation with a principal place of business at 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, XXX (the “Purchaser”). The capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined have the meanings given to them in Appendix 1.
RECITALS
BicycleTx Limited (“BicycleTx”), an affiliate of the Company, and Purchaser entered into that certain Evaluation and Option Agreement dated as of December 31, 2020 (the “Option Agreement”) pursuant to which BicycleTx granted to the Purchaser an exclusive option to obtain an exclusive license under BicycleTx’s technology to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize products incorporating TfR1 Bicycles (as defined in the Collaboration Agreement (as defined below)) and Purchaser has exercised such option in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement. Pursuant to the exercise of such option and contemporaneously with execution of this Agreement, BicycleTx and Purchaser are entering into that certain Collaboration and Licensing Agreement (the “Collaboration Agreement”).
Pursuant to the Option Agreement, and as partial consideration for the Collaboration Agreement, the Company has agreed to sell, and the Purchaser has agreed to purchase, ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”), subject to and in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
For good and valuable consideration, the Purchaser and the Company agree as follows:
Section 1. | SALE AND PURCHASE OF ORDINARY SHARES |
Section 2. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY |
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Except as otherwise specifically contemplated by this Agreement, the Company hereby represents and warrants to Purchaser that:
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Section 3. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER |
Except as otherwise specifically contemplated by this Agreement, Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Company that:
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Section 4. | STANDSTILL AGREEMENT |
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Section 5. | TRANSFER, RESALE, LEGENDS, DEPOSIT FOR AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES |
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THE SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THEY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED unless (i) the Shares are registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; (ii) an opinion of counsel HAS BEEN DELIVERED (in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions) to the effect that the Shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration; or (iii) the Shares are sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
THE SALE, PLEDGE, HYPOTHECATION OR TRANSFER OF THESE SECURITIES IS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED JULY 9, 2021 BETWEEN BICYCLE THERAPEUTICS PLC AND IONIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
If such Shares may be transferred pursuant to Section 5.2 (excluding transfers pursuant to Section 5.2(i)), Purchaser may request that the Company remove, and the Company agrees to authorize and instruct (including by causing any required legal opinion to be provided) the removal of any legend from the Shares, if permitted by applicable securities Law, within two (2) Business Days of any such request; provided, however, that each party will be responsible for any fees it incurs in connection with such request and removal.
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5.5Rule 144 Reporting. With a view to making available to Purchaser the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the SEC that may permit the sale of registrable securities to the public without registration, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to:
(a) Make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 or any similar or analogous rule promulgated under the Securities Act, at all times after the effective date of the first registration filed by the Company for an offering of its securities to the general public;
(b) File with the SEC, in a timely manner, all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act; and
(c) So long as Purchaser owns Shares, furnish to Purchaser upon request: a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of said Rule 144 of the Securities Act, and of the Exchange Act; a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company filed with the Commission; and such other reports and documents as Purchaser may reasonably request in connection with availing itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing it to sell any such securities without registration.
Section 6. | CONDITIONS TO CLOSING |
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Section 7. | INDEMNIFICATION |
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Section 8. | DISPUTE RESOLUTION |
Section 9. | TERMINATION |
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If to the Company, to:
Building 900
Babraham Research Campus
Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
Attention: General Counsel
Email:
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxx LLP
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
E-mail:
If to the Purchaser, to:
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Email:
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Attention: General Counsel
Email:
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Purchaser and the Company have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
| COMPANY: | |
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| By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxx |
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| Name: | Xxxxx Xxx |
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| Title: | Chief Executive Officer, Director |
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| PURCHASER: | |
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| IONIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | |
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| By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx |
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| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx |
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| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature page to Share Purchase Agreement]
DEFINED TERMS
“Affiliate” of an entity means any corporation, firm, partnership or other entity that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with it. An entity will be deemed to control another entity if it (i) owns, directly or indirectly, at least 50% of the outstanding voting securities, capital stock or share capital (or such lesser percentage that is the maximum allowed to be owned by a foreign corporation in a particular jurisdiction) of such other entity, or has other comparable ownership interest with respect to any entity other than a corporation; or (ii) has the power, whether pursuant to contract, ownership of securities or otherwise, to direct the management and policies of the entity.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“American Depositary Shares” shall mean shares issued by the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, each representing one Ordinary Share.
“Applicable Regulatory Authorities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12.
“BicycleTx” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Business Day” means a day Monday through Friday on which banks are generally open for business in the State of California, the State of New York and London, England.
“Change of Control Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Closing Cash” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Closing Date” means the date on which the Closing actually occurs.
“Collaboration Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Company Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(c).
“Company Sale” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
“Company Trials” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13.
“Cross-Receipt” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(b)(i)A).
“Deposit Agreement” means the Deposit Agreement, dated as May 28, 2019, as amended from time to time, among the Company, the Depositary, and holders from time to time of the American Depositary Shares.
“Depositary” means mean Citibank, N.A.
“Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.
“DOJ” means the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
“Execution Date” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Expiration Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(c).
“FDA” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12.
“FTC” means the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“Good Clinical Practices” means the legal, scientific and ethical standards for the performance of clinical research on medicinal products involving humans, including as reflected in the regulations of the FDA at 21 C.F.R. parts 50, 54, 56, and 312.
“Good Laboratory Practices” means the legal, scientific and ethical standards for the performance of nonclinical laboratory studies, including as set out in the regulations of the FDA at 21 C.F.R. part 58.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, local, municipal, foreign or other governmental or quasi-governmental authority, including any arbitrator and applicable securities exchanges, or any department, minister, agency, commission, commissioner, board, subdivision, bureau, agency, instrumentality, court or other tribunal of any of the foregoing.
“Health Care Laws” means Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395-1395lll (the Medicare statute); Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1396-1396w-5 (the Medicaid statute); the Federal Xxxx-Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, 00 X.X.X. § 0000x-0x(x); the civil False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.; the criminal False Claims Act 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(a); any other criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287 and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320d et seq., (“HIPAA”); the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320a-7a; the Physician Payments Xxxxxxxx Xxx, 00 X.X.X. § 0000x-0x; the Exclusion Laws, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7; HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 17921 et seq.; the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.; the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq.; the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and any similar federal, state and local laws and regulations, each and all as may be amended from time to time.
“HIPAA” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Health Care Laws.”
“IEC” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4(a).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4(a).
“Intellectual Property” shall mean trademarks, trade names, trade dress, service marks, copyrights, and similar rights (including registrations and applications to register or renew the registration of any of the foregoing), patents and patent applications, trade secrets, and any other similar intellectual property rights.
“Intellectual Property License” shall mean any license, permit, authorization, approval, contract or consent granted, issued by or with any Person relating to the use of Intellectual Property.
“IRB” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13.
“Law” means any federal, state, local or foreign constitution, treaty, law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, interpretation, directive, policy, order, writ, decree, injunction, judgment, stay or restraining order of any Governmental Authority, the terms of any permit, and any other ruling or decision of, agreement with or by, or any other requirement of, any Governmental Authority.
“Lien” means any lien (statutory or otherwise), charge, security interest, pledge, mortgage, restriction on use or transfer, financing statement or similar encumbrance of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any lease having substantially the same effect as any of the foregoing and any assignment or deposit arrangement in the nature of a security device).
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
“Material Adverse Effect” means any change, effect or circumstance, individually or in the aggregate, (a) that is reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, operations, assets or financial condition of the Company or Purchaser, as the case may be, taken as a whole, or (b) that materially impairs the ability of the Company or Purchaser to perform its obligations pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Collaboration Agreement; provided however, that, none of the following (alone or when aggregated with any other effects), shall be deemed to be a Material Adverse Effect, and none of the following (alone or when aggregated with any other effects), shall be taken into account for purposes of clause (a) above: (A) (1) general market, economic or political conditions or (2) conditions (or any changes therein) in the industries in which the Company or Purchaser conducts business, in each case, including any acts of terrorism or war, weather conditions, global virus pandemics, epidemics or other force majeure events, in the case of each of clauses (1) and (2), solely to the extent that such effects do not have and are not reasonably likely to have a material disproportionate impact on the Company or Purchaser, as the case may be; (B) this Agreement, the Collaboration Agreement (including any amendments thereto), and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; or (C) changes in the trading price or volume of the American Depositary Shares or the Purchaser’s ordinary shares, in and of themselves.
“Nasdaq” means The Nasdaq Global Select Market.
“Option Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Ordinary Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Purchaser” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Permits” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.
“Person” means a human being, labor organization, partnership, firm, enterprise, association, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company, cooperative, legal representative, foundation, society, political party, estate, trust, trustee, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or any other organization or entity whatsoever, including any Governmental Authority.
“Proprietary Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(c).
“Purchase Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.
“Regulatory Authorizations” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12.
“Rule 144” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(a).
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor entity.
“SEC Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
“Share Cap” means a number of Ordinary Shares equal to 9.99% of the Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding on the Execution Date, rounded down to nearest number of Ordinary Shares.
“Share Value” means a price per Share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the product of (a) 1.3 and (b) the volume weighted average price per American Depositary Share as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page “BCYC AQR” (or its equivalent successor if such page is not available) for a twenty (20) Trading Day period, starting with the scheduled opening of trading on the twentieth (20th) Trading Day prior to the date of the Purchaser’s exercise of its option under the Option Agreement and ending with the scheduled close of trading of the primary trading session on the Trading Day prior to date of Purchaser’s exercise of its option under the Option Agreement, as reported on Xxxxxx.xxx, without regard to after-hours trading or any other trading outside of the regular trading session trading hours; provided that the Share Value shall in no event be lower than the Minimum Price (as defined in accordance with the rules and regulations of Nasdaq) on the Execution Date.
“Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.
“Standstill Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
“Standstill Provisions” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.
“Tax” means any federal, state, local, or foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes under Section 59A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended), customs duties, capital stock, share capital, franchise, profits, withholding, social security (or similar), unemployment, disability, real property, personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty, or addition thereto, whether disputed or not.
“Termination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(d).
“Third Party” means any entity other than BicycleTx, the Company, the Purchaser or an Affiliate of BicycleTx, the Company, or the Purchaser.
“Trading Day” means a day on which Nasdaq is open for trading.
“The Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.