AveXis, Inc. Common Stock Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
Common Stock
[·], 2016
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Jefferies LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
AveXis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”) an aggregate of [·] shares (the “Firm Shares”) and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [·] additional shares (the “Optional Shares”) of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 (“Stock”) of the Company. The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof being collectively called the “Shares”.
The Underwriters agree that up to [·] of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters (the “Directed Shares”) shall be reserved for sale to certain eligible directors, officers and employees of the Company and persons having business relationships with the Company (collectively, the “Participants”), as part of the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters (the “Directed Share Program”) subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and all other applicable laws, rule and regulations. The Directed Share Program
shall be administered by Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”). To the extent that the Directed Shares are not orally confirmed for purchase by the Participants by the end of the first business day after the date of this Agreement, such Directed Shares may be offered to the public by the Underwriters as part of the public offering contemplated hereby.
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- 333-209019) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and, to the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; [and] any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”); [and any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act is hereinafter called a “Section 5(d) Communication”; and any Section 5(d) Communication that is a written
communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a “Section 5(d) Writing”;]
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein (the “Underwriter Information”);
(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is [•] [•]m (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the information listed on Schedule II(c) hereto, taken together (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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 Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II(a) hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [and each Section 5(d) Writing listed on Schedule II(b) hereto, each], as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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 statements or omissions made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [or Section 5(d) Writing]in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(d) (i) The Registration Statement conforms at the time it was declared effective, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus on the date when such prospectus, amendment, or supplement is filed will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing
date and each Time of Delivery (as defined Section 4 hereof) as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain 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 in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(e) From the time of the initial confidential submission of a registration statement relating to the Shares with the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”);
(f) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any material loss or material interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of the exercise of stock options or the award of stock options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries (any such event or change, a “Material Adverse Effect”), otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus;
(g) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or such as do not 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 and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held to the Company’s knowledge, under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases (subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights or remedies of creditors generally; (ii) the application of general principles of equity; and (iii) applicable law and public policy with respect to rights to indemnity and contribution) with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(h) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing in such jurisdictions would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or formed and is validly existing as a corporation or other business organization in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other business organization for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(i) Reserved.
(j) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(k) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(l) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(m) The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated (i) will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or the corresponding governing documents of any of its subsidiaries and (iii) will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties except in the case of (i) and (iii) for such violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares, the approval by FINRA of the underwriting terms and arrangements, the approval for listing the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.’s Global Market (“NASDAQ”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound or (iii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company, except in the case of (ii) and (iii) for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(o) The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the captions “Business - Our Collaboration and License Agreements,” “Risk Factors — Government Regulation and Product Approval,” Risk Factors — Risks Related to Intellectual Property” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate and complete in all material respects;
(p) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(q) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
(r) At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement the Company was not and, as of the date hereof, is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined under Rule 405 under the Act;
(s) PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent public accountant as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(t) The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; the financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement comply with the applicable requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as disclosed therein; the selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein, except as disclosed therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; to the extent included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included therein have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Act and comply with Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus in all material respects; all
other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby;
(u) The Company and its directors and officers, in their capacities as such, have taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will be in compliance with all applicable provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith;
(v) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Except as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (it being understood that, as of the date hereof, the Company is not required to comply with Section 404 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002;
(w) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;
(x) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;
(y) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; (iv) violated or is in violation of any
provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ of the United Kingdom; or (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment;
(z) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened;
(aa) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person or entity (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions;
(bb) There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the Act except as have been validly waived or complied with;
(cc) No labor disturbance by or dispute with current employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement.
(dd) The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, commercially
reasonable for the conduct of its business; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business;
(ee) The Company’s board of directors meets the independence requirements of, and has established an audit committee and a compensation committee, in each case, that meets the independence requirements of, the rules and regulations of the Commission and the Exchange;
(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries and its and their respective directors, officers and employees, and to the Company’s knowledge, its and their respective agents, affiliates and representatives, are, and at all times have been, in material compliance with the following laws applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries or any of its respective products or activities: 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.), any similar local, state or federal laws, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to or has any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreement, deferred prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, plan of correction or similar agreement imposed by any governmental authority. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notification, correspondence or any other written or oral communication, including, without limitation, any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or any similar regulatory authority, or any notification of any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action, from any governmental authority of potential or actual non-compliance by, or liability of, the Company or its subsidiaries under any Health Care Laws, which would reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(gg) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries possesses, and is in material compliance with the terms of, all applications, certificates, approvals, clearances, registrations, exemptions, franchises, licenses, permits and other authorizations necessary to conduct their current respective businesses (collectively, “Licenses”), including, without limitation, all Licenses required by the FDA, the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) and/or by any other U.S., state, local or foreign government or drug regulatory agency (collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”). All Licenses are in full force and effect and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any term of any License in any material respect. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all
of its respective obligations with respect to the Licenses in all material respects and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any License. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses. To the Company’s knowledge, no Regulatory Agency has taken any action to limit, suspend or revoke any License possessed by the Company;
(hh) The pre-clinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company, that are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being, conducted in all material respects in accordance with the protocols submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) or any foreign governmental body exercising comparable authority, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional and scientific standards, and all applicable laws and regulations; the descriptions of the pre-clinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company, and the results thereof, contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects; the Company is not aware of any other pre-clinical studies or clinical trials, the results of which reasonably call into question the results described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; and the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA, any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority or any Institutional Review Board requiring the termination, suspension, material modification or clinical hold of any pre-clinical studies or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company:
(ii) Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries nor any of its or their respective officers, employees or directors, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its or their respective agents or clinical investigators, has been suspended, debarred, or convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct that would reasonably be expected to result in debarment under 21 U.S.C. § 335a.
(jj) The Company owns or has valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights to practice and use all patents and patent applications, copyrights, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks, service ▇▇▇▇ registrations, trade names, service names and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and all other technology and intellectual property rights necessary for, or used in the conduct, or the proposed conduct, of the business of the Company in the manner described in the Pricing Prospectus (collectively, the “Company Intellectual Property”), and, to the Company’s knowledge, the conduct of its and its subsidiaries’ respective business (including the development and commercialization of the product candidates described in the Pricing Prospectus)
has not and will not infringe or misappropriate any intellectual property rights of others, and which infringement or misappropriation would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the intellectual property owned by the Company is free and clear of all material liens or encumbrances; to the knowledge of the Company, the patents, trademarks and copyrights held or licensed by the Company included within the Company Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable and subsisting; other than as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is obligated to grant a license, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Company Intellectual Property, (ii) no action, suit, claim or other proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, alleging that the Company or its subsidiaries is infringing, misappropriating, diluting or otherwise violating any rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s product candidates, processes or intellectual property, (iii) no action, suit, claim or other proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, challenging the validity, enforceability, scope, registration, ownership or use of any of the Company’s Intellectual Property, (iv) no action, suit, claim or other proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property, (v) the Company has not received written notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s products, proposed products, processes or Company Intellectual Property, (vi) to the knowledge of the Company, the development, manufacture, sale, and any currently proposed use of any of the products, proposed products or processes of the Company referred to in the Pricing Prospectus, in the current or proposed conduct of the business of the Company, do not currently, and will not upon commercialization, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe any right or valid patent claim of any third party, (vii) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Company Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company, other than any licensor to the Company of such Company Intellectual Property, (viii) to the knowledge of the Company, no employee, consultant or independent contractor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries 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 or independent contractor where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment or independent contractor’s engagement with the Company or actions undertaken while employed or engaged with the Company and (ix) the Company has taken reasonable measures to protect its confidential information and trade secrets and to maintain and safeguard the Company’s Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements;
(kk) All patents and patent applications owned by or licensed to the Company or under which the Company has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and maintained; to the knowledge of the Company, the parties prosecuting such applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO in connection with such applications; and the Company is not aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO that were not disclosed to the USPTO and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or could form the basis of a finding of invalidity with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications;
(ll) Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources;
(nn) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company has filed all material foreign, federal, state and local tax returns required to be filed by them through the date hereof, or have duly requested extensions thereof, and have paid all taxes shown as due thereon, which do not individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and all such tax returns are true and correct in all material respects; except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, no deficiencies for taxes of the Company have been assessed by a tax authority and no deficiencies for taxes of the Company have, to the Company’s knowledge, been proposed by a tax authority;
(oo) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or which would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares;
(pp) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares;
(qq) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and
(rr) There are no contracts, arrangements or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
(ss) (i) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, Pricing Disclosure Package or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program, and (ii) no authorization, approval, consent, license, order registration or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered outside the United States. The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, any Offered Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $[·], the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by the Representatives so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to [·] Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be
exercised only by written notice from the Representatives to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by the Representatives but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless the Representatives and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, [·] [·]m., New York City time, on [·], 2016 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, [·] [·]m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery”, each such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery”, and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery”.
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(k) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, Prudential Tower, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at [·] p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus relating to the Shares or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) From time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City as soon as available in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify the Representatives and upon the Representatives’ request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities (whose name and address the Underwriters shall furnish to the Company) as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon the Representatives’ reasonable request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable (which may be satisfied by filing such information with the Commission’s Electronic Data, Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“▇▇▇▇▇”)), but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e)
(1) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company of shares of Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant, in each case, that is outstanding on the date of this Agreement and described in the Pricing Prospectus, (C) the issuance by the Company of Stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Stock, in each case pursuant to the Company’s stock plans, provided that such stock plans are described in the Pricing Prospectus, (D) any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in connection with the acquisition by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of not less than a majority or controlling portion of the securities, business, property or other assets of another person or entity or pursuant to an employee benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with such acquisition, (E) any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in connection with a transaction with an unaffiliated third party that includes a bona fide commercial relationship (including joint ventures, marketing or distribution arrangements, collaboration agreements or intellectual property license agreements), (F) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to any benefit plans or arrangements disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and the issuance of securities registered pursuant thereto, or (G) grants of awards pursuant to equity incentive plans existing on the date of this Agreement and disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus; provided that in the case of clauses (D) or (E), the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to clauses (D) and (E) shall not exceed 5% of the total number of shares of the Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided further that in the case of clauses (B) and (C), the Company shall cause each recipient of such securities to execute and deliver to the Representatives, on or prior to the issuance of such securities, a lock-up agreement with substantially the same terms as the lock-up agreements referenced in Section 8(i) of this Agreement for the remainder of the Company Lock-Up Period, and enter stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar on such securities, which the Company agrees it will not waive or amend without the prior written consent of the Representatives, in their sole discretion; and
(2) If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 8(i) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three 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 Annex I hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(f) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on ▇▇▇▇▇;
(g) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to the Representatives copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to the Representatives as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on ▇▇▇▇▇;
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”;
(i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation, subject to official notice of issuance, the Shares on NASDAQ;
(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;
(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 3a(c) of the Commission’s Informal and Other Procedures (16 CFR 202.3a);
(l) To promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of
the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(e) hereof; and
(m) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
(n) In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by FINRA or its rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. Jefferies will notify the Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time. Should the Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the Directed Shares, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal expenses) they incur in connection with such release.
6. (a) The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule II(a) [or Schedule II(c)] hereto;
(b) [The Company represents and agrees that (i) it has not engaged in, or authorized any other person to engage in, any Section 5(d) Communications, other than Section 5(d) Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Act; and (ii) it has not distributed, or authorized any other person to distribute, any Section 5(d) Writings that are listed on Schedule II(b) hereto, other than those distributed with the prior consent of the Representatives; and the Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in engaging in Section 5(d) Communications;]
(c) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and the Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions under Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show;
(d) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that any Section 5(d) Communications undertaken by it were with entities that are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Act.
(e) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [or Section 5(d) Writing prepared or authorized by it] any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or [Section 5(d) Writing prepared or authorized by it] would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus[, Section 5(d) Writing prepared or authorized by it] or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this covenant shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [or Section 5(d) Writing prepared or authorized by it] made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
7. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) reasonable expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including up to a maximum of $10,000 of fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey (iv) reasonable fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on NASDAQ; (v) reasonable filing fees incident to, and up to a maximum of $25,000 of reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 7, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make and 50% of the costs of any private aircraft in respect of any investor presentations or road show in connection with the marketing of the Shares.
8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives’ reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives (i) their written opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives; and (ii) their written opinion with respect to intellectual property matters each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time after the execution of this Agreement, at [·] [·]m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the Representatives’ judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus;
(f) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities;
(g) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on NASDAQ; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on NASDAQ; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the
effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the Representatives’ judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed for quotation on NASDAQ;
(i) FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Shares;
(j) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each of the Company’s officers, directors and stockholders, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(k) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
(l) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request;
(n) At each Time of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Secretary of the Company, as to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request;
(o) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, on the effective date of any post effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a written certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives; and
(p) At each Time of Delivery, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such additional information, certificates, opinions or documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
9. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act [or any Section 5(d) Writing], or (or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [or any Section 5(d) Writing], in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchanges Act (each, a “Company Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, [any Section 5(d) Writing, ]or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus [or any Section 5(d) Writing], in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party
shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions 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 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus. The relative fault 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 and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, and to each broker-dealer affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
(f) In connection with the offer and sale of the Directed Shares, the Company agrees, promptly upon a request in writing, to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from and against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by any of them as a result of the failure of the Participants to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares which, by the end of the first business day following the date of this Agreement, were subject to a
properly confirmed agreement to purchase. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any of the Underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Underwriters or such controlling person may become subject, which is (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program (including any prospectus wrapper material distributed in connection with the reservation and sale of Directed Shares) or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that such Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program. The indemnity agreement set forth in this paragraph shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
10. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter, the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company that the Representatives have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the Representatives’ opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the
aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to a Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
11. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
12. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if the Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.
13. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Representatives in care of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attention: Registration Department; and Jefferies LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: President; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the Representatives upon request; provided, however, that notices under subsection 5(e) shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Representatives at ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attention: Control Room and Jefferies LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
14. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
15. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
16. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial
transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
17. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
18. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY MATTERS RELATED TO THIS TRANSACTION SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. The Company agrees that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this agreement or our engagement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York and the Company agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.
19. The Company 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.
20. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
21. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply)
to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding, indicate the Representatives’ acceptance of this letter by signing in the space provided below, and upon the acceptance hereof by the Representatives, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that the Representatives’ acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
[Signature page follows]
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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. |
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SCHEDULE II
(a) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses:
[·]
(b) Additional documents incorporated by reference:
[·]
(c) Information other than the Pricing Prospectus that comprise the Pricing Disclosure Package:
[·]
ANNEX I
FORM OF PRESS RELEASE
AveXis, Inc.
[Date]
AveXis, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC, the representatives of the several underwriters in the Company’s recent public sale of shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
ANNEX II
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
Lock-Up Agreement
[ ]
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement
c/o Goldman, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
c/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Re: AveXis, Inc. — Lock-Up Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to such agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”), with AveXis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of the common stock of the Company (the “Shares”) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the Shares, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of (each, a “Transaction”) any shares of common stock of the Company (“Common Stock”), or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Common Stock of the Company, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the undersigned (including holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the undersigned has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the SEC (collectively the “Undersigned’s Shares”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Undersigned’s Shares, or
file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Shares even if such Shares would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Shares or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Shares (collectively, a “Swap Transaction”). If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the offering.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue for 180 days after the Public Offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the Shares (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer or otherwise dispose of the Undersigned’s Shares (and the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to such transfers or dispositions) (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) in Transactions or Swap Transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the Public Offering Date, (iv) in connection with the exercise of options, warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock in accordance with their terms (including the settlement of restricted stock units and including, in each case, by way of net exercise and/or to cover
withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise, but for the avoidance of doubt, excluding all manners of exercise that would involve a sale of any securities, whether to cover the applicable aggregate exercise price, withholding tax obligations or otherwise) pursuant to an employee benefit plan, option, warrant or other right disclosed in the Prospectus, provided that any such shares issued upon exercise of such option, warrant or other right shall be subject to the restrictions set forth herein, (v) by will or intestacy, provided that the legatee, heir or other transferee, as the case may be, agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (vi) pursuant to a court order or settlement agreement related to the distribution of assets in connection with the dissolution of a marriage or civil union, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (vii) to the Company pursuant to agreements under which the Company has the option to repurchase such shares or a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such shares upon termination of service of the undersigned, (viii) pursuant to the conversion of outstanding shares of preferred stock of the Company into shares of Common Stock of the Company, provided that the shares of Common Stock received upon conversion shall be subject to the restrictions set forth herein, (ix) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition without consideration by the undersigned to its limited or general partners, members, stockholders or affiliates (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein and there shall be no further transfer of such capital stock except in accordance with this Lock-Up Agreement, (x) pursuant to a merger, consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction involving a Change of Control of the Company and approved by the Company’s board of directors, provided that, in the event that such Change of Control is not completed, the Undersigned’s Shares shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement and title to the Undersigned’s Shares shall remain with the undersigned, or (xi) with the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters; provided that in the case of clauses (i) through (vi) and (ix) above, no filing under the Exchange Act or any other public filing or disclosure of such transfer by or on behalf of the undersigned shall be required or voluntarily made during the Stockholder Lock-up Period (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Lock-up Period and other than a required filing on Schedule 13G, Schedule 13G/A or Form 13F, and, with respect to clause (vi), other than a filing required to be made on a Form 4). For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. For the purposes of clause (x), “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an Underwriter pursuant to the Public Offering), of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold 100% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity). In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Shares by transfer to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the undersigned; provided,
however, that in any such case, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding such capital stock subject to the provisions of this Agreement and there shall be no further transfer of such capital stock except in accordance with this Agreement, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value. The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated by clauses (i) through (xi) above, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the Undersigned’s Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Undersigned’s Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may establish a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, provided, that (i) no public report or filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be required during the Lock-Up Period, (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding the establishment of such plan during the Lock-Up Period and (iii) no sales are made during the Lock-Up Period pursuant to such plan.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns.
This Lock-Up Agreement (and for the avoidance of doubt, the Lock-Up Period described herein) and related restrictions shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the Company advising the Representatives in writing prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of any Shares to the Underwriters, (iii) the registration statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement is withdrawn or (iv) February 29, 2016, in the event the closing of the Public Offering shall not have occurred on or before such date (provided, that the Company may by written notice to the undersigned prior to February 29, 2016 extend such date for a period of up to an additional three months).
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Very truly yours, |
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Exact Name of Shareholder |
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Authorized Signature |
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