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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "AGREEMENT"), dated as of September
18, 2000, by and among ADVANCED VIRAL RESEARCH CORP., a Delaware corporation,
with its principal office located at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000 (the "COMPANY"), and May Xxxxx Group, Inc., with its principal office
at Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxx, XX ("May Xxxxx").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Placement Agent Agreement between the parties
hereto of even date herewith (the "PLACEMENT AGENT AGREEMENT"), the Company has
agreed to issue common stock purchase warrants to purchase an aggregate of ten
million (10,000,000) shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.00001
per share (the "COMMON STOCK"), at various exercise prices for a term of five
(5) years from the date of issuance of such warrants (individually, a "WARRANT"
and collectively, the "WARRANTS"). Capitalized terms not defined herein shall
have the meaning ascribed to them in the Placement Agent Agreement.
B. To induce the Placement Agent to enter to execute and deliver the
Placement Agent Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain
registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"1933 ACT"), and applicable state securities laws, with respect to the shares of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the "WARRANT SHARES").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the
Holder hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
a. "HOLDER" shall mean the person holding a Warrant or
Registrable Securities or securities convertible into Registrable Securities and
any person holding such securities to whom the rights under Section 2 have been
transferred in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
b. "PERSON" means a corporation, a limited liability company,
an association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, a
governmental or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
c. "REGISTER," "REGISTERED," and "REGISTRATION" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration
Statements (as defined below) in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to
Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor rule providing for offering
securities on a continuous or delayed basis ("RULE 415"), and the declaration or
ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
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d. "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" means the Warrant Shares issuable
to a Holder upon exercise of a Warrant.
e. "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means a registration statement
under the 1933 Act which covers the Registrable Securities.
2. COMPANY REGISTRATION.
a. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION. If the Company shall determine to
register any of its securities, either for its own account or the account of a
security holder or holders, other than (x) a registration relating solely to
employee benefit plans or (y) a registration relating solely to a Rule 145
transaction:
(A) promptly give to each Holder written notice
thereof; and
(B) include in such registration (and any related
qualification under blue sky laws or other compliance), and in any underwriting
involved therein, all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request
or requests, made within twenty (20) days after receipt of such written notice
from the Company, by the Holder.
b. UNDERWRITING.
(A) If the registration of which the Company gives
notice is for a public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so
advise each Holder as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 2.
In such event the right of the Holder to registration pursuant to this Section 2
shall be conditioned upon the Holder's participation in such underwriting and
the inclusion of Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent
provided herein. If a Holder proposes to distribute its securities through such
underwriting, the Holder shall (together with the Company) enter into an
underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter selected
for such underwriting by the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Section 2, if the managing underwriter determines that marketing factors
require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, the managing
underwriter may limit or exclude some or all of the Registrable Securities and
other securities to be included in such registration.
(B) If the Holder disapproves of the terms of any
such underwriting, the Holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice
to the Company and the managing underwriter. Any securities excluded or
withdrawn from such underwriting shall be withdrawn from such registration, and
shall not be transferred in a public distribution prior to ninety (90) days
after the effective date of the registration statement relating thereto, or such
other shorter period of time as the underwriters may require.
(c) RIGHT TO TERMINATE REGISTRATION. The Company shall have
the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this
Section 2 prior to the effectiveness of such registration whether or not the
Holder has elected to include securities in such registration. The Registration
Expenses of such withdrawn registration shall be borne by the Company in
accordance with Section 1.4 hereof.
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3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
a. The Company shall keep a Registration Statement effective
pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until the earlier of (i) the date on which the
Holders shall have sold all the Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement or (ii) the date on which all of the Registrable
Securities may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 (the "REGISTRATION PERIOD"), which
Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and
prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such
amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to a
Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with such
Registration Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
promulgated under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep such Registration
Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during
such period, comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the
disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by such
Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities
shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of
disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration
Statement. In the case of amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement
which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to
this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company's filing a report on Form 10-K, Form
10-Q or Form 8-K or any analogous report under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "1934 ACT"), the Company shall have incorporated such
report by reference into the Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall
file such amendments or supplements with the SEC on the same day on which the
1934 Act report is filed which created the requirement for the Company to amend
or supplement the Registration Statement.
c. The Company shall furnish to each Holder whose Registrable
Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without charge, (i) at
least one copy of such Registration Statement as declared effective by the SEC
and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all
documents incorporated therein by reference, all exhibits and each preliminary
prospectus, (ii) ten (10) copies of the final prospectus included in such
Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (or such other
number of copies as such Holder may reasonably request) and (iii) such other
documents as such Holder may reasonably request from time to time in order to
facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder.
d. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register and
qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under
such other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions (up to 10) in the
United States as any Holder reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those
jurisdictions, such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to
maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take
such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and
qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv)
take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the
Registrable Securities
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for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (w) make any
change to its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, (x) qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify
but for this Section 3(d), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such
jurisdiction or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify each Holder who holds
Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of any
jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the
initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
e. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such
event or development, the Company shall notify each Holder in writing of the
happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event shall such
notice contain any material, nonpublic information), and promptly prepare a
supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement to correct such untrue
statement or omission, and deliver ten (10) copies of such supplement or
amendment to each Holder. The Company shall also promptly notify each Holder in
writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment has been filed, and when a Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such
effectiveness shall be delivered to each Holder by facsimile on the same day of
such effectiveness), (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or
supplements to a Registration Statement or related prospectus or related
information, and (iii) of the Company's reasonable determination that a
post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate.
f. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, or the suspension of the qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction within the United States of
America and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal
of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and to notify each
Holder who holds Registrable Securities being sold of the issuance of such order
and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or
threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
g. At the reasonable request of any Holder, the Company shall
furnish to such Holder, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and thereafter from time to time on such dates as a Holder may
reasonably request (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's independent
certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by
independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten
public offering, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of counsel
representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form,
scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public offering,
addressed to the Holders.
h. Intentionally omitted.
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i. The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any
disclosure of information concerning a Holder provided to the Company unless (i)
disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state
securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid
or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the
release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final,
non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the
public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other
agreement. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of
such information concerning a Holder is sought in or by a court or governmental
body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written
notice to such Holder and allow such Holder, at the Holder's expense, to
undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective
order for, such information.
j. The Company shall use its best efforts either to cause all
the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement (i) to be listed
on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series
issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such
Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange or
(ii) secure designation and quotation of all the Registrable Securities covered
by the Registration Statement on the Nasdaq National Market or The Nasdaq
SmallCap Market or quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. OTC Bulletin Board for such Registrable Securities. The Company shall pay
all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under this
Section 3(j).
k. The Company shall cooperate with the Holders who hold
Registrable Securities being offered and, to the extent applicable, to
facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any
restrictive legend) representing the Registrable Securities to be offered
pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such certificates to be in such
denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the Holders may reasonably
request and registered in such names as the Holders may request.
l. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the
Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be
registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities
as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable
Securities.
m. The Company shall make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practical, but not later than 90 days after the close of the
period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with the
provisions of Rule 158 under the 0000 Xxx) covering a twelve-month period
beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next
following the effective date of the Registration Statement.
n. The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply
with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any
registration hereunder.
o. Within two (2) business days after a Registration Statement
which covers Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company
shall deliver, and shall cause
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legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such
Registrable Securities (with copies to the Holders whose Registrable Securities
are included in such Registration Statement) confirmation that such Registration
Statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as
EXHIBIT A.
p. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions
necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Holders of Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF A HOLDER.
Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or
the first sentence of 3(e), such Holder will immediately discontinue disposition
of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement(s) covering
such Registrable Securities until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(e) or receipt of
notice that no supplement or amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended
certificates for shares of Common Stock to a transferee of a Holder in
connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which a
Holder has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Holder's receipt of a
notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in
Section 3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e) and for which the Holder has not yet
settled.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All expenses incurred in connection with registrations,
filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without
limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers, legal
and accounting fees shall be paid by the Company, including the Investors'
reasonable legal fees of one counsel for the Investors in an amount not to
exceed $5,000.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
With respect to Registrable Securities which are included in a
Registration Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will,
and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Holder, the directors,
officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives of, and each Person, if
any, who controls any Holder within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act
(each, an "INDEMNIFIED PERSON"), against any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, reasonable attorneys'
fees, amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several (collectively,
"CLAIMS") incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim,
suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by
or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency,
body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified
party is or may be a party thereto ("INDEMNIFIED DAMAGES"), to which any of them
may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether
commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a
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Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing
made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities
or other "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are
offered ("BLUE SKY FILING"), or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in any final prospectus (as amended or supplemented,
if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC)
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary
to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which
the statements therein were made, not misleading; or (iii) any violation or
alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law,
including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or
regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement (the matters in the foregoing
clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively, "VIOLATIONS"). The Company shall
reimburse the Holders and each such controlling person promptly as such expenses
are incurred and are due and payable, for any legal fees or disbursements or
other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (x) shall
not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a
Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use
in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such
amendment thereof or supplement thereto; (y) shall not be available to the
extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Holder to deliver or to cause to
be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus
was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d); and (z) shall
not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is
effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and
effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified
Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the
Holders pursuant to Section 9.
b. In connection with a Registration Statement, each Holder
agrees to severally and not jointly indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the
same extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement
and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933
Act or the 1934 Act (each an "INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), against any Claim or
Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act,
the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise
out of or is based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent, and only to
the extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in
connection with such Registration Statement; and, subject to Section 6(d), such
Holder will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in
connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however,
that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement
with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts
paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior
written consent of such Holder, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld; provided, further, however, that the Holder shall be liable under this
Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not
exceed the net proceeds to such Holder as a result of the sale of
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Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity
shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or
on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the
Registrable Securities by the Holders pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement
contained in this Section 6(b) with respect to any prospectus shall not inure to
the benefit of any Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of
material fact contained in the prospectus was corrected and such new prospectus
was delivered to each Holder prior to such Holder's use of the prospectus to
which the Claim relates.
c. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any
action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving
a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in
respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section
6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement
thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and,
to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof
with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified
Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel with the fees and expenses of not more than one counsel for such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party to be paid by the indemnifying party,
if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the
representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any
other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. In the case of an
Indemnified Person, legal counsel referred to in the immediately preceding
sentence shall be selected by the Holders holding a majority in interest of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to which the Claim
relates. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with
the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such
action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying
party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party
shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at all
times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with
respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any
action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent,
provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold,
delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry
of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not
include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff
to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability
in respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided
for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms
or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
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d. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be
made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the
investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages
are incurred.
e. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in
addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any
liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is
prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum
contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable
under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that:
(i) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to
contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable
Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by
such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
With a view to making available to the Holders the benefits of
Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act or any similar rule or regulation of the
SEC that may at any time permit the Holders to sell securities of the Company to
the public without registration ("RULE 144") the Company agrees to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms
are understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as
the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports
and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
c. furnish to each Holder so long as such Holder owns
Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the
Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the
1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly
report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the
Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to
permit the Holders to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without
registration.
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9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically
assignable by the Holders to any transferee of all or any portion of Registrable
Securities if: (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee
to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company
within a reasonable time after such assignment; (ii) the Company is, within a
reasonable time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice
of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the
securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred
or assigned; and (iii) at or before the time the Company receives the written
notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence the transferee or assignee
agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions
contained herein.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance
thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company
and Holders who then hold at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Registrable
Securities. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10
shall be binding upon each Holder and the Company. No such amendment shall be
effective to the extent that it applies to fewer than all of the Holders of the
Registrable Securities. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person
to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of this
Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to
this Agreement.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A Person is deemed to be a Holder of Registrable Securities
whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable
Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or
election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
b. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications
required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in
writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when
delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided
confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and
kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one business day after deposit with
a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly
addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers
for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
ADVANCED VIRAL RESEARCH CORP.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, M.D.
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
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with a copy to:
Wolf, Block, Xxxxxx and Xxxxx-Xxxxx, LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
If to a Holder, to its address and facsimile number on the Schedule of Holders
attached hereto, with copies to such Holder's representatives as set forth on
the Schedule of Holders or to such other address and/or facsimile number and/or
to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by
written notice given to each other party five days prior to the effectiveness of
such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such
notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or
electronically generated by the sender's facsimile machine containing the time,
date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such
transmission or (C) provided by a courier or overnight courier service shall be
rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a
nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i),
(ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under
this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or
remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall govern
all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and the Holders as its
stockholders. All other questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the
internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of
law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or
any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in
the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute
hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby
or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in
any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to
the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is
brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or
proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of
process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or
proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such
notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute
good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any
manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that
jurisdiction or the validity or
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enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO
REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN
CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
e. This Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and the
Warrants constitute, collectively, the entire agreement among the parties hereto
with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no
restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth
or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement
and the Warrants supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and
assigns of each of the parties hereto.
g. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement may be executed in identical counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one
and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be
delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this
Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
i. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and
performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all
such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other
party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the
purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
j. All consents and other determinations to be made by the
Holders pursuant to this Agreement shall be made, unless otherwise specified in
this Agreement, by Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be
the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules
of strict construction will be applied against any party.
l. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the
benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
ADVANCED VIRAL RESEARCH CORP.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
MAY XXXXX GROUP, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE OF HOLDERS
Holder's Address Holder's Representatives' Address
Holder's Name and Facsimile Number and Facsimile Number
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
[TRANSFER AGENT]
ATTN:
Re: Advanced Viral Research Corp.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to Advanced Viral Research Corp., a Delaware corporation
(the "COMPANY"), and have represented the Company in connection with that
certain Placement Agent Agreement between the Company and May Xxxxx Group, Inc.
("May Xxxxx") dated _______ __, 2000 and the Warrant of even date with the
Placement Agent Agreement issued to May Xxxxx by the Company for the purchase of
its Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the "COMMON STOCK"). Pursuant to
the Placement Agent Agreement, the Company has also entered into a Registration
Rights Agreement with May Xxxxx (the "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT") pursuant
to which the Company has agreed, among other things, to register the Registrable
Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 ACT"). In connection with the
Company's obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________
____, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form ________ (File No.
333-_____________) (the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT") with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the Registrable Securities which
names each of the Holders as a selling stockholder thereunder.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the
SEC's staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME
OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge,
after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that
purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
[ISSUER'S COUNSEL]
By:
cc: [LIST NAMES OF HOLDERS]
