As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 9, 2018
Registration No. 333-225824
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 2834 | 26-3744114 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2
San Diego, California 92121
(858) 450-6464
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrants principal executive offices)
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2
San Diego, California 92121
(858) 450-6464
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Cheston J. Larson Matthew T. Bush Kevin C. Reyes Latham & Watkins LLP 12670 High Bluff Drive San Diego, California 92130 (858) 523-5400 |
Charles S. Kim Sean M. Clayton David Peinsipp Cooley LLP 4401 Eastgate Mall San Diego, California 92121 (858) 550-6000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement is declared effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities To Be Registered |
Amount to be Registered(1) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2) |
Amount of Registration Fee(3) | ||||
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share |
5,750,000 shares | $17.00 | $97,750,000 | $12,169.88 | ||||
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(1) | Includes 750,000 shares of common stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase. |
(2) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. |
(3) | $10,738.13 of this registration fee was previously paid by the Registrant in connection with the filing of its Registration Statement on Form S-1 on June 22, 2018. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or other jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, dated July 9, 2018
Preliminary prospectus
5,000,000 shares
Common stock
This is an initial public offering of shares of common stock by Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. We are offering 5,000,000 shares of our common stock to be sold in the offering. The initial public offering price is expected to be between $15.00 and $17.00 per share.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. We have applied to list our common shares on the Nasdaq Global Market, under the symbol CRNX.
We are an emerging growth company as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.
Per share | Total | |||||||
Initial public offering price |
$ | $ | ||||||
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) |
$ | $ | ||||||
Proceeds to Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., before expenses |
$ | $ |
(1) | See Underwriting for a description of the compensation payable to the underwriters. |
We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to 750,000 additional shares of common stock.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See Risk factors beginning on page 11.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price per share and on the same terms as the other purchasers in this offering. However, because these indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, or any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these stockholders as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about , 2018.
J.P. Morgan | Leerink Partners | Piper Jaffray |
, 2018
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Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations |
75 | |||
90 | ||||
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161 | ||||
Material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders |
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F-1 |
Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We and the underwriters are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or of any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
Through and including , 2018 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus) all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
For investors outside of the United States: We have not, and the underwriters have not, done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, especially the section in this prospectus entitled Risk factors and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included at the end of this prospectus, before making an investment decision. As used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to we, us, our, our company and Crinetics refer to Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Overview
We are a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors. Endocrine pathways function to maintain homeostasis and commonly use peptide hormones acting through G protein coupled receptors, or GPCRs, to regulate many aspects of physiology including growth, energy, metabolism, gastrointestinal function and stress responses. We have assembled a seasoned team with extensive expertise in drug discovery and development in endocrine GPCRs and built a highly productive drug discovery organization. We have discovered a pipeline of oral nonpeptide (small molecule) new chemical entities that target peptide GPCRs to treat a variety of rare endocrine diseases where treatment options have significant efficacy, safety and/or tolerability limitations. Our lead product candidate, CRN00808, is currently in clinical development for the treatment of acromegaly, and we are advancing additional product candidates through preclinical studies in parallel. Our vision is to build the leading endocrine company which consistently pioneers new therapeutics to help patients better control their disease and improve their daily lives.
We focus on the discovery and development of oral nonpeptide therapeutics that target peptide GPCRs with well understood biological functions, validated biomarkers and the potential to substantially improve the treatment of endocrine diseases and/or endocrine-related tumors. All of our product candidates have been discovered and developed internally and we have retained global rights to commercialize our product candidates and have no royalty or licensing obligations. The following table summarizes our product candidate pipeline and anticipated milestones.
Our discovery team has significant expertise in understanding and creating product candidates to influence the dynamic behavior of GPCRs and has developed a number of proprietary methods, techniques and tools that we believe will enable us to efficiently and reliably evaluate newly synthesized molecules. We employ an iterative strategy where compounds are designed, synthesized and rapidly characterized for pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties. There are more than 80 known peptide hormones acting at more than 120 known different receptors. Historically, it was assumed that small molecules could not replicate or compete with the complex interactions between peptides and their cognate GPCRs. As such, most drugs developed for peptide GPCRs have been and continue to be peptides themselves, which present manufacturing and formulation
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difficulties and force patients to undergo frequent injections because peptides generally are not orally bioavailable. With each of our drug discovery programs, our goal is to specifically tailor a product candidate with pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties highly optimized for its interaction with its specific GPCR target that we anticipate will translate to downstream benefits in our chosen therapeutic applications.
We were founded by a team of scientists with a track record of drug discovery and development to create important new therapeutic options for patients with rare endocrine diseases. Prior to founding the company, our Chief Executive Officer, Scott Struthers, Ph.D., was Senior Director and Head of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. There, Dr. Struthers and his fellow co-founders, Stephen Betz, Ph.D. and Frank Zhu, Ph.D., as well as our VP of Development Ajay Madan, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., held key leadership roles in the discovery and development of elagolix, a nonpeptide product candidate designed for the treatment of endometriosis and uterine fibroids that is currently awaiting a decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, on marketing approval. In addition, Dr. Madan held a key leadership role in the discovery and development of Ingrezza, which was approved by the FDA in 2017 for tardive dyskinesia. Our investors include 5AM Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Perceptive Advisors, RA Capital Management, Versant Ventures and Vivo Capital.
Our product candidates
CRN00808 for the treatment of acromegaly
Our lead product candidate, CRN00808, establishes a new class of oral selective nonpeptide somatostatin receptor type 2, or sst2, biased agonists designed for the treatment of acromegaly and is the first agent in its class with reported clinical results. Somatostatin is a neuropeptide hormone that broadly inhibits the secretion of other hormones, including growth hormone, or GH, from the pituitary gland. Acromegaly arises from a benign pituitary tumor that secretes excess GH that in turn causes excess secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1, by the liver. This loss of homeostasis in the GH axis results in excess tissue growth and other adverse metabolic effects throughout the body. More than 25,000 people in the United States suffer from acromegaly, and an estimated 40% to 60% are candidates for chronic pharmacological intervention, of which somatostatin peptide analogs are the primary pharmacotherapy. In 2017, injected somatostatin peptide drugs accounted for approximately $2.7 billion in global sales for the treatment of acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumors, or NETs, and other uses. Currently marketed peptide drugs require painful monthly or daily injections and, in the case of somatostatin peptide drugs, often fail to fully control the disease in many acromegaly patients.
In March 2018, we reported initial results from a Phase 1, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-ascending dose trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, or PK, and pharmacodynamics, or PD, of CRN00808 in 99 healthy volunteers. CRN00808 demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept by potently suppressing stimulated GH and baseline IGF-1 in these subjects. The plasma exposure of CRN00808 indicated the drug was well absorbed with a half-life of 42 to 50 hours, supporting once daily administration in patients. The safety and tolerability of CRN00808 observed in this trial was generally consistent with that of approved peptide somatostatin analogs. The most common adverse events were mild gastrointestinal disorders and mild elevations of pancreatic enzymes. We plan to submit an investigational new drug application, or IND, to the FDA in the second half of 2018 and, if accepted, plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials in acromegaly patients in early 2019. We anticipate that the first of these will be a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in patients whose IGF-1 levels are currently controlled by octreotide or lanreotide, each of which is a somatostatin analog approved for the treatment of acromegaly. We plan to conduct a second, open-label exploratory Phase 2 trial to evaluate the effects of CRN00808 on patients whose IGF-1 levels are not adequately controlled by octreotide or lanreotide alone.
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CRN02481 for the treatment of hyperinsulinemias
CRN02481 represents a new class of oral selective nonpeptide somatostatin type 5 receptor, or sst5, agonists designed to treat congenital hyperinsulinism, or CHI. This is a devastating rare disease in which infants are born with mutations that cause excess secretion of the pancreatic hormone insulin resulting in profound hypoglycemia, a very low level of blood glucose. This loss of homeostatic control of blood glucose levels can lead to seizures, developmental disorders, learning disabilities, coma and even death. CHI occurs in approximately 1 in 30,000 to 50,000 new births in the United States. We believe an orally available sst5 agonist would provide an important new therapeutic option that inhibits insulin secretion while avoiding glucagon suppression, allowing these patients to maintain normal glucose levels and possibly avoid pancreatectomy, the surgical removal of all or a part of the pancreas.
To evaluate preclinical in vivo proof-of-concept, we tested CRN02481 in a rat model of CHI. When these rats were then treated with CRN02481, blood glucose levels returned to normal, and at higher doses, even to a hyperglycemic state. In addition, the drug-like characteristics of CRN02481 met our rigorous internal criteria that we use to determine if a product candidate should enter into preclinical development. We are currently optimizing the good manufacturing process, or GMP, synthesis and performing good laboratory practice, or GLP, first-in-human enabling studies for CRN02481. We expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial that evaluates inhibition of insulin secretion and its effects on blood glucose in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in 2019.
CRN01941 for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs)
CRN01941 is an oral nonpeptide sst2 biased agonist designed for the treatment of NETs, which arise from cells of the enteroendocrine system in the gastrointestinal tract, lung or, more rarely, the pancreas. These tumors are usually slow growing and often initially asymptomatic. Therefore, many patients are only diagnosed at a time of extensive metastatic disease, and these patients will often progress to liver failure. In approximately 10% of cases, these tumors are associated with excess secretion of serotonin resulting in carcinoid syndrome, which is characterized by severe diarrhea and flushing. Patients with well- and moderately-differentiated tumors and distant metastases have a five-year survival probability of 35%, according to a 2012 study published in Neuroendocrinology. NETs are present in approximately 171,000 adults in the United States. Most NETs overexpress sst2 receptors and injected depots of peptide somatostatin analogs have become the first-line standard of care for many NETs patients, as detailed in recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
The chemical structure of CRN01941 is derived from a different chemical scaffold from that of CRN00808. In vitro pharmacology studies demonstrated that CRN01941 potently stimulated sst2 receptor activity (as measured by a decrease in cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, accumulation in cells expressing the human sst2 receptor) and is highly biased for Gi signaling versus receptor internalization (88-fold). In addition, the drug-like characteristics of CRN01941 met our rigorous internal criteria that we use to determine if a product candidate should enter into preclinical development. We are currently optimizing GMP synthesis and performing GLP first-in-human enabling studies on CRN01941 and expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in late 2019/early 2020.
Product candidate for the treatment of Cushings disease
We have an ongoing discovery effort to identify and advance into development the first nonpeptide product candidate to antagonize the peptide adrenocorticotrophic hormone, or ACTH, designed for the treatment of Cushings disease. Cushings disease results from a pituitary tumor that secretes excess ACTH which in turn causes the downstream synthesis and over-secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is the bodys
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main stress hormone and excess amounts can cause significant increases in mortality and morbidity. Cushings disease is an orphan indication with a prevalence of approximately 16,000 patients in the United States.
ACTH acts through a peptide GPCR called the melanocortin type 2 receptor, or MC2, that is specifically expressed in the adrenal gland. Our discovery team has identified potent, selective nonpeptide antagonists of MC2 designed to block ACTH action and prevent its excessive stimulation of the adrenal gland in Cushings disease patients. This program is currently in the lead optimization stage, and our goal is to select a product candidate for preclinical development in 2019.
Our strategy
Our objective is to transform the treatment of rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors by creating a diversified portfolio of novel therapeutics that will advance the standard of care. To achieve this objective, we are pursuing the following strategy:
| Focus on rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors with significant unmet medical need; |
| Rapidly advance multiple product candidates in parallel to clinical proof-of-concept and late stage development by targeting diseases that require relatively small trials and employ validated biomarkers as clinical endpoints; |
| Continue to expand our therapeutic pipeline for rare endocrine diseases by leveraging the capabilities of our experienced discovery team in the area of peptide hormone GPCRs; |
| Retain commercialization rights to maximize the value of our product candidates; and |
| Maintain an entrepreneurial, scientifically rigorous and inclusive corporate culture where employees are fully engaged and strive to bring improved therapeutic options to patients. |
Risks related to our business
Our ability to execute our business strategy is subject to numerous risks, as more fully described in the section entitled Risk factors immediately following this prospectus summary. These risks include, among others:
| We have a limited operating history, have incurred significant operating losses since our inception and expect to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future. We may never generate any revenue or become profitable or, if we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it. |
| We will require substantial additional financing to achieve our goals, and a failure to obtain this necessary capital when needed on acceptable terms, or at all, could force us to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development programs, commercialization efforts or other operations. |
| We are early in our development efforts and have only one product candidate in clinical development. All of our other research programs are still in the preclinical or discovery stage. If we are unable to successfully develop product candidates or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially harmed. |
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| We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully develop any product candidates. |
| Preclinical and clinical drug development involves a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results. Our product candidates may not have favorable results in later clinical trials, if any, or receive regulatory approval. |
| Any delays in the commencement or completion, or termination or suspension, of our clinical trials could result in increased costs to us, delay or limit our ability to generate revenue and adversely affect our commercial prospects. |
| We face competition from entities that have developed or may develop somatostatin agonist products or other product candidates. If these companies develop technologies or product candidates more rapidly than we do or their technologies are more effective, our ability to develop and successfully commercialize products may be adversely affected. |
| We rely on third parties to conduct some or all aspects of our product manufacturing, research and preclinical and clinical testing, and these third parties may not perform satisfactorily. |
| Our success depends on our ability to protect our intellectual property and our proprietary technologies. |
Corporate information
We were incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware on November 18, 2008. Our principal executive offices are located at 10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2, San Diego, California 92121, and our telephone number is (858) 450-6464. Our website address is www.crinetics.com. The information contained in, or accessible through, our website does not constitute part of this prospectus. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only.
We use our pending trademark Crinetics in this prospectus. This prospectus also includes trademarks, tradenames and service marks that are the property of other organizations. Solely for convenience, trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus appear without the ® and symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or that the applicable owner will not assert its rights, to these trademarks and tradenames.
Implications of being an emerging growth company
As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or the JOBS Act, enacted in April 2012. An emerging growth company may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to:
| being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Managements Discussion & Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in this prospectus; |
| not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or Sarbanes-Oxley; |
| reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements; and |
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| exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. |
We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of our common equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, which such fifth anniversary will occur in 2023. However, if certain events occur prior to the end of such five-year period, including if we become a large accelerated filer as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion or we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period, we will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period.
We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.
In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, we will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
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The offering
Common stock offered by us |
5,000,000 shares |
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering |
22,007,961 shares (or 22,757,961 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) |
Option to purchase additional shares |
We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for a period of 30 days to purchase up to 750,000 additional shares of our common stock. |
Use of proceeds |
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to fund research and development of our product candidates and development programs and for working capital and general corporate purposes. See Use of proceeds for a more complete description of the intended use of proceeds from this offering. |
Directed shares |
At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to 2% of the shares offered hereby for employees, directors and other persons associated with us who have expressed an interest in purchasing common stock in the offering. See Underwriting for more information. |
Risk factors |
You should read the Risk factors section of this prospectus and the other information in this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. |
Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol |
CRNX |
The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering set forth above is based on 17,007,961 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2018, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the closing of this offering, and excludes:
| 1,457,952 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2018, at a weighted-average exercise price of $1.34 per share; |
| 1,027,196 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options granted after March 31, 2018, at a weighted-average exercise price of $9.81 per share; |
| 1,991,637 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2018 equity incentive plan, or the 2018 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number includes 391,637 shares remaining available for issuance under our 2015 Stock Incentive Plan as of June 30, 2018 (which shares will become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan upon its effectiveness), but does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the 2018 Plan); and |
| 250,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2018 employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the ESPP). |
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Unless otherwise indicated, this prospectus assumes or gives effect to the following:
| the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws, each of which will occur immediately prior to the closing of this offering; |
| the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the closing of the offering; |
| a one-for-3.29 reverse stock split of our common stock which we effected on July 6, 2018; |
| no exercise of the outstanding options described above; and |
| no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase 750,000 additional shares of our common stock. |
Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price per share and on the same terms as the other purchasers in this offering. However, because these indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, or any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these stockholders as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.
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Summary consolidated financial data
The following tables set forth a summary of our historical consolidated financial data as of, and for the periods ended on, the dates indicated. We have derived the statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2017 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the statements of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 and the balance sheet data as of March 31, 2018 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state our financial position as of March 31, 2018 and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018. You should read this data together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the sections in this prospectus entitled Selected consolidated financial data and Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations. Our historical results for any prior period are not necessarily indicative of our future results.
Years Ended December 31, | Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share data) | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | ||||||||||||
(unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data: |
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Grant revenues |
$ | 589 | $ | 2,045 | $ | 45 | $ | 442 | ||||||||
Operating expenses: |
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Research and development |
5,100 | 9,233 | 2,065 | 4,720 | ||||||||||||
General and administrative |
1,533 | 1,939 | 589 | 1,248 | ||||||||||||
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Total operating expenses |
6,633 | 11,172 | 2,654 | 5,968 | ||||||||||||
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Loss from operations |
(6,044 | ) | (9,127 | ) | (2,609 | ) | (5,526 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense): |
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Interest income |
37 | 26 | 7 | 64 | ||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(11 | ) | (8 | ) | (2 | ) | | |||||||||
Other expense |
(1 | ) | (48 | ) | (2 | ) | (2 | ) | ||||||||
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Total other income (expense) |
25 | (30 | ) | 3 | 62 | |||||||||||
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Net loss |
$ | (6,019 | ) | $ | (9,157 | ) | $ | (2,606 | ) | $ | (5,464 | ) | ||||
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Net loss per share, basic and diluted(1) |
$ | (5.96 | ) | $ | (6.68 | ) | $ | (2.18 | ) | $ | (2.92 | ) | ||||
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Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted(1) |
1,010,510 | 1,370,578 | 1,197,711 | 1,869,576 | ||||||||||||
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Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted (unaudited)(1) |
$ | (1.18 | ) | $ | (0.39 | ) | ||||||||||
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Pro forma weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted |
7,746,089 | 13,878,156 | ||||||||||||||
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(1) | See Note 1 to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an explanation of the method used to calculate the historical and pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted, and the number of shares used in the computation of the per share amounts. |
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As of March 31, 2018 | ||||||||||
(in thousands) | Actual | Pro forma(1) | Pro forma as adjusted(1)(2) | |||||||
(unaudited) |
(unaudited) |
(unaudited) | ||||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 73,740 | $ | 73,740 | $145,340 | |||||
Working capital |
71,595 | 71,595 | 143,195 | |||||||
Total assets |
76,329 | 76,329 | 147,929 | |||||||
Convertible preferred stock |
92,975 | | | |||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(21,729 | ) | (21,729 | ) | (21,729) | |||||
Total stockholders equity (deficit) |
(19,976 | ) | 72,999 | 144,599 | ||||||
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(1) | Gives effect to the automatic conversion of all of our outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock into an aggregate of 14,712,571 shares of common stock and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to the closing of this offering. |
(2) | Gives effect to (i) the pro forma adjustments set forth in footnote (1) above and (ii) the issuance and sale of 5,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders equity by approximately $4.7 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us at the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amounts of each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders equity by approximately $14.9 million, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The pro forma information discussed above is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of our initial public offering determined at pricing. |
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Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, before making an investment decision. If any of the following risks are realized, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment.
Risks related to our limited operating history, financial position and capital requirements
We have a limited operating history, have incurred significant operating losses since our inception and expect to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future. We may never generate any revenue or become profitable or, if we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it.
Pharmaceutical product development is a highly speculative undertaking and involves a substantial degree of risk. We are a clinical stage pharmaceutical company with a limited operating history upon which you can evaluate our business and prospects. We commenced operations in 2010, and to date, we have focused primarily on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, discovering potential product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. Our approach to the discovery and development of product candidates is unproven, and we do not know whether we will be able to develop any products of commercial value. In addition, only one of our product candidates, CRN00808, is in early clinical development, while our other development programs remain in the preclinical or discovery stages. We have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully complete any clinical trials beyond Phase 1, obtain regulatory approvals, manufacture a commercial scale product, or arrange for a third party to do so on our behalf, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for successful product commercialization. Consequently, any predictions made about our future success or viability may not be as accurate as they could be if we had a history of successfully developing and commercializing pharmaceutical products.
We have incurred significant operating losses since our inception. If our product candidates are not successfully developed and approved, we may never generate any revenue. Our net losses were $6.0 million, $9.2 million and $5.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2018, respectively. As of March 31, 2018, we had an accumulated deficit of $21.7 million. Substantially all of our losses have resulted from expenses incurred in connection with our research and development programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations. All of our product candidates will require substantial additional development time and resources before we would be able to apply for or receive regulatory approvals and begin generating revenue from product sales. We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future, and we anticipate these losses will increase substantially as we continue our development of, seek regulatory approval for and potentially commercialize any approved products.
To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in developing and eventually commercializing products that generate significant revenue. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including completing preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates, discovering additional product candidates, obtaining regulatory approval for these product candidates and manufacturing, marketing and selling any products for which we may obtain regulatory approval. We are only in the preliminary stages of most of these activities. We may never succeed in these activities and, even if we do, may never generate revenues that are significant enough to achieve profitability. In addition, we have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully overcome many of the risks and uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in
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new and rapidly evolving fields, particularly in the biopharmaceutical industry. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with pharmaceutical product development, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. Even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to become and remain profitable would depress the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, maintain our research and development efforts, diversify our product candidates or even continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.
We will require substantial additional financing to achieve our goals, and a failure to obtain this necessary capital when needed on acceptable terms, or at all, could force us to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development programs, commercialization efforts or other operations.
The development of biopharmaceutical product candidates is capital-intensive. We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we conduct our ongoing and planned clinical trials of CRN00808, continue research and development and initiate clinical trials of CRN02481 and CRN01941, and seek regulatory approval for our current product candidates and any future product candidates, including product candidates that we may develop for our Cushings disease development program. In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution. Because the outcome of any preclinical study or clinical trial is highly uncertain, we cannot reasonably estimate the actual amounts necessary to successfully complete the development and commercialization of our product candidates. Furthermore, following the completion of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company. Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our research and development programs or any future commercialization efforts.
We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will enable us to fund our operations for at least the next 24 months. In particular, we expect that the net proceeds from this offering will allow us to complete our planned Phase 2 clinical trials for CRN00808 and our planned Phase 1 clinical trials for CRN02481 and CRN01941. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our capital resources sooner than we currently expect. Our operating plans and other demands on our cash resources may change as a result of many factors currently unknown to us, and we may need to seek additional funds sooner than planned, through public or private equity or debt financings or other sources, such as strategic collaborations. We do not currently expect future grant revenues to be a material source of revenue. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. Attempting to secure additional financing may divert our management from our day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our ability to develop our product candidates.
Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:
| the type, number, scope, progress, expansions, results, costs and timing of, our preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates which we are pursuing or may choose to pursue in the future; |
| the costs and timing of manufacturing for our product candidates, including commercial manufacturing if any product candidate is approved; |
| the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of our product candidates; |
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| the costs of obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our patents and other intellectual property rights; |
| our efforts to enhance operational systems and hire additional personnel to satisfy our obligations as a public company, including enhanced internal controls over financial reporting; |
| the costs associated with hiring additional personnel and consultants as our preclinical and clinical activities increase; |
| the timing and the extent of any Australian Tax Incentive refunds and future grant revenues, if any, that we receive; |
| the costs and timing of establishing or securing sales and marketing capabilities if any product candidate is approved; |
| our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, adequate coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products; |
| the terms and timing of establishing and maintaining collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements; and |
| costs associated with any products or technologies that we may in-license or acquire. |
Identifying potential product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials is a time- consuming, expensive and uncertain process that takes years to complete, and we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain regulatory approval and achieve product sales. In addition, our product candidates, if approved, may not achieve commercial success. Our commercial revenues, if any, will be derived from sales of products that we do not expect to be commercially available for many years, if at all.
Accordingly, we will need to continue to rely on additional financing to achieve our business objectives. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, including purchasers of common stock in this offering, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates.
Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a common stockholder. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends.
If we raise funds through future collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us and/or that may reduce the value of our common stock.
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Risks related to the discovery and development and regulatory approval of our product candidates
We are early in our development efforts and have only one product candidate in clinical development. All of our other research programs are still in the preclinical or discovery stage. If we are unable to successfully develop product candidates or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially harmed.
We are in the early stages of our development efforts and have only one product candidate, CRN00808, in early clinical development. All of our other development programs, including CRN02481 and CRN01941, are still in the preclinical or drug discovery stage. We have invested substantially all of our efforts and financial resources in developing our current product candidates, potential product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. Our ability to generate product revenues, which we do not expect will occur for many years, if ever, will depend heavily on the successful development and eventual commercialization of our product candidates. The success of our product candidates will depend on several factors, including the following:
| completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials with favorable results; |
| acceptance of INDs by the FDA or similar regulatory filing by comparable foreign regulatory authorities for the conduct of clinical trials of our product candidates and our proposed design of future clinical trials; |
| receipt of marketing approvals from applicable regulatory authorities, including new drug applications, or NDAs, from the FDA and maintaining such approvals; |
| making arrangements with our third-party manufacturers for, or establishing, commercial manufacturing capabilities; |
| maintaining an acceptable safety profile of our products following approval; and |
| maintaining and growing an organization of scientists and business people who can develop our products and technology. |
The success of our business, including our ability to finance our company and generate any revenue in the future, will primarily depend on the successful development, regulatory approval and commercialization of CRN00808, as well as our other product candidates, which may never occur. In the future, we may also become dependent on other product candidates that we may develop or acquire; however, given our early stage of development, it may be several years, if at all, before we have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of a treatment sufficient to warrant approval for commercialization. If we are unable to develop, or obtain regulatory approval for, or, if approved, successfully commercialize our product candidates, we may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to continue our business.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully develop any product candidates.
The success of our business depends primarily upon our ability to discover, develop and commercialize products created with our internal capabilities, including the experience of our scientists and drug development staff. While we believe we have a highly productive drug discovery and development organization, we have not yet succeeded and may not succeed in demonstrating efficacy and safety for any product candidates in clinical trials or in obtaining marketing approval thereafter. We may be unsuccessful in moving our other product candidates from preclinical studies into clinical development, discovering additional product candidates, including for our program for Cushings disease, and any product candidates that we are currently developing may be shown to have harmful side effects or may have other characteristics that may necessitate additional clinical testing or make the product candidates unmarketable or unlikely to receive marketing approval. If any
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of these events occur, we may be forced to abandon our development efforts for a program or programs, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and could potentially cause us to cease operations.
Preclinical and clinical drug development involves a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results. Our product candidates may not have favorable results in later clinical trials, if any, or receive regulatory approval.
Preclinical and clinical drug development is expensive and can take many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. Failure can occur at any time during the preclinical study or clinical trial process. Despite promising preclinical or clinical results, any product candidate can unexpectedly fail at any stage of preclinical or clinical development. The historical failure rate for product candidates in our industry is high.
The results from preclinical studies or early clinical trials of a product candidate may not predict the results of later clinical trials of the product candidate, and interim results of a clinical trial are not necessarily indicative of final results. Product candidates in later stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy characteristics despite having progressed through preclinical studies and initial clinical trials. In particular, while we have conducted preclinical studies and have interim Phase 1 results for CRN00808, we do not know how CRN00808 will perform in future clinical trials, including as a result of any differences resulting from the use of new formulations that we may use in subsequent clinical trials of CRN00808. It is not uncommon to observe results in clinical trials that are unexpected based on preclinical studies and early clinical trials, and many product candidates fail in clinical trials despite very promising early results. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses. A number of companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in clinical development even after achieving promising results in earlier studies. In addition, interim results from our Phase 1 clinical trial for CRN00808 showed that the current capsule formulation exhibited an approximately 85% reduction in plasma concentrations when administered with a high fat breakfast, and, as a result, our planned protocol for our Phase 2 trials will require that patients fast prior to drug therapy. This may introduce variability into our Phase 2 results due to patient compliance. We expect to conduct additional activities to improve the capsule formulation, but cannot provide any assurance we will be successful in doing so. Furthermore, although our product candidates all target endocrine diseases and/or endocrine-related tumors, we cannot assure you that our preclinical programs will be able to progress from candidate identification to Phase 1 clinical proof-of-concept in healthy volunteers at the same rate as our lead product candidate, CRN00808.
For the foregoing reasons, we cannot be certain that our ongoing and planned clinical trials and preclinical studies will be successful. Any safety concerns observed in any one of our clinical trials in our targeted indications could limit the prospects for regulatory approval of our product candidates in those and other indications, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any delays in the commencement or completion, or termination or suspension, of our clinical trials could result in increased costs to us, delay or limit our ability to generate revenue and adversely affect our commercial prospects.
Before we can initiate clinical trials for our product candidates, we must submit the results of preclinical studies to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities along with other information, including information about product candidate chemistry, manufacturing and controls and our proposed clinical trial protocol, as part of an IND application or similar regulatory filing.
Before obtaining marketing approval from regulatory authorities for the sale of our product candidates, we must conduct extensive clinical studies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the product candidates in
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humans. Clinical testing is expensive, time consuming and uncertain as to outcome. In addition, we may rely in part on preclinical, clinical and quality data generated by clinical research organizations, or CROs, and other third parties for regulatory submissions for our product candidates. While we have or will have agreements governing these third parties services, we have limited influence over their actual performance. If these third parties do not make data available to us, or, if applicable, make regulatory submissions in a timely manner, in each case pursuant to our agreements with them, our development programs may be significantly delayed and we may need to conduct additional studies or collect additional data independently. In either case, our development costs would increase. We conducted our Phase 1 clinical trial of CRN00808 in Australia, and we will need to submit an IND for acceptance by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities prior to initiating our planned Phase 2 clinical trials. We may conduct our future Phase 1 clinical trials for our other product candidates outside the United States. The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to conduct additional preclinical studies for any product candidate before it allows us to initiate clinical trials under any IND or similar regulatory filing, which may lead to additional delays and increase the costs of our preclinical development programs. Any such delays in the commencement or completion of our ongoing and planned clinical trials for our product candidates could significantly affect our product development costs.
We do not know whether our planned trials will begin on time or be completed on schedule, if at all. The commencement and completion of clinical trials can be delayed for a number of reasons, including delays related to:
| the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities disagreeing as to the design or implementation of our clinical studies; |
| obtaining regulatory authorizations to commence a trial or reaching a consensus with regulatory authorities on trial design; |
| any failure or delay in reaching an agreement with CROs and clinical trial sites, the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation and may vary significantly among different CROs and trial sites; |
| obtaining approval from one or more institutional review boards, or IRBs; |
| IRBs refusing to approve, suspending or terminating the trial at an investigational site, precluding enrollment of additional subjects, or withdrawing their approval of the trial; |
| changes to clinical trial protocol; |
| clinical sites deviating from trial protocol or dropping out of a trial; |
| manufacturing sufficient quantities of product candidate or obtaining sufficient quantities of combination therapies for use in clinical trials; |
| subjects failing to enroll or remain in our trial at the rate we expect, or failing to return for post- treatment follow-up; |
| subjects choosing an alternative treatment for the indication for which we are developing our product candidates, or participating in competing clinical trials; |
| lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial; |
| subjects experiencing severe or unexpected drug-related adverse effects; |
| occurrence of serious adverse events in trials of the same class of agents conducted by other companies; |
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| selection of clinical end points that require prolonged periods of clinical observation or analysis of the resulting data; |
| a facility manufacturing our product candidates or any of their components being ordered by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities to temporarily or permanently shut down due to violations of current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, regulations or other applicable requirements, or infections or cross-contaminations of product candidates in the manufacturing process; |
| any changes to our manufacturing process that may be necessary or desired; |
| third-party clinical investigators losing the licenses or permits necessary to perform our clinical trials, not performing our clinical trials on our anticipated schedule or consistent with the clinical trial protocol, good clinical practices, or GCP, or other regulatory requirements; |
| third-party contractors not performing data collection or analysis in a timely or accurate manner; or |
| third-party contractors becoming debarred or suspended or otherwise penalized by the FDA or other government or regulatory authorities for violations of regulatory requirements, in which case we may need to find a substitute contractor, and we may not be able to use some or all of the data produced by such contractors in support of our marketing applications. |
We could also encounter delays if a clinical trial is suspended or terminated by us, by the IRBs of the institutions in which such trials are being conducted, by a Data Safety Monitoring Board for such trial or by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. Such authorities may impose such a suspension or termination due to a number of factors, including failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory requirements or our clinical protocols, inspection of the clinical trial operations or trial site by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities resulting in the imposition of a clinical hold, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a benefit from using a drug, changes in governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial. In addition, changes in regulatory requirements and policies may occur, and we may need to amend clinical trial protocols to comply with these changes. Amendments may require us to resubmit our clinical trial protocols to IRBs for reexamination, which may impact the costs, timing or successful completion of a clinical trial.
Further, conducting clinical trials in foreign countries, as we may do for our product candidates, presents additional risks that may delay completion of our clinical trials. These risks include the failure of enrolled patients in foreign countries to adhere to clinical protocol as a result of differences in healthcare services or cultural customs, managing additional administrative burdens associated with foreign regulatory schemes, as well as political and economic risks relevant to such foreign countries.
Moreover, principal investigators for our clinical trials may serve as scientific advisors or consultants to us from time to time and receive compensation in connection with such services. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to report some of these relationships to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority may conclude that a financial relationship between us and a principal investigator has created a conflict of interest or otherwise affected interpretation of the study. The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority may therefore question the integrity of the data generated at the applicable clinical trial site and the utility of the clinical trial itself may be jeopardized. This could result in a delay in approval, or rejection, of our marketing applications by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority, as the case may be, and may ultimately lead to the denial of marketing approval of one or more of our product candidates.
If we experience delays in the completion of, or termination of, any clinical trial of our product candidates, the commercial prospects of our product candidates will be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenues from any of these product candidates will be delayed. Moreover, any delays in completing our clinical trials will
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increase our costs, slow down our product candidate development and approval process and jeopardize our ability to commence product sales and generate revenues.
In addition, many of the factors that cause, or lead to, termination or suspension of, or a delay in the commencement or completion of, clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of regulatory approval of a product candidate. We may make formulation or manufacturing changes to our product candidates, in which case we may need to conduct additional preclinical studies to bridge our modified product candidates to earlier versions. Any delays to our clinical trials that occur as a result could shorten any period during which we may have the exclusive right to commercialize our product candidates and our competitors may be able to bring products to market before we do, and the commercial viability of our product candidates could be significantly reduced. Any of these occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly.
We may find it difficult to enroll patients in our clinical trials given the limited number of patients who have the diseases for which our product candidates are being developed. If we encounter difficulties enrolling subjects in our clinical trials, our clinical development activities could be delayed or otherwise adversely affected.
Subject enrollment, a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials, is affected by many factors including the size and nature of the patient population, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the eligibility and exclusion criteria for the trial, the design of the clinical trial, the risk that enrolled patients will not complete a clinical trial, our ability to recruit clinical trial investigators with the appropriate competencies and experience, competing clinical trials and clinicians and patients perceptions as to the potential advantages and risks of the product candidate being studied in relation to other available therapies, including any new drugs that may be approved for the indications we are investigating as well as any drugs under development. We will be required to identify and enroll a sufficient number of subjects for each of our clinical trials. Potential subjects for any planned clinical trials may not be adequately diagnosed or identified with the diseases which we are targeting or may not meet the entry criteria for such trials. For example, each of our target indications is an orphan indication and, in particular, our lead product candidate, CRN00808, targets acromegaly, a condition which currently affects approximately 25,000 people in the United States. We also may encounter difficulties in identifying and enrolling subjects with a stage of disease appropriate for our planned clinical trials and monitoring such subjects adequately during and after treatment. We may not be able to initiate or continue clinical trials if we are unable to locate a sufficient number of eligible subjects to participate in the clinical trials required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. In addition, the process of finding and diagnosing subjects may prove costly.
We plan to submit an IND to the FDA in the second half of 2018, which must go into effect before we can proceed with clinical studies. Pending FDA authorization to proceed, we plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials of CRN00808 in acromegaly patients, including those who are not adequately controlled with existing therapy, in early 2019. Additionally, we plan to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials for each of CRN02481 for CHI and CRN01941 for NETs in the first half of 2019. The timing of our clinical trials depends, in part, on the speed at which we can recruit patients to participate in our trials, as well as completion of required follow-up periods. The conditions for which we currently plan to evaluate our product candidates are orphan or rare diseases with limited patient pools from which to draw for clinical trials. The eligibility criteria of our clinical trials, once established, will further limit the pool of available trial participants. If patients are unwilling to participate in our trials for any reason, including the existence of concurrent clinical trials for similar patient populations, if they are unwilling to enroll in a clinical trial with a placebo-controlled design or the availability of approved therapies, or we otherwise have difficulty enrolling a sufficient number of patients, the timeline for recruiting subjects, conducting studies and obtaining regulatory approval of our product candidates may be delayed. Our inability to enroll a sufficient number of subjects for any of our future clinical trials would result in significant delays or may require us to abandon one or more clinical trials altogether. In addition, we expect to rely on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure proper and timely conduct
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of our future clinical trials and, while we intend to enter into agreements governing their services, we will have limited influence over their actual performance.
We cannot assure you that our assumptions used in determining expected clinical trial timelines are correct or that we will not experience delays in enrollment, which would result in the delay of completion of such trials beyond our expected timelines.
Use of our product candidates could be associated with side effects or adverse events, which could severely harm our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition.
As is the case with pharmaceuticals generally, it is likely that there may be side effects and adverse events associated with our product candidates use. Results of our clinical trials could reveal a high and unacceptable severity and prevalence of side effects or unexpected characteristics. Undesirable side effects caused by our product candidates could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or halt clinical trials and could result in a more restrictive label or the delay or denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. The drug-related side effects could affect patient recruitment or the ability of enrolled patients to complete the trial or result in potential product liability claims. Any of these occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly.
Moreover, if our product candidates are associated with undesirable side effects in clinical trials or have characteristics that are unexpected, we may elect to abandon their development or limit their development to more narrow uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective, which may limit the commercial expectations for the product candidate if approved. We may also be required to modify our study plans based on findings in our ongoing clinical trials. The safety and tolerability of CRN00808 observed in our Phase 1 clinical trial was generally consistent with that of approved peptide somatostatin analogs. The most common adverse events were mild gastrointestinal disorders occurring in approximately 30% of subjects (such as abdominal pain, flatulence, abdominal distension, and diarrhea) and mild elevations of pancreatic enzymes occurring in approximately 10% of subjects. One subject experienced moderate abdominal pain after a single 40 mg dose. Additional adverse events included headache, dizziness and cardiac rhythm abnormalities (including nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, or NSVT), which were not dose dependent and also observed in placebo subjects and/or prior to dosing. One serious adverse event of moderate NSVT was observed following a single 1.25 mg dose and was considered by the investigator unlikely to be related to CRN00808. Further analysis may reveal adverse events inconsistent with the safety profile observed to date. Additionally, while we have not yet initiated clinical trials for any of our other product candidates, it is likely that there may be side effects associated with their use. Many compounds that initially showed promise in early stage testing have later been found to cause side effects that prevented further development of the compound. In addition, regulatory authorities may draw different conclusions or require additional testing to confirm these determinations.
It is possible that as we test our product candidates in larger, longer and more extensive clinical trials, including with different dosing regimens, or as the use of these product candidates becomes more widespread if they receive regulatory approval, illnesses, injuries, discomforts and other adverse events that were observed in earlier trials, as well as conditions that did not occur or went undetected in previous trials, will be reported by subjects. If such side effects become known later in development or upon approval, if any, such findings may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly.
In addition, if one or more of our product candidates receives marketing approval, and we or others later identify undesirable side effects caused by such products, a number of potentially significant negative consequences could result, including:
| regulatory authorities may withdraw approvals of such product; |
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| we may be required to recall a product or change the way such product is administered to patients; |
| regulatory authorities may require additional warnings on the label, such as a black box warning or a contraindication; |
| we may be required to implement a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, or create a medication guide outlining the risks of such side effects for distribution to patients; |
| we could be sued and held liable for harm caused to patients; |
| the product could become less competitive; and |
| our reputation may suffer. |
Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the particular product candidate, if approved, and could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
As an organization, we are in the process of completing our first Phase 1 clinical trial, have never conducted later-stage clinical trials or submitted an NDA, and may be unable to do so for any of our product candidates.
We will need to successfully complete Phase 1 clinical trials and later-stage and pivotal clinical trials in order to obtain FDA or comparable foreign regulatory approval to market CRN00808, CRN02481, CRN01941 or any of our other product candidates. Carrying out later-stage clinical trials and the submission of a successful NDA is a complicated process. As an organization, we are in the process of completing our first Phase 1 clinical trial for CRN00808 and have not yet conducted any clinical trials for our other product candidates. We have not previously conducted any later stage or pivotal clinical trials, have limited experience in preparing, submitting and prosecuting regulatory filings and have not previously submitted an IND or an NDA or other comparable foreign regulatory submission for any product candidate. In addition, we have had limited interactions with the FDA and cannot be certain how many additional clinical trials of CRN00808 or any of our other product candidates will be required or how such trials should be designed. Consequently, we may be unable to successfully and efficiently execute and complete necessary clinical trials in a way that leads to regulatory submission and approval of CRN00808 or any of our other product candidates. We may require more time and incur greater costs than our competitors and may not succeed in obtaining regulatory approvals of product candidates that we develop. Failure to commence or complete, or delays in, our planned clinical trials, could prevent us from or delay us in commercializing CRN00808 or any other product candidate.
Our product candidates are subject to extensive regulation and compliance, which is costly and time consuming, and such regulation may cause unanticipated delays or prevent the receipt of the required approvals to commercialize our product candidates.
The clinical development, manufacturing, labeling, storage, record-keeping, advertising, promotion, import, export, marketing and distribution of our product candidates are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA in the United States and by comparable foreign regulatory authorities in foreign markets. In the United States, we are not permitted to market our product candidates until we receive regulatory approval from the FDA. The process of obtaining regulatory approval is expensive, often takes many years following the commencement of clinical trials and can vary substantially based upon the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidates involved, as well as the target indications and patient population. Approval policies or regulations may change, and the FDA has substantial discretion in the drug approval process, including the ability to delay, limit or deny approval of a product candidate for many reasons. Despite the time and expense invested in clinical development of product candidates, regulatory approval is never guaranteed. Neither we nor any future collaborator is permitted to market any of our product candidates in the United States until we receive approval of an NDA from the FDA.
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Prior to obtaining approval to commercialize a product candidate in the United States or abroad, we or our potential future collaborators must demonstrate with substantial evidence from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials, and to the satisfaction of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, that such product candidates are safe and effective for their intended uses. Results from nonclinical studies and clinical trials can be interpreted in different ways. Even if we believe the nonclinical or clinical data for our product candidates are promising, such data may not be sufficient to support approval by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities. The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, as the case may be, may also require us to conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials for our product candidates either prior to or post-approval, or may object to elements of our clinical development program.
The FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities can delay, limit or deny approval of a product candidate for many reasons, including:
| such authorities may disagree with the design or implementation of our clinical trials; |
| negative or ambiguous results from our clinical trials or results may not meet the level of statistical significance required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory agencies for approval; |
| serious and unexpected drug-related side effects may be experienced by participants in our clinical trials or by individuals using drugs similar to our product candidates; |
| the population studied in the clinical trial may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assure safety in the full population for which we seek approval; |
| such authorities may not accept clinical data from trials which are conducted at clinical facilities or in countries where the standard of care is potentially different from that of the United States; |
| we may be unable to demonstrate that a product candidates clinical and other benefits outweigh its safety risks; |
| such authorities may disagree with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials; |
| such authorities may not agree that the data collected from clinical trials of our product candidates are acceptable or sufficient to support the submission of an NDA or other submission or to obtain regulatory approval in the United States or elsewhere, and such authorities may impose requirements for additional preclinical studies or clinical trials; |
| such authorities may disagree regarding the formulation, labeling and/or the specifications of our product candidates; |
| approval may be granted only for indications that are significantly more limited than what we apply for and/or with other significant restrictions on distribution and use; |
| such authorities may find deficiencies in the manufacturing processes or facilities of our third-party manufacturers with which we or any of our potential future collaborators contract for clinical and commercial supplies; or |
| the approval policies or regulations of such authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering our or any of our potential future collaborators clinical data insufficient for approval. |
With respect to foreign markets, approval procedures vary among countries and, in addition to the foregoing risks, may involve additional product testing, administrative review periods and agreements with pricing authorities. In addition, events raising questions about the safety of certain marketed pharmaceuticals may result in increased cautiousness by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities in reviewing new drugs based on safety, efficacy or other regulatory considerations and may result in significant delays in
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obtaining regulatory approvals. Any delay in obtaining, or inability to obtain, applicable regulatory approvals would prevent us or any of our potential future collaborators from commercializing our product candidates.
Of the large number of drugs in development, only a small percentage successfully complete the FDA or foreign regulatory approval processes and are commercialized. The lengthy approval process as well as the unpredictability of future clinical trial results may result in our failing to obtain regulatory approval to market our product candidates, which would significantly harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Even if we eventually complete clinical trials and receive approval of an NDA or foreign marketing application for our product candidates, the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly additional clinical trials, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and/or the implementation of a REMS, which may be required to ensure safe use of the drug after approval. The FDA or the comparable foreign regulatory authority also may approve a product candidate for a more limited indication or patient population than we originally requested, and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority may not approve the labeling that we believe is necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of a product. Any delay in obtaining, or inability to obtain, applicable regulatory approval would delay or prevent commercialization of that product candidate and would materially adversely impact our business and prospects.
We may expend our limited resources to pursue a particular product candidate and fail to capitalize on product candidates or indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.
Because we have limited financial and managerial resources, we focus on specific product candidates, indications and discovery programs. As a result, we may forgo or delay pursuit of opportunities with other product candidates that could have had greater commercial potential. Our resource allocation decisions may cause us to fail to capitalize on viable commercial products or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future research and development programs and product candidates for specific indications may not yield any commercially viable products. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through future collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights to such product candidate.
We plan to seek orphan drug designation for CRN00808 and certain of our other product candidates. We may not be able to obtain or maintain orphan drug designations for any of our product candidates, and we may be unable to maintain the benefits associated with orphan drug designation, including the potential for market exclusivity.
Regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions, including the United States and Europe, may designate drugs for relatively small patient populations as orphan drugs. Under the Orphan Drug Act of 1983, the FDA may designate a product as an orphan product if it is intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is generally defined as a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, or a patient population of greater than 200,000 individuals in the United States, but for which there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing the drug will be recovered from sales in the United States. In the European Union, the European Medicines Agencys, or the EMA, Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products grants orphan drug designation to promote the development of products that are intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a life-threatening or chronically debilitating condition affecting not more than five in 10,000 persons in the European Union. We plan to seek orphan drug designation in the United States and the European Union for CRN00808 for acromegaly patients, and we intend to seek orphan drug designation for certain of our other product candidates. There can be no assurance that the FDA or the EMAs Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products will grant orphan designation for any indication for which we apply.
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In the United States, orphan designation entitles a party to financial incentives such as opportunities for grant funding towards clinical trial costs, tax advantages and user-fee waivers. In addition, if a product candidate that has orphan designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan drug exclusivity, which means that the FDA may not approve any other applications, including an NDA, to market the same drug for the same indication for seven years, except in limited circumstances, such as a showing of clinical superiority to the product with orphan drug exclusivity or where the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient product quantity. The applicable exclusivity period is ten years in Europe, but such exclusivity period can be reduced to six years if a product no longer meets the criteria for orphan designation or if the product is sufficiently profitable so that market exclusivity is no longer justified.
Even if we obtain orphan drug exclusivity for a product, that exclusivity may not effectively protect the product from competition because different drugs can be approved for the same condition. Even after an orphan drug is approved, the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority can subsequently approve the same drug for the same condition if such regulatory authority concludes that the later drug is clinically superior if it is shown to be safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care. Orphan drug designation neither shortens the development time or regulatory review time of a drug nor gives the drug any advantage in the regulatory review or approval process.
We have conducted, or plan to conduct, our initial clinical trials for CRN00808 and our other product candidates outside of the United States. However, the FDA and other foreign equivalents may not accept data from such trials, in which case our development plans will be delayed, which could materially harm our business.
We have conducted our initial clinical trials for CRN00808 in Australia. We believe that clinical data generated in Australia will be accepted by the FDA and its foreign equivalents outside of Australia, and therefore will enable us to commence Phase 2 and possibly registration clinical trials in the United States or the European Union following submission of an IND or CTA, without the need for us to repeat our Phase 1 clinical trials in the United States or European Union. We have not yet received authorization from the FDA or the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, to begin Phase 2 clinical trials for CRN00808 and there can be no assurance the FDA, MHRA or other foreign equivalents will accept data from the clinical trials we are conducting or plan to conduct in Australia for CRN00808. If the FDA, MHRA or other foreign equivalents do not accept any such data, we would likely be required to conduct additional Phase 1 clinical trials, which would be costly and time consuming, and delay aspects of our development plan, which could harm our business.
Although the FDA, MHRA and other foreign equivalents may accept data from clinical trials conducted entirely outside the United States and not under an IND, acceptance of such study data is generally subject to certain conditions. For example, the FDA requires the clinical trial to have been conducted in accordance with GCPs, and the FDA must be able to validate the data from the clinical trial through an onsite inspection if it deems such inspection necessary. In addition, when studies are conducted only at sites outside of the United States, the FDA generally does not provide advance comment on the clinical protocols for the studies, and therefore there is an additional potential risk that the FDA could determine that the study design or protocol for a non-U.S. clinical trial was inadequate, which would likely require us to conduct additional clinical trials.
Conducting clinical trials outside the United States also exposes us to additional risks, including risks associated with:
| additional foreign regulatory requirements; |
| foreign exchange fluctuations; |
| compliance with foreign manufacturing, customs, shipment and storage requirements; |
| cultural differences in medical practice and clinical research; and |
| diminished protection of intellectual property in some countries. |
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In addition, in June 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum and voted in favor of leaving the European Union. This has created political and economic uncertainty, particularly in the United Kingdom and the European Union, and could cause disruptions to, and create uncertainty surrounding, our planned clinical trials and activities in the United Kingdom, including affecting our relationships with our existing and prospective customers, partners, vendors and employees, and could have a material impact on the regulatory regime applicable to our planned clinical trial in the United Kingdom.
Interim, topline and preliminary data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.
From time to time, we may publicly disclose preliminary or topline or data from our clinical studies, which is based on a preliminary analysis of then-available data, and the results and related findings and conclusions are subject to change following a more comprehensive review of the data related to the particular study or trial. We also make assumptions, estimations, calculations and conclusions as part of our analyses of data, and we may not have received or had the opportunity to fully and carefully evaluate all data. As a result, the topline results that we report may differ from future results of the same studies, or different conclusions or considerations may qualify such results, once additional data have been received and fully evaluated. Topline data also remain subject to audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the preliminary data we previously published. As a result, topline data should be viewed with caution until the final data are available. From time to time, we may also disclose interim data from our clinical studies. Interim data from clinical trials that we may complete are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues and more patient data become available. Adverse differences between preliminary or interim data and final data could significantly harm our business prospects.
Further, others, including regulatory agencies, may not accept or agree with our assumptions, estimates, calculations, conclusions or analyses or may interpret or weigh the importance of data differently, which could impact the value of the particular program, the approvability or commercialization of the particular product candidate or product and our company in general. In addition, the information we choose to publicly disclose regarding a particular study or clinical trial is based on what is typically extensive information, and you or others may not agree with what we determine is the material or otherwise appropriate information to include in our disclosure, and any information we determine not to disclose may ultimately be deemed significant with respect to future decisions, conclusions, views, activities or otherwise regarding a particular drug, drug candidate or our business. If the topline data that we report differ from actual results, or if others, including regulatory authorities, disagree with the conclusions reached, our ability to obtain approval for, and commercialize, our product candidates may be harmed, which could harm our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition.
Risks related to our reliance on third parties
We rely on third parties to conduct many of our preclinical studies and clinical trials. Any failure by a third party to conduct the clinical trials according to GCPs and in a timely manner may delay or prevent our ability to seek or obtain regulatory approval for or commercialize our product candidates.
We are dependent on third parties to conduct our preclinical studies and clinical trials, including our ongoing clinical trial for CRN00808, preclinical studies for CRN02481 and CRN01941 and any future clinical trials and preclinical studies for our product candidates. Specifically, we have used and relied on, and intend to continue to use and rely on, medical institutions, clinical investigators, CROs and consultants to conduct our clinical trials in accordance with our clinical protocols and regulatory requirements. These CROs, investigators and other third parties play a significant role in the conduct and timing of these trials and subsequent collection and
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analysis of data. While we have agreements governing the activities of our third-party contractors, we have limited influence over their actual performance. Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable protocol and legal, regulatory and scientific standards, and our reliance on the CROs and other third parties does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities. We and our CROs are required to comply with GCP requirements, which are regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities for all of our product candidates in clinical development. Regulatory authorities enforce these GCPs through periodic inspections of trial sponsors, principal investigators and trial sites. If we or any of our CROs or trial sites fail to comply with applicable GCPs, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable, and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under cGMP regulations. Our failure to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process.
There is no guarantee that any such CROs, investigators or other third parties will devote adequate time and resources to such trials or perform as contractually required. If any of these third parties fail to meet expected deadlines, adhere to our clinical protocols or meet regulatory requirements, or otherwise performs in a substandard manner, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated. In addition, many of the third parties with whom we contract may also have relationships with other commercial entities, including our competitors, for whom they may also be conducting clinical trials or other drug development activities that could harm our competitive position. In addition, principal investigators for our clinical trials may serve as scientific advisors or consultants to us from time to time and may receive cash or equity compensation in connection with such services. If these relationships and any related compensation result in perceived or actual conflicts of interest, or the FDA concludes that the financial relationship may have affected the interpretation of the study, the integrity of the data generated at the applicable clinical trial site may be questioned and the utility of the clinical trial itself may be jeopardized, which could result in the delay or rejection of any NDA we submit by the FDA. Any such delay or rejection could prevent us from commercializing our product candidates.
If any of our relationships with these third-parties terminate, we may not be able to enter into arrangements with alternative third parties or do so on commercially reasonable terms. Switching or adding additional CROs, investigators and other third parties involves additional cost and requires management time and focus. In addition, there is a natural transition period when a new CRO commences work. As a result, delays occur, which can materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development timelines. Though we carefully manage our relationships with our CROs, investigators and other third parties, there can be no assurance that we will not encounter challenges or delays in the future or that these delays or challenges will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and prospects.
We rely on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical development and expect to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. This reliance on third parties increases the risk that we will not have sufficient quantities of our product candidates or products or such quantities at an acceptable cost, which could delay, prevent or impair our development or commercialization efforts.
We do not own or operate manufacturing facilities and have no plans to build our own clinical or commercial scale manufacturing capabilities. We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates and related raw materials for preclinical and clinical development, as well as for commercial manufacture if any of our product candidates receive marketing approval. The facilities used by third-party manufacturers to manufacture our product candidates must be approved by the FDA pursuant to inspections that will be conducted after we submit our NDA to the FDA. We do not control the manufacturing process of, and are completely dependent on, third-party manufacturers for compliance with cGMP requirements for manufacture of drug products. If these third-party manufacturers cannot successfully
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manufacture material that conforms to our specifications and the strict regulatory requirements of the FDA or others, including requirements related to the manufacturing of high potency compounds, they will not be able to secure and/or maintain regulatory approval for their manufacturing facilities. In addition, we have no control over the ability of third-party manufacturers to maintain adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority does not approve these facilities for the manufacture of our product candidates or if it withdraws any such approval in the future, we may need to find alternative manufacturing facilities, which would significantly impact our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for or market our product candidates, if approved. Our failure, or the failure of our third-party manufacturers, to comply with applicable regulations could result in sanctions being imposed on us, including clinical holds, fines, injunctions, civil penalties, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, seizures or recalls of product candidates or products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions, any of which could significantly and adversely affect supplies of our products.
In addition, we may be unable to establish any agreements with third-party manufacturers or to do so on acceptable terms. Even if we are able to establish agreements with third-party manufacturers, reliance on third-party manufacturers entails additional risks, including:
| failure of third-party manufacturers to comply with regulatory requirements and maintain quality assurance; |
| breach of the manufacturing agreement by the third party; |
| failure to manufacture our product according to our specifications; |
| failure to manufacture our product according to our schedule or at all; |
| misappropriation of our proprietary information, including our trade secrets and know-how; and |
| termination or nonrenewal of the agreement by the third party at a time that is costly or inconvenient for us. |
Our product candidates and any products that we may develop may compete with other product candidates and products for access to manufacturing facilities. There are a limited number of manufacturers that operate under cGMP regulations and that might be capable of manufacturing for us.
Any performance failure on the part of our existing or future manufacturers could delay clinical development or marketing approval, and any related remedial measures may be costly or time-consuming to implement. We do not currently have arrangements in place for redundant supply or a second source for all required raw materials used in the manufacture of our product candidates. If our current third-party manufacturers cannot perform as agreed, we may be required to replace such manufacturers and we may be unable to replace them on a timely basis or at all.
Our current and anticipated future dependence upon others for the manufacture of our product candidates or products may adversely affect our future profit margins and our ability to commercialize any products that receive marketing approval on a timely and competitive basis.
Our reliance on third parties requires us to share our trade secrets, which increases the possibility that a competitor will discover them or that our trade secrets will be misappropriated or disclosed.
Because we currently rely on other third parties to manufacture our product candidates and to perform quality testing, we must, at times, share our proprietary technology and confidential information, including trade secrets, with them. We seek to protect our proprietary technology, in part, by entering into confidentiality agreements, consulting agreements or other similar agreements with our advisors, employees and consultants prior to beginning research or disclosing proprietary information. These agreements typically limit the rights of the third parties to use or disclose our confidential information. Despite the contractual provisions employed
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when working with third parties, the need to share trade secrets and other confidential information increases the risk that such trade secrets become known by our competitors, are intentionally or inadvertently incorporated into the technology of others or are disclosed or used in violation of these agreements. Given that our proprietary position is based, in part, on our know-how and trade secrets and despite our efforts to protect our trade secrets, a competitors discovery of our proprietary technology and confidential information or other unauthorized use or disclosure would impair our competitive position and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Risks related to commercialization of our product candidates
Even if we receive regulatory approval for any product candidate, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense. Additionally, our product candidates, if approved, could be subject to labeling and other restrictions on marketing or withdrawal from the market, and we may be subject to penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or if we experience unanticipated problems with our product candidates, when and if any of them are approved.
Following potential approval of any our product candidates, the FDA may impose significant restrictions on a products indicated uses or marketing or impose ongoing requirements for potentially costly and time consuming post-approval studies, post-market surveillance or clinical trials to monitor the safety and efficacy of the product. The FDA may also require a REMS as a condition of approval of our product candidates, which could include requirements for a medication guide, physician communication plans or additional elements to ensure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools. In addition, if the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves our product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion, import, export and recordkeeping for our products will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration, as well as continued compliance with cGMPs and GCP requirements for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with our products, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with our third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in, among other things:
| restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of our products, withdrawal of the product from the market or voluntary or mandatory product recalls; |
| restrictions on product distribution or use, or requirements to conduct post-marketing studies or clinical trials; |
| fines, restitutions, disgorgement of profits or revenues, warning letters, untitled letters or holds on clinical trials; |
| refusal by the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications filed by us or suspension or revocation of approvals; |
| product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of our products; and |
| injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. |
The occurrence of any event or penalty described above may inhibit our ability to commercialize our product candidates and generate revenue and could require us to expend significant time and resources in response and could generate negative publicity.
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In addition, if any of our product candidates is approved, our product labeling, advertising and promotion will be subject to regulatory requirements and continuing regulatory review. The FDA strictly regulates the promotional claims that may be made about drug products. In particular, a product may not be promoted for uses that are not approved by the FDA as reflected in the products approved labeling. If we receive marketing approval for a product candidate, physicians may nevertheless prescribe it to their patients in a manner that is inconsistent with the approved label. If we are found to have promoted such off-label uses, we may become subject to significant liability. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant sanctions. The federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against companies for alleged improper promotion and has enjoined several companies from engaging in off-label promotion. The FDA has also requested that companies enter into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed.
The FDAs and other regulatory authorities policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of our product candidates. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability.
We also cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative or executive action, either in the United States or abroad. For example, certain policies of the current U.S. administration may impact our business and industry. Namely, the current U.S. administration has taken several executive actions, including the issuance of a number of Executive Orders, that could impose significant burdens on, or otherwise materially delay, the FDAs ability to engage in routine regulatory and oversight activities such as implementing statutes through rulemaking, issuance of guidance, and review and approval of marketing applications. It is difficult to predict how these executive actions, including the Executive Orders, will be implemented, and the extent to which they will impact the FDAs ability to exercise its regulatory authority. If these executive actions impose constraints on FDAs ability to engage in oversight and implementation activities in the normal course, our business may be negatively impacted.
The commercial success of our product candidates will depend upon the degree of market acceptance of such product candidates by physicians, patients, health care payors and others in the medical community.
Our product candidates may not be commercially successful. Even if any of our product candidates receive regulatory approval, they may not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients, healthcare payors or the medical community. The commercial success of any of our current or future product candidates will depend significantly on the broad adoption and use of the resulting product by physicians and patients for approved indications. The degree of market acceptance of our products will depend on a number of factors, including:
| demonstration of clinical efficacy and safety compared to other more-established products; |
| the indications for which our product candidates are approved; |
| the limitation of our targeted patient population and other limitations or warnings contained in any FDA-approved labeling; |
| acceptance of a new drug for the relevant indication by healthcare providers and their patients; |
| the pricing and cost-effectiveness of our products, as well as the cost of treatment with our products in relation to alternative treatments and therapies; |
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| our ability to obtain and maintain sufficient third-party coverage and adequate reimbursement from government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurers and other third-party payors; |
| the willingness of patients to pay all, or a portion of, out-of-pocket costs associated with our products in the absence of sufficient third-party coverage and adequate reimbursement; |
| the prevalence and severity of any adverse effects; |
| potential product liability claims; |
| the timing of market introduction of our products as well as competitive drugs; |
| the effectiveness of our or any of our potential future collaborators sales and marketing strategies; and |
| unfavorable publicity relating to the product. |
If any product candidate is approved but does not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by physicians, hospitals, healthcare payors or patients, we may not generate sufficient revenue from that product and may not become or remain profitable. Our efforts to educate the medical community and third-party payors regarding the benefits of our products may require significant resources and may never be successful.
The successful commercialization of our product candidates, if approved, will depend in part on the extent to which governmental authorities and health insurers establish coverage, adequate reimbursement levels and favorable pricing policies. Failure to obtain or maintain coverage and adequate reimbursement for our products could limit our ability to market those products and decrease our ability to generate revenue.
The availability of coverage and the adequacy of reimbursement by governmental healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurers and other third-party payors are essential for most patients to be able to afford prescription medications such as our product candidates, if approved. Our ability to achieve coverage and acceptable levels of reimbursement for our products by governmental authorities, private health insurers and other organizations will have an effect on our ability to successfully commercialize those products. Even if we obtain coverage for a given product by a third-party payor, the resulting reimbursement payment rates may not be adequate or may require co-payments that patients find unacceptably high. We cannot be sure that coverage and reimbursement in the United States, the European Union or elsewhere will be available for any product that we may develop, and any reimbursement that may become available may be decreased or eliminated in the future.
Third-party payors increasingly are challenging prices charged for pharmaceutical products and services, and many third-party payors may refuse to provide coverage and reimbursement for particular drugs when an equivalent generic drug or a less expensive therapy is available. It is possible that a third-party payor may consider our products as substitutable and only offer to reimburse patients for the less expensive product. Even if we are successful in demonstrating improved efficacy or improved convenience of administration with our products, pricing of existing drugs may limit the amount we will be able to charge for our products. These payors may deny or revoke the reimbursement status of a given product or establish prices for new or existing marketed products at levels that are too low to enable us to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product development. If reimbursement is not available or is available only at limited levels, we may not be able to successfully commercialize our products and may not be able to obtain a satisfactory financial return on products that we may develop.
There is significant uncertainty related to the insurance coverage and reimbursement of newly approved products. In the United States, third-party payors, including private and governmental payors, such as the
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Medicare and Medicaid programs, play an important role in determining the extent to which new drugs will be covered. Some third-party payors may require pre-approval of coverage for new or innovative devices or drug therapies before they will reimburse health care providers who use such therapies. It is difficult to predict at this time what third-party payors will decide with respect to the coverage and reimbursement for our products.
Obtaining and maintaining reimbursement status is time-consuming, costly and uncertain. The Medicare and Medicaid programs increasingly are used as models for how private payors and other governmental payors develop their coverage and reimbursement policies for drugs. However, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement for products exists among third-party payors in the United States. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for products can differ significantly from payor to payor. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be applied consistently or obtained in the first instance. Furthermore, rules and regulations regarding reimbursement change frequently, in some cases at short notice, and we believe that changes in these rules and regulations are likely.
Outside the United States, international operations are generally subject to extensive governmental price controls and other market regulations, and we believe the increasing emphasis on cost-containment initiatives in Europe and other countries has and will continue to put pressure on the pricing and usage of our products. In many countries, the prices of medical products are subject to varying price control mechanisms as part of national health systems. Other countries allow companies to fix their own prices for medical products but monitor and control company profits. Additional foreign price controls or other changes in pricing regulation could restrict the amount that we are able to charge for our products. Accordingly, in markets outside the United States, the reimbursement for our products may be reduced compared with the United States and may be insufficient to generate commercially reasonable revenue and profits.
Moreover, increasing efforts by governmental and third-party payors in the United States and abroad to cap or reduce healthcare costs may cause such organizations to limit both coverage and the level of reimbursement for newly approved products and, as a result, they may not cover or provide adequate payment for our products. We expect to experience pricing pressures in connection with the sale of any of our products due to the trend toward managed healthcare, the increasing influence of health maintenance organizations and additional legislative changes. The downward pressure on healthcare costs in general, particularly prescription drugs and surgical procedures and other treatments, has become very intense. As a result, increasingly high barriers are being erected to the entry of new products.
We face competition from entities that have developed or may develop somatostatin agonist products or other product candidates. If these companies develop technologies or product candidates more rapidly than we do or their technologies are more effective, our ability to develop and successfully commercialize products may be adversely affected.
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary and novel products and product candidates. Our competitors have developed, are developing or may develop products, product candidates and processes competitive with our product candidates. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. We believe that a significant number of products are currently under development, and may become commercially available in the future, for the treatment of conditions for which we may attempt to develop product candidates. In particular, there is intense competition in the field of endocrine disorders. Our competitors include larger and better funded pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotechnological and therapeutics companies. Moreover, we may also compete with universities and other research institutions who may be active in endocrinology research and
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could be in direct competition with us. We also compete with these organizations to recruit management, scientists and clinical development personnel, which could negatively affect our level of expertise and our ability to execute our business plan. We will also face competition in establishing clinical trial sites, enrolling subjects for clinical trials and in identifying and in-licensing new product candidates. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies.
With respect to CRN00808, injected peptide somatostatin agonists and GH receptor antagonists are the main medical therapies for acromegaly patients where surgery is unsuccessful. There are three injected somatostatin analogs approved for the treatment of acromegaly: octreotide (marketed by Novartis AG), lanreotide (marketed by Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.) and pasireotide (marketed by Novartis). Pegvisomant (marketed by Pfizer Inc.) is a daily injectable growth hormone receptor antagonist and is generally used in patients not fully controlled on somatostatin analogs. Orally administered dopamine agonists, such as bromocriptine and cabergoline, are also used. In terms of other products in clinical development, all of them are new formulations of peptide somatostatin agonists or GH receptor antagonists. Chiasma, Inc. is in Phase 3 development for an oral octreotide product candidate for the maintenance therapy of adult patients with acromegaly in whom prior treatment with somatostatin analogs has been shown to be effective and tolerated. Other companies developing peptide somatostatin agonists or GH receptor antagonists include Camurus AB, Dauntless Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Enesi Pharma Limited, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc./Antisense Therapeutics Ltd., Ipsen, MidaTech Pharma PLC and Novartis.
With respect to CRN02481, maintaining glucose levels through feeding or glucose infusions is the first step in managing CHI. Diazoxide (marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is the only approved therapy indicated for hyperinsulinemia. Octreotide (used off-label) is administered as subcutaneous injections in those who respond poorly to diazoxide. Patients who fail pharmacological therapy often progress to partial or nearly complete pancreatectomy, which can result in type I diabetes that must be managed for the remainder of the patients life. Companies in or entering Phase 3 are Eli Lilly and Company and Zealand Pharma A/S with glucagon analogs, and Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with glucagon Ready-To-Use (RTU). Other companies developing products for potential use in CHI include Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and Rezolute, Inc.
With respect to CRN01941, injected depots of peptide somatostatin analogs are used as therapy for NETs. In adults whose carcinoid syndrome symptoms are inadequately controlled by somatostatin therapy, telotristat ethyl (marketed by Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is an orally administered add-on therapy. Targeted therapies everolimus (marketed by Novartis) and sunitinib malate (marketed by Pfizer) are typically only used in patients with high grade tumors which constitute only a small fraction of NETs. In 2018, the FDA approved Novartis Lutathera for the treatment of somatostatin receptor positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Companies in Phase 3 development include Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and EUSA Pharma Inc. Other companies developing products for potential use in NETs include Apeiron Scientific, LLC, Camurus, Celgene Corporation, EpicentRx, Inc., Ipsen, Mateon Therapeutics, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., MidaTech, Novartis, Oncoceutics, Inc. and Roche Holding AG.
As with acromegaly, first-line therapy for Cushings disease is surgery to remove the pituitary tumor if possible. Adrenal enzyme inhibitors (metyrapone, ketoconazole) prevent the synthesis of cortisol and can improve symptoms. Mifepristone (marketed by Corcept Therapeutics, Inc.), a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, is approved for control of hyperglycemia in Cushings syndrome. The somatostatin agonist pasireotide is also approved for Cushings disease. Novartis and Strongbridge Biopharma are each conducting Phase 3 clinical trials with osilodrostat and levoketoconazole, respectively. Other companies developing products for potential use in Cushings disease include Corcept, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Millendo Therapeutics, Inc.
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Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, manufacturing, marketing, sales and supply resources or experience than we do. If we successfully obtain approval for any product candidate, we will face competition based on many different factors, including the safety and effectiveness of our products, the ease with which our products can be administered and the extent to which patients accept relatively new routes of administration, the timing and scope of regulatory approvals for these products, the availability and cost of manufacturing, marketing and sales capabilities, price, reimbursement coverage and patent position. Competing products could present superior treatment alternatives, including by being more effective, safer, more convenient, less expensive or marketed and sold more effectively than any products we may develop. Competitive products may make any products we develop obsolete or noncompetitive before we recover the expense of developing and commercializing our product candidates. For example, a competitor could develop another oral formulation of a somatostatin agonist or other technology that could make administration of peptide therapies more convenient. If we are unable to compete effectively, our opportunity to generate revenue from the sale of our products we may develop, if approved, could be adversely affected.
The number of patients suffering from the rare endocrine diseases that we target, including acromegaly, CHI and NETs, is small, and have not been established with precision. If the market opportunities for our products are smaller than we believe they are, our revenue may be adversely affected, and our business may suffer.
We focus our research and product development on treatments for orphan and rare diseases. Given the small number of patients who have the diseases that we are targeting, it is critical to our ability to grow and become profitable that we continue to successfully identify patients with these diseases. Our projections of both the number of people who have these diseases, as well as the subset of people with these diseases who have the potential to benefit from treatment with our products, are based on our beliefs and estimates. These estimates have been derived from a variety of sources, including the scientific literature, surveys of clinics, patient foundations or market research, and may prove to be incorrect. Further, new studies may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of these diseases. The number of patients may turn out to be lower than expected. The effort to identify patients with diseases we seek to treat is in early stages, and we cannot accurately predict the number of patients for whom treatment might be possible. Additionally, the potentially addressable patient population for each of our products may be limited or may not be amenable to treatment with our products, and new patients may become increasingly difficult to identify or gain access to, which would adversely affect our results of operations and our business. Further, even if we obtain significant market share for our products, because the potential target populations are very small, we may never achieve profitability despite obtaining such significant market share.
We may seek to enter into collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements of our product and may not be successful in doing so, and even if we are, we may not realize the benefits of such relationships.
We may seek to enter into collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements for the development or commercialization of our product candidates, due to capital costs required to develop or commercialize the product candidate in such markets. We may not be successful in our efforts to establish such collaborations for our product candidates because our product candidates may be deemed to be at too early of a stage of development for collaborative effort or third parties may not view our product candidates as having the requisite potential to demonstrate safety and efficacy or significant commercial opportunity. In addition, we face significant competition in seeking appropriate strategic partners, and the negotiation process can be time-consuming and complex. Further, any future collaboration agreements may restrict us from entering into additional agreements with potential collaborators. We cannot be certain that, following a strategic transaction or license, we will achieve an economic benefit that justifies such transaction.
Even if we are successful in our efforts to establish such collaborations, the terms that we agree upon may not be favorable to us, and we may not be able to maintain such collaborations if, for example, development or
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approval of a product candidate is delayed, the safety of a product candidate is questioned or sales of an approved product are unsatisfactory. We also may not be able to realize the benefit of such collaborations if we are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture.
In addition, any potential future collaborations may be terminable by our strategic partners, and we may not be able to adequately protect our rights under these agreements. Furthermore, strategic partners may negotiate for certain rights to control decisions regarding the development and commercialization of our product candidates, if approved, and may not conduct those activities in the same manner as we do. Any termination of collaborations we enter into in the future, or any delay in entering into collaborations related to our product candidates, could delay the development and commercialization of our product candidates and reduce their competitiveness if they reach the market, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We currently have no marketing and sales organization and have no experience as a company in commercializing products, and we may have to invest significant resources to develop these capabilities. If we are unable to establish marketing and sales capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to market and sell our products, we may not be able to generate product revenue.
We have no internal sales, marketing or distribution capabilities, nor have we commercialized a product. If any of our product candidates ultimately receives regulatory approval, we expect to establish a marketing and sales organization with technical expertise and supporting distribution capabilities to commercialize each such product in major markets, which will be expensive and time consuming. We have no prior experience as a company in the marketing, sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products and there are significant risks involved in building and managing a sales organization, including our ability to hire, retain and incentivize qualified individuals, generate sufficient sales leads, provide adequate training to sales and marketing personnel and effectively manage a geographically dispersed sales and marketing team. Any failure or delay in the development of our internal sales, marketing and distribution capabilities would adversely impact the commercialization of these products. We may also choose to collaborate with third parties that have direct sales forces and established distribution systems, either to augment our own sales force and distribution systems or in lieu of our own sales force and distribution systems. We may not be able to enter into collaborations or hire consultants or external service providers to assist us in sales, marketing and distribution functions on acceptable financial terms, or at all. In addition, our product revenues and our profitability, if any, may be lower if we rely on third parties for these functions than if we were to market, sell and distribute any products that we develop ourselves. We likely will have little control over such third parties, and any of them may fail to devote the necessary resources and attention to sell and market our products effectively. If we are not successful in commercializing our products, either on our own or through arrangements with one or more third parties, we may not be able to generate any future product revenue and we would incur significant additional losses.
Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to operate in foreign markets, where we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and other risks and uncertainties.
Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates in foreign markets. We are not permitted to market or promote any of our product candidates before we receive regulatory approval from applicable regulatory authorities in foreign markets, and we may never receive such regulatory approvals for any of our product candidates. To obtain separate regulatory approval in many other countries we must comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, commercial sales, pricing and distribution of our product
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candidates. If we obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates and ultimately commercialize our products in foreign markets, we would be subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including:
| different regulatory requirements for approval of drugs in foreign countries; |
| reduced protection for intellectual property rights; |
| the existence of additional third-party patent rights of potential relevance to our business; |
| unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers and regulatory requirements; |
| economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets; |
| compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad; |
| foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenues, and other obligations incident to doing business in another country; |
| foreign reimbursement, pricing and insurance regimes; |
| workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is common; |
| production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and |
| business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires. |
Risks related to our business operations and industry
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or any guidance we may provide.
Our quarterly and annual operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes it difficult for us to predict our future operating results. These fluctuations may occur due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control, including, but not limited to:
| the timing and cost of, and level of investment in, research, development, regulatory approval and commercialization activities relating to our product candidates, which may change from time to time; |
| coverage and reimbursement policies with respect to our product candidates, if approved, and potential future drugs that compete with our products; |
| the cost of manufacturing our product candidates, which may vary depending on the quantity of production and the terms of our agreements with third-party manufacturers; |
| expenditures that we may incur to acquire, develop or commercialize additional product candidates and technologies; |
| the level of demand for any approved products, which may vary significantly; |
| future accounting pronouncements or changes in our accounting policies; and |
| the timing and success or failure of preclinical studies or clinical trials for our product candidates or competing product candidates, or any other change in the competitive landscape of our industry, including consolidation among our competitors or partners. |
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The cumulative effects of these factors could result in large fluctuations and unpredictability in our quarterly and annual operating results. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. Investors should not rely on our past results as an indication of our future performance.
This variability and unpredictability could also result in our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial analysts or investors for any period. If our revenue or operating results fall below the expectations of analysts or investors or below any forecasts we may provide to the market, or if the forecasts we provide to the market are below the expectations of analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially. Such a stock price decline could occur even when we have met any previously publicly stated revenue or earnings guidance we may provide.
We are dependent on the services of our management and other clinical and scientific personnel, and if we are not able to retain these individuals or recruit additional management or clinical and scientific personnel, our business will suffer.
Our success depends in part on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management, clinical and scientific personnel. We are highly dependent upon our senior management, particularly our Chief Executive Officer, as well as our senior scientists and other members of our senior management team. The loss of services of any of these individuals could delay or prevent the successful development of our product pipeline, initiation or completion of our planned clinical trials or the commercialization of our product candidates. Although we have executed employment agreements or offer letters with each member of our senior management team, these agreements are terminable at will with or without notice and, therefore, we may not be able to retain their services as expected. We do not currently maintain key person life insurance on the lives of our executives or any of our employees. This lack of insurance means that we may not have adequate compensation for the loss of the services of these individuals.
We will need to expand and effectively manage our managerial, operational, financial and other resources in order to successfully pursue our clinical development and commercialization efforts. We may not be successful in maintaining our unique company culture and continuing to attract or retain qualified management and scientific and clinical personnel in the future due to the intense competition for qualified personnel among pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other businesses, particularly in the San Diego area. Our industry has experienced a high rate of turnover of management personnel in recent years. If we are not able to attract, integrate, retain and motivate necessary personnel to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience constraints that will significantly impede the achievement of our development objectives, our ability to raise additional capital and our ability to implement our business strategy.
We may encounter difficulties in managing our growth and expanding our operations successfully.
As of June 30, 2018, we had 34 full-time employees and 2 part-time employees. As we continue development and pursue the potential commercialization of our product candidates, as well as function as a public company, we will need to expand our financial, development, regulatory, manufacturing, marketing and sales capabilities or contract with third parties to provide these capabilities for us. As our operations expand, we expect that we will need to manage additional relationships with various strategic partners, suppliers and other third parties. Our future financial performance and our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates and to compete effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to manage any future growth effectively.
We conduct certain research and development operations through our Australian wholly-owned subsidiary. If we lose our ability to operate in Australia, or if our subsidiary is unable to receive the research and development tax credit allowed by Australian regulations, our business and results of operations could suffer.
In January 2017, we formed a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary, Crinetics Australia Pty Ltd, or CAPL, to conduct various preclinical and clinical activities for our product and development candidates in Australia. Due
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to the geographical distance and lack of employees currently in Australia, as well as our lack of experience operating in Australia, we may not be able to efficiently or successfully monitor, develop and commercialize our lead products in Australia, including conducting clinical trials. Furthermore, we have no assurance that the results of any clinical trials that we conduct for our product candidates in Australia will be accepted by the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities for development and commercialization approvals.
In addition, current Australian tax regulations provide for a refundable research and development tax credit equal to 43.5% of qualified expenditures. If we lose our ability to operate CAPL in Australia, or if we are ineligible or unable to receive the research and development tax credit, or the Australian government significantly reduces or eliminates the tax credit, our business and results of operation may be adversely affected.
We are subject to various federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, and our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could harm our results of operations and financial condition.
Our business operations and current and future arrangements with investigators, healthcare professionals, consultants, third-party payors and customers expose us to broadly applicable federal and state fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations. These laws may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we conduct our operations, including how we research, market, sell and distribute any products for which we obtain marketing approval. Such laws include:
| the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons or entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or certain rebates), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, in return for, either the referral of an individual or the purchase, lease, or order, or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease, or order of any good, facility, item or service, for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under a federal healthcare program such as Medicare and Medicaid. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the federal Anti- Kickback Statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil False Claims Act; |
| the federal false claims and civil monetary penalties laws, including the civil False Claims Act, which, among other things, impose criminal and civil penalties against individuals or entities for knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the federal government, claims for payment or approval that are false or fraudulent, knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, or from knowingly making or causing to be made a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government; |
| the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which imposes criminal and civil liability for, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, or knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement, in connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare benefits, items or services. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. |
| HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and its implementing regulations, also impose obligations, including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information without appropriate authorization by covered entities subject to the rule, such as certain health |
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plans, healthcare clearinghouses and healthcare providers as well as their business associates that perform certain services for or on their behalf involving the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information; |
| the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to the government information related to payments and other transfers of value made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors) and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by the physicians described above and their immediate family members; and |
| analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to our business practices, including but not limited to, research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non- governmental third-party payors, including private insurers, or by the patients themselves; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industrys voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government, or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws and regulations that require drug manufacturers to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information, which requires tracking gifts and other remuneration and items of value provided to physicians, other healthcare providers and entities; state and local laws that require the registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives; and state and foreign laws governing the privacy and security of health information in some circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts. |
Ensuring that our internal operations and business arrangements with third-parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations could involve substantial costs. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices, including our consulting and advisory board arrangements with physicians and other healthcare providers, some of whom receive stock options as compensation for services provided, do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations, agency guidance or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other governmental laws and regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant penalties, including civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from U.S. government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, or similar programs in other countries or jurisdictions, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, diminished profits and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Further, defending against any such actions can be costly, time-consuming and may require significant financial and personnel resources. Therefore, even if we are successful in defending against any such actions that may be brought against us, our business may be impaired. If any of the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found to not be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusion from government funded healthcare programs and imprisonment. If any of the above occur, it could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
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Recently enacted legislation, future legislation and healthcare reform measures may increase the difficulty and cost for us to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our product candidates and may affect the prices we may set.
In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and we expect there will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory changes to the healthcare system, including cost-containment measures that may reduce or limit coverage and reimbursement for newly approved drugs and affect our ability to profitably sell any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. In particular, there have been and continue to be a number of initiatives at the U.S. federal and state levels that seek to reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of healthcare.
For example, in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, collectively the Affordable Care Act, was enacted in the United States. Among the provisions of the Affordable Care Act of importance to our potential product candidates, the Affordable Care Act: establishes an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents; expands eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs; increases the statutory minimum rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program; creates a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program; establishes a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; and establishes a Center for Medicare Innovation at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and Medicaid spending. At this time, we are unsure of the full impact that Affordable Care Act will have on our business. There have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act, as well as recent efforts by the Trump administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act and we expect such challenges and amendments to continue. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 includes a provision repealing, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the Affordable Care Act on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the individual mandate. Additionally, on January 22, 2018, President Trump signed a continuing resolution on appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that delayed the implementation of certain Affordable Care Act-mandated fees, including the so-called Cadillac tax on certain high cost employer-sponsored insurance plans, the annual fee imposed on certain health insurance providers based on market share. Further, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, or the BBA, among other things, amends the Affordable Care Act, effective January 1, 2019, to close the coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans, commonly referred to as the donut hole. It remains unclear the extent to which any such change may impact our business or financial condition.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. On August 2, 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, created the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to recommend to Congress proposals for spending reductions. The Joint Select Committee did not achieve a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2 trillion for the years 2013 through 2021, triggering the legislations automatic reduction to several government programs. This includes reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, including the BBA, will remain in effect through 2027 unless additional Congressional action is taken. On January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.
Further, there has been heightened governmental scrutiny in the United States of pharmaceutical pricing practices in light of the rising cost of prescription drugs. Such scrutiny has resulted in several recent
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congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for products.
At the federal level, the Trump administrations budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 contains further drug price control measures that could be enacted during the 2019 budget process or in other future legislation, including, for example, measures to permit Medicare Part D plans to negotiate the price of certain drugs under Medicare Part B, to allow some states to negotiate drug prices under Medicaid and to eliminate cost sharing for generic drugs for low-income patients. Additionally, on May 11, 2018, President Trump laid out his administrations Blueprint to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already started the process of soliciting feedback on some of these measures and, at the same time, is implementing others under its existing authority. Although some of these, and other, proposals will require authorization through additional legislation to become effective, Congress and the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs.
At the state level, individual states in the United States are also increasingly active in passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. Legally mandated price controls on payment amounts by third-party payors or other restrictions could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. In addition, regional healthcare authorities and individual hospitals are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical products and which suppliers will be included in their prescription drug and other healthcare programs. This could reduce the ultimate demand for our product candidates, if approved, or put pressure on our product pricing, which could negatively affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
More recently, on May 30, 2018, the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017, or Right to Try Act, was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides a federal framework for patients to access certain investigational new drug products that have completed a Phase I clinical trial. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in clinical trials and without obtaining FDA approval under the FDA expanded access program. The Right to Try Act did not establish any new entitlement or positive right to any party or individual, nor did it create any new mandates, directives, or additional regulations requiring a manufacturer or sponsor of an eligible investigational new drug product to provide expanded access.
We expect that the Affordable Care Act, these new laws and other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future may result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, more rigorous coverage criteria, new payment methodologies and additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our product candidates, if approved.
We and any of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers may use potent chemical agents and hazardous materials, and any claims relating to improper handling, storage or disposal of these materials could be time consuming or costly.
We and any of our third-party manufacturers or suppliers will use biological materials, potent chemical agents and may use hazardous materials, including chemicals and biological agents and compounds that could be
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dangerous to human health and safety of the environment. Our operations and the operations of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers also produce hazardous waste products. Federal, state and local laws and regulations govern the use, generation, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and wastes. Compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations may be expensive, and current or future environmental laws and regulations may impair our product development efforts. In addition, we cannot eliminate the risk of accidental injury or contamination from these materials or wastes. We do not carry specific biological or hazardous waste insurance coverage, and our property, casualty and general liability insurance policies specifically exclude coverage for damages and fines arising from biological or hazardous waste exposure or contamination. In the event of contamination or injury, we could be held liable for damages or be penalized with fines in an amount exceeding our resources, and our clinical trials or regulatory approvals could be suspended.
Although we maintain workers compensation insurance for certain costs and expenses we may incur due to injuries to our employees resulting from the use of hazardous materials or other work-related injuries, this insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities. We do not maintain insurance for toxic tort claims that may be asserted against us in connection with our storage or disposal of biologic, hazardous or radioactive materials.
In addition, we may incur substantial costs in order to comply with current or future environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, which have tended to become more stringent over time. These current or future laws and regulations may impair our research, development or production efforts. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations also may result in substantial fines, penalties or other sanctions or liabilities, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
If product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities and may be required to limit commercialization of our products.
We face an inherent risk of product liability as a result of the clinical trials of our product candidates and will face an even greater risk if we commercialize our product candidates. For example, we may be sued if our product candidates allegedly cause injury or are found to be otherwise unsuitable during product testing, manufacturing, marketing or sale. Any such product liability claims may include allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product candidate, negligence, strict liability and a breach of warranties. Claims may be brought against us by clinical trial participants, patients or others using, administering or selling products that may be approved in the future. Claims could also be asserted under state consumer protection acts.
If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against product liability claims, we may incur substantial liabilities or be required to limit or cease the commercialization of our products. Even a successful defense would require significant financial and management resources. Regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
| decreased demand for our products; |
| injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention; |
| withdrawal of clinical trial participants; |
| costs to defend the related litigation; |
| a diversion of managements time and our resources; |
| substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients; |
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| product recalls, withdrawals or labeling, marketing or promotional restrictions; |
| significant negative financial impact; |
| the inability to commercialize our product candidates; and |
| a decline in our stock price. |
We currently hold approximately AUD$20 million (or approximately USD$14.8 million based on the applicable exchange rate as of June 30, 2018) in product liability insurance coverage in the aggregate. We may need to increase our insurance coverage as we expand our clinical trials or if we commence commercialization of our product candidates. Insurance coverage is increasingly expensive. Our inability to obtain and retain sufficient product liability insurance at an acceptable cost to protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of our product candidates. Although we maintain such insurance, any claim that may be brought against us could result in a court judgment or settlement in an amount that is not covered, in whole or in part, by our insurance or that is in excess of the limits of our insurance coverage. Our insurance policies will also have various exclusions, and we may be subject to a product liability claim for which we have no coverage. We may have to pay any amounts awarded by a court or negotiated in a settlement that exceed our coverage limitations or that are not covered by our insurance, and we may not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient capital to pay such amounts.
We and any of our potential future collaborators will be required to report to regulatory authorities if any of our approved products cause or contribute to adverse medical events, and any failure to do so would result in sanctions that would materially harm our business.
If we and any of our potential future collaborators are successful in commercializing our products, the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities would require that we and any of our potential future collaborators report certain information about adverse medical events if those products may have caused or contributed to those adverse events. The timing of our obligation to report would be triggered by the date we become aware of the adverse event as well as the nature of the event. We and any of our potential future collaborators or CROs may fail to report adverse events within the prescribed timeframe. If we or any of our potential future collaborators or CROs fail to comply with such reporting obligations, the FDA or a foreign regulatory authority could take action, including criminal prosecution, the imposition of civil monetary penalties, seizure of our products or delay in approval or clearance of future products.
Our internal computer systems, or those of any of our CROs, manufacturers, other contractors or consultants or potential future collaborators, may fail or suffer security breaches, which could result in a material disruption of our product development programs.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems and those of our current and any future CROs and other contractors, consultants and collaborators are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, cybersecurity threats, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. If such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, it could result in a material disruption of our development programs and our business operations, whether due to a loss of our trade secrets or other similar disruptions. For example, the loss of clinical trial data from completed or future clinical trials could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. We also rely on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, and similar events relating to their computer systems could also have a material adverse effect on our business. To the extent that any disruption or security breach were to result in a loss of, or damage to, our data or applications, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we could incur liability and the further development and commercialization of our product candidates could be delayed.
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Business disruptions could seriously harm our future revenue and financial condition and increase our costs and expenses.
Our operations could be subject to earthquakes, power shortages, telecommunications failures, water shortages, floods, hurricanes, typhoons, fires, extreme weather conditions, medical epidemics and other natural or manmade disasters or business interruptions, for which we are predominantly self-insured. We rely on third- party manufacturers to produce our product candidates. Our ability to obtain clinical supplies of our product candidates could be disrupted if the operations of these suppliers were affected by a man-made or natural disaster or other business interruption. In addition, our corporate headquarters is located in San Diego, California near major earthquake faults and fire zones, and the ultimate impact on us of being located near major earthquake faults and fire zones and being consolidated in a certain geographical area is unknown. The occurrence of any of these business disruptions could seriously harm our operations and financial condition and increase our costs and expenses.
Our employees and independent contractors, including principal investigators, CROs, consultants and vendors may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including noncompliance with regulatory standards and requirements.
We are exposed to the risk that our employees and independent contractors, including principal investigators, CROs, consultants and vendors may engage in misconduct or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violate: (1) the laws and regulations of the FDA and other similar regulatory requirements, including those laws that require the reporting of true, complete and accurate information to such authorities, manufacturing standards, (2) federal and state data privacy, security, fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations in the United States and abroad or (3) laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. Activities subject to these laws also involve the improper use or misrepresentation of information obtained in the course of clinical trials, the creation of fraudulent data in our preclinical studies or clinical trials, or illegal misappropriation of drug product, which could result in regulatory sanctions and cause serious harm to our reputation. It is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by employees and other third parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. In addition, we are subject to the risk that a person or government could allege such fraud or other misconduct, even if none occurred. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business and financial results, including, without limitation, the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, disgorgements, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs, individual imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
We are subject to U.S. and certain foreign export and import controls, sanctions, embargoes, anti-corruption laws and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal standards could impair our ability to compete in domestic and international markets. We can face criminal liability and other serious consequences for violations, which can harm our business.
We are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, and various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by
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the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Controls, and anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. Anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees, agents, clinical research organizations, contractors and other collaborators and partners from authorizing, promising, offering, providing, soliciting or receiving, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to recipients in the public or private sector. We may engage third parties for clinical trials outside of the United States, to sell our products abroad once we enter a commercialization phase, and/or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations and other regulatory approvals. We have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities and other organizations. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, agents, clinical research organizations, contractors and other collaborators and partners, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. Any violations of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm and other consequences.
We may engage in strategic transactions that could impact our liquidity, increase our expenses and present significant distractions to our management.
From time to time, we may consider strategic transactions, such as acquisitions of companies, asset purchases and out-licensing or in-licensing of intellectual property, products or technologies. Additional potential transactions that we may consider in the future include a variety of business arrangements, including spin-offs, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, restructurings, divestitures, business combinations and investments. Any future transactions could increase our near and long-term expenditures, result in potentially dilutive issuances of our equity securities, including our common stock, or the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses or acquired in-process research and development expenses, any of which could affect our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Future acquisitions may also require us to obtain additional financing, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all. These transactions may never be successful and may require significant time and attention of management. In addition, the integration of any business that we may acquire in the future may disrupt our existing business and may be a complex, risky and costly endeavor for which we may never realize the full benefits of the acquisition. Accordingly, although there can be no assurance that we will undertake or successfully complete any additional transactions of the nature described above, any additional transactions that we do complete could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
Risks related to our intellectual property
Our success depends on our ability to protect our intellectual property and our proprietary technologies.
Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent protection and trade secret protection for our product candidates, proprietary technologies and their uses as well as our ability to operate without infringing upon the proprietary rights of others. We generally seek to protect our proprietary position by filing patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our product candidates, proprietary technologies and their uses that are important to our business. Our patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless, and until, patents issue from such applications, and then only to the extent the issued claims cover the technology. There can be no assurance that our patent applications will result in additional patents being issued or that issued patents
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will afford sufficient protection against competitors with similar technology, nor can there be any assurance that the patents issued will not be infringed, designed around or invalidated by third parties. Even issued patents may later be found invalid or unenforceable or may be modified or revoked in proceedings instituted by third parties before various patent offices or in courts. The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain. Only limited protection may be available and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. This failure to properly protect the intellectual property rights relating to our product candidates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Although we own three issued patents in the United States, we cannot be certain that the claims in our other U.S. pending patent applications, corresponding international patent applications and patent applications in certain foreign territories will be considered patentable by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, courts in the United States or by the patent offices and courts in foreign countries, nor can we be certain that the claims in our issued patents will not be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged.
The patent application process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that we or any of our potential future collaborators will be successful in protecting our product candidates by obtaining and defending patents. These risks and uncertainties include the following:
| the USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other provisions during the patent process, the noncompliance with which can result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application, and partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction; |
| patent applications may not result in any patents being issued; |
| patents may be challenged, invalidated, modified, revoked, circumvented, found to be unenforceable or otherwise may not provide any competitive advantage; |
| our competitors, many of whom have substantially greater resources than we do and many of whom have made significant investments in competing technologies, may seek or may have already obtained patents that will limit, interfere with or eliminate our ability to make, use and sell our potential product candidates; |
| there may be significant pressure on the U.S. government and international governmental bodies to limit the scope of patent protection both inside and outside the United States for disease treatments that prove successful, as a matter of public policy regarding worldwide health concerns; and |
| countries other than the United States may have patent laws less favorable to patentees than those upheld by U.S. courts, allowing foreign competitors a better opportunity to create, develop and market competing product candidates. |
The patent prosecution process is also expensive and time-consuming, and we may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner or in all jurisdictions where protection may be commercially advantageous. It is also possible that we will fail to identify patentable aspects of our research and development output before it is too late to obtain patent protection.
In addition, although we enter into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to patentable aspects of our research and development output, such as our employees, outside scientific collaborators, CROs, third-party manufacturers, consultants, advisors and other third parties, any of these parties may breach such agreements and disclose such output before a patent application is filed, thereby jeopardizing our ability to seek patent protection.
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Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result, our intellectual property may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours.
If the scope of any patent protection we obtain is not sufficiently broad, or if we lose any of our patent protection, our ability to prevent our competitors from commercializing similar or identical product candidates would be adversely affected.
The patent position of biopharmaceutical companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions, and has been the subject of much litigation in recent years. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending and future patent applications may not result in patents being issued which protect our product candidates or which effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive product candidates.
Moreover, the coverage claimed in a patent application can be significantly reduced before the patent is issued, and its scope can be reinterpreted after issuance. Even if patent applications we own currently or in the future issue as patents, they may not issue in a form that will provide us with any meaningful protection, prevent competitors or other third parties from competing with us, or otherwise provide us with any competitive advantage. Any patents that we own may be challenged or circumvented by third parties or may be narrowed or invalidated as a result of challenges by third parties. Consequently, we do not know whether our product candidates will be protectable or remain protected by valid and enforceable patents. Our competitors or other third parties may be able to circumvent our patents by developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability, and our patents may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the United States and abroad. We may be subject to a third party pre-issuance submission of prior art to the USPTO, or become involved in opposition, derivation, revocation, reexamination, post-grant review, or PGR, and inter partes review, or IPR, or other similar proceedings challenging our owned patent rights. An adverse determination in any such submission, proceeding or litigation could reduce the scope of, or invalidate or render unenforceable, our patent rights, allow third parties to commercialize our product candidates and compete directly with us, without payment to us, or result in our inability to manufacture or commercialize products without infringing third-party patent rights. Moreover, our patents may become subject to post-grant challenge proceedings, such as oppositions in a foreign patent office, that challenge our or priority of invention or other features of patentability with respect to our patents and patent applications. Such challenges may result in loss of patent rights, loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and products, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our product candidates. Such proceedings also may result in substantial cost and require significant time from our scientists and management, even if the eventual outcome is favorable to us. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications is threatened, regardless of the outcome, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates.
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Most of our intellectual property has been discovered through government funded programs and thus may be subject to federal regulations such as march-in rights, certain reporting requirements and a preference for U.S.-based companies. Compliance with such regulations may limit our exclusive rights, and limit our ability to contract with non-U.S. manufacturers.
Most of our intellectual property rights, including those for our lead programs, have been generated through the use of U.S. government funding provided from our Small Business Innovation Research Grants, or SBIR Grants, awarded to us by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, and are therefore subject to certain federal regulations. As a result, the U.S. government may have certain rights to intellectual property embodied in our current or future product candidates pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, or Bayh-Dole Act. These U.S. government rights include a non-exclusive, non-transferable, irrevocable worldwide license to use inventions for any governmental purpose. In addition, the U.S. government has the right, under certain limited circumstances, to require us to grant exclusive, partially exclusive, or non-exclusive licenses to any of these inventions to a third party if it determines that: (i) adequate steps have not been taken to commercialize the invention; (ii) government action is necessary to meet public health or safety needs; or (iii) government action is necessary to meet requirements for public use under federal regulations (also referred to as march-in rights). The U.S. government also has the right to take title to these inventions if we fail to disclose the invention to the government or fail to file an application to register the intellectual property within specified time limits. Intellectual property generated under a government funded program is also subject to certain reporting requirements, compliance with which may require us to expend substantial resources. In addition, the U.S. government requires that any products embodying any of these inventions or produced through the use of any of these inventions be manufactured substantially in the United States. This preference for U.S. industry may be waived by the federal agency that provided the funding if the owner or assignee of the intellectual property can show that reasonable but unsuccessful efforts have been made to grant licenses on similar terms to potential licensees that would be likely to manufacture substantially in the United States or that under the circumstances domestic manufacture is not commercially feasible. This preference for U.S. industry may limit our ability to contract with non-U.S. product manufacturers for products covered by such intellectual property. To the extent any of our future intellectual property is also generated through the use of U.S. government funding, the provisions of the Bayh-Dole Act may similarly apply.
Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.
The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may not adequately protect our business or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. For example:
| others may be able to develop products that are similar to our product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of the patents that we own; |
| we might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by the issued patents or patent application that we own; |
| we might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our inventions; |
| others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing our intellectual property rights; |
| it is possible that our pending patent applications will not lead to issued patents; |
| issued patents that we own may be held invalid or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors; |
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| our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets; |
| we may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable; and |
| the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business. |
Should any of these events occur, it could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
Our commercial success depends significantly on our ability to operate without infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third parties. Claims by third parties that we infringe their proprietary rights may result in liability for damages or prevent or delay our developmental and commercialization efforts.
Our commercial success depends in part on avoiding infringement of the patents and proprietary rights of third parties. However, our research, development and commercialization activities may be subject to claims that we infringe or otherwise violate patents or other intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties. Other entities may have or obtain patents or proprietary rights that could limit our ability to make, use, sell, offer for sale or import our product candidates and products that may be approved in the future, or impair our competitive position. There is a substantial amount of litigation, both within and outside the United States, involving patent and other intellectual property rights in the biopharmaceutical industry, including patent infringement lawsuits, oppositions, reexaminations, IPR proceedings and PGR proceedings before the USPTO and/or corresponding foreign patent offices. Numerous third-party U.S. and foreign issued patents and pending patent applications exist in the fields in which we are developing product candidates. There may be third-party patents or patent applications with claims to materials, formulations, methods of manufacture or methods for treatment related to the use or manufacture of our product candidates.
As the biopharmaceutical industry expands and more patents are issued, the risk increases that our product candidates may be subject to claims of infringement of the patent rights of third parties. Because patent applications are maintained as confidential for a certain period of time, until the relevant application is published we may be unaware of third-party patents that may be infringed by commercialization of any of our product candidates, and we cannot be certain that we were the first to file a patent application related to a product candidate or technology. Moreover, because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently-pending patent applications that may later result in issued patents that our product candidates may infringe. In addition, identification of third-party patent rights that may be relevant to our technology is difficult because patent searching is imperfect due to differences in terminology among patents, incomplete databases and the difficulty in assessing the meaning of patent claims. There is also no assurance that there is not prior art of which we are aware, but which we do not believe is relevant to our business, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to limit our ability to make, use, sell, offer for sale or import our products that may be approved in the future, or impair our competitive position. In addition, third parties may obtain patents in the future and claim that use of our technologies infringes upon these patents. Any claims of patent infringement asserted by third parties would be time consuming and could:
| result in costly litigation that may cause negative publicity; |
| divert the time and attention of our technical personnel and management; |
| cause development delays; |
| prevent us from commercializing any of our product candidates until the asserted patent expires or is held finally invalid or not infringed in a court of law; |
| require us to develop non-infringing technology, which may not be possible on a cost-effective basis; |
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| subject us to significant liability to third parties; or |
| require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or which might be non-exclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same technology. |
Although no third party has asserted a claim of patent infringement against us as of the date of this prospectus, others may hold proprietary rights that could prevent our product candidates from being marketed. Any patent-related legal action against us claiming damages and seeking to enjoin commercial activities relating to our products or processes could subject us to potential liability for damages, including treble damages if we were determined to willfully infringe, and require us to obtain a license to manufacture or market our product candidates. Defense of these claims, regardless of their merit, would involve substantial litigation expense and would be a substantial diversion of employee resources from our business. We cannot predict whether we would prevail in any such actions or that any license required under any of these patents would be made available on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. Moreover, even if we or our future strategic partners were able to obtain a license, the rights may be nonexclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual property. In addition, we cannot be certain that we could redesign our product candidates or processes to avoid infringement, if necessary. Accordingly, an adverse determination in a judicial or administrative proceeding, or the failure to obtain necessary licenses, could prevent us from developing and commercializing our product candidates, which could harm our business, financial condition and operating results. In addition, intellectual property litigation, regardless of its outcome, may cause negative publicity and could prohibit us from marketing or otherwise commercializing our product candidates and technology.
Parties making claims against us may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation or administrative proceedings, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure. In addition, any uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any litigation could have material adverse effect on our ability to raise additional funds or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
We may be involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful. Further, our issued patents could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in court.
Competitors may infringe our intellectual property rights. To prevent infringement or unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming. In addition, in a patent infringement proceeding, a court may decide that a patent we own is not valid, is unenforceable and/or is not infringed. If we or any of our potential future collaborators were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent directed at one of our product candidates, the defendant could counterclaim that our patent is invalid and/or unenforceable in whole or in part. In patent litigation in the United States, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge include an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, written description or non-enablement. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could include an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO or made a misleading statement during prosecution.
Third parties may also raise similar invalidity claims before the USPTO or patent offices abroad, even outside the context of litigation. Such mechanisms include re-examination, PGR, IPR, derivation proceedings, and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (e.g., opposition proceedings). Such proceedings could result in the revocation of, cancellation of or amendment to our patents in such a way that they no longer cover our
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technology or platform, or any product candidates that we may develop. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. With respect to the validity question, for example, we cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a third party were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on our technology or platform, or any product candidates that we may develop. Such a loss of patent protection would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and/or unenforceability is unpredictable, and prior art could render our patents invalid. There is no assurance that all potentially relevant prior art relating to our patents and patent applications has been found. There is also no assurance that there is not prior art of which we are aware, but which we do not believe affects the validity or enforceability of a claim in our patents and patent applications, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to affect the validity or enforceability of a claim.
If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on such product candidate. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates. Such a loss of patent protection would have a material adverse impact on our business.
Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to our intellectual property rights may cause us to incur significant expenses, and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing or distribution activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to conduct such litigation or proceedings adequately. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could compromise our ability to compete in the marketplace.
Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation or other legal proceedings relating to our intellectual property rights, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation or other proceedings. There could also be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a material adverse effect on the price of our common stock.
In addition, the issuance of a patent does not give us the right to practice the patented invention. Third parties may have blocking patents that could prevent us from marketing our own patented product and practicing our own patented technology.
Intellectual property litigation may lead to unfavorable publicity that harms our reputation and causes the market price of our common shares to decline.
During the course of any intellectual property litigation, there could be public announcements of the initiation of the litigation as well as results of hearings, rulings on motions, and other interim proceedings in the litigation. If securities analysts or investors regard these announcements as negative, the perceived value of our existing products, programs or intellectual property could be diminished. Accordingly, the market price of
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shares of our common stock may decline. Such announcements could also harm our reputation or the market for our future products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Derivation proceedings may be necessary to determine priority of inventions, and an unfavorable outcome may require us to cease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights from the prevailing party.
Derivation proceedings provoked by third parties or brought by us or declared by the USPTO may be necessary to determine the priority of inventions with respect to our patents or patent applications. An unfavorable outcome could require us to cease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights to it from the prevailing party. Our business could be harmed if the prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms. Our defense of derivation proceedings may fail and, even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our management and other employees. In addition, the uncertainties associated with such proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our clinical trials, continue our research programs, license necessary technology from third parties or enter into development or manufacturing partnerships that would help us bring our product candidates to market.
Recent patent reform legislation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents.
On September 16, 2011, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or Leahy-Smith Act, was signed into law. The Leahy-Smith Act includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications will be prosecuted and may also affect patent litigation. In particular, under the Leahy-Smith Act, the United States transitioned in March 2013 to a first inventor to file system in which, assuming that other requirements of patentability are met, the first inventor to file a patent application will be entitled to the patent regardless of whether a third party was first to invent the claimed invention. A third party that files a patent application in the USPTO after March 2013 but before us could therefore be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we had made the invention before it was made by such third party. This will require us to be cognizant going forward of the time from invention to filing of a patent application. Furthermore, our ability to obtain and maintain valid and enforceable patents depends on whether the differences between our technology and the prior art allow our technology to be patentable over the prior art. Since patent applications in the United States and most other countries are confidential for a period of time after filing or until issuance, we cannot be certain that we were the first to either (1) file any patent application related to our product candidates or (2) invent any of the inventions claimed in our patents or patent applications.
The Leahy-Smith Act also includes a number of significant changes that affect the way patent applications will be prosecuted and also may affect patent litigation. These include allowing third-party submission of prior art to the USPTO during patent prosecution and additional procedures to attack the validity of a patent by USPTO administered post-grant proceedings, including PGR, IPR, and derivation proceedings. An adverse determination in any such submission or proceeding could reduce the scope or enforceability of, or invalidate, our patent rights, which could adversely affect our competitive position.
Because of a lower evidentiary standard in USPTO proceedings compared to the evidentiary standard in United States federal courts necessary to invalidate a patent claim, a third party could potentially provide evidence in a USPTO proceeding sufficient for the USPTO to hold a claim invalid even though the same evidence would be insufficient to invalidate the claim if first presented in a district court action. Accordingly, a third party may attempt to use the USPTO procedures to invalidate our patent claims that would not have been invalidated if first challenged by the third party as a defendant in a district court action. Thus, the Leahy-Smith Act and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent
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applications and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Changes in U.S. patent law, or laws in other countries, could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product candidates.
As is the case with other pharmaceutical companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining and enforcing patents in the pharmaceutical industry involve a high degree of technological and legal complexity. Therefore, obtaining and enforcing pharmaceutical patents is costly, time consuming and inherently uncertain. Changes in either the patent laws or in the interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property and may increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. We cannot predict the breadth of claims that may be allowed or enforced in our patents or in third-party patents. In addition, Congress or other foreign legislative bodies may pass patent reform legislation that is unfavorable to us.
For example, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once obtained. Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. federal courts, the USPTO, or similar authorities in foreign jurisdictions, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents we might obtain in the future.
We may be subject to claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our patents and other intellectual property.
We may also be subject to claims that former employees or other third parties have an ownership interest in our patents or other intellectual property. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging inventorship or ownership. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights. Such an outcome could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and distraction to management and other employees.
Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on our product candidates for an adequate amount of time.
Patents have a limited lifespan. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering our product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive products. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result, our patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours.
If we do not obtain patent term extension for our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.
Depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of FDA marketing approval of our product candidates, one or more of our U.S. patents may be eligible for limited patent term restoration under the Drug Price Competition
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and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, or the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. The Hatch- Waxman Amendments permit a patent restoration term of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. A maximum of one patent may be extended per FDA approved product as compensation for the patent term lost during the FDA regulatory review process. A patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval and only those claims covering such approved drug product, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. Patent term extension may also be available in certain foreign countries upon regulatory approval of our product candidates. However, we may not be granted an extension because of, for example, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the applicable time period or the scope of patent protection afforded could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or restoration or the term of any such extension is less than we request, our competitors may obtain approval of competing products following our patent expiration, and our revenue could be reduced, possibly materially. Further, if this occurs, our competitors may take advantage of our investment in development and trials by referencing our clinical and preclinical data and launch their product earlier than might otherwise be the case.
We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world.
Although we have three issued patents in the United States and pending patent applications in the United States and other countries, filing, prosecuting and defending patents in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our product candidates, and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.
Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of many foreign countries do not favor the enforcement of patents and other intellectual property protection, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.
Many countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we are forced to grant a license to third parties with respect to any patents relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected.
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Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, documentary, fee payment and other requirements imposed by regulations and governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.
Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other governmental fees on patents and/or applications will be due to the USPTO and various foreign patent offices at various points over the lifetime of our patents and/or applications. We have systems in place to remind us to pay these fees, and we rely on our outside patent annuity service to pay these fees when due. Additionally, the USPTO and various foreign patent offices require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. We employ reputable law firms and other professionals to help us comply, and in many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with rules applicable to the particular jurisdiction. However, there are situations in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. If such an event were to occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, then we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and our business may be adversely affected.
Even though we have filed three trademark registration applications in the USPTO, our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition among potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. At times, competitors may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected. Our efforts to enforce or protect our proprietary rights related to trademarks, trade secrets, domain names, copyrights or other intellectual property may be ineffective and could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.
In addition, we rely on the protection of our trade secrets, including unpatented know-how, technology and other proprietary information to maintain our competitive position. Although we have taken steps to protect our trade secrets and unpatented know-how, including entering into confidentiality agreements with third parties, and confidential information and inventions agreements with employees, consultants and advisors, we cannot provide any assurances that all such agreements have been duly executed, and any of these parties may breach the agreements and disclose our proprietary information, including our trade secrets, and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets.
Moreover, third parties may still obtain this information or may come upon this or similar information independently, and we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of these events occurs or if we otherwise lose protection for our trade secrets, the value of this information may be greatly reduced and our competitive position would be harmed. If we do not apply
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for patent protection prior to such publication or if we cannot otherwise maintain the confidentiality of our proprietary technology and other confidential information, then our ability to obtain patent protection or to protect our trade secret information may be jeopardized.
We may be subject to claims that we have wrongfully hired an employee from a competitor or that we or our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged confidential information or trade secrets of their former employers.
As is common in the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to our employees, we engage the services of consultants to assist us in the development of our product candidates. Many of these consultants, and many of our employees, were previously employed at, or may have previously provided or may be currently providing consulting services to, other pharmaceutical companies including our competitors or potential competitors. We may become subject to claims that we, our employees or a consultant inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other information proprietary to their former employers or their former or current clients. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel, which could adversely affect our business. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to our management team and other employees.
Risks related to our common stock and this offering
An active, liquid and orderly market for our common stock may not develop, and you may not be able to resell your common stock at or above the public offering price.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. Although we expect to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, an active trading market for our common stock may never develop or be sustained following this offering. We and the representatives of the underwriters will determine the initial public offering price of our common stock through negotiation. This price will not necessarily reflect the price at which investors in the market will be willing to buy and sell our shares following this offering. In addition, an active trading market may not develop following the consummation of this offering or, if it is developed, may not be sustained. The lack of an active market may impair your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares and may impair our ability to acquire other businesses or technologies using our shares as consideration, which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our business.
The trading price of the shares of our common stock could be highly volatile, and purchasers of our common stock could incur substantial losses.
Our stock price is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for stock of pharmaceutical companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell their common stock at or above the initial public offering price. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by those factors discussed in this Risk factors section and many others, including:
| our ability to enroll subjects in our ongoing and planned clinical trials; |
| results of our clinical trials and preclinical studies, and the results of trials of our competitors or those of other companies in our market sector; |
| regulatory approval of our product candidates, or limitations to specific label indications or patient populations for its use, or changes or delays in the regulatory review process; |
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| regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; |
| changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems, especially in light of current reforms to the U.S. healthcare system; |
| the success or failure of our efforts to acquire, license or develop additional product candidates; |
| innovations or new products developed by us or our competitors; |
| announcements by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments; |
| manufacturing, supply or distribution delays or shortages; |
| any changes to our relationship with any manufacturers, suppliers, future collaborators or other strategic partners; |
| achievement of expected product sales and profitability; |
| variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us; |
| market conditions in the pharmaceutical sector and issuance of securities analysts reports or recommendations; |
| trading volume of our common stock; |
| an inability to obtain additional funding; |
| sales of our stock by insiders and stockholders; |
| general economic, industry and market conditions other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control; |
| additions or departures of key personnel; and |
| intellectual property, product liability or other litigation against us. |
In addition, in the past, stockholders have initiated class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies following periods of volatility in the market prices of these companies stock. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could cause us to incur substantial costs and divert managements attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Global Market could result in a delisting of our common stock.
If, after listing, we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Global Market, such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, Nasdaq may take steps to delist our common stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we can provide no assurance that any action taken by us to restore compliance with listing requirements would allow our common stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our common stock, prevent our common stock from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaqs listing requirements.
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We may allocate the net proceeds from this offering in ways that you and other stockholders may not approve.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled Use of proceeds. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment, and the failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our stockholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected results, which could cause our stock price to decline.
You will suffer immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the common stock you purchase.
The initial public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock immediately after the completion of this offering. Purchasers of common stock in this offering will experience immediate dilution of approximately $9.43 per share, assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus. In the past, we issued options to acquire common stock at prices significantly below the initial public offering price. To the extent these outstanding options are ultimately exercised, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will sustain further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see Dilution.
After this offering, our executive officers, directors and principal stockholders, if they choose to act together, will continue to have the ability to control or significantly influence all matters submitted to stockholders for approval.
Following the completion of this offering, our executive officers, directors and greater than 5% stockholders, in the aggregate, will own approximately 73.4% of our outstanding common stock (assuming no exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares and no exercise of outstanding options). As a result, such persons, acting together, will have the ability to control or significantly influence all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election and removal of directors and approval of any significant transaction, as well as our management and business affairs. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us, or discouraging a potential acquiror from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our business, even if such a transaction would benefit other stockholders. Certain of our principal stockholders, including certain affiliates of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any of these stockholders, or any of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The foregoing discussion does not give effect to any potential purchases by these stockholders in this offering.
We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our common stock, and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation, if any, in the price of our common stock.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our common stock. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate
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declaring or paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. Any return to stockholders will therefore be limited to the appreciation of their stock. There is no guarantee that shares of our common stock will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which stockholders have purchased their shares.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock by our existing stockholders in the public market could cause our stock price to fall.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur could significantly reduce the market price of our common stock and impair our ability to raise adequate capital through the sale of additional equity securities.
Based on shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2018, upon the closing of this offering, we will have outstanding a total of 22,007,961 shares of common stock after this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares and no exercise of outstanding options. Of these shares, only the 5,000,000 shares of common stock sold in this offering by us, plus any shares sold upon exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares, will be freely tradable, without restriction, in the public market immediately following this offering, unless they are purchased by one of our affiliates.
Our directors and executive officers and holders of substantially all of our outstanding securities have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters pursuant to which they may not, with limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, offer, sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of any of our securities, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. The underwriters may permit our officers, directors and other stockholders and the holders of our outstanding options who are subject to the lock-up agreements to sell shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up agreements, subject to limitations. See Underwriting. Sales of these shares, or perceptions that they will be sold, could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline. After the lock-up agreements expire, up to an additional 17,007,961 shares of common stock will be eligible for sale in the public market of which shares are held by directors, executive officers and other affiliates and will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
In addition, as of March 31, 2018, up to 2,125,137 shares of common stock that are either subject to outstanding options or reserved for future issuance under our employee benefit plans will become eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting schedules, the lock-up agreements and Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act. If these additional shares of common stock are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, the trading price of our common stock could decline.
After this offering, the holders of 14,712,571 shares of our outstanding common stock, or approximately 87% of our total outstanding common stock as of March 31, 2018, will be entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares under the Securities Act, subject to vesting and the 180-day lock-up agreements described above. See Description of capital stockRegistration rights. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in the shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act, except for shares held by affiliates, as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Any sales of securities by these stockholders could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.
We are an emerging growth company, and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and may remain an emerging growth company until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering. However, if certain events occur prior to the end of such five-year period, including if we become a large
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accelerated filer, our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion or we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period, we will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and intend to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include:
| being permitted to provide only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations disclosure; |
| not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting; |
| not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditors report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements; |
| reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and |
| exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. |
We have taken advantage of reduced reporting burdens in this prospectus. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be reduced or more volatile. In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of these accounting standards until they would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, we will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We will incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. We will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, which will require, among other things, that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. In addition, Sarbanes-Oxley, as well as rules subsequently adopted by the SEC, and the Nasdaq Global Market to implement provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley, impose significant requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Further, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the SEC has adopted additional rules and regulations in these areas, such as mandatory say on pay voting requirements that will apply to us when we cease to be an emerging growth company. Stockholder activism, the current political environment and the current high level of government intervention and regulatory reform may lead to substantial new regulations and disclosure obligations, which may lead to additional compliance costs and impact the manner in which we operate our business in ways we cannot currently anticipate.
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We expect the rules and regulations applicable to public companies to substantially increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly. If these requirements divert the attention of our management and personnel from other business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The increased costs will decrease our net income or increase our net loss, and may require us to reduce costs in other areas of our business or increase the prices of our products or services. For example, we expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain the same or similar coverage. We cannot predict or estimate the amount or timing of additional costs we may incur to respond to these requirements. The impact of these requirements could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports or publish unfavorable research or reports about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. We do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our stock would be negatively impacted. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases to cover us or fails to regularly publish reports on us, interest in our stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting and the trading price of our common stock may decline.
Pursuant to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, our management will be required to report upon the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with the annual report for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. When we lose our status as an emerging growth company and reach an accelerated filer threshold, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The rules governing the standards that must be met for management to assess our internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. To comply with the requirements of being a reporting company under the Exchange Act, we will need to upgrade our information technology systems; implement additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures; and hire additional accounting and finance staff. If we or, if required, our auditors are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting and the trading price of our common stock may decline.
We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. If we are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm determines we have a material weakness or significant deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting once that firm begin its Section 404 reviews, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or to
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implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to the capital markets.
Provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could discourage a takeover that stockholders may consider favorable and may lead to entrenchment of management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect immediately prior to the consummation of this offering will contain provisions that could significantly reduce the value of our shares to a potential acquiror or delay or prevent changes in control or changes in our management without the consent of our board of directors. The provisions in our charter documents will include the following:
| a classified board of directors with three-year staggered terms, which may delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of our board of directors; |
| no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates; |
| the exclusive right of our board of directors, unless the board of directors grants such right to the stockholders, to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors; |
| the required approval of at least 66-2/3% of the shares entitled to vote to remove a director for cause, and the prohibition on removal of directors without cause; |
| the ability of our board of directors to authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock and to determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership of a hostile acquiror; |
| the ability of our board of directors to alter our amended and restated bylaws without obtaining stockholder approval; |
| the required approval of at least 66-2/3% of the shares entitled to vote to adopt, amend or repeal our amended and restated bylaws or repeal the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation regarding the election and removal of directors; |
| a prohibition on stockholder action by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders; |
| an exclusive forum provision providing that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for certain actions and proceedings; |
| the requirement that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the board of directors, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors; and |
| advance notice procedures that stockholders must comply with in order to nominate candidates to our board of directors or to propose matters to be acted upon at a stockholders meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirors own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us. |
We are also subject to the anti-takeover provisions contained in Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Under Section 203, a corporation may not, in general, engage in a business combination with
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any holder of 15% or more of its capital stock unless the holder has held the stock for three years or, among other exceptions, the board of directors has approved the transaction.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This provision may limit a stockholders ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
Our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes may be limited in connection with this offering or other ownership changes.
We have incurred substantial losses during our history and do not expect to become profitable in the near future, and we may never achieve profitability. To the extent that we continue to generate taxable losses, unused losses will carry forward to offset future taxable income, if any, until such unused losses expire (if at all). At December 31, 2017, after reducing net operating losses, or NOLs, and research and development credits for amounts not expected to be utilized, we had federal, state and foreign NOL carryforwards of approximately $6.2 million, $6.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal and state NOL carryforwards will begin to expire in 2035, unless previously utilized. The foreign NOL carryforwards do not expire. The Company also has federal and California research and development credit carryforwards totaling $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal research and development credit carryforwards will begin to expire in 2030, unless previously utilized. The California research credits do not expire.
Under recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, federal NOL carryforwards generated in periods after December 31, 2017, may be carried forward indefinitely but may only be used to offset 80% of our taxable income annually. The California research and development tax carryforwards are available indefinitely. Our NOL carryforwards are subject to review and possible adjustment by the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities and may become subject to an annual limitation in the event of certain cumulative changes in the ownership interest of significant stockholders over a three-year period in excess of 50 percentage points, as defined under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Our ability to utilize our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes to offset future taxable income or tax liabilities may be limited as a result of ownership changes, including potential changes in connection with this offering. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. We have not yet determined the amount of the cumulative change in our ownership resulting from this offering or any resulting tax loss limitations. Such limitations could result in the expiration of our carryforwards before they can be utilized and, if we are profitable, our future cash flows could be adversely affected due to our increased tax liability. We have recorded a full valuation allowance related to our NOLs and other deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of the ultimate realization of the future benefits of those assets.
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Recent U.S. tax legislation may materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, has significantly changed the U.S. federal income taxation of U.S. corporations, including by reducing the U.S. corporate income tax rate and revising the rules governing NOLs. Many of these changes are effective immediately, without any transition periods or grandfathering for existing transactions. The legislation is unclear in many respects and could be subject to potential amendments and technical corrections, as well as interpretations and implementing regulations by the Treasury and U.S. Internal Revenue Service, any of which could lessen or increase certain adverse impacts of the legislation. In addition, it is unclear how these U.S. federal income tax changes will affect state and local taxation, which often uses federal taxable income as a starting point for computing state and local tax liabilities. Based on our current evaluation of this legislation, the reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate required a provisional write-down of our deferred income tax assets (including the value of our NOL carryforwards and our tax credit carryforwards).
There may be other material adverse effects resulting from the legislation that we have not yet identified. While some of the changes made by the tax legislation may adversely affect us in one or more reporting periods and prospectively, other changes may be beneficial on a going forward basis. We continue to work with our tax advisors to determine the full impact that the recent tax legislation as a whole will have on us. We urge our investors to consult with their legal and tax advisors with respect to such legislation and the potential tax consequences of investing in our common stock.
We could be subject to securities class action litigation.
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. This risk is especially relevant for us because pharmaceutical companies have experienced significant stock price volatility in recent years. If we face such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of managements attention and resources, which could harm our business.
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Special note regarding forward-looking statements
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, research and development costs, the anticipated timing, costs and conduct of our planned clinical trials for CRN00808 and our planned discovery actions and preclinical studies and clinical trials for our other development programs, the timing and likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for CRN00808 and our other product candidates, our ability to commercialize CRN00808 and our other product candidates, if approved, the pricing and reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved, the potential benefits of strategic collaborations and our ability to enter into strategic arrangements, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of anticipated products are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, could, intend, target, project, contemplates, believes, estimates, predicts, potential or continue or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions described under the sections in this prospectus entitled Risk factors and Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and elsewhere in this prospectus. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus. See Where you can find more information.
In addition, statements that we believe and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and you are cautioned not to rely unduly upon these statements.
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We obtained the industry, market and competitive position data used throughout this prospectus from our own internal estimates and research, as well as from independent market research, industry and general publications and surveys, governmental agencies and publicly available information in addition to research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Internal estimates are derived from publicly available information released by industry analysts and third-party sources, our internal research and our industry experience, and are based on assumptions made by us based on such data and our knowledge of our industry and market, which we believe to be reasonable. In some cases, we do not expressly refer to the sources from which this data is derived. In that regard, when we refer to one or more sources of this type of data in any paragraph, you should assume that other data of this type appearing in the same paragraph is derived from the same sources, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires. In addition, while we believe the industry, market and competitive position data included in this prospectus is reliable and based on reasonable assumptions, such data involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed in Risk factors. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties or by us.
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We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of the common stock that we are offering will be approximately $71.6 million (or $82.8 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $4.7 million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares we are offering. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, by approximately $14.9 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price stays the same.
The principal purposes of this offering are to obtain additional capital to support our operations, to create a public market for our common stock and to facilitate our future access to the public equity markets.
We intend to use the net proceeds from the offering as follows:
| approximately $45.0 million to fund the clinical development of CRN00808; |
| approximately $15.0 million to fund preclinical and clinical development of our other development programs; and |
| the remainder for working capital and general corporate purposes. |
We may also use a portion of the remaining net proceeds and our existing cash and cash equivalents to in-license, acquire, or invest in complementary businesses, technologies, products or assets. However, we have no current commitments or obligations to do so.
We believe, based on our current operating plan, that the net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash and cash equivalents, will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 24 months, although there can be no assurance in that regard. In particular, we expect that the net proceeds from this offering will allow us to complete our planned Phase 2 clinical trials for CRN00808 and our planned Phase 1 clinical trials for CRN02481 and CRN01941. However, our expected use of proceeds from this offering described above represents our current intentions based on our present plans and business condition. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the actual amounts that we will spend on the uses set forth above. The net proceeds from this offering, together with our cash and cash equivalents, will not be sufficient for us to fund all of our product candidates through regulatory approval, and we will need to raise additional capital to complete the development and commercialization of all of our product candidates.
The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the time and cost necessary to conduct our planned preclinical and clinical trials, the results of our preclinical and clinical trials and other factors described under Risk factors in this prospectus, as well as the amount of cash used in our operations and any unforeseen cash needs. Therefore, our actual expenditures may differ materially from the estimates described above. We may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes, and we will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds.
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Pending the uses described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.
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We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors after considering our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors the board of directors deems relevant, and subject to the restrictions contained in any future financing instruments.
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The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of March 31, 2018:
| on an actual basis; |
| on a pro forma basis to reflect (1) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of common stock and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to the closing of this offering, and (2) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation immediately prior to the closing of this offering; and |
| on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give further effect to our issuance and sale of 5,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. |
The pro forma as adjusted information below is illustrative only, and our capitalization following the closing of this offering will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this information in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in this prospectus and the Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations section and other financial information contained in this prospectus.
As of March 31, 2018 | ||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share data) | Actual | Pro forma | Pro forma as adjusted(1) |
|||||||||
(unaudited) |
(unaudited) |
(unaudited) | ||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 73,740 | $ | 73,740 | $ | 145,340 | ||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
Convertible preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share; 48,868,345 shares authorized, 48,404,379 shares issued and outstanding, actual; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted |
92,975 | | | |||||||||
Stockholders equity (deficit): |
||||||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, actual; 10,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued and outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted |
| | | |||||||||
Common stock, $0.001 par value per share; 65,000,000 shares authorized; 2,295,390 shares issued and 2,191,035 outstanding, excluding 104,355 shares subject to repurchase, actual; 200,000,000 shares authorized, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted; 17,007,961 shares issued and 16,903,606 shares outstanding, excluding 104,355 shares subject to repurchase, pro forma; 22,007,961 shares issued and 21,903,606 shares outstanding, excluding 104,355 shares subject to repurchase, pro forma as adjusted |
2 | 17 | 22 | |||||||||
Additional paid in capital |
1,751 | 94,711 | 166,306 | |||||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(21,729 | ) | (21,729 | ) | (21,729 | ) | ||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
Total stockholders equity (deficit) |
(19,976 | ) | 72,999 | 144,599 | ||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
Total capitalization |
$ | 72,999 | $ | 72,999 | $ | 144,599 | ||||||
|
(1) | Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, total stockholders equity and total capitalization by approximately $4.7 million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated |
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offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us at the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, total stockholders equity and total capitalization by approximately $14.9 million, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. |
The number of shares of common stock in the table above is based on 17,007,961 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2018, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock immediately prior to the closing of this offering, and excludes:
| 1,457,952 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2018, at a weighted-average exercise price of $1.34 per share; |
| 1,027,196 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options granted after March 31, 2018, at a weighted-average exercise price of $9.81 per share; |
| 1,991,637 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2018 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number includes 391,637 shares remaining available for issuance under our 2015 Stock Incentive Plan as of June 30, 2018 (which shares will become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan upon its effectiveness), but does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the 2018 Plan); and |
| 250,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the ESPP). |
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If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.
As of March 31, 2018, we had a historical net tangible book deficit of $(20.0) million, or $(8.70) per share of common stock based on 2,295,390 shares of common stock outstanding, including 104,355 shares subject to repurchase, as of such date. Our historical net tangible book value per share represents total tangible assets less total liabilities and convertible preferred stock, divided by the number of shares of common stock outstanding (including shares subject to repurchase) at March 31, 2018.
On a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to the closing of this offering stock, our pro forma net tangible book value as of March 31, 2018 would have been approximately $73.0 million, or approximately $4.29 per share of our common stock.
After giving further effect to the sale of 5,000,000 shares of common stock that we are offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2018 would have been approximately $144.6 million, or approximately $6.57 per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $2.28 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in pro forma net tangible book value of approximately $9.43 per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering.
Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the initial public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution (without giving effect to any exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares):
Assumed initial public offering price per share |
$ | 16.00 | ||||||
Historical net tangible book deficit per share as of March 31, 2018 |
$ | (8.70 | ) | |||||
Pro forma increase in historical net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2018 attributable to the conversion of convertible preferred stock |
12.99 | |||||||
|
|
|||||||
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2018 |
4.29 | |||||||
Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors participating in this offering |
2.28 | |||||||
|
|
|||||||
Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering |
6.57 | |||||||
|
|
|||||||
Dilution per share to new investors participating in this offering |
$ | 9.43 | ||||||
|
Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by approximately $4.7 million, and dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per share to new investors by approximately $0.21, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease)
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our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by approximately $0.36 and $(0.40) per share and increase (decrease) the dilution to investors participating in this offering by approximately $(0.36) and $0.40 per share, assuming that the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.
If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full in this offering, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after the offering would be $6.84 per share, the increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders would be $2.55 per share and the dilution per share to new investors would be $9.16 per share, in each case assuming an initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
The following table summarizes on the pro forma as adjusted basis described above, as of March 31, 2018, the differences between the number of shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us in cash and the average price per share paid by existing stockholders for shares issued prior to this offering and the price to be paid by new investors in this offering. The calculations below are based on the assumed initial public offering price of $16.00 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
Shares purchased | Total consideration | Average price | ||||||||||||||||||
Number | Percent | Amount | Percent | per share | ||||||||||||||||
Existing stockholders before this offering(1) |
17,007,961 | 77% | $ | 93,818,000 | 54% | $ | 5.52 | |||||||||||||
New investors participating in this offering |
5,000,000 | 23 | 80,000,000 | 46 | $ | 16.00 | ||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Total |
22,007,961 | 100% | 173,818,000 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
|
(1) | Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because these indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, or any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The presentation in this table regarding ownership by existing stockholders before this offering does not give effect to any potential purchases in this offering by such stockholders. |
If all outstanding options had been exercised as of March 31, 2018, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $6.25, and total dilution per share to new investors would be $9.75.
If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full:
| the percentage of shares of common stock held by existing stockholders will decrease to approximately 75% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering; and |
| the number of shares held by new investors will increase to 5,750,000, or approximately 25% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering. |
The foregoing tables and calculations (other than the historical net tangible book value calculation) are based on 17,007,961 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2018, including 104,355 shares subject
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to repurchase, after giving effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock prior to the closing of this offering, and exclude:
| 1,457,952 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2018, at a weighted-average exercise price of $1.34 per share; |
| 1,027,196 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options granted after March 31, 2018, at a weighted average exercise price of $9.81 per share: |
| 1,991,637 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2018 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number includes 391,637 shares remaining available for issuance under our 2015 Stock Incentive Plan as of June 30, 2018 (which shares will become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan upon its effectiveness), but does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the 2018 Plan); and |
| 250,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering (which number does not include any potential evergreen increases pursuant to the terms of the ESPP). |
To the extent any outstanding options are exercised, or we issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, there will be further dilution to new investors.
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Selected consolidated financial data
The following tables set forth selected historical consolidated financial data as of, and for the periods ended on, the dates indicated. We have derived the statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the statements of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 and the balance sheet data as of March 31, 2018 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with our audited consolidated financial statements included in this prospectus and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state our financial position as of March 31, 2018 and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018. You should read this data together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the section in this prospectus entitled Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations. Our historical results for any prior period are not necessarily indicative of our future results.
Years Ended December 31, | Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share data) | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | ||||||||||||
(unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data: |
||||||||||||||||
Grant revenues |
$ | 589 | $ | 2,045 | $ | 45 | $ | 442 | ||||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||||||
Research and development |
5,100 | 9,233 | 2,065 | 4,720 | ||||||||||||
General and administrative |
1,533 | 1,939 | 589 | 1,248 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses |
6,633 | 11,172 | 2,654 | 5,968 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Loss from operations |
(6,044 | ) | (9,127 | ) | (2,609 | ) | (5,526 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense): |
||||||||||||||||
Interest income |
37 | 26 | 7 | 64 | ||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(11 | ) | (8 | ) | (2 | ) | | |||||||||
Other expense |
(1 | ) | (48 | ) | (2 | ) | (2 | ) | ||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Total other income (expense) |
25 | (30 | ) | 3 | 62 | |||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Net loss |
$ | (6,019 | ) | $ | (9,157 | ) | $ | (2,606 | ) | $ | (5,464 | ) | ||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Net loss per share, basic and diluted(1) |
$ | (5.96 | ) | $ | (6.68 | ) | $ | (2.18 | ) | $ | (2.92 | ) | ||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted(1) |
1,010,510 | 1,370,578 | 1,197,711 | 1,869,576 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted (unaudited)(1) |
$ | (1.18 | ) | $ | (0.39 | ) | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Pro forma weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted (unaudited)(1) |
7,746,089 | 13,878,156 | ||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
(1) | See Note 1 to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an explanation of the method used to calculate the historical and pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted, and the number of shares used in the computation of the per share amounts. |
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As of December 31, | As of March
31, 2018 |
|||||||||||
(in thousands) | 2016 | 2017 | ||||||||||
(unaudited) | ||||||||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: |
||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 12,152 | $ | 14,192 | $ | 73,740 | ||||||
Working capital |
11,475 | 14,268 | 71,595 | |||||||||
Total assets |
12,599 | 15,598 | 76,329 | |||||||||
Convertible preferred stock |
17,740 | 29,700 | 92,975 | |||||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(7,108 | ) | (16,265 | ) | (21,729 | ) | ||||||
Total stockholders equity (deficit) |
(6,204 | ) | (15,022 | ) | (19,976 | ) | ||||||
|
|
|
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Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis is set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the Risk factors section of this prospectus, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
We are a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors. Endocrine pathways function to maintain homeostasis and commonly use peptide hormones acting through GPCRs to regulate many aspects of physiology including growth, energy, metabolism, gastrointestinal function and stress responses. We have assembled a seasoned team with extensive expertise in drug discovery and development in endocrine GPCRs and built a highly productive drug discovery organization. We have discovered a pipeline of oral nonpeptide (small molecule) new chemical entities that target peptide GPCRs to treat a variety of rare endocrine diseases where treatment options have significant efficacy, safety and/or tolerability limitations. Our lead product candidate, CRN00808, is currently in clinical development for the treatment of acromegaly, and we are advancing additional product candidates through preclinical studies in parallel. Our vision is to build the leading endocrine company which consistently pioneers new therapeutics to help patients better control their disease and improve their daily lives.
We focus on the discovery and development of oral nonpeptide therapeutics that target peptide GPCRs with well understood biological functions, validated biomarkers and the potential to substantially improve the treatment of endocrine diseases and/or endocrine-related tumors. Our pipeline consists of the following three product candidates and discovery program:
| CRN00808, our lead product candidate, establishes a new class of oral selective nonpeptide sst2 biased agonists designed for the treatment of acromegaly and is the first agent in its class with reported clinical results. In March 2018, we reported initial results from a Phase 1, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-ascending dose trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CRN00808 in 99 healthy volunteers. CRN00808 demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept by potently suppressing stimulated GH and baseline IGF-1 in these subjects. We plan to submit an IND to the FDA in the second half of 2018 and, if accepted, plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials of CRN00808 in acromegaly patients in early 2019, including those who are not adequately controlled with existing therapy. |
| CRN02481 represents a new class of oral selective nonpeptide sst5 agonists designed to treat congenital hyperinsulinism. CRN02481 is currently in first-in-human enabling studies, and we expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in 2019. |
| CRN01941 is an oral nonpeptide sst2 biased agonist designed for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors, that originate from neuroendocrine cells commonly found in the gut, lung or pancreas. CRN01941 is currently in first-in-human enabling studies, and we expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in late 2019/early 2020. |
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| We have an ongoing discovery effort to identify and advance into development the first nonpeptide product candidate to antagonize ACTH, designed for the treatment of Cushings disease. Our goal is to select a product candidate for preclinical development in 2019. |
To date, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to drug discovery, conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, obtaining and maintaining patents related to our product candidates, and the provision of general and administrative support for these operations. We recognize revenues from various research and development grants, but do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any product sales. We have funded our operations primarily through the private placement of preferred stock and grant revenues. To date, we have raised gross proceeds of approximately $93.5 million to fund our operations from the issuance of convertible preferred stock. As of March 31, 2018, we had cash and cash equivalents of $73.7 million.
We have incurred cumulative net losses since our inception. Our net losses were $6.0 million, $9.2 million and $5.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2018, respectively. As of March 31, 2018, we had an accumulated deficit of $21.7 million. Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year, depending on the timing of our preclinical studies and clinical trials and our expenditures on other research and development activities. We expect our expenses and operating losses will increase substantially as we conduct our ongoing and planned clinical trials, continue our research and development activities and conduct preclinical studies, hire additional personnel, protect our intellectual property and incur additional costs associated with being a public company, including audit, legal, regulatory, and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with exchange listing and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums, and investor relations costs.
We do not expect to generate any revenues from product sales unless and until we successfully complete development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more of our product candidates, which we expect will take a number of years. If we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution. Accordingly, until such time as we can generate significant revenue from sales of our product candidates, if ever, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements when needed on favorable terms or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such other arrangements when needed would have a negative impact on our financial condition and could force us to delay, scale back or discontinue the development of our existing product candidates or our efforts to expand our product pipeline.
Australian operations
In January 2017, we established Crinetics Australia Pty Ltd, or CAPL, a wholly-owned subsidiary which was formed to conduct various preclinical and clinical activities for our product and development candidates. We believe CAPL will be eligible for certain financial incentives made available by the Australian government for research and development expenses. Specifically, the Australian Taxation Office provides for a refundable tax credit in the form of a cash refund equal to 43.5% of qualified research and development expenditures under the Australian Research and Development Tax Incentive Program, or the Australian Tax Incentive, to Australian companies that operate the majority of their research and development activities associated with such projects in Australia. A wholly-owned Australian subsidiary of a non-Australian parent company is eligible to receive the refundable tax credit, provided that the Australian subsidiary retains the rights to the data and intellectual property generated in Australia, and provided that the total revenues of the parent company and its consolidated subsidiaries during the period for which the refundable tax credit is claimed are less than $20.0 million Australian dollars. If we lose our ability to operate CAPL in Australia, or if we are ineligible or unable to
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receive the research and development tax credit, or the Australian government significantly reduces or eliminates the tax credit, the actual refund amounts we receive may differ from our estimates.
Financial operations overview
Grant revenues
To date, we have not generated any revenues from the commercial sale of approved products, and we do not expect to generate revenues from the commercial sale of our product candidates for at least the foreseeable future, if ever. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, revenues were derived from SBIR Grants awarded to us by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. We do not currently expect future grant revenues to be a material source of funding.
Operating expenses
Research and development
To date, our research and development expenses have related primarily to discovery efforts and preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates. Research and development expenses are recognized as incurred and payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development are capitalized until the goods or services are received.
Research and development expenses include:
| salaries, payroll taxes, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation charges for those individuals involved in research and development efforts; |
| external research and development expenses incurred under agreements with contract research organizations, or CROs, investigative sites and consultants to conduct our clinical trials and preclinical and non-clinical studies; |
| laboratory supplies; |
| costs related to manufacturing our product candidates for clinical trials and preclinical studies, including fees paid to third-party manufacturers; |
| costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements; and |
| facilities, depreciation and other allocated expenses, which include direct and allocated expenses for rent, maintenance of facilities, insurance, equipment and other supplies. |
We recognize the Australian Tax Incentive as a reduction of research and development expense. The amounts are determined based on eligible research and development expenditures. The Australian Tax Incentive is recognized when there is reasonable assurance that the Australian Tax Incentive will be received, the relevant expenditure has been incurred, and the amount of the Australian Tax Incentive can be reliably measured.
Our direct research and development expenses consist principally of external costs, such as fees paid to CROs, investigative sites and consultants in connection with our clinical trials, preclinical and non-clinical studies, and costs related to manufacturing clinical trial materials. For 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2018, the majority of our third-party expenses related to the research and development of CRN00808. We deploy our personnel and facility related resources across all of our research and development activities.
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We plan to substantially increase our research and development expenses for the foreseeable future as we continue the development of our product candidates and discovery of new product candidates. We cannot determine with certainty the timing of initiation, the duration or the completion costs of current or future preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates due to the inherently unpredictable nature of preclinical and clinical development. Clinical and preclinical development timelines, the probability of success and development costs can differ materially from expectations. We anticipate that we will make determinations as to which product candidates to pursue and how much funding to direct to each product candidate on an ongoing basis in response to the results of ongoing and future preclinical studies and clinical trials, regulatory developments and our ongoing assessments as to each product candidates commercial potential. We will need to raise substantial additional capital in the future. In addition, we cannot forecast which product candidates may be subject to future collaborations, when such arrangements will be secured, if at all, and to what degree such arrangements would affect our development plans and capital requirements.
Our clinical development costs may vary significantly based on factors such as:
| per patient trial costs; |
| the number of trials required for approval; |
| the number of sites included in the trials; |
| the countries in which the trials are conducted; |
| the length of time required to enroll eligible patients; |
| the number of patients that participate in the trials; |
| the number of doses that patients receive; |
| the drop-out or discontinuation rates of patients; |
| potential additional safety monitoring requested by regulatory agencies; |
| the duration of patient participation in the trials and follow-up; |
| the cost and timing of manufacturing our product candidates; |
| the phase of development of our product candidates; and |
| the efficacy and safety profile of our product candidates. |
General and administrative
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and employee-related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, finance and other administrative functions. Other significant costs include facility-related costs, legal fees relating to intellectual property and corporate matters, professional fees for accounting and consulting services and insurance costs. We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future to support our continued research and development activities and, if any of our product candidates receive marketing approval, commercialization activities. We also anticipate increased expenses related to audit, legal, regulatory, and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with exchange listing and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums, and investor relations costs associated with operating as a public company.
Other income (expense)
Other income (expense) consists of interest income from our money market account, foreign exchange losses related to CAPL and interest expense on a bank loan that was repaid in 2017.
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Results of operations
Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018:
Three Months Ended March 31, |
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(in thousands) | 2017 | 2018 | Change | |||||||||
Grant revenues |
$ | 45 | $ | 442 | $ | 397 | ||||||
Operating expenses: |
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Research and development |
2,065 | 4,720 | 2,655 | |||||||||
General and administrative |
589 | 1,248 | 659 | |||||||||
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Total operating expenses |
2,654 | 5,968 | 3,314 | |||||||||
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Loss from operations |
(2,609 | ) | (5,526 | ) | (2,917 | ) | ||||||
Other income (expense): |
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Interest income |
7 | 64 | 57 | |||||||||
Interest expense |
(2 | ) | | 2 | ||||||||
Other income (expense) |
(2 | ) | (2 | ) | | |||||||
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Total other income (expense) |
3 | 62 | 59 | |||||||||
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Net loss |
$ | (2,606 | ) | $ | (5,464 | ) | $ | (2,858 | ) | |||
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Grant revenues. Grant revenues were $45,000 and $0.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The increase was primarily due to increased research and development activities related to our SBIR Grants.
Research and development expenses. Research and development expenses were $2.1 million and $4.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The increase of $2.6 million was primarily due to increases in the following: $1.3 million of clinical study related expenses, $0.7 million of personnel related expenses, $0.4 million of manufacturing expenses, $0.3 million of external non-clinical expenditures, $0.1 million of stock-based compensation and $0.1 million of facility related expenses. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the expenses above were offset in part by $0.3 million of Australian Tax Incentives. We recorded no Australian Tax Incentives for the three months ended March 31, 2017.
General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses were $0.6 million and $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The increase of $0.6 million was primarily due to increases in the following: $0.2 million of stock-based compensation, $0.2 million of professional services primarily related to patent activities and corporate legal fees, $0.1 million of personnel related expenses and $0.1 million of facility related expenses and other general and administrative expenses.
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Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017:
Years ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
(in thousands) | 2016 | 2017 | Change | |||||||||
Grant revenues |
$ | 589 | $ | 2,045 | $ | 1,456 | ||||||
Operating expenses: |
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Research and development |
5,100 | 9,233 | 4,133 | |||||||||
General and administrative |
1,533 | 1,939 | 406 | |||||||||
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Total operating expenses |
6,633 | 11,172 | 4,539 | |||||||||
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Loss from operations |
(6,044 | ) | (9,127 | ) | (3,083 | ) | ||||||
Other income (expense): |
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Interest income |
37 | 26 | (11 | ) | ||||||||
Interest expense |
(11 | ) | (8 | ) | 3 | |||||||
Other income (expense) |
(1 | ) | (48 | ) | (47 | ) | ||||||
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Total other income (expense) |
25 | (30 | ) | (55 | ) | |||||||
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Net loss |
$ | (6,019 | ) | $ | (9,157 | ) | $ | (3,138 | ) | |||
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Grant revenues. Grant revenues were $0.6 million and $2.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The increase was primarily due to increased research and development activities related to our SBIR Grants.
Research and development expenses. Research and development expenses were $5.1 million and $9.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The increase of $4.1 million was primarily due to increases in the following: $1.2 million of clinical study related expenses, $1.2 million of manufacturing expenses, $1.2 million of external non-clinical expenditures, and $0.7 million of personnel related expenses. In 2017, the expenses above were offset in part by an Australian Tax Incentive of $0.5 million.
General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses were $1.5 million and $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The increase of $0.4 million was primarily due to increases in the following: $0.2 million of personnel related expenses, $0.1 million of professional services primarily related to patent activities and corporate legal fees, and $0.1 million of facility related expenses and other general and administrative expenses.
Liquidity and capital resources
We have incurred cumulative net losses and negative cash flows from operations since our inception and anticipate we will continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future. As of March 31, 2018, we had an accumulated deficit of $21.7 million. As of March 31, 2018, we had cash and cash equivalents of $73.7 million.
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The following table sets forth a summary of the net cash flow activity for each of the periods set forth below:
Years ended December 31, | Three Months ended March 31, |
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(in thousands) | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | ||||||||||||
Net cash provided by (used in): |
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Operating activities |
$ | (5,468 | ) | $ | (9,479 | ) | $ | (2,326 | ) | $ | (3,407 | ) | ||||
Investing activities |
(190 | ) | (304 | ) | (20 | ) | (57 | ) | ||||||||
Financing activities |
(53 | ) | 11,823 | 51 | 63,512 | |||||||||||
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Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |
$ | (5,711 | ) | $ | 2,040 | $ | (2,295 | ) | $ | 60,048 | ||||||
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Operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities was $2.3 million and $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was primarily due to our net loss of $2.6 million, adjusted for $0.1 million of noncash charges related to depreciation and stock-based compensation and a $0.2 million change in operating assets and liabilities. The net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was primarily due to our net loss of $5.5 million, adjusted for $0.5 million of noncash charges primarily due to $0.4 million of stock-based compensation expense, and a $1.6 million change in operating assets and liabilities, primarily due to increased accounts payable and accrued expenses in support of our increased operating expenses and financing activities.
Net cash used in operating activities was $5.5 million and $9.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The net cash used in operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2016 was primarily due to our net loss of $6.0 million, adjusted for $0.4 million of noncash charges and a $0.2 million change in operating assets and liabilities. The noncash charges primarily related to $0.3 million of stock-based compensation charges and $0.1 million of depreciation expense. Net cash used in operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2017 was primarily due to our net loss of $9.2 million, adjusted for $0.4 million of noncash charges and a $0.7 million change in operating assets and liabilities. The noncash charges primarily related to $0.3 million of stock-based compensation charges and $0.1 million of depreciation expense.
Investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities was due to property and equipment purchases in each period.
Financing activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was $0.1 million and $63.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was primarily due to the proceeds from the exercise of stock options. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was primarily due to $63.4 million of net proceeds from the issuance of Series B convertible preferred stock and $0.3 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options, offset by payment of $0.1 million of costs related to our proposed initial public offering.
Net cash used in financing activities was $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, primarily due to the principal payments on an outstanding bank loan. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2017 was the result of net proceeds of $12.0 million from the sale of Series A convertible preferred stock and $0.1 million from the exercise of common stock options, offset by principal payments on an outstanding bank loan, which was repaid in full in 2017.
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We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and the estimated net proceeds from this offering, together with interest thereon, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements through at least the next 24 months. In particular, we expect that the net proceeds from this offering will allow us to complete our planned Phase 2 clinical trials for CRN00808 and our planned Phase 1 clinical trials for CRN02481 and CRN01941. However, our forecast of the period of time through which our financial resources will be adequate to support our operations is a forward-looking statement that involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results could vary materially. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our capital resources sooner than we expect. Additionally, the process of testing product candidates in clinical trials is costly, and the timing of progress and expenses in these trials is uncertain.
Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:
| the type, number, scope, progress, expansions, results, costs and timing of, our preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates which we are pursuing or may choose to pursue in the future; |
| the costs and timing of manufacturing for our product candidates, including commercial manufacturing if any product candidate is approved; |
| the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of our product candidates; |
| the costs of obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our patents and other intellectual property rights; |
| our efforts to enhance operational systems and hire additional personnel to satisfy our obligations as a public company, including enhanced internal controls over financial reporting; |
| the costs associated with hiring additional personnel and consultants as our preclinical and clinical activities increase; |
| the timing and the extent of any Australian Tax Incentive refund and future grant revenues, if any, that we receive; |
| the costs and timing of establishing or securing sales and marketing capabilities if any product candidate is approved; |
| our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, adequate coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products; |
| the terms and timing of establishing and maintaining collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements; and |
| costs associated with any products or technologies that we may in-license or acquire. |
Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues to support our cost structure, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be or could be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our common stockholders. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise funds through collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us and/or may reduce the value of our common stock. If we are
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unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our product candidates even if we would otherwise prefer to develop and market such product candidates ourselves.
Contractual obligations and commitments
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations at March 31, 2018 (in thousands):
Payments due by period | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | Less than 1 year |
1 3 years |
3 5 years |
More than 5 years |
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Operating lease obligations(1) |
$ | 8,575 | $ | 405 | $ | 2,491 | $ | 2,387 | $ | 3,292 | ||||||||||
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Total |
$ | 8,575 | $ | 405 | $ | 2,491 | $ | 2,387 | $ | 3,292 | ||||||||||
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(1) | Our operating lease obligations relate to our former corporate headquarters which we are currently using as laboratory space in San Diego, California. |
We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with clinical trial sites and clinical supply manufacturers and with vendors for preclinical studies, research supplies and other services and products for operating purposes. These contracts generally provide for termination after a notice period, and, therefore, are cancelable contracts and not included in the table above.
Critical accounting policies and significant judgments and estimates
Our managements discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition, accrued expenses and stock-based compensation. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events, and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in the notes to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, we believe the following accounting policies and estimates to be most critical to the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Grant revenues
Under the terms of the grants awarded, we are entitled to receive reimbursement of our allowable direct expenses, allocated overhead, general and administrative expenses and payment of other specified amounts. Revenues from development and support activities under the grants is recorded in the period in which the related costs are incurred for cost reimbursement grants. Revenue is recognized when earned and expenses are recognized when incurred. Any of the funding sources may request reimbursement for expenses or return of funds, or both, as a result of noncompliance by us with the terms of the grants. No reimbursement of expenses or return of funds for noncompliance has been requested or made since inception of the contract and grants.
Australian research and development tax incentive
CAPL is eligible to obtain a cash refund from the Australian Taxation Office for eligible research and development expenditures under the Australian Tax Incentive. The Australian Tax Incentive is recognized as a
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reduction to research and development expense when there is reasonable assurance that the Australian Tax Incentive will be received, the relevant expenditure has been incurred, and the amount can be reliably measured. Although we do not expect our estimates to be materially different from amounts actually received, if our estimates of the amounts and timing of the receipt of the Australian Tax Incentive differ from actual amounts received, it could result in us reporting amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period.
Accrued expenses
As part of the process of preparing our consolidated financial statements, we are required to estimate our accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date. This process involves reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with our personnel to identify services that have been performed on our behalf and estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for the service when we have not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of the actual cost. We make estimates of our accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date based on facts and circumstances known to us at that time. We periodically confirm the accuracy of our estimates with the service providers and make adjustments if necessary. The significant estimates in our accrued research and development expenses include the costs incurred for services performed by our vendors in connection with research and development activities for which we have not yet been invoiced.
We base our expenses related to research and development activities on our estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to quotes and contracts with vendors that conduct research and development on our behalf. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. There may be instances in which payments made to our vendors will exceed the level of services provided and result in a prepayment of the research and development expense. In accruing service fees, we estimate the time period over which services will be performed and the level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from our estimate, we adjust the accrual or prepaid expense accordingly. Advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are expensed when the activity has been performed or when the goods have been received rather than when the payment is made.
Although we do not expect our estimates to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, if our estimates of the status and timing of services performed differ from the actual status and timing of services performed, it could result in us reporting amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period. To date, there have been no material differences between our estimates of such expenses and the amounts actually incurred.
Stock-based compensation expense
Stock-based compensation expense represents the cost of the grant date fair value of employee awards over the requisite service period of the awards (usually the vesting period) on a straight-line basis. For stock awards for which vesting is subject to performance-based milestones, the expense is recorded over the remaining service period after the point when the achievement of the milestone is probable or the performance condition has been achieved. We account for awards to nonemployees using the fair value method. Awards to nonemployees are subject to periodic revaluation over their vesting terms and was not material for all periods presented. We estimate the fair value of all stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognize forfeitures as they occur.
Estimating the fair value of equity awards as of the grant date using valuation models, such as the Black-Scholes option pricing model, is affected by assumptions regarding a number of complex variables, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of stock options, the expected dividend yield and the fair value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Changes in the assumptions can materially affect the fair value and ultimately how much stock-based compensation expense is
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recognized. These inputs are subjective and generally require significant analysis and judgment to develop. See Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for information concerning certain of the specific assumptions we used in applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the estimated fair value of our stock options granted in the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018.
As of March 31, 2018, the unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to employee stock options was $1.1 million and is expected to be recognized as expense over a weighted-average period of approximately 3.6 years. The intrinsic value of all outstanding stock options as of March 31, 2018 was approximately $21.4 million, based on the estimated public offering price of $16.00 per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, of which approximately $5.8 million related to vested options and approximately $15.6 million related to unvested options.
In May and June 2018, certain of our employees and consultants were granted options to purchase an aggregate of 1,027,196 shares of common stock at an exercise prices ranging from $9.28 to $12.01 per share.
Common stock valuations
We are required to estimate the fair value of the common stock underlying our stock-based awards when performing fair value calculations, which is the most subjective input into the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of the common stock underlying our stock-based awards was determined on each grant date by our board of directors, taking into account input from management and independent third-party valuation analyses. All options to purchase shares of our common stock are intended to be granted with an exercise price per share no less than the fair value per share of our common stock underlying those options on the date of grant, based on the information known to us on the date of grant. In the absence of a public trading market for our common stock, on each grant date we develop an estimate of the fair value of our common stock in order to determine an exercise price for the option grants. Our determinations of the fair value of our common stock were made using methodologies, approaches and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Audit and Accounting Practice Aid Series: Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, or the Practice Aid.
Our board of directors considered various objective and subjective factors, along with input from management, to determine the fair value of our common stock, including:
| valuations of our common stock performed by independent third-party valuation specialists; |
| our stage of development and business strategy, including the status of research and development efforts of our product candidates, and the material risks related to our business and industry; |
| our results of operations and financial position, including our levels of available capital resources; |
| the valuation of publicly traded companies in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors, as well as recently completed mergers and acquisitions of peer companies; |
| the lack of marketability of our common stock as a private company; |
| the prices of our convertible preferred stock sold to investors in arms length transactions and the rights, preferences, and privileges of our convertible preferred stock relative to those of our common stock; |
| the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event for the holders of our common stock, such as an initial public offering or a sale of our company, given prevailing market conditions; |
| trends and developments in our industry; and |
| external market conditions affecting the life sciences and biotechnology industry sectors. |
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Our valuations were prepared in accordance with the guidelines in the Practice Aid, which prescribes several valuation approaches for setting the value of an enterprise, such as the cost, income and market approaches, and various methodologies for allocating the value of an enterprise to its common stock. The cost approach establishes the value of an enterprise based on the cost of reproducing or replacing the property less depreciation and functional or economic obsolescence, if present. The income approach establishes the value of an enterprise based on the present value of future cash flows that are reasonably reflective of our companys future operations, discounting to the present value with an appropriate risk adjusted discount rate or capitalization rate. The market approach is based on the assumption that the value of an asset is equal to the value of a substitute asset with the same characteristics. Each valuation methodology was considered in our valuations. In determining a fair value for our common stock, we estimated the enterprise value of our business using either the market approach or back-solve method. The back-solve method assigns an implied enterprise value based on the most recent round of funding or investment and allows for the incorporation of the implied future benefits and risks of the investment decision assigned by an outside investor. In accordance with the Practice Aid, we considered the various methods for allocating the enterprise value across our classes and series of capital stock to determine the fair value of our common stock at each valuation date. Until March 2018, we concluded that the Option Pricing Method, or OPM, was most appropriate for each of the valuations of our common stock performed by independent third-party valuation specialists. We believed the OPM was the most appropriate given the expectation of various potential liquidity outcomes and the difficulty of selecting and supporting appropriate enterprise values given our early stage of development. Under the OPM, shares are valued by creating a series of call options with exercise prices based on the liquidation preferences and conversion terms of each equity class. The values of the preferred and common stock are inferred by analyzing these options. In May 2018, we changed to a hybrid OPM and Probability-Weighted Expected Return Method, or PWERM. The PWERM is a scenario-based analysis that estimates the value per share based on the probability-weighted present value of expected future investment returns, considering each of the possible outcomes available to us, as well as the economic and control rights of each share class. Under this hybrid method, we considered the expected IPO liquidity scenario, but also used the OPM to capture all other scenarios in the event a near-term initial public offering does not occur.
Following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will determine the fair value of our common stock based on its closing price as reported on the date of grant on the primary stock exchange on which our common stock is traded.
Other company information
Net operating loss and research and development carryforwards and other income tax information
At December 31, 2017, we had federal, state, and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $6.2 million, $6.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal and state loss carryforwards will begin expiring in 2035, unless previously utilized. The foreign loss carryforwards do not expire. We also have federal and California research and development credit carryforwards totaling $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal research and development credit carryforwards will begin to expire in 2030, unless previously utilized. The California research credits do not expire.
Management assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to use the existing deferred tax assets. Based on the weight of all evidence including a history of operating losses, management has determined that it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. A valuation allowance of $4.9 million as of December 31, 2017 has been established to offset the deferred tax assets as realization of such assets is uncertain.
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Future utilization of our net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to an annual limitation, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code, or IRC, Sections 382 and 383, as a result of ownership changes that may have occurred or that could occur in the future. An ownership change occurs when a cumulative change in ownership of more than 50% occurs within a three-year period. It is possible that we have already incurred ownership changes and may incur additional ownership changes in the future, including as a result of this offering. We have not completed an IRC Section 382/383 analysis regarding the limitation of net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards. When this analysis is finalized, we plan to update our unrecognized tax benefits accordingly.
We have not provided for deferred taxes on the outside basis difference of CAPL. The deficit in earnings would result in a deferred tax asset, and it is not apparent that this temporary difference will reverse in the foreseeable future.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 includes a number of changes to existing U.S. tax laws that impact us, most notably a reduction of the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from a maximum of 35% to a flat 21%, effective January 1, 2018, and a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign earnings. In conjunction with the tax law changes, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 118, or SAB 118, to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In these instances, a company can record provisional amounts in its financial statements for the income tax effects for which a reasonable estimate can be determined. For items for which a reasonable estimate cannot be determined, a company should continue to apply Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, based on the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 being enacted.
As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, we have remeasured our deferred tax assets based on the rates at which they are expected to reverse in the future, resulting in a reduction in the deferred tax asset balance of $1.6 million in 2017 which was offset by a reduction in the valuation allowance by a corresponding amount. The one-time transition tax is based on the total post-1986 earnings and profits, or E&P, previously deferred from U.S. income taxes. As we have a deficit in post-1986 E&P from CAPL, there was no increase in income tax expense as a result of the one-time transition tax. This impact is considered to be a provisional amount as we are still analyzing certain aspects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and refining our calculations. The ultimate impact may differ from this provisional amount, due to, among other things, additional analysis, changes in interpretations and assumptions we have made, additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and actions we may take as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. We also intend to rely on other exemptions provided by the JOBS Act, including without limitation, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of Sarbanes-Oxley.
Recent accounting pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which converges the FASB and the International Accounting
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Standards Board standard on revenue recognition. Areas of revenue recognition that will be affected include, but are not limited to, transfer of control, variable consideration, allocation of transfer pricing, licenses, time value of money, contract costs and disclosures. This guidance is effective for the fiscal years and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018. We do not currently have any contracts with customers and, as such, the adoption had no material impact on our financial position and results of operations.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which outlines a comprehensive lease accounting model and supersedes the current lease guidance. The new accounting standard requires lessees to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for all leases with lease terms of greater than twelve months. It also changes the definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. The new accounting standard must be adopted using the modified retrospective approach and is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. Although we are in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of the ASU on our consolidated financial statements, we currently believe the most significant changes will be related to the recognition of lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets for real estate operating leases.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash, which requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, entities will no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The adoption of this standard, in the first quarter of 2018, changed the presentation of our consolidated statement of cash flows to include its restricted cash balance with non-restricted cash balances. The new guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Off-balance sheet arrangements
During the periods presented we did not have, nor do we currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined under the rules of the SEC.
Quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk
Interest rate risk
Our cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and a money market account. We do not hold any short-term investments. As a result, the fair value of our portfolio is moderately insensitive to interest rate changes.
Foreign currency
In January 2017, we formed a wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia, which exposes us to foreign currency exchange rate risk. The functional currency of CAPL is the United States dollar. Assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiary that are not denominated in the functional currency are remeasured into U.S. dollars at foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date except for nonmonetary assets and capital accounts, which are remeasured at historical foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the date of transaction. Expenses are generally remeasured at foreign currency exchange rates which approximate average rates in effect during each period. Net realized and unrealized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions and remeasurement are reported in other income (expense), net, in the consolidated statements of operations and totaled approximately $44,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017. As of March 31, 2018, the
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impact of a theoretical 10% change in the exchange rate of the Australian dollar would not result in a material gain or loss. To date, we have not hedged exposures denominated in foreign currencies.
Effects of inflation
Inflation generally affects us by increasing our cost of labor and clinical trial costs. We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our results of operations during the periods presented.
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Overview
We are a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors. Endocrine pathways function to maintain homeostasis and commonly use peptide hormones acting through G protein coupled receptors, or GPCRs, to regulate many aspects of physiology including growth, energy, metabolism, gastrointestinal function and stress responses. We have assembled a seasoned team with extensive expertise in drug discovery and development in endocrine GPCRs and built a highly productive drug discovery organization. We have discovered a pipeline of oral nonpeptide (small molecule) new chemical entities that target peptide GPCRs to treat a variety of rare endocrine diseases where treatment options have significant efficacy, safety and/or tolerability limitations. Our lead product candidate, CRN00808, is currently in clinical development for the treatment of acromegaly, and we are advancing additional product candidates through preclinical studies in parallel. Our vision is to build the leading endocrine company which consistently pioneers new therapeutics to help patients better control their disease and improve their daily lives.
We focus on the discovery and development of oral nonpeptide therapeutics that target peptide GPCRs with well understood biological functions, validated biomarkers and the potential to substantially improve the treatment of endocrine diseases and/or endocrine-related tumors. Our pipeline consists of the following three product candidates and discovery program:
| CRN00808, our lead product candidate, establishes a new class of oral selective nonpeptide somatostatin receptor type 2, or sst2, biased agonists designed for the treatment of acromegaly and is the first agent in its class with reported clinical results. Somatostatin is a neuropeptide hormone that broadly inhibits the secretion of other hormones, including growth hormone, or GH, from the pituitary gland. Acromegaly arises from a benign pituitary tumor that secretes excess GH that in turn causes excess secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1, by the liver. This loss of homeostasis in the GH axis results in excess tissue growth and other adverse metabolic effects throughout the body. More than 25,000 people in the United States suffer from acromegaly, and an estimated 40% to 60% are candidates for chronic pharmacological intervention, of which somatostatin peptide analogs are the primary pharmacotherapy. In 2017, injected somatostatin peptide drugs accounted for approximately $2.7 billion in global sales for the treatment of acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumors, or NETs, and other uses. Currently marketed peptide drugs require painful monthly or daily injections and, in the case of somatostatin peptide drugs, often fail to fully control the disease in many acromegaly patients. |
In March 2018, we reported initial results from a Phase 1, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-ascending dose trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, or PK, and pharmacodynamics, or PD, of CRN00808 in 99 healthy volunteers. CRN00808 demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept by potently suppressing stimulated GH and baseline IGF-1 in these subjects. The plasma exposure of CRN00808 indicated the drug was well absorbed with a half-life of 42 to 50 hours, supporting once daily administration in patients. The safety and tolerability of CRN00808 observed in this trial was generally consistent with that of approved peptide somatostatin analogs. We plan to submit an investigational new drug application, or IND, to the FDA in the second half of 2018 and, if accepted, we plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials of CRN00808 in acromegaly patients in early 2019, including those who are not adequately controlled with existing therapy.
| CRN02481 represents a new class of oral selective nonpeptide somatostatin type 5 receptor, or sst5, agonists designed to treat congenital hyperinsulinism, or CHI. This is a devastating rare disease in which infants are born with mutations that cause excess secretion of the pancreatic hormone insulin resulting in profound |
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hypoglycemia, a very low level of blood glucose. This loss of homeostatic control of blood glucose levels can lead to seizures, developmental disorders, learning disabilities, coma and even death. CHI occurs in approximately 1 in 30,000 to 50,000 new births in the United States. CRN02481 is currently in first-in-human enabling studies, and we expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in 2019. |
| CRN01941 is an oral nonpeptide sst2 biased agonist designed for the treatment of NETs that originate from neuroendocrine cells commonly found in the gut, lung or pancreas. Typically, NETs are only diagnosed at a time of extensive metastatic disease and will often progress to liver failure. NETs are present in approximately 171,000 adults in the United States. Most NETs overexpress sst2 receptors and injected depots of peptide somatostatin analogs have become the first-line standard of care for many NETs patients as detailed in recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. CRN01941 is currently in first-in-human enabling studies, and we expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in late 2019/early 2020. |
| We have an ongoing discovery effort to identify and advance into development the first nonpeptide product candidate to antagonize the peptide adrenocorticotrophic hormone, or ACTH, designed for the treatment of Cushings disease. Cushings disease results from a pituitary tumor that secretes excess ACTH which in turn causes the downstream synthesis and over-secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is the bodys main stress hormone and excess amounts can cause significant increases in mortality and morbidity. Cushings disease is an orphan indication with a prevalence of approximately 16,000 patients in the United States. Our goal is to select a product candidate for preclinical development in 2019. |
Patients with many other debilitating endocrine diseases await new therapeutic options, and we are continuously evaluating where next to deploy our drug discovery efforts. All of our product candidates have been discovered, characterized and developed internally and are the subject of composition of matter patent applications, including an issued U.S. patent covering CRN00808 extending to 2037. We have retained worldwide rights to commercialize our product candidates and do not have any royalty obligations. Over time, we intend to sell our products, if approved, through our own commercial organization, which we believe can be of modest size to cover the relatively small number of specialty endocrinologists who treat patients with rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors.
We were founded by a team of scientists with a track record of drug discovery and development to create important new therapeutic options for patients with rare endocrine diseases. Prior to founding the company, our Chief Executive Officer, Scott Struthers, Ph.D., was Senior Director and Head of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. There, Dr. Struthers and his fellow co-founders, Stephen Betz, Ph.D. and Frank Zhu, Ph.D., as well as our VP of Development Ajay Madan, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., held key leadership roles in the discovery and development of elagolix, a nonpeptide product candidate designed for the treatment of endometriosis and uterine fibroids that is currently awaiting a decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, on marketing approval. In addition, Dr. Madan held a key leadership role in the discovery and development of Ingrezza, which was approved by the FDA in 2017 for tardive dyskinesia. Our investors include 5AM Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Perceptive Advisors, RA Capital Management, Versant Ventures and Vivo Capital.
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Our strategy
Our objective is to transform the treatment of rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors by creating a diversified portfolio of novel therapeutics that will advance the standard of care. To achieve this objective, we are pursuing the following strategy:
| Focus on rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors with significant unmet medical need. There are numerous rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors for which currently available pharmacological therapies (when they exist) have significant limitations in efficacy, safety and/or tolerability. Patients living with these diseases often experience significant morbidity, mortality and/or poor quality of life. We are focused on discovering, developing and commercializing orally available therapies for multiple rare indications across endocrinology to advance the standard of care for these patients. |
| Rapidly advance multiple product candidates in parallel to clinical proof-of-concept and late stage development by targeting diseases that require relatively small trials and employ validated biomarkers as clinical endpoints. Phase 1 clinical trials for rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors can often measure predictive biomarkers in healthy volunteers and lower the technical risk by providing a predictive measure of efficacy early in clinical development. Clinical trials in these indications often enroll relatively small numbers of trial subjects and use validated biomarkers as registration endpoints, which we believe will allow us to efficiently develop multiple clinical programs in parallel. This advantage is exemplified by our lead product for acromegaly, CRN00808, which progressed from candidate identification to Phase 1 clinical proof-of-concept in healthy volunteers in just over one year. Similarly, our two preclinical programs in CHI and NETs follow this paradigm and should allow us to generate meaningful clinical data in Phase 1. |
| Continue to expand our therapeutic pipeline for rare endocrine diseases by leveraging the capabilities of our experienced discovery team in the area of peptide hormone GPCRs. Our discovery team has significant expertise in understanding and creating product candidates to influence the dynamic behavior of GPCRs and has developed a number of proprietary methods, techniques and tools that we believe will enable us to efficiently and reliably evaluate newly synthesized molecules. We employ an iterative strategy where compounds are designed, synthesized and rapidly characterized for pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties. This approach has led to our current pipeline, and we will continue to invest in creating additional product candidates acting at this important class of targets. Peptide hormone GPCRs regulate many aspects of physiology and are attractive drug targets for treating a broad range of diseases. There are more than 80 known peptide hormones acting at more than 120 known different receptors. With each of our drug discovery programs, our goal is to specifically tailor a product candidate with pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties highly optimized for its interaction with its specific GPCR target that we anticipate will translate to downstream benefits in our chosen therapeutic applications. |
| Retain commercialization rights to maximize the value of our product candidates. We plan to establish our own commercial organization in major markets and develop a network of third-party distributors in other selected markets. We believe this organization can be focused and modest in size due to the relatively small number of specialty endocrinologists who treat patients suffering from the diseases we target. Therefore, we do not expect that we will require larger pharmaceutical partners for commercialization of our product candidates, although we may consider partnering for certain territories or indications, or for other strategic purposes. |
| Maintain an entrepreneurial, scientifically rigorous and inclusive corporate culture where employees are fully engaged and strive to bring improved therapeutic options to patients. The patients we seek to treat currently only have options with significant drawbacks and often limited efficacy, safety and/or tolerability. We are passionate about developing new pharmacological therapies to help these patients better control their |
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diseases and to reduce the impact of these diseases on their daily lives. We believe that building a successful and sustainable endocrine company requires not just specific expertise in multiple areas of biology, chemistry, drug discovery, development and commercialization, but a team-oriented culture that integrates and harnesses the creative energy, scientific insights and enthusiasm of the entire organization. |
The endocrine system
Overview
The endocrine system regulates most of the bodys physiological activities through the actions of hormones, which are chemical and biochemical messengers secreted from different organs that influence growth, gastrointestinal function, maturation and development, reproduction, stress, metabolism and nearly all aspects of homeostasis. Hormones are structurally variable and can be monoamines, steroids, amino acids, peptides or larger proteins. The endocrine system includes, among other glands and organs, the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, pancreas, adrenal gland, thyroid and parathyroid, ovaries and testes, as well as specialized enteroendocrine cells.
Hormonal secretion is complex and the body employs several mechanisms to exert positive and negative feedback control to maintain homeostasis. For example, the pituitary gland, which is located behind the eyes at the base of the brain, is sometimes referred to as the master endocrine gland because it regulates multiple endocrine systems. Positive and negative control of pituitary hormonal secretion is often dictated by the adjacent hypothalamus, which integrates feedback responses from other areas of the body, including the brain. In the case of GH, its synthesis and secretion is stimulated by growth hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH, and inhibited by somatostatin, which are both hypothalamic peptides. Another example is the pancreas that secretes insulin and glucagon, which lower and raise blood glucose levels, respectively. Insulin and glucagon secretion are both inhibited by somatostatin, which is also locally produced in the pancreas.
Hormonal dysregulation can arise from endocrine organ defects, including injury, inflammation, genetic abnormalities or the growth of tumors derived from endocrine cells. These insults can result in the under-secretion or over-secretion of one or more hormones, disrupting homeostasis and causing disease. For example, several serious clinical disorders, including acromegaly and Cushings disease, result from pituitary tumors secreting excess hormones. In the pancreas, genetic defects or cellular dysfunction can give rise to disorders of under-secretion or over-secretion of pancreatic hormones (e.g., hyperinsulinemia).
Peptide hormone GPCRs
Various GPCRs are expressed in every type of cell in the body and their function is to transmit signals from outside the cell across the membrane to signaling pathways within the cell, between cells and between organ systems. Because of these critical actions, the GPCR superfamily is the largest and single most important family of drug targets as highlighted by the large number of approved therapeutics targeting this class. However, most currently available GPCR-targeting drugs act at receptors for which the native ligands are small molecules, such as histamine, adrenaline and neurotransmitters.
Most peptide hormones bind selectively to specific receptors located on the surface of cells in the target tissue. Receptors for peptide hormones are often GPCRs, which play a central role in many biological processes and are linked to a wide range of disease areas. There are more than 80 known peptide hormones acting at more than 120 known different receptors. Historically, it was assumed that small molecules could not replicate or compete with the complex interactions between peptides and their cognate GPCRs. As such, most drugs developed for peptide GPCRs have been and continue to be peptides themselves, which present manufacturing and formulation difficulties and force patients to undergo frequent injections because peptides generally are not orally bioavailable. We believe our approach to developing novel small molecule product candidates that
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uniquely engage peptide hormone GPCRs will enable us to generate orally bioavailable, and potentially more selective, effective and better tolerated therapeutics for patients.
The somatostatin receptor family of peptide GPCRs is an illustrative example of the complex and subtle control inherent in endocrine biology and peptide hormone physiology. The peptide hormone somatostatin, which was first isolated over 40 years ago, is produced by a variety of cell types and has pleiotropic effects throughout the body, many of which are related to the inhibition of secretion of other hormones or neurotransmitters, and selective activation of this activity has made somatostatin agonism a well-established, commercially-validated mechanism. These effects are mediated by five different somatostatin receptor proteins (sst1-sst5), which lower levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, a key intracellular signaling molecule regulated by GPCR activation. Each of these receptors is expressed in different subsets of tissues. For example, sst2 is the most widely expressed subtype in NETs and is the dominant receptor by which GH secretion is suppressed in the pituitary. The sst5 receptor is expressed by pancreatic islet cells where its activation potently inhibits insulin secretion.
Figure 1. GPCR signaling is determined by many factors, including the binding characteristics of ligands, which dictate the responses of different signaling and regulatory pathways. Selectively favoring one pathway over others is termed biased signaling. Upon activation, GPCRs can also be trafficked into the cell, where they are either targeted for degradation or recycled back to the cell surface.
GPCRs were originally thought to function as simple on-off switches responding to hormones and neurotransmitters, but have since been shown to exhibit complex and diverse molecular and cellular behaviors. Many lines of structural and mechanistic research demonstrate that distinct signaling cascades and feedback mechanisms create multi-dimensional pathways with distinct physiological responses. These different responses are based on ligand binding kinetics, receptor regulation and trafficking (Figure 1). Some transduce signals into the cell interior to regulate various cellular functions. Other responses attenuate hormonal signals to prevent overstimulation and include receptor internalization (a removal of the GPCR from the cell surface, which makes it unavailable for external ligands), desensitization and downregulation. The capacity of a GPCR ligand to preferentially affect one of these pathways, such as G-protein signaling, over others, such as receptor downregulation, is termed biased agonism. We believe our understanding of these different signaling pathways enables us to develop oral, small molecule product candidates that not only are highly selective for specific
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receptor subtypes but also are further custom-tailored to activate specific GPCR properties and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Our product candidates
All of our product candidates have been discovered and developed internally and we have retained global rights to commercialize our product candidates and have no royalty or licensing obligations. The following table summarizes our product candidate pipeline and anticipated milestones.
CRN00808 for the treatment of acromegaly
Our lead product, CRN00808, is an oral selective nonpeptide sst2 biased agonist in clinical development for the treatment of acromegaly. CRN00808 is the first nonpeptide sst2 agonist with reported results from a clinical trial. Initial results from our Phase 1 trial of CRN00808 demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept based on observed suppression of GH and IGF-1 secretion in healthy volunteers. We plan to submit an IND to the FDA in the second half of 2018, which must go into effect before we can proceed with clinical studies. Pending FDA authorization to proceed, we plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials of CRN00808 in acromegaly patients in early 2019.
Disease background
Acromegaly is typically caused by a pituitary tumor that secretes excess GH. Pituitary tumors are generally benign adenomas that, in addition to GH secretion, also express membrane receptors for somatostatin. Increased GH secretion results in excess downstream secretion of IGF-1 from the liver. GH and IGF-1 promote tissue growth and have other metabolic effects throughout the body.
The symptoms of acromegaly include abnormal growth of hands and feet and changes in shape of the bones that result in alteration of facial features. Overgrowth of bone and cartilage and thickening of tissue can lead to arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, joint aches, enlarged lips, nose and tongue, deepening of voice due to enlarged vocal cords, sleep apnea due to obstruction of airways and enlargement of the heart, liver and other organs. Additional symptoms can include thick, coarse, oily skin, skin tags, excessive sweating and skin odor, fatigue and weakness, headaches, goiter, decreased libido, menstrual abnormalities in women and erectile dysfunction in men. As the tumor grows, it can impinge on the nerves in the optic chiasm leading to visual problems and potentially vision loss. Compression of the surrounding normal pituitary tissues can decrease production of other pituitary hormones, resulting in hypopituitarism. Acromegaly patients experience increased mortality rates, principally due to cardiovascular diseases (diabetes, hypertension), respiratory disease and cerebrovascular diseases.
Acromegaly is often suspected when the patient exhibits enlargement of extremities and an alteration of facial features. Pituitary tumors are also often found during clinical workup for severe headaches, vision changes or incidentally on cranial imaging initiated for other reasons. Elevation of serum IGF-1 levels confirms the
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suspicion of acromegaly, but a formal diagnosis requires lack of suppression of serum GH levels in response to an oral glucose tolerance test. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scan of the pituitary is then used to locate the tumor, determine its size and assess the potential for surgical intervention. There are an estimated 25,000 patients in the United States with acromegaly.
Current treatments and limitations
The major goals of treatment are to reduce serum GH and normalize IGF-1 levels, ameliorate symptoms and relieve any pressure resulting from the tumor. Surgical removal of the pituitary tumor is the first treatment option and often results in rapid improvement of symptoms. Surgery can be curative if the tumor is small and accessible enough to be fully resected. However, an estimated 40% to 60% of acromegaly patients turn to pharmacological treatments if they are not candidates for surgery or surgery was unsuccessful. Somatostatin analogs octreotide (marketed as Sandostatin) and lanreotide (marketed as Somatuline) are selective for sst2 receptors and are the preferred first-line pharmacologic treatments. However, these peptides leave many patients inadequately controlled. For example, a meta-analysis published in 2014 by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that approximately 50% of over 4,000 acromegaly patients treated with octreotide or lanreotide failed to achieve biochemical control. Pegvisomant (marketed as Somavert) is a daily injectable GH receptor antagonist and is generally used in patients resistant to or intolerant of somatostatin analogs. Pasireotide (marketed as Signifor) is a less-selective sst receptor agonist that is also used and has activity toward sst5, sst3 and sst2 receptors. However, pasireotide treatment leads to an increase in fasting plasma glucose levels in patients within the first two or three weeks of treatment and a pronounced shift to pre-diabetes and diabetes (as judged by HbA1c levels) within six months due to its insulin-suppressing sst5 activity. Orally administered dopamine agonists, such as bromocriptine and cabergoline, are also used, but do not achieve hormone normalization in most patients. For this reason, dopamine agonists are usually used as adjunct to somatostatin analogs. While these currently approved drugs reduce the disease burden, many patients still report acromegaly symptoms despite treatment, particularly at the end of the monthly dosing cycle.
Currently available therapies for acromegaly are peptide drugs that require injection, making them both painful and inconvenient. Octreotide and pasireotide are typically a monthly intramuscular injection, lanreotide a monthly deep subcutaneous injection and pegvisomant a daily subcutaneous injection. Patients report pain, swelling and bruising both at the time of injection and for days following injections. In addition, octreotide, lanreotide and pasireotide labels require injections by a trained healthcare provider and are therefore inconvenient for patients. Finally, the reconstitution of ocreotide and pasireotide can be complex and prone to error for healthcare providers.
We believe that a once-daily oral nonpeptide somatostatin agonist that reduces excess GH secretion and normalizes IGF-1 levels in acromegaly patients would represent a major clinical advance by eliminating painful injections and reducing the frequency of physician office visits. Additionally, we believe it should allow physicians to more quickly determine optimal dosing regimens compared to existing depot therapies.
CRN00808 overview and clinical development
CRN00808, our lead product candidate, pioneers a new class of oral selective nonpeptide sst2 biased agonists designed for the treatment of acromegaly and is the first agent in its class with reported clinical results. It is designed to reduce excess GH secretion from benign pituitary tumors and normalize IGF-1 levels in patients with acromegaly. In vitro pharmacology studies demonstrated that CRN00808 potently stimulated sst2 receptor activity as measured by a decrease in cAMP accumulation in cells expressing the human sst2 receptor (EC50=0.25 nM, the concentration that achieves 50% cAMP inhibition). Analogous experiments using the other sst receptor subtypes showed CRN00808s selectivity for sst2 was 4,000 times greater than the other sst receptor subtypes.
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Internalization and desensitization of sst2 is thought to contribute to the inability of some patients to fully respond to octreotide. Therefore, in creating CRN00808, we focused our discovery efforts on identifying biased agonists that were selective for inhibition of cAMP accumulation while minimizing receptor internalization. In vitro studies have shown that CRN00808 was 75 times more potent for cAMP inhibition than receptor internalization. Figure 2 illustrates the difference in bias between octreotide and CRN00808. Concentrations of octreotide where cAMP is maximally suppressed also induced extensive internalization of sst2 receptors whereas in the same experiment, nearly all receptors remained on the cell surface at concentrations where CRN00808 maximally suppressed cAMP. We believe that this increased bias suggests a reduced likelihood of desensitization of the sst2 receptor by CRN00808 at pharmacologically relevant concentrations.
Figure 2. Dose response curves are shown from individual representative experiments. All points are the mean ± standard error of either triplicate or quadruplicate readings. White circles are from a cAMP assay measuring sst2 activation. Black circles are from an internalization assay measuring the amount of cell surface receptors. M = molar concentration.
In addition to somatostatin receptor-directed pharmacology, CRN00808 showed little off-target activity in a variety of assays for other GPCRs, enzymes, ion channels and transporters. Based on further in vivo studies in rats and dogs, CRN00808 suppressed GH and IGF-1 consistent with its mechanism of action. We conducted 28-day good laboratory practice, or GLP, toxicity studies in rats and dogs and identified no dose-limiting toxicities, which supported moving CRN00808 into human clinical trials.
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We began a Phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in late 2017 to assess the safety, tolerability, PK and PD of CRN00808 in 99 healthy human volunteers. This trial was performed at a single center in Melbourne, Australia, and the overall trial design is shown in Figure 3. Safety, tolerability and PK were monitored in all subjects. Subjects in the single ascending dose, or SAD, arm (up to 20 mg) were also evaluated for the ability of CRN00808 to suppress GH secretion. Because GH secretion is pulsatile during the day, subjects in the first five SAD cohorts were given an intravenous bolus of GHRH (50 µg) to ensure a reliable window of high GH secretion. These GH responses were evaluated on day -1 (the day prior to dosing) and again on day 1 (the day of dosing either CRN00808 or placebo). The ability of CRN00808 to suppress serum IGF-1 was evaluated in the multiple ascending dose, or MAD, cohorts. A summary of the trial cohorts and a preliminary analysis of the data from this trial is presented below.
Figure 3. Design of CRN00808 Phase 1 trial. The SAD phase (N=8* per cohort (6 active, 2 placebo)) initially used an oral solution (1.25-20 mg) and switched to capsules for later cohorts (40-60 mg). The 10 mg SAD cohort also compared the plasma exposure of CRN00808 when it was administered as an oral solution, first generation capsules when fasted and as first generation capsules when taken with a high-fat breakfast. The MAD phase (N=9 per cohort (6 active, 3 placebo)) only used capsules (5-30 mg). There was an additional cohort (N=8) to assess the potential for drug-drug-interactions (midazolam +/- 20 mg CRN00808). *The 20 mg SAD Cohort only enrolled 7 subjects due to a subjects last-minute cancellation.
Figure 4 shows a summary of PK/PD data from the SAD arm of the trial. As illustrated for the 10 mg cohort in Figure 4a, administration of GHRH on day -1 resulted in a rapid surge of serum GH that lasted approximately 2 hours. In contrast to day -1, the presence of CRN00808 in plasma strongly suppressed (approximately 92%) stimulated GH secretion, consistent with the compounds activity as an sst2 agonist. This response was dose dependent as shown in Figure 4b. The first-generation capsule achieved approximately 75% of the total plasma exposure (area under the curve, or AUC) of the same dose administered as an oral solution to fasted subjects (Figure 4c). However, when the capsule was administered with a standardized high fat meal, plasma AUC was reduced by approximately 83%, suggesting that the current formulation should be taken under fasted conditions. In the drug-drug interaction cohort, repeated dosing of CRN00808 resulted in no change in the exposure of the sensitive CYP3A4 reporter midazolam, suggesting that CRN00808 is not likely to cause drug interactions by inhibiting the metabolism of other drugs that are primarily metabolized by the major CYP enzymes in the liver.
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Figure 4. PK/PD analysis of the single-ascending dose arm. a) Suppression of GHRH stimulated GH by 10 mg of CRN00808 administered as an oral solution on day 1 (filled circles), compared to day -1 (open circles). The plasma exposure of CRN00808 is shown in black squares. b) Dose response of GH suppression of CRN00808 (data excludes an outlier in the 1.25 mg cohort which was likely related to variability in method of GHRH administration. The methodology was corrected for cohorts 2.5 mg and higher). c) Comparison of CRN00808 plasma exposure following oral administration of 10 mg CRN00808 as an oral solution (black squares) and as a first-generation capsule (white squares). h = hour, Pbo=placebo. All data are mean ± standard error. |
In the MAD arm, subjects were dosed with CRN00808 for seven days (5 mg cohort) or ten days (10-30 mg cohorts) and serum IGF-1 levels were measured each day. In both acromegaly patients and healthy volunteers, sustained suppression of GH release results in lowering of serum IGF-1 levels. However, in contrast to the rapid effects of the GH response, IGF-1 levels are known to decrease more gradually and require several days of exposure to somatostatin agonists to produce an observable effect. Figure 5a illustrates the PK/PD relationship between trough plasma CRN00808 concentrations and IGF-1 levels. As CRN00808 concentrations reached steady state, serum IGF-1 concentrations began to decline. This decline reached steady state in approximately seven days. Of note, IGF-1 remained suppressed for several days after the final dose, but began to recover as CRN00808 plasma concentrations fell.
As shown in Figure 5b, CRN00808 exhibited dose-proportional increase in exposure and a half-life of 42 to 50 hours, consistent with potential for once daily administration. Suppression of IGF-1 levels for the 10 mg, 20 mg and 30 mg cohorts was similar (Figure 5c) indicating that the 10 mg dose achieved a maximal response. This degree of IGF-1 suppression by CRN00808 was similar to that observed for peptide somatostatin analogs (octreotide, lanreotide) in previously reported healthy volunteer studies. Concentrations of somatostatin analogs in healthy volunteers that result in this level of suppression in healthy volunteers are comparable to the trough concentrations in patients on the highest approved dose. This suggests that drug concentrations that result in maximal suppression of IGF-1 in healthy volunteers translates to meaningful suppression of IGF-1 in acromegaly patients.
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Figure 5. PK/PD analysis of the multiple-ascending dose arm. a) Time-course of plasma CRN00808 trough concentrations (black squares) and IGF-1 concentrations (grey squares) in the 10 mg MAD cohort. b) Plasma concentration of CRN00808 on last day of dosing. 30 mg (black circles), 20 mg (white circles), 10 mg (black squares), 5 mg (white squares). c) Dose response of IGF-1 suppression on last day of dosing for MAD cohorts compared to placebo (Pbo). All data are mean ± standard error. |
The safety and tolerability of CRN00808 in the trial was generally consistent with that of approved peptide somatostatin analogs. In the trial, CRN00808 resulted in mild gastrointestinal disorders (such as abdominal pain, flatulence, abdominal distension, and diarrhea) in approximately 30% of subjects and mild elevations of pancreatic enzymes in approximately 10% of subjects. One subject experienced moderate abdominal pain after a single 40 mg dose. Additional adverse events included headache, dizziness and cardiac rhythm abnormalities (including nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, or NSVT) which were not dose dependent and also observed in placebo subjects and/or prior to dosing. One serious adverse event of moderate NSVT was observed following a single 1.25 mg dose and was considered unlikely to be related to CRN00808. Based on the conclusions from this Phase 1 clinical study, we selected 10 mg as the initial dose in our Phase 2 trials.
Based on the initial results of our Phase 1 clinical trial, we believe we have demonstrated proof-of-concept for the ability of CRN00808 to suppress the GH axis in humans. We plan to initiate two Phase 2 clinical trials in acromegaly patients in early 2019. We anticipate that the first of these will be a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in approximately 36 patients whose IGF-1 levels are currently controlled by octreotide or lanreotide. We plan to conduct a second, open-label exploratory trial to evaluate the effects of CRN00808 on approximately 45 patients whose IGF-1 levels are not adequately controlled by octreotide or lanreotide alone. In parallel, we are developing a second-generation capsule formulation that may mitigate the food effect observed with the first-generation capsule.
CRN02481 for the treatment of hyperinsulinemias
CRN02481 is an oral selective nonpeptide sst5 receptor agonist designed to inhibit the excess insulin secretion associated with congenital and acquired disorders of hyperinsulinism, with our initial focus on CHI. We are
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currently conducting first-in-human enabling studies for CRN02481 and expect results from a planned Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in 2019.
Disease background
Hyperinsulinemia is a heterogeneous condition in which dangerously low blood sugar levels are caused by increased insulin secretion from pancreatic ß-cells. The most severe form of hyperinsulinemia arises from CHI, a disorder whose underlying pathology is driven by genetic mutations in key genes involved in regulating insulin secretion from ß-cells. The incidence of CHI is approximately 1 in 30,000 to 50,000 new births in the United States. Hyperinsulinemia is one of the most frequent causes of persistent hypoglycemia in neonates and infants. Early diagnosis is vital to prevent neurological complications due to chronic low blood sugar, which can result in apneas, seizures, developmental delays, learning disabilities, epilepsy and even death.
Hyperinsulinemia can also be a severe complication for patients with insulin secreting tumors (insulinomas). Insulinomas are a specific type of NET derived from pancreatic ß-cells that secrete insulin and cause hypoglycemia. The incidence of insulinomas is 1 to 4 in 1,000,000 persons. In addition, hyperinsulinemic hyperglycemia following meals in patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery (commonly referred to as Dumping Syndrome) occurs in approximately 10 to 15% of these patients. The number of gastric bypass surgeries continues to increase, from an estimated 158,000 surgeries in 2011 to 216,000 in 2016.
Current treatments and limitations
Maintaining glucose levels through feeding or glucose infusions is the first step in managing CHI. Diazoxide is the only approved therapy indicated for hyperinsulinemia. It acts at the ATP-sensitive potassium channels, or KATP, that are involved in insulin secretion and inhibits insulin secretion. However, mutations in these channels are present in approximately 55% to 60% of CHI patients, which limits the efficacy of the drug in this population. There are also serious side effects of diazoxide, which include hypertrichosis (abnormal and excessive hair growth over much of the body) and pulmonary hypertension, for which the FDA issued a warning regarding its use in infants and children. Octreotide (used off-label) is administered as subcutaneous injections up to six times/day in those who respond poorly to diazoxide. Octreotide is an sst2 agonist, which can suppress both insulin and glucagon secretion (Figure 6). As glucagon is a primary physiologic defense mechanism against hypoglycemia, targeting sst2 is not optimal for CHI patients, and octreotide therapy fails for approximately 70% to 75% of patients. Patients who fail pharmacological therapy often progress to partial or nearly complete pancreatectomy, which can result in type I diabetes that must be managed for the remainder of the patients life. We believe an orally available sst5 agonist would provide an important new therapeutic option that inhibits insulin secretion while avoiding glucagon suppression, allowing these patients to maintain normal glucose levels and possibly avoid pancreatectomy, the surgical removal of all or a part of the pancreas.
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Figure 6. Hyperinsulinemia arising in CHI and the potential utility of sst5 agonists.
CRN02481 overview and preclinical development
CRN02481 is an optimized, orally available, nonpeptide sst5 agonist that is designed to reduce the excess secretion of insulin in patients with CHI, insulinomas and post-meal hypoglycemia that occurs in some patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.
In the process of discovering CRN00808, we synthesized many other drug-like nonpeptides, some of which also showed activity at other somatostatin receptor subtypes including sst5. Because activation of sst5 is known to strongly inhibit insulin secretion, we focused on optimizing selective sst5 agonists to identify potential product candidates, eventually selecting CRN02481. This molecule is a highly potent agonist of the sst5 receptor (EC50 = 0.4 nM) with selectivity against other somatostatin receptors (>15-10,000-fold).
CRN02481 was examined in a rat model of CHI (Figure 7). In this model, rats were treated with sulfonylurea glyburide, which promotes insulin release by acting at KATP channels. This activity mimics the KATP channel mutations found in about half of CHI patients. This high level of insulin produced a decrease of blood glucose in rats. When these rats were then treated with CRN02481, blood glucose levels returned to normal, and at higher doses, even to a hyperglycemic state. Repeat dose experiments demonstrated that insulin continued to be suppressed after seven days. Further, glucagon secretion was not suppressed in these experiments.
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Figure 7. a) Rescue of glyburide-induced hypoglycemia by CRN02481 in rats. To mimic a high insulin state similar to CHI, rats were treated with the sulfonylurea glyburide (30 mg/kg, black circles) or vehicle (white circles). CRN02481 was administered orally two hours after glyburide administration at either 3 mg/Kg (grey squares) or 10 mg/Kg (white squares). b) Effects on insulin and glucagon secretion by CRN02481 in rats. Animals were orally administered 30 mg/Kg glyburide (black bars) or glyburide + 10 mg/Kg CRN02481 (grey bars) daily for 7 days. Insulin and glucagon were measured three hours after CRN02481 administration on the first and last day of dosing. All data are mean ± standard error.
In addition, the drug-like characteristics of CRN02481 met our rigorous internal criteria that we use to determine if a product candidate should enter into preclinical development. This includes extensive evaluation of pharmacology, selectivity, drug interaction potential, oral bioavailability and PK in multiple species, synthetic accessibility and preliminary non-GLP safety assessments including 14-day screening toxicology in rats and cardiovascular safety studies in dogs.
We are currently optimizing the good manufacturing process, or GMP, synthesis and performing GLP first-in-human enabling studies for CRN02481. We expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial that evaluates inhibition of insulin secretion and its effects on blood glucose in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in 2019.
CRN01941 for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs)
CRN01941 is an oral, selective nonpeptide sst2 biased agonist designed for the treatment of NETs that originate from neuroendocrine cells commonly found in the gut, lung or pancreas. We are currently conducting first-in-human enabling studies for CRN01941 and expect results from a planned Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in late 2019/early 2020.
Disease background
NETs arise from cells of the enteroendocrine system in the gastrointestinal tract (approximately 70% of cases), but can also arise from neuroendocrine cells in the lung (approximately 25% of cases) or, more rarely, the pancreas. These tumors are usually slow growing and often initially asymptomatic. Therefore, many patients are only diagnosed at a time of extensive metastatic disease, and these patients will often progress to liver
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failure. In approximately 10% of cases, these tumors are associated with excess secretion of serotonin resulting in carcinoid syndrome, which is characterized by severe diarrhea and flushing. Patients with well- and moderately-differentiated tumors and distant metastases have a five-year survival probability of 35%, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. NETs are present in approximately 171,000 adults in the United States and while still an orphan disease, it is the second most common gastrointestinal malignancy after colon cancer.
Current treatments and limitations
Most NETs overexpress sst2 receptors and injected depots of peptide somatostatin analogs have become a standard of care for patients with carcinoid syndrome. While somatostatin analogs have been historically indicated primarily for patients with carcinoid syndrome, there is an evolving understanding of the positive impact of somatostatin analog treatment on the broader NETs patient population. For example, lanreotide was approved for the treatment of gastroenteropancreatic NETs based on a long-term study that showed significant improvement in progression free survival. However, many patients eventually become increasingly resistant to somatostatin analogs requiring increased dosage of depot preparations or use of short-acting analogs as an add-on therapy. In 2017, the serotonin synthesis inhibitor, telotristat, was approved as an add-on therapy to somatostatin analogs to help prevent breakthrough symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. Second-line targeted therapies Afinitor and Sutent are typically only used in patients with high grade tumors which constitute only a small fraction of NETs.
The overexpression of sst2 in NETs is also the basis for somatostatin targeted radioimaging of the tumors for diagnosis and staging. Peptide somatostatin analogs modified to incorporate a chelating agent can use their sst2 binding activity to concentrate radioisotopes in tumor tissue that can then be imaged using positron-emission tomography (PET). More recently, this approach has been adapted to deliver the alpha particle emitter 177Lu for anti-tumor activity. A drug using this mechanism, Lutathera, significantly improved progression free survival and led to a substantial reduction in the risk of disease progression or death when added onto octreotide LAR therapy compared to a double dose of octreotide LAR, in a Phase 3 trial in NET patients who had failed on somatostatin analog therapy.
CRN01941 overview and preclinical development
CRN01941 is an optimized, selective, orally available, nonpeptide biased agonist of sst2 receptor designed for the treatment of patients with NETs. The chemical structure of CRN01941 is derived from a different chemical scaffold from that of CRN00808. In vitro pharmacology studies demonstrated that CRN01941 potently (EC50=0.1 nM) stimulated sst2 receptor activity (as measured by a decrease in cAMP accumulation in cells expressing the human sst2 receptor) and is highly biased for Gi signaling versus receptor internalization (88-fold). Analogous experiments using the other sst receptor subtypes showed selectivity for sst2 was greater than 100-fold over the other sst receptor subtypes.
Figure 8. Suppression of GHRH-stimulated GH secretion in normal rats by CRN01941 administered as an oral solution (grey bars) compared to vehicle (black bar). |
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In a preclinical rodent model of efficacy, CRN01941 potently inhibited GHRH-induced GH production (Figure 8). This model is analogous to the PK-PD component in the Phase 1 clinical trial that we performed for CRN00808. In addition, the drug-like characteristics of CRN01941 met our rigorous internal criteria that we use to determine if a product candidate should enter into preclinical development. This includes extensive evaluation of pharmacology, selectivity, drug interaction potential, oral bioavailability and PK in multiple species, synthetic accessibility and preliminary non-GLP safety assessments including 14-day screening toxicology in rats and cardiovascular safety studies in dogs.
We are currently optimizing GMP synthesis and performing GLP first-in-human enabling studies on CRN01941 and expect to initiate a Phase 1 human proof-of-concept clinical trial in the first half of 2019. We expect results from this trial in late 2019/early 2020.
Product candidate for the treatment of Cushings disease
We have identified selective, orally available nonpeptide ACTH antagonist leads intended for the treatment of Cushings disease that are designed to prevent excessive stimulation of the adrenal glands by the high circulating levels of ACTH found in Cushings disease patients. This program is currently in the lead optimization stage, and our goal is to select a product candidate for preclinical development in 2019.
Disease background
Cushings syndrome was first described by Harvey Cushing over a century ago and results from a prolonged exposure to elevated levels of glucocorticoids, particularly cortisol. Common signs include growth of fat pads (collarbone, back of neck, face, trunk), excessive sweating, dilation of capillaries, thinning of the skin, muscle weakness, hirsutism, depression/anxiety, hypertension, osteoporosis, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, heart disease and a range of other metabolic disturbances resulting in high morbidity. While excessive synthetic steroid administration or adrenal tumors can cause ACTH-independent forms of the disease, ACTH dependent Cushings syndrome (known as Cushings disease) is the most common form accounting for 60-80% of all cases and is most often due to tumors of pituitary corticotrophic cells that secrete excess ACTH.
Cushings disease is an orphan indication with a prevalence of approximately 16,000 patients in the United States. It presents much more commonly in women, and usually between 30 and 50 years of age. Cushings disease often takes many years to diagnose and may well be under-diagnosed in the general population as many of its symptoms such as lethargy, depression, obesity, hypertension, hirsuitism and menstrual irregularity can be incorrectly attributed to other more common disorders.
Current treatments and limitations
As with acromegaly, first-line therapy for Cushings disease is surgery to remove the pituitary tumor if possible. Pharmacological therapy is required when surgery is delayed, contraindicated or unsuccessful. Adrenal enzyme inhibitors (e.g., metyrapone and ketoconazole) prevent the synthesis of cortisol and can improve symptoms, but suffer from mechanistic side effects as a result of accumulation of precursor steroids and the resulting lack of negative feedback. For example, metyrapone is associated with hirsuitism in women and patients must be monitored carefully to avoid hypoadrenalism. Ketoconazole often requires progressively increasing dosage to maintain disease control but this is ultimately limited by the hepatotoxicity of the drug. In addition, it is a potent inhibitor of one of the most important drug metabolizing enzymes in the liver, CYP3A4, resulting in the potential for negative drug-interactions as a side effect. Mifepristone, a potent glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, is approved for control of hyperglycemia in Cushings syndrome, but is difficult to titrate and has significant liabilities due to its potent anti-progesterone activity. The recently approved somatostatin analog, pasireotide, inhibits ACTH secretion, but in a recently published study, only 15-26% of patients in a Phase 3 trial
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achieved normalization of urinary free cortisol while 73% of patients experienced a hyperglycemia-related adverse event due to the compounds potent inhibition of insulin secretion. Therefore, we believe a significant unmet medical need exists for improved agents to treat Cushings disease.
Product candidate discovery program
ACTH acts through a peptide GPCR called the melanocortin type 2 receptor, or MC2, that is specifically expressed in the adrenal gland. Activation of MC2 by ACTH results in increased synthesis of cAMP, enhanced synthesis and secretion of cortisol and hypertrophy of adrenal cells. Our discovery team has identified potent, selective nonpeptide antagonists of MC2 designed to block ACTH action and prevent its excessive stimulation of the adrenal gland in Cushings disease patients. In vitro and in vivo pharmacology data from one of our initial antagonists are shown in Figure 9 below. Pharmacological mechanism is confirmed both by blocking of radiolabeled ACTH in a binding assay, as well as inhibiting the agonistic ability of ACTH to stimulate cAMP in cells expressing MC2. In vivo proof-of-concept is demonstrated by the antagonists capacity to block corticosterone (CORT, the rat analog of cortisol) secretion in a rodent ACTH-challenge model, which mimics aspects of Cushings disease. This program is currently in the lead optimization stage, and our goal is to select a product candidate for preclinical development in 2019.
Figure 9. In vitro and in vivo characterization of an initial nonpeptide ACTH antagonist. a) Competition binding assay showing displacement of radiolabeled ACTH by CRNX antagonist. b) Functional assay showing that increasing concentrations of CRNX antagonist shifted the dose-response curve of ACTH stimulated cAMP accumulation in MC2 cells. c) Suppression of ACTH stimulated corticosterone release (CORT) in rats by 10 mg/Kg of CRNX antagonist administered subcutaneously (grey squares), compared to vehicle treated animals (black circles). |
Competition
The commercialization of new drugs is competitive and we could face competition from a number of pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies around the world. Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects or more convenient than any products that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we do. The key competitive factors affecting the success of all of our programs are likely to be their efficacy, safety and convenience.
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With respect to CRN00808, injected peptide somatostatin agonists and GH receptor antagonists are the main medical therapies for acromegaly patients where surgery is unsuccessful. There are three injected somatostatin analogs approved for the treatment of acromegaly: octreotide (marketed by Novartis AG), lanreotide (marketed by Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.) and pasireotide (marketed by Novartis). Pegvisomant (marketed by Pfizer Inc.) is a daily injectable growth hormone receptor antagonist and is generally used in patients not fully controlled on somatostatin analogs. Orally administered dopamine agonists, such as bromocriptine and cabergoline, are also used. In terms of other products in clinical development, all of them are new formulations of peptide somatostatin agonists or GH receptor antagonists. Chiasma, Inc. is in Phase 3 development for an oral octreotide product candidate for the maintenance therapy of adult patients with acromegaly in whom prior treatment with somatostatin analogs has been shown to be effective and tolerated. Other companies developing peptide somatostatin agonists or GH receptor antagonists include Camurus AB, Dauntless Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Enesi Pharma Limited, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc./Antisense Therapeutics Ltd., Ipsen, MidaTech Pharma PLC and Novartis.
With respect to CRN02481, maintaining glucose levels through feeding or glucose infusions is the first step in managing CHI. Diazoxide (marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is the only approved therapy indicated for hyperinsulinemia. Octreotide (used off-label) is administered as subcutaneous injections in those who respond poorly to diazoxide. Patients who fail pharmacological therapy often progress to partial or nearly complete pancreatectomy, which can result in type I diabetes that must be managed for the remainder of the patients life. Companies in or entering Phase 3 are Eli Lilly and Company and Zealand Pharma A/S with glucagon analogs, and Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with glucagon Ready-To-Use (RTU). Other companies developing products for potential use in CHI include Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and Rezolute, Inc.
With respect to CRN01941, injected depots of peptide somatostatin analogs are used as therapy for NETs. In adults whose carcinoid syndrome symptoms are inadequately controlled by somatostatin therapy, telotristat ethyl (marketed by Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is an orally administered add-on therapy. Targeted therapies everolimus (marketed by Novartis) and sunitinib malate (marketed by Pfizer) are typically only used in patients with high grade tumors which constitute only a small fraction of NETs. In 2018, the FDA approved Novartis Lutathera for the treatment of somatostatin receptor positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Companies in Phase 3 development include Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and EUSA Pharma Inc. Other companies developing products for potential use in NETs include Apeiron Scientific, LLC, Camurus, Celgene Corporation, EpicentRx, Inc., Ipsen, Mateon Therapeutics, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., MidaTech, Novartis, Oncoceutics, Inc. and Roche Holding AG.
As with acromegaly, first-line therapy for Cushings disease is surgery to remove the pituitary tumor if possible. Adrenal enzyme inhibitors (metyrapone, ketoconazole) prevent the synthesis of cortisol and can improve symptoms. Mifepristone (marketed by Corcept Therapeutics, Inc.), a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, is approved for control of hyperglycemia in Cushings syndrome. The somatostatin agonist pasireotide is also approved for Cushings disease. Novartis and Strongbridge Biopharma are each conducting Phase 3 clinical trials with osilodrostat and levoketoconazole, respectively. Other companies developing products for potential use in Cushings disease include Corcept, Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Millendo Therapeutics, Inc.
There may be other earlier stage clinical programs that, if approved, would compete with our products. Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources than we have. Additional mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry may result in even more resources being concentrated in our competitors. Competition may increase further as a result of advances made in the commercial applicability of technologies and greater availability of capital for investment in these fields. Our success will be based in part on our ability to build and actively manage a portfolio of drugs that addresses unmet medical needs and creates value in patient therapy.
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Intellectual property
We strive to protect and enhance the proprietary technology, inventions and improvements that are commercially important to our business, including seeking, maintaining and defending our patent rights. We own the issued patents and patent applications relating to our lead product candidate CRN00808, as well as our other product candidates, including CRN02481 and CRN01941. Our policy is to seek to protect our proprietary position by, among other methods, filing patent applications in the United States and in jurisdictions outside of the United States directed to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements and product candidates that are important to the development and implementation of our business. We also rely on trade secrets and know-how relating to our proprietary technology and product candidates and continuing innovation to develop, strengthen and maintain our proprietary position in the field of endocrinology. We also plan to rely on data exclusivity, market exclusivity and patent term extensions when available. Our commercial success will depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and other proprietary protection for our technology, inventions and improvements; to preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets; to defend and enforce our proprietary rights, including any patents that we may own in the future; and to operate without infringing on the valid and enforceable patents and other proprietary rights of third parties.
As of June 8, 2018, we own three U.S. patents, one pending U.S. patent application, five pending U.S. provisional patent applications and seven pending foreign patent applications, two of which are international patent applications filed under the Paris Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and two of which are European regional patent applications. More specifically, we own one U.S. patent with claims directed to our lead product candidate CRN00808 and other related compounds, as a composition of matter, as well as claims directed to pharmaceutical compositions and uses of such compounds, including the use of CRN00808, to treat acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumors, and/or pain. This U.S. patent is expected to expire in July 2037, absent any patent term extensions for regulatory delay. The other patents and patent applications are directed to various compounds as compositions of matter, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and related methods of using such compounds. These issued patents, and any patents that may issue from our pending patent applications are expected to expire between 2036 and 2039, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. We also possess substantial know-how and trade secrets relating to the development and commercialization of our product candidates, including related manufacturing processes and technology. We also own three trademark registration applications.
With respect to our product candidates and processes we intend to develop and commercialize in the normal course of business, we intend to pursue patent protection covering, when possible, compositions, methods of use, dosing and formulations. We may also pursue patent protection with respect to manufacturing and drug development processes and technologies.
Issued patents can provide protection for varying periods of time, depending upon the date of filing of the patent application, the date of patent issuance and the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In general, patents issued for applications filed in the United States can provide exclusionary rights for 20 years from the earliest effective filing date. In addition, in certain instances, the term of an issued U.S. patent that covers or claims an FDA approved product can be extended to recapture a portion of the term effectively lost as a result of the FDA regulatory review period, which is called patent term extension. The restoration period cannot be longer than five years and the total patent term, including the restoration period, must not exceed 14 years following FDA approval. The term of patents outside of the United States varies in accordance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction, but typically is also 20 years from the earliest effective filing date. However, the actual protection afforded by a patent varies on a product-by-product basis, from country-to-country, and depends upon many factors, including the type of patent, the scope of its coverage, the availability of regulatory-related extensions, the availability of legal remedies in a particular country and the validity and enforceability of the patent.
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The patent positions of companies like ours are generally uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions. No consistent policy regarding the scope of claims allowable in patents in the field of endocrinology has emerged in the United States. The relevant patent laws and their interpretation outside of the United States is also uncertain. Changes in either the patent laws or their interpretation in the United States and other countries may diminish our ability to protect our technology or product candidates and could affect the value of such intellectual property. In particular, our ability to stop third parties from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing products that infringe our intellectual property will depend in part on our success in obtaining and enforcing patent claims that cover our technology, inventions and improvements. We cannot guarantee that patents will be granted with respect to any of our pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications we may file in the future, nor can we be sure that any patents that may be granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our products, the methods of use or manufacture of those products. Moreover, even our issued patents do not guarantee us the right to practice our technology in relation to the commercialization of our products. Patent and other intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space are evolving and involve many risks and uncertainties. For example, third parties may have blocking patents that could be used to prevent us from commercializing our product candidates and practicing our proprietary technology, and our issued patents may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing related products or could limit the term of patent protection that otherwise may exist for our product candidates. In addition, the scope of the rights granted under any issued patents may not provide us with protection or competitive advantages against competitors with similar technology. Furthermore, our competitors may independently develop similar technologies that are outside the scope of the rights granted under any issued patents. For these reasons, we may face competition with respect to our product candidates. Moreover, because of the extensive time required for development, testing and regulatory review of a potential product, it is possible that, before any particular product candidate can be commercialized, any patent protection for such product may expire or remain in force for only a short period following commercialization, thereby reducing the commercial advantage the patent provides.
In addition, most of our intellectual property rights, including those for our lead programs, have been generated through the use of U.S. government funding provided from our Small Business Innovation Research Grants, or SBIR Grants, awarded to us by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, and are therefore subject to certain federal regulations. As a result, the U.S. government may have certain rights to intellectual property embodied in our current or future product candidates pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. These U.S. government rights include a non-exclusive, non-transferable, irrevocable worldwide license to use inventions for any governmental purpose. In addition, the U.S. government has the right, under certain limited circumstances, to require us to grant exclusive, partially exclusive, or non-exclusive licenses to any of these inventions to a third party in certain circumstances. The U.S. government also has the right to take title to these inventions if we fail to disclose the invention to the government or fail to file an application to register the intellectual property within specified time limits.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing, testing and storage of our product candidates for nonclinical and clinical studies is conducted at third-party contract manufacturers and distributors. We do not plan to build plants or facilities for development or commercial scale manufacture or storage of our product candidates. To date, the contract manufacturers have met our manufacturing requirements, and we expect them to be capable of providing sufficient quantities of our product candidates to meet estimated full-scale commercial needs. However, the contract manufacturers may be required to increase production scale, or we may need to secure alternate suppliers.
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Sales and marketing
We intend to build the commercial infrastructure in major markets to effectively support the commercialization of all of our product candidates, if and when we believe a regulatory approval of the first of such product candidates in a particular geographic market appears imminent. The commercial infrastructure for orphan products typically consists of a targeted, specialty sales force that calls on a focused group of physicians supported by sales management, medical liaisons, internal sales support, an internal marketing group and distribution support. One challenge unique to commercializing therapies for rare diseases is the difficulty in identifying eligible patients due to the very small and sometimes heterogeneous disease populations.
Additional capabilities important to the orphan marketplace include the management of key accounts, such as managed care organizations, group purchasing organizations, specialty pharmacies and government accounts. To develop the appropriate commercial infrastructure, we will have to invest significant amounts of financial and management resources, some of which will be committed prior to any confirmation that any of our product candidates will be approved.
Where appropriate, we may elect in the future to utilize strategic partners, distributors or contract sales forces to assist in the commercialization of our product candidates. In certain instances, we may consider building our own commercial infrastructure.
Government regulation
Government authorities in the United States, at the federal, state and local level, and other countries extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, record-keeping, promotion, advertising, distribution, marketing and export and import of products such as those we are developing. A new drug must be approved by the FDA through the new drug application, or NDA, process before it may be legally marketed in the United States.
U.S. drug development process
In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, and its implementing regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or after approval may subject an applicant to administrative or judicial sanctions. These sanctions could include the FDAs refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, a clinical hold, warning letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties. Any agency or judicial enforcement action could have a material adverse effect on us.
The process required by the FDA before a drug may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
| completion of preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies in accordance with GLP regulations and other applicable regulations; |
| submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin; |
| approval by an independent institutional review board, or IRB, at each clinical site before each trial may be initiated; |
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| performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with good clinical practice, or GCP, regulations to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug for its intended use; |
| submission to the FDA of an NDA; |
| satisfactory completion of an FDA advisory committee review, if applicable; |
| satisfactory completion of an FDA inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the drug is produced to assess compliance with current GMP, or cGMP, requirements to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drugs identity, strength, quality and purity; and |
| FDA review and approval of the NDA. |
Once a pharmaceutical candidate is identified for development, it enters the preclinical testing stage. Preclinical tests include laboratory evaluations of product chemistry, toxicity and formulation, as well as animal studies. An IND sponsor must submit the results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information and analytical data, to the FDA as part of the IND. The sponsor will also include a protocol detailing, among other things, the objectives of the first phase of the clinical trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated, if the first phase lends itself to an efficacy evaluation. Some preclinical testing may continue even after the IND is submitted. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA, within the 30-day time period, places the clinical trial on a clinical hold. In such a case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before the clinical trial can begin. Clinical holds also may be imposed by the FDA at any time before or during clinical trials due to safety concerns about on-going or proposed clinical trials or non-compliance with specific FDA requirements, and the trials may not begin or continue until the FDA notifies the sponsor that the hold has been lifted.
All clinical trials must be conducted under the supervision of one or more qualified investigators in accordance with GCP regulations, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their participation in any clinical trial. They must be conducted under protocols detailing the objectives of the trial, dosing procedures, subject selection and exclusion criteria and the safety and effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. Each protocol must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND, and timely safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and the investigators for serious and unexpected adverse events. An IRB at each institution participating in the clinical trial must review and approve each protocol before a clinical trial commences at that institution and must also approve the information regarding the trial and the consent form that must be provided to each trial subject or his or her legal representative, monitor the study until completed and otherwise comply with IRB regulations.
Human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases that may overlap or be combined:
| Phase 1: The product candidate is initially introduced into healthy human subjects and tested for safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness. In the case of some products for severe or life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, especially when the product may be too inherently toxic to ethically administer to healthy volunteers, the initial human testing is often conducted in patients. Sponsors sometimes designate their Phase 1 clinical trials as Phase 1a or Phase 1b. Phase 1b clinical trials are typically aimed at confirming dosing, pharmacokinetics and safety in larger number of patients. Some Phase 1b studies evaluate biomarkers or surrogate markers that may be associated with efficacy in patients with specific types of diseases. |
| Phase 2: This phase involves clinical trials in a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance and appropriate dosage. |
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| Phase 3: Clinical trials are undertaken to further evaluate dosage, clinical efficacy and safety in an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical study sites. These clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk-benefit ratio of the product candidate and provide, if appropriate, an adequate basis for product labeling. |
Post-approval trials, sometimes referred to as Phase 4 studies, may be conducted after initial marketing approval. These trials are used to gain additional experience from the treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication. In certain instances, the FDA may mandate the performance of Phase 4 clinical trials as a condition of approval of an NDA.
The FDA or the sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRBs requirements or if the drug has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients. In addition, some clinical trials are overseen by an independent group of qualified experts organized by the sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board or committee. Depending on its charter, this group may determine whether a trial may move forward at designated check points based on access to certain data from the trial.
During the development of a new drug, sponsors are given opportunities to meet with the FDA at certain points. These points may be prior to submission of an IND, at the end of Phase 2, and before an NDA is submitted. Meetings at other times may be requested. These meetings can provide an opportunity for the sponsor to share information about the data gathered to date, for the FDA to provide advice, and for the sponsor and the FDA to reach agreement on the next phase of development. Sponsors typically use the meetings at the end of the Phase 2 trial to discuss Phase 2 clinical results and present plans for the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials that they believe will support approval of the new drug.
Concurrent with clinical trials, companies usually complete additional animal studies and must also develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the drug and finalize a process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and, among other things, the manufacturer must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final drug. In addition, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
While the IND is active and before approval, progress reports summarizing the results of the clinical trials and nonclinical studies performed since the last progress report must be submitted at least annually to the FDA, and written IND safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and investigators for serious and unexpected suspected adverse events, findings from other studies suggesting a significant risk to humans exposed to the same or similar drugs, findings from animal or in vitro testing suggesting a significant risk to humans, and any clinically important increased incidence of a serious suspected adverse reaction compared to that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure.
There are also requirements governing the reporting of ongoing clinical trials and completed trial results to public registries. Sponsors of certain clinical trials of FDA-regulated products are required to register and disclose specified clinical trial information, which is publicly available at www.clinicaltrials.gov. Information related to the product, patient population, phase of investigation, trial sites and investigators and other aspects of the clinical trial is then made public as part of the registration. Sponsors are also obligated to discuss the results of their clinical trials after completion. Disclosure of the results of these trials can be delayed until the new product or new indication being studied has been approved.
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U.S. review and approval process
The results of product development, preclinical and other non-clinical studies and clinical trials, along with descriptions of the manufacturing process, analytical tests conducted on the chemistry of the drug, proposed labeling and other relevant information are submitted to the FDA as part of an NDA requesting approval to market the product. The submission of an NDA is subject to the payment of substantial user fees; a waiver of such fees may be obtained under certain limited circumstances. The FDA reviews an NDA to determine, among other things, whether a product is safe and effective for its intended use and whether its manufacturing is cGMP-compliant to assure and preserve the products identity, strength, quality and purity. Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, guidelines that are currently in effect, the FDA has a goal of ten months from the date of filing of a standard NDA for a new molecular entity to review and act on the submission. This review typically takes twelve months from the date the NDA is submitted to FDA because the FDA has approximately two months to make a filing decision after it the application is submitted. The FDA conducts a preliminary review of all NDAs within the first 60 days after submission, before accepting them for filing, to determine whether they are sufficiently complete to permit substantive review The FDA may request additional information rather than accept an NDA for filing. In this event, the NDA must be resubmitted with the additional information. The resubmitted application also is subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing.
The FDA may refer an application for a novel drug to an advisory committee. An advisory committee is a panel of independent experts, including clinicians and other scientific experts, that reviews, evaluates and provides a recommendation as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions. Before approving an NDA, the FDA will inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving an NDA, the FDA may inspect one or more clinical trial sites to assure compliance with GCP requirements.
After the FDA evaluates an NDA, it will issue an approval letter or a Complete Response Letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with prescribing information for specific indications. A Complete Response Letter indicates that the review cycle of the application is complete and the application will not be approved in its present form. A Complete Response Letter usually describes the specific deficiencies in the NDA identified by the FDA and may require additional clinical data, such as an additional pivotal Phase 3 trial or other significant and time-consuming requirements related to clinical trials, nonclinical studies or manufacturing. If a Complete Response Letter is issued, the sponsor must resubmit the NDA or, addressing all of the deficiencies identified in the letter, or withdraw the application. Even if such data and information are submitted, the FDA may decide that the NDA does not satisfy the criteria for approval.
If a product receives regulatory approval, the approval may be significantly limited to specific diseases and dosages or the indications for use may otherwise be limited, which could restrict the commercial value of the product. In addition, the FDA may require a sponsor to conduct Phase 4 testing, which involves clinical trials designed to further assess a drugs safety and effectiveness after NDA approval, and may require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the safety of approved products which have been commercialized. The FDA may also place other conditions on approval including the requirement for a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, to assure the safe use of the drug. If the FDA concludes a REMS is needed, the sponsor of the NDA must submit a proposed REMS. The FDA will not approve the NDA without an approved REMS, if required. A REMS could include medication guides, physician communication plans or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools. Any of these limitations on approval or marketing could restrict the commercial promotion, distribution, prescription or dispensing of
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products. Marketing approval may be withdrawn for non-compliance with regulatory requirements or if problems occur following initial marketing.
The Pediatric Research Equity Act, or PREA, requires a sponsor to conduct pediatric clinical trials for most drugs, for a new active ingredient, new indication, new dosage form, new dosing regimen or new route of administration. Under PREA, original NDAs and supplements must contain a pediatric assessment unless the sponsor has received a deferral or waiver. The required assessment must evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations and support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective. The sponsor or FDA may request a deferral of pediatric clinical trials for some or all of the pediatric subpopulations. A deferral may be granted for several reasons, including a finding that the drug is ready for approval for use in adults before pediatric clinical trials are complete or that additional safety or effectiveness data needs to be collected before the pediatric clinical trials begin. The FDA must send a non-compliance letter to any sponsor that fails to submit the required assessment, keep a deferral current or fails to submit a request for approval of a pediatric formulation.
Orphan drug designation
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan designation to a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States or, if it affects more than 200,000 individuals in the United States, there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing and making a drug product available in the United States for this type of disease or condition will be recovered from sales of the product. Orphan designation must be requested before submitting an NDA. After the FDA grants orphan designation, the identity of the therapeutic agent and its potential orphan use are disclosed publicly by the FDA. Orphan designation does not convey any advantage in or shorten the duration of the regulatory review and approval process.
If a product that has orphan designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease or condition for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan product exclusivity, which means that the FDA may not approve any other applications to market the same drug for the same indication for seven years, except in limited circumstances, such as a showing of clinical superiority to the product with orphan exclusivity or inability to manufacture the product in sufficient quantities. The designation of such drug also entitles a party to financial incentives such as opportunities for grant funding towards clinical trial costs, tax advantages and user-fee waivers. However, competitors, may receive approval of different products for the indication for which the orphan product has exclusivity or obtain approval for the same product but for a different indication for which the orphan product has exclusivity. Orphan exclusivity also could block the approval of one of our product candidates for seven years if a competitor obtains approval of the same drug as defined by the FDA or if our product candidate is determined to be contained within the competitors product for the same indication or disease. In addition, if an orphan designated product receives marketing approval for an indication broader than what is designated, it may not be entitled to orphan exclusivity.
Expedited development and review programs
The FDA has a fast track designation program that is intended to expedite or facilitate the process for reviewing new drug products that meet certain criteria. Specifically, new drugs are eligible for Fast Track designation if they are intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for the disease or condition. Unique to a fast track product, the FDA may consider for review sections of the NDA on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted, if the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the NDA, the FDA agrees to accept sections of the NDA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the first section of the NDA.
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Any product submitted to the FDA for approval, including a product with a fast track designation, may also be eligible for other types of FDA programs intended to expedite development and review, such as priority review and accelerated approval. A product is eligible for priority review if it has the potential to provide safe and effective therapy where no satisfactory alternative therapy exists or a significant improvement in the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of a disease compared to marketed products. The FDA will attempt to direct additional resources to the evaluation of an application for a new drug designated for priority review in an effort to facilitate the review. The FDA endeavors to review applications with priority review designations within six months of the filing date as compared to ten months for review of new molecular entity NDAs under its current PDUFA review goals.
In addition, a product may be eligible for accelerated approval. Drug products intended to treat serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions may be eligible for accelerated approval upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity, or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. As a condition of approval, the FDA may require that a sponsor of a drug receiving accelerated approval perform adequate and well-controlled post-marketing clinical trials. In addition, the FDA currently requires as a condition for accelerated approval pre-approval of promotional materials, which could adversely impact the timing of the commercial launch of the product. Fast track designation, priority review and accelerated approval do not change the standards for approval but may expedite the development or approval process.
FDASIA established a category of drugs referred to as breakthrough therapies that may be eligible to receive breakthrough therapy designation. A sponsor may seek FDA designation of a product candidate as a breakthrough therapy if the product is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other products, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The designation includes all of the fast track program features, as well as more intensive FDA interaction and guidance. The breakthrough therapy designation is a distinct status from both accelerated approval and priority review, which can also be granted to the same drug if relevant criteria are met. If a product is designated as breakthrough therapy, the FDA will work to expedite the development and review of such drug.
Even if a product qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened. We may explore some of these opportunities for our product candidates as appropriate.
Post-approval requirements
Once an approval is granted, the FDA may withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product may result in restrictions on the product or even complete withdrawal of the product from the market. After approval, some types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, certain manufacturing changes and additional labeling claims, are subject to further FDA review and approval. Drug manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies for compliance with cGMP regulations and other laws and regulations. In addition, the FDA may impose a number of post-approval requirements as a condition of approval of an NDA. For example, the FDA may require post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance to further assess and monitor the products safety and effectiveness after commercialization.
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Any drug products manufactured or distributed by us or our partners pursuant to FDA approvals will be subject to continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, record-keeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences with the drug, providing the FDA with updated safety and efficacy information, drug sampling and distribution requirements, complying with certain electronic records and signature requirements, and complying with FDA promotion and advertising requirements. The FDA strictly regulates labeling, advertising, promotion and other types of information on products that are placed on the market and imposes requirements and restrictions on drug manufacturers, such as those related to direct-to-consumer advertising, the prohibition on promoting products for uses or in patient populations that are not described in the products approved labeling (known as off-label use), industry-sponsored scientific and educational activities, and promotional activities involving the internet. Discovery of previously unknown problems or the failure to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements may result in restrictions on the marketing of a product or withdrawal of the product from the market as well as possible civil or criminal sanctions. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or after approval, may subject an applicant or manufacturer to administrative or judicial civil or criminal sanctions and adverse publicity. FDA sanctions could include refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, clinical holds on post-approval clinical trials, warning or untitled letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, mandated corrective advertising or communications with doctors, debarment, restitution, disgorgement of profits, or civil or criminal penalties.
Marketing exclusivity
Market exclusivity provisions under the FDCA can delay the submission or the approval of certain marketing applications. The FDCA provides a five-year period of non-patent marketing exclusivity within the United States to the first applicant to obtain approval of an NDA for a new chemical entity. A drug is a new chemical entity if the FDA has not previously approved any other new drug containing the same active moiety, which is the molecule or ion responsible for the action of the drug substance. During the exclusivity period, the FDA may not approve or even accept for review an abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, or an NDA submitted under Section 505(b)(2), or 505(b)(2) NDA, submitted by another company for another drug based on the same active moiety, regardless of whether the drug is intended for the same indication as the original innovative drug or for another indication, where the applicant does not own or have a legal right of reference to all the data required for approval. However, an application may be submitted after four years if it contains a certification of patent invalidity or non-infringement to one of the patents listed with the FDA by the innovator NDA holder.
The FDCA alternatively provides three years of marketing exclusivity for an NDA, or supplement to an existing NDA if new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability studies, that were conducted or sponsored by the applicant are deemed by the FDA to be essential to the approval of the application, for example new indications, dosages or strengths of an existing drug. This three-year exclusivity covers only the modification for which the drug received approval on the basis of the new clinical investigations and does not prohibit the FDA from approving ANDAs or 505(b)(2) NDAs for drugs containing the active agent for the original indication or condition of use. Five-year and three-year exclusivity will not delay the submission or approval of a full NDA. However, an applicant submitting a full NDA would be required to conduct or obtain a right of reference to all of the preclinical studies and adequate and well-controlled clinical trials necessary to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.
Pediatric exclusivity is another type of marketing exclusivity available in the United States. Pediatric exclusivity provides for an additional six months of marketing exclusivity attached to another period of exclusivity if a sponsor conducts clinical trials in children in response to a written request from the FDA. The issuance of a written request does not require the sponsor to undertake the described clinical trials. In addition, orphan drug
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exclusivity, as described above, may offer a seven-year period of marketing exclusivity, except in certain circumstances.
U.S. coverage and reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any therapeutic product candidate for which we may seek regulatory approval. Sales in the United States will depend in part on the availability of sufficient coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors, which include government health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and the Veterans Administration, as well as managed care organizations and private health insurers. Prices at which we or our customers seek reimbursement for our therapeutic product candidates can be subject to challenge, reduction or denial by payors.
The process for determining whether a payor will provide coverage for a product is typically separate from the process for setting the reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the product. A payors decision to provide coverage for a product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be available. Additionally, in the United States there is no uniform policy among payors for coverage or reimbursement. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own coverage and reimbursement policies, but also have their own methods and approval processes. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for products can differ significantly from payor to payor. If coverage and adequate reimbursement are not available, or are available only at limited levels, successful commercialization of, and obtaining a satisfactory financial return on, any product we develop may not be possible.
Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of medical products and services, in addition to their safety and efficacy. In order to obtain coverage and reimbursement for any product that might be approved for marketing, we may need to conduct expensive studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of any products, which would be in addition to the costs expended to obtain regulatory approvals. Third-party payors may not consider our product candidates to be medically necessary or cost-effective compared to other available therapies, or the rebate percentages required to secure favorable coverage may not yield an adequate margin over cost or may not enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in drug development.
Healthcare reform
In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and continue to be, several legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of drug product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities, and affect the profitable sale of drug product candidates.
Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and/or expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives. In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was passed, which substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both the government and private insurers, and significantly impacts the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The ACA, among other things: (1) increased the minimum Medicaid rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and extends the rebate program to individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care organizations; (2) established an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports certain specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents apportioned among these entities according to their market share in some government healthcare programs; (3) expanded the availability of lower pricing under the 340B drug pricing program by adding new entities to the program; (4) increased the statutory minimum
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rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program; (5) expanded the eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs; (6) created a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; (7) created a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 50% (and 70% commencing January 1, 2019) point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturers outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D; (8) established a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; and (9) established a Center for Medicare Innovation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and Medicaid spending, potentially including prescription drugs.
Some of the provisions of the ACA have yet to be implemented, and there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, as well as recent efforts by the Trump administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the ACA. For example, President Trump has signed Executive Orders and other directives designed to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the ACA or otherwise circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance mandated by the ACA. Concurrently, Congress has considered legislation that would repeal or repeal and replace all or part of the ACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, bills affecting the implementation of certain taxes under the ACA have been signed into law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 includes a provision repealing, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the ACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the individual mandate. Additionally, on January 22, 2018, President Trump signed a continuing resolution on appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that delayed the implementation of certain ACA-mandated fees, including the so-called Cadillac tax on certain high cost employer-sponsored insurance plans, the annual fee imposed on certain health insurance providers based on market share, and the medical device excise tax on non-exempt medical devices. Further, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, among other things, amends the ACA, effective January 1, 2019, to close the coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans, commonly referred to as the donut hole.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted, including aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year and reduced payments to several types of Medicare providers. Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. At the federal level, the Trump administrations budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 contains further drug price control measures. While any proposed measures will require authorization through additional legislation to become effective, Congress and the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
More recently, on May 30, 2018, the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017, or Right to Try Act, was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides a federal framework for patients to access certain investigational new drug products that have completed a Phase I clinical trial. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in
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clinical trials and without obtaining FDA approval under the FDA expanded access program. The Right to Try Act did not establish any new entitlement or positive right to any party or individual, nor did it create any new mandates, directives, or additional regulations requiring a manufacturer or sponsor of an eligible investigational new drug product to provide expanded access.
U.S. healthcare fraud and abuse laws and compliance requirements
Federal and state healthcare laws and regulations restrict business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry. These laws include anti-kickback and false claims laws and regulations, data privacy and security, and transparency laws and regulations.
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease or order of any item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil False Claims Act and the civil monetary penalties statute.
The federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the civil False Claims Act, prohibit, among other things, any individual or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to the federal government.
The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, created additional federal civil and criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program. In addition, HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, imposes certain requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of protected health information on HIPAA covered entities, which include certain healthcare provider, health plans and healthcare clearinghouses, and their business associates who conduct certain activities involving protected health information on their behalf.
The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions, to report annually to CMS information related to payments or other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals, and applicable manufacturers and applicable group purchasing organizations to report annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members.
Similar state and foreign laws and regulations may also restrict business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to business practices, including but not limited to, research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non- governmental third-party payors, including private insurers, or by patients themselves; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industrys voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government, or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws and regulations that require drug manufacturers to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information, which requires tracking gifts and other remuneration and items of value provided to physicians, other healthcare providers and entities; state and local laws that require the registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives; and state and foreign laws governing the privacy and security of health
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information in some circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.
Efforts to ensure compliance with applicable healthcare laws and regulations can involve substantial costs. Violations of healthcare laws can result in significant penalties, including the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other U.S. healthcare programs, integrity oversight and reporting obligations, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment or restructuring of operations.
Employees
As of June 30, 2018, we had 34 full-time employees, 14 of whom have a Ph.D. or M.D., and 2 part-time employees. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
Research and development
We have invested $5.1 million, $9.2 million, $2.1 million and $4.7 million in research and development for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Facilities
As of May 2018, we have transitioned into a new corporate headquarters, consisting of a 29,499 square foot facility in San Diego, California. We use our corporate headquarters primarily for corporate, research, development, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and quality functions. Our lease for this facility expires in February 2025, with the option to extend the term of the lease for an additional five years, subject to certain conditions.
We also continue to lease an 8,624 square foot facility in San Diego, California, which served as our prior corporate headquarters. We intend to continue using this facility as laboratory space until the third quarter of 2018.
We believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our current needs, and that suitable additional alternative spaces will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms, if required.
Legal proceedings
We are not currently subject to any material legal proceedings. From time to time, we may be involved in legal proceedings or subject to claims incident to the ordinary course of business. Regardless of the outcome, such proceedings or claims can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of resources and other factors, and there can be no assurances that favorable outcomes will be obtained.
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Executive officers, key employees and directors
The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers, key employees and directors as of June 30, 2018.
Name | Age | Position | ||||
Executive Officers |
||||||
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
56 | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||||
Marc Wilson |
39 | Chief Financial Officer | ||||
Alan Krasner, M.D. |
54 | Chief Medical Officer | ||||
Key Employees |
||||||
Stephen F. Betz, Ph.D. |
52 | Vice President, Biology | ||||
Ajay Madan, Ph.D., D.A.B.T. |
50 | Vice President, Development | ||||
Yun-Fei (Frank) Zhu, Ph.D. |
55 | Vice President, Chemistry | ||||
Non-Employee Directors |
||||||
Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D.(1)(3) |
70 | Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||||
Mason Freeman, M.D.(3) |
67 | Director | ||||
Matthew K. Fust(1)(2) |
53 | Director | ||||
Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D.(1) |
56 | Director | ||||
Weston Nichols, Ph.D.(2) |
33 | Director | ||||
Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc.(2)(3) |
54 | Director | ||||
|
(1) | Member of the compensation committee |
(2) | Member of the audit committee |
(3) | Member of the nominating and corporate governance committee |
Executive officers
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D., is our co-founder and has served on our board of directors since November 2008 and as our President and Chief Executive Officer since December 2008. Prior to Crinetics, he was senior director and head of endocrinology and metabolism at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., from 1998 to 2008. At Neurocrine, he initiated and led the companys efforts to discover and develop orally active, nonpeptide GnRH antagonists, including elagolix. Prior to Neurocrine, from 1995 to 1998, he co-founded ScienceMedia Inc. to develop eLearning solutions for the life sciences and higher education markets and led contract research efforts at Biosym Technologies, from 1992 to 1995, to develop and apply computational tools for drug discovery. Dr. Struthers is also a co-founder of the San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange, a nonprofit organization which he has served on the board of directors of since January 2009. He holds a Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology from the University of California, San Diego based on the work he performed at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Dr. Struthers knowledge of our business, as well as his extensive development and clinical experience, contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Marc Wilson has served as our Chief Financial Officer since January 2018. Prior to Crinetics, Mr. Wilson was Vice President of Finance and Accounting and Chief Accounting Officer at Cidara Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly-traded
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biotechnology company, from September 2014 to January 2018. Prior to Cidara, from October 2010 to August 2014, Mr. Wilson was Director of Accounting and Controller at Trius Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, until its acquisition by Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Prior to Trius, Mr. Wilson worked at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Wilson began his career in 2001 with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and is a certified public accountant. Mr. Wilson earned a bachelors degree in Economics and Accounting from the College of the Holy Cross.
Alan Krasner, M.D. has served as our Chief Medical Officer since June 2018. From December 2015 to June 2018, Dr. Krasner served as Global Clinical Development Lead at Shire plc, a global biotechnology company focused on the treatment of rare diseases. Before joining Shire, Dr. Krasner served from May 2008 to November 2015 as Chief Medical Officer for Biodel Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of diabetes. Prior to Biodel, from 2002 to 2008, Dr. Krasner served as Director in the Department of Clinical Research Metabolic Diseases at Pfizer Global Research and Development, where he was responsible for the design, execution, clinical analysis, and reporting of multiple, global clinical trials supporting registration of late stage drug candidates. Dr. Krasner served as a consulting physician at the Joslin Diabetes and Endocrinology Center of the Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London, Connecticut until July 2017. Dr. Krasner holds a B.S. from the Medical Education Honors Program at Northwestern University and a M.D. from Northwestern University Medical School. He completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in internal medicine and subsequently completed his fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in endocrinology and metabolism.
Key employees
Stephen F. Betz, Ph.D., is our co-founder and has served as our Vice President, Biology since December 2009. Previously, from June 2003 to May 2009, he was Director of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., where he worked on the discovery and development of GnRH receptor antagonists and nonpeptide modulators of other endocrine targets. Prior to Neurocrine, from 2001 to 2003, he led laboratory efforts at GeneFormatics, Inc., and from 1996 to 2000, he worked in pharmaceutical discovery at Abbott Laboratories, including structure-guided drug design, assay development, and compound screening in the Research Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Group. From 1993 to 1996, he worked at the Dupont Merck Pharmaceutical Company focusing on protein engineering and design. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Delaware and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ajay Madan, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., has served as our Vice President, Development since May 2016. Previously, from May 2002 to July 2016, Dr. Madan worked at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., including as Vice President of Preclinical Development from February 2013 to July 2016, where he was responsible for drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and clinical pharmacology in support of a number of drug discovery and development programs. Since 2004, Dr. Madan has also taught, and continues to teach, courses at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) on selecting promising drug candidates and preclinical drug discovery and development. Prior to Neurocrine, from 1994 to 2002, Dr. Madan worked at XenoTech LLC, an in vitro drug research company, including as the Chief Scientific Officer, from 2001 to 2002. Dr. Madan is an author of more than 50 scientific publications, and he has been a diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology since 2005. He holds a B.Pharm. degree from Birla Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Kansas.
Yun-Fei (Frank) Zhu, Ph.D., is our co-founder and has served as our Vice President, Chemistry since December 2009. Previously, from 1997 until May 2009, he worked at Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., including as the Director of Medicinal Chemistry in the endocrinology and metabolism group from January 2005 to May 2009. At Neurocrine, he led discovery for the backup nonpeptide GnRH antagonist program. Prior to Neurocrine, from 1991 to 1997, he worked at CombiChem, Inc., a combinatorial chemistry-based drug discovery company, and BioResearch, Inc., a chemical technology company. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California,
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San Diego from 1990 to 1991. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from Hangzhou University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Non-employee directors
Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D. joined our board of directors as Chairman in October 2015. Dr. Wierenga brings to our board over four decades of experience in research, drug discovery and drug development, including clinical research, regulatory affairs, manufacturing, safety, and medical affairs. He has an extensive background serving as a public company executive and board member in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, Research and Development, at Santarus, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, from June 2011 until its acquisition by Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2014. Prior to Santarus, he was Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Ambit Biosciences Corporation from 2007 until 2011 and Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. from 2003 until 2006. Additionally, Dr. Wierenga served as Chief Executive Officer of Syrrx, Inc. (now part of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company), Senior Vice President of Worldwide Pharmaceutical Sciences, Technologies and Development at Parke-Davis/Warner Lambert Company LLC (now Pfizer, Inc.), and he spent 16 years at Upjohn Pharmaceuticals in research and drug discovery roles. Dr. Wierenga serves as a member of the board of directors of Patara Pharma LLC and Dermata Therapeutics, LLC, both private companies. He also serves on the board of the following publicly-traded companies: Apricus Biosciences, Inc., a urology and rheumatology company, Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on deuterium chemistry, and Cytokinetics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. He was previously on the board of directors of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (acquired by Amgen), Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc. (acquired by Pfizer) XenoPort, Inc. (acquired by Arbor Pharmaceuticals) and Ocera Therapeutics Inc. (acquired by Mallinckrodt). Additionally, Dr. Wierenga serves on multiple scientific advisory boards, including Concert Pharmaceuticals, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and aTyr Pharma, Inc. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University and a B.A. in Chemistry from Hope College. Dr. Wierengas scientific background and ability to contribute to the Boards understanding of technical matters relating to our business, as well as Dr. Wierengas broader business development and corporate experience on the boards of directors of several biopharmaceutical companies, contributed to our boards conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Mason Freeman, M.D. has served on our board of directors since October 2015. Dr. Freeman joined 5AM Ventures, a life science focused investment firm, as a scientific advisor in 2007 and became a venture partner in 2008. He serves as Chief of the Lipid Metabolism Unit and director of translational medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and is a professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Freeman currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Homology Medicines, Inc., a public genetic medicines company, and Mitobridge, Inc., a biotechnology company that was acquired by Astrellas Pharma Inc. in January 2018, and serves as a Clinical Advisor to ScPharmaceuticals, Inc., a public pharmaceutical company. Dr. Freeman previously served as Clinical Advisor to Relypsa, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on protein therapeutics, and previously served as a director of Envoy Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, until its acquisition by Takeda. Trained in internal medicine and endocrinology, Dr. Freeman has spent twenty-five years studying the trafficking of cholesterol into and out of cells. Following post-doctoral research fellowships in the Biology Department at MIT and the Endocrine Division at MGH, he became Chief of the MGHs Lipid Metabolism Unit, in 1992, which he continues to direct as well as the translational medicine programs at the MGH center for computational and integrative biology and the MGH clinical research program. In these roles, he oversees a basic science research laboratory devoted to studying lipid trafficking as well as a clinical investigative team developing a novel oral anti-diabetic drug. From 2005 to 2007, he served as a head of the Novartis translational medicine program for cardiovascular & metabolic diseases as well as global head of biomarker development. Dr. Freeman is an editor of the adult primary care lipid section of a leading medical textbook, UpToDate. Dr. Freeman holds a B.A. from Harvard College and M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.
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Dr. Freemans significant academic and clinical experience, and his experience as a venture capitalist, contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Matthew K. Fust has served on our board of directors since February 2018. He is currently a board member and advisor to life sciences companies. Mr. Fust retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, where he served from January 2009 through its acquisition by Amgen Inc. in October 2013. From May 2003 to December 2008, Mr. Fust served as Chief Financial Officer at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company. From 2002 to 2003, Mr. Fust served as Chief Financial Officer at Perlegen Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company. Previously, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at ALZA Corporation, a pharmaceutical company, where he was an executive from 1996 until 2002. Prior to these roles, he was a member of the healthcare strategy consulting practice at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). Mr. Fust serves on the board of directors of the following publicly traded companies: Dermira, Inc., a medical dermatology company, Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc., an immunotherapy company, MacroGenics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc., a rare disease company. Mr. Fust previously served on the board of directors Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from May 2005 until May 2017. Mr. Fust received a B.A. from the University of Minnesota and an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Fusts experience as a chief financial officer in the life sciences industry, his leadership and management experience, and his service as a director of other biopharmaceutical companies, contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D. has served on our board of directors since October 2015. Dr. Kaldor has over 25 years of experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. He currently serves as a director and Chief Executive Officer of Fount Therapeutics, LLC, a biotechnology company. Dr. Kaldor previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Quanticel Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately-held cancer drug discovery company, from February 2011 until its acquisition by Celgene Corporation in October 2015. Dr. Kaldor was also a venture partner at Versant Ventures from January 2011 until October 2015. Prior to that, Dr. Kaldor served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ambrx Inc., a biotechnology company. from July 2007 to June 2010. He was the President and Chief Scientific Officer at Syrrx Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company, from March 2003 until its acquisition by Takeda San Diego, Inc., the U.S. Discovery Research Center for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, in March 2005, and he continued on as President and Chief Scientific Officer at Takeda until July 2007. Dr. Kaldor has served on the board of directors of Resolute Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, since October 2016, as a strategic advisor to FronThera US Pharmaceuticals LLC, a small molecule drug company, since March 2016 and as a scientific advisory board member of Crown Bioscience, Inc., a translational technology company, since January 2009. Previously, Dr. Kaldor served as a director of Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company, from November 2010 until its acquisition by Forest Laboratories, Inc. in 2014 and as a director of Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held pharmaceutical company, from March 2008 until its acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in 2011. He started his career at Eli Lilly and Company in 1990 and is a chemist by training. He holds a B.A. in chemistry from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Harvard University. Dr. Kaldors extensive experience as an executive in the biopharmaceutical industry and his experience serving on numerous boards contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Weston Nichols, Ph.D. has served on our board of directors since February 2018. Since April 2016, Dr. Nichols has served as an analyst for Perceptive Advisors, a life sciences focused investment firm. From January 2015 to April 2016, Dr. Weston was an analyst at Balyasny Asset Management, an investment management firm, and from May 2014 to December 2014, he was a biotechnology equity research associate at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. Dr. Weston holds a B.S. in biological engineering from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Caltech. Dr. Westons experience as venture capitalist in the life science industry contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
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Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc. has served on our board of directors since February 2018. Mr. Nielsen has served as a Managing Director at Vivo Capital LLC, a healthcare focused investment firm, since August 2017, and served as a consultant there from March 2017 to July 2017. From 2001 to February 2017, Mr. Nielsen worked within the Novo A/S (Novozymes) organization and its venture activities in several roles, most recently being employed as a Senior Partner based in Copenhagen, Denmark. From 2006 to 2012, Mr. Nielsen was employed as a Partner at Novo Ventures (US) Inc. in San Francisco, where he established the office which provides certain consultancy services to Novo A/S. Mr. Nielsen currently serves on the Board of Directors of Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. which is a publicly listed pharmaceutical company. He previously served on the board of directors of other public biotech companies: Merus, N.V., an immuno-oncology company, Apollo Endosurgery, a medical device company developing and marketing products for treatment of obesity, and Akebia Therapeutics, which develops treatments for certain anemias. He previously served as a member of the board of directors of a number of other private biopharmaceutical companies. Mr. Nielsen received a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, and a Masters in Management of Technology from Center for Technology, Economics and Management, Technical University of Denmark. Mr. Nielsens experience as a venture capitalist and serving on various biotechnology company boards contributed to our board of directors conclusion that he should serve as a director of our company.
Board composition and election of directors
Director independence
Our board of directors currently consists of seven members. Our board of directors has determined that all of our directors, other than Dr. Struthers, are independent directors in accordance with the listing requirements of the Nasdaq Global Market. The Nasdaq independence definition includes a series of objective tests, including that the director is not, and has not been for at least three years, one of our employees and that neither the director nor any of his family members has engaged in various types of business dealings with us. In addition, as required by Nasdaq rules, our board of directors has made a subjective determination as to each independent director that no relationships exist, which, in the opinion of our board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. In making these determinations, our board of directors reviewed and discussed information provided by the directors and us with regard to each directors business and personal activities and relationships as they may relate to us and our management. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.
Classified board of directors
In accordance with the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will go into effect immediately prior to the closing of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered, three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Effective upon the closing of this offering, our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:
| the Class I directors will be Mason Freeman, M.D. and R. Scott Struthers, and their terms will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders following this offering; |
| the Class II directors will be Weston Nichols, Ph.D. and Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc., and their terms will expire at our second annual meeting of stockholders following this offering; and |
| the Class III directors will be Matthew K. Fust, Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D. and Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D., and their terms will expire at our third annual meeting of stockholders following this offering. |
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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will go into effect immediately prior to the closing of this offering will provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. The division of our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change in control of our company. Our directors may be removed only for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two thirds of our outstanding voting stock then entitled to vote in the election of directors.
Board leadership structure
Our board of directors is currently led by its chairman, Dr. Wierenga. Our board of directors recognizes that it is important to determine an optimal board leadership structure to ensure the independent oversight of management as the company continues to grow. We separate the roles of chief executive officer and chairman of the board in recognition of the differences between the two roles. The chief executive officer is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the company and the day-to-day leadership and performance of the company, while the chairman of the board of directors provides guidance to the chief executive officer and presides over meetings of the full board of directors. We believe that this separation of responsibilities provides a balanced approach to managing the board of directors and overseeing the company.
Our board of directors has concluded that our current leadership structure is appropriate at this time. However, our board of directors will continue to periodically review our leadership structure and may make such changes in the future as it deems appropriate.
Role of board in risk oversight process
Our board of directors has responsibility for the oversight of the companys risk management processes and, either as a whole or through its committees, regularly discusses with management our major risk exposures, their potential impact on our business and the steps we take to manage them. The risk oversight process includes receiving regular reports from board committees and members of senior management to enable our board to understand the companys risk identification, risk management and risk mitigation strategies with respect to areas of potential material risk, including operations, finance, legal, regulatory, strategic and reputational risk.
The audit committee reviews information regarding liquidity and operations, and oversees our management of financial risks. Periodically, the audit committee reviews our policies with respect to risk assessment, risk management, loss prevention and regulatory compliance. Oversight by the audit committee includes direct communication with our external auditors, and discussions with management regarding significant risk exposures and the actions management has taken to limit, monitor or control such exposures. The compensation committee is responsible for assessing whether any of our compensation policies or programs has the potential to encourage excessive risk-taking. The nominating and corporate governance committee manages risks associated with the independence of the board, corporate disclosure practices, and potential conflicts of interest. While each committee is responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, the entire board is regularly informed through committee reports about such risks. Matters of significant strategic risk are considered by our board as a whole.
Board committees and independence
Our board of directors has established three standing committees audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance each of which operates under a charter that has been approved by our board.
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Audit committee
The audit committees main function is to oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of our consolidated financial statements. This committees responsibilities include, among other things:
| appointing our independent registered public accounting firm; |
| evaluating the qualifications, independence and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm; |
| approving the audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm; |
| reviewing the design, implementation, adequacy and effectiveness of our internal accounting controls and our critical accounting policies; |
| discussing with management and the independent registered public accounting firm the results of our annual audit and the review of our quarterly unaudited financial statements; |
| reviewing, overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our consolidated financial statements and our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements as they relate to financial statements or accounting matters; |
| reviewing on a periodic basis, or as appropriate, any investment policy and recommending to our board any changes to such investment policy; |
| reviewing with management and our auditors any earnings announcements and other public announcements regarding our results of operations; |
| preparing the report that the SEC requires in our annual proxy statement; |
| reviewing and approving any related party transactions and reviewing and monitoring compliance with our code of conduct and ethics; and |
| reviewing and evaluating, at least annually, the performance of the audit committee and its members including compliance of the audit committee with its charter. |
The members of our audit committee are Matthew K. Fust, Weston Nichols, Ph.D. and Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc. Mr. Fust serves as the chairperson of the committee. All members of our audit committee meet the requirements for financial literacy under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the Nasdaq Global Market. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Fust is an audit committee financial expert as defined by applicable SEC rules and has the requisite financial sophistication as defined under the applicable Nasdaq rules and regulations. Our board of directors has determined each of Mr. Fust, Dr. Nichols and Mr. Nielsen is independent under the applicable rules of the SEC and the Nasdaq Global Market. Upon the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market, the audit committee will operate under a written charter that satisfies the applicable standards of the SEC and the Nasdaq Global Market.
Compensation committee
Our compensation committee approves policies relating to compensation and benefits of our officers and employees. The compensation committee approves corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, evaluates the performance of these officers in light of those goals and objectives and approves the compensation of these officers based on such evaluations. The compensation committee also approves the issuance of stock options and other awards under
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our equity plan. The compensation committee will review and evaluate, at least annually, the performance of the compensation committee and its members, including compliance by the compensation committee with its charter.
The members of our compensation committee are Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D., Matthew K. Fust and Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D. Dr. Kaldor serves as the chairperson of the committee. Our board of directors has determined that each of Dr. Kaldor, Mr. Fust and Dr. Wierenga is independent under the applicable rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market, is a non-employee director as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Upon the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market, the compensation committee will operate under a written charter, which the compensation committee will review and evaluate at least annually.
Nominating and corporate governance committee
The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for assisting our board of directors in discharging the boards responsibilities regarding the identification of qualified candidates to become board members, the selection of nominees for election as directors at our annual meetings of stockholders (or special meetings of stockholders at which directors are to be elected), and the selection of candidates to fill any vacancies on our board of directors and any committees thereof. In addition, the nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for overseeing our corporate governance policies, reporting and making recommendations to our board of directors concerning governance matters and oversight of the evaluation of our board of directors. The members of our nominating and corporate governance committee are Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D., Mason Freeman, M.D. and Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc. Dr. Wierenga serves as the chairperson of the committee. Our board has determined that each of Dr. Wierenga, Dr. Mason and Mr. Nielsen is independent under the applicable rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market relating to nominating and corporate governance committee independence. Upon the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market, the nominating and corporate governance committee will operate under a written charter, which the nominating and corporate governance committee will review and evaluate at least annually.
Compensation committee interlocks and insider participation
None of the members of our compensation committee has ever been one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee.
Board diversity
Upon the closing of this offering, our nominating and corporate governance committee will be responsible for reviewing with the board of directors, on an annual basis, the appropriate characteristics, skills and experience required for the board of directors as a whole and its individual members. In evaluating the suitability of individual candidates (both new candidates and current members), the nominating and corporate governance committee, in recommending candidates for election, and the board of directors, in approving (and, in the case of vacancies, appointing) such candidates, will take into account many factors, including the following:
| personal and professional integrity, ethics and values; |
| experience in corporate management, such as serving as an officer or former officer of a publicly-held company; |
| experience as a board member or executive officer of another publicly-held company; |
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| strong finance experience; |
| diversity of expertise and experience in substantive matters pertaining to our business relative to other board members; |
| diversity of background and perspective, including, but not limited to, with respect to age, gender, race, place of residence and specialized experience; |
| experience relevant to our business industry and with relevant social policy concerns; and |
| relevant academic expertise or other proficiency in an area of our business operations. |
Currently, our board of directors evaluates, and following the closing of this offering will evaluate, each individual in the context of the board of directors as a whole, with the objective of assembling a group that can best maximize the success of the business and represent stockholder interests through the exercise of sound judgment using its diversity of experience in these various areas.
Code of business conduct and ethics
We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Upon the closing of this offering, our code of business conduct and ethics will be available under the Corporate Governance section of our website at www.crinetics.com. In addition, we intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or the listing standards of the Nasdaq Global Market concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, any provision of the code. The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained at or available through our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus.
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Executive and director compensation
This section discusses the material components of the executive compensation program for our executive officers who are named in the Summary compensation table below. In 2017, our only named executive officer was R. Scott Struthers, our President and Chief Executive Officer.
Marc Wilson, our Chief Financial Officer, and Alan Krasner, M.D., our Chief Medical Officer, commenced employment in January 2018 and June 2018, respectively, so are not named executive officers for 2017.
This discussion may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt following the closing of this offering may differ materially from the currently planned programs summarized in this discussion.
Summary compensation table
The following table presents summary information regarding the total compensation that was awarded to, earned by or paid to our named executive officer for services rendered during the year ended December 31, 2017.
Name and principal position | Year | Salary ($) |
Bonus ($)(1) |
Stock awards ($) |
Option awards ($) |
Non-equity incentive plan compensation ($) |
All other compensation ($)(2) |
Total ($) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Scott Struthers |
2017 | 350,000 | 29,200 | | | | 6,322 | 385,522 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
President and Chief |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
(1) | This column reflects the discretionary cash bonus paid to Dr. Struthers in September 2017. |
(2) | Includes the value of health insurance premiums and life insurance premiums paid by us on Dr. Struthers behalf during 2017. |
Narrative disclosure to compensation tables
Annual base salary
The compensation of our executive officers is generally determined and approved at the beginning of each year or, if later, in connection with the commencement of employment of the executive, by our board of directors or the compensation committee. As noted in the Summary Compensation Table above, Dr. Struthers base salary for 2017 was $350,000.
Bonus compensation
From time to time our board of directors or compensation committee may approve bonuses for our named executive officers based on individual performance, company performance or as otherwise determined appropriate. No formal bonus plan was in effect for Dr. Struthers during 2017. In 2017, our board of directors determined to pay a one-time discretionary cash bonus of $29,200 to Dr. Struthers in recognition of his contributions to the company.
Equity-based incentive awards
Our equity-based incentive awards are designed to align our interests and the interests of our stockholders with those of our employees and consultants, including our named executive officers. The board of directors is responsible for approving equity grants.
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Prior to this offering, since the adoption of our 2015 Stock Incentive Plan, or the 2015 Plan, we have granted equity awards pursuant to the 2015 Plan. Prior to the adoption of the 2015 Plan, we granted some equity awards on a stand-alone basis and not pursuant to any formal plan. Following this offering, we will grant equity incentive awards under the terms of our 2018 equity incentive plan, or the 2018 Plan. The terms of our equity plans are described below under Incentive award plans.
No equity awards were granted to Dr. Struthers during 2017 and, as of December 31, 2017, Dr. Struthers did not hold any outstanding equity awards of the company other than restricted stock as described below under Narrative disclosure to outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end table. Dr. Struthers restricted stock vested in full in February 2018 in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing.
On May 25, 2018, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 729,481 shares of our common stock under the 2015 Plan to Dr. Struthers, Mr. Wilson and our key employees listed above as follows: Dr. Struthers, 364,741 stock options, and 91,185 stock options for each of Mr. Wilson, Dr. Betz, Dr. Madan and Dr. Zhu. The options were granted with an exercise price equal to $9.28 per share, which represented the fair market value per share on the date of grant, as determined by our board of directors and an independent third party valuation. The stock options vest over a period of four years from the date of grant in equal monthly installments; provided that, one-half of the stock options are subject to the further condition that they may not be exercised until the occurrence of our initial public offering and, in the event our initial public offering does not occur prior to the first anniversary of the date of grant, such portion of the stock options shall be automatically forfeited. The stock options have a term of ten years from the date of grant. The stock options will be subject to accelerated vesting pursuant to the employment agreements with each individual and our 2015 Plan.
On June 16, 2018, we granted stock options to purchase 167,173 shares of our common stock under the 2015 Plan to Dr. Krasner in connection with his commencement of employment. The options were granted with an exercise price equal to $12.01 per share, which represented the fair market value per share on the date of grant, as determined by our board of directors and an independent third party valuation. The stock options vest over a period of four years, with 25% of the options vesting on the first anniversary of Dr. Krasners commencement of employment, and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over the three years thereafter, subject to Dr. Krasners continuous service through each vesting date. The stock options have a term of ten years from the date of grant. The stock options will be subject to accelerated vesting pursuant to the employment agreement with Dr. Krasner and our 2015 Plan.
For a description of the accelerated vesting applicable to the stock options granted to our executive officers, see Employment agreements with our executive officers below.
Employment agreements with our executive officers
Below are written descriptions of our employment agreements with each of our executive officers. Each of our executive officers employment is at will and may be terminated at any time.
Employment agreement with Dr. Struthers
We entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Struthers in October 2015, setting forth the terms of his employment as our President and Chief Executive Officer. We amended and restated the employment agreement with Dr. Struthers on May 25, 2018. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Struthers is entitled to an annual base salary of $350,000, which amount is subject to annual review by and at the sole discretion of our compensation committee of the board of directors or its designee. Effective upon the consummation of our initial public offering, Dr. Struthers annual base salary will automatically be increased to $495,000. Dr. Struthers is also eligible to participate in any bonus plan maintained by the company for our senior executives and his target bonus is 50% of his annual base salary.
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Pursuant to his employment agreement, if we terminate Dr. Struthers employment other than for cause (as defined below) or Dr. Struthers terminates his employment for good reason (as defined below), he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused paid time off, or PTO, through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 12 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 12 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Dr. Struthers becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) if such termination occurs prior to a change in control (as defined below), automatic acceleration of the vesting and exercisability of his unvested stock awards as to the number of stock awards that would vest over the 12-month period following the date of termination.
If Dr. Struthers employment is terminated by us other than for cause or by Dr. Struthers for good reason within 12 months after a change in control, in lieu of the severance benefits described above, he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 18 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 18 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Dr. Struthers becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) a payment equal to Dr. Struthers then-current target annual bonus opportunity, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the date of termination.
In addition, in the event of a change in control and subject to Dr. Struthers timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company, 100% of Dr. Struthers outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the first to occur of (1) Dr. Struthers termination by us without cause or by Dr. Struthers for good reason after a change in control or (2) the first anniversary of the closing of such change in control.
In addition, in the event of Dr. Struthers termination of employment by reason of his death or permanent disability, and subject to Dr. Struthers (or his estates) timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company, 100% of Dr. Struthers outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination.
In the event we terminate Dr. Struthers employment for cause, he terminates his employment without good reason, or upon his death or permanent disability, he is entitled to receive only his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled.
Employment agreement with Marc Wilson
We entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Wilson in January 2018, setting forth the terms of his employment as our Chief Financial Officer. We amended and restated the employment agreement with Mr. Wilson on May 22, 2018. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Wilson is entitled to an annual base salary of $255,000, which amount is subject to annual review by and at the sole discretion of our compensation committee of the board of directors or its designee. Effective upon the consummation of our initial public
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offering, Mr. Wilsons annual base salary will automatically be increased to $330,000. Mr. Wilson is also eligible to participate in any bonus plan maintained by us for our senior executives and his target bonus is 35% of his annual base salary, pro-rated for his partial year of service for 2018.
Pursuant to his employment agreement, if Mr. Wilsons employment is terminated by us other than for cause (as defined below) or by Mr. Wilson for good reason (as defined below), he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 9 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 9 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Mr. Wilson becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) if such termination occurs prior to a change in control (as defined below), automatic acceleration of the vesting and exercisability of his unvested stock awards as to the number of stock awards that would vest over the 9-month period following the date of termination.
If Mr. Wilsons employment is terminated by us other than for cause or by Mr. Wilson for good reason within 12 months after a change in control, in lieu of the severance benefits described above, he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 12 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 12 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Mr. Wilson becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) a payment equal to Mr. Wilsons then-current target annual bonus opportunity, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the date of termination.
In addition, in the event of a change in control and subject to Mr. Wilsons timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company, 100% of Mr. Wilsons outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the first to occur of (1) Mr. Wilsons termination by us without cause or by Mr. Wilson for good reason after a change in control or (2) the first anniversary of the closing of such change in control.
In addition, in the event of Mr. Wilsons termination of employment by reason of his death or permanent disability, and subject to Mr. Wilsons (or his estates) timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and, in the case of his permanent disability, his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement, 100% of Mr. Wilsons outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination.
In the event we terminate Mr. Wilsons employment for cause, he terminates his employment without good reason, or upon his death or permanent disability, he is entitled to receive only his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled.
Employment agreement with Alan Krasner, M.D.
We entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Krasner in June 2018, setting forth the terms of his employment as our Chief Medical Officer. Pursuant to the agreement, Dr. Krasner is entitled to an annual base
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salary of $375,000, which amount is subject to annual review by and at the sole discretion of our compensation committee of the board of directors or its designee. Dr. Krasner is also eligible to participate in any bonus plan maintained by us for our senior executives and his target bonus is 35% of his annual base salary, pro-rated for his partial year of service for 2018.
Pursuant to his employment agreement, if Dr. Krasners employment is terminated by us other than for cause (as defined below) or by Dr. Krasner for good reason (as defined below), he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 9 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 9 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Dr. Krasner becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) if such termination occurs prior to a change in control (as defined below), automatic acceleration of the vesting and exercisability of his unvested stock awards as to the number of stock awards that would vest over the 9-month period following the date of termination.
If Dr. Krasners employment is terminated by us other than for cause or by Dr. Krasner for good reason within 12 months after a change in control, in lieu of the severance benefits described above, he is entitled to the following payments and benefits, subject to his timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement: (1) his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled; (2) a payment equal to 12 months of his then-current base salary, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the termination date; (3) payment for continued health plan coverage for up to 12 months following the date of termination or, if earlier, up to the date Dr. Krasner becomes eligible to receive equivalent or increased health plan coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment; and (4) a payment equal to Dr. Krasners then-current target annual bonus opportunity, payable in a lump sum payment 60 days following the date of termination.
In addition, in the event of a change in control and subject to Dr. Krasners timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company, 100% of Dr. Krasners outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the first to occur of (1) Dr. Krasners termination by us without cause or by Dr. Krasner for good reason after a change in control or (2) the first anniversary of the closing of such change in control.
In addition, in the event of Dr. Krasners termination of employment by reason of his death or permanent disability, and subject to Dr. Krasners (or his estates) timely execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the company and, in the case of his permanent disability, his continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement, 100% of Dr. Krasners outstanding unvested stock awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination.
In the event we terminate Dr. Krasners employment for cause, he terminates his employment without good reason, or upon his death or permanent disability, he is entitled to receive only his fully earned but unpaid base salary and accrued and unused PTO through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts under any compensation plan or practice to which he is entitled.
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Defined terms applicable to executive employment arrangements
For purposes of the executive employment agreements, cause means any of the following: (1) the commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty, or the commission of some other illegal act, that causes material harm to us or any successor or affiliate; (2) conviction of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (3) any intentional unauthorized use or disclosure of our confidential information or trade secrets; (4) gross negligence, insubordination or material violation of any duty of loyalty to us or any successor or affiliate, or any other material misconduct; (5) ongoing and repeated failure or refusal to perform or neglect of duties, which failure, refusal or neglect continues for 15 days following receipt of written notice from the board of directors (or in the case of Mr. Wilson, our CEO) stating with specificity the nature of such failure, refusal or neglect; or (6) intentional, material breach of any company policy or any contract or agreement between the executive and us.
For purposes of the executive employment agreements, change in control means an acquisition or asset transfer, as such terms are defined in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation as may be amended from time to time. However, after the consummation of our initial public offering, for purposes of the executive employment agreements, change in control will have the same meaning given to such term in our 2018 Plan, as described below.
For purposes of the executive employment agreements, good reason means the occurrence of any of the following events or conditions without the executives written consent: (1) a material diminution in authority, duties or responsibilities; (2) a material diminution in base compensation, unless such a reduction is imposed across-the-board to our senior management; (3) a material change in the geographic location at which the executive must perform his or her duties; or (4) any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach by us or any successor or affiliate of our obligations under the employment agreement. The executive must provide written notice to us of the occurrence of any of the foregoing events or conditions within 60 days of the occurrence of such event and we will have a period of 30 days to cure such event or condition after receipt of such notice. An executives separation from service by reason of resignation for good reason must occur within 30 days following the expiration of the foregoing 30 day cure period.
Outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end
The following table sets forth certain information regarding equity awards granted to Dr. Struthers that remained outstanding as of December 31, 2017.
Option awards | Stock awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grant Date | Number of securities underlying unexercised options exercisable (#) |
Number of securities underlying unexercised options unexercisable (#) |
Option exercise price ($) |
Option expiration date |
Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested (#) |
Market value of shares or units of stock that have not vested ($)(1) |
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R. Scott Struthers |
10/30/2015 | | | | | 334,346 | (2) | 5,349,536 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(1) | Since we have not yet completed our initial public offering, the market value was computed using $16.00, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus. |
(2) | Pursuant to a stock restriction agreement entered into between us and Dr. Struthers dated October 30, 2015, Dr. Struthers previously-owned 1,215,805 shares of our common stock were subjected to new vesting conditions, such that 486,322 shares were deemed vested as of October 30, 2015 and the remaining 729,483 shares were converted into unvested shares of restricted stock that vest in equal monthly installments over the 48 months thereafter ending on October 30, 2019. For a description of the accelerated vesting provisions applicable to the restricted stock, see Narrative disclosure to outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end table below. |
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Narrative disclosure to outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end table
On October 30, 2015, we entered into a stock restriction agreement with Dr. Struthers pursuant to which Dr. Struthers previously-owned 1,215,805 shares our common stock were subjected to new vesting conditions, such that 486,322 shares were deemed vested as of October 30, 2015 and the remaining 729,483 shares were converted into unvested shares of restricted stock that vest in equal monthly installments over the 48 months thereafter ending on October 30, 2019.
Under the stock restriction agreement, 100% of any unvested shares will automatically accelerate upon (1) Dr. Struthers termination of employment by us without cause or by Dr. Struthers for good reason in connection with a change in control or, if earlier, upon the first anniversary of a change in control; (2) our initial public offering; (3) upon Dr. Struthers termination of employment by us other than for cause or by Dr. Struthers for good reason; (4) the date on which the Series A investors have sold 50% or more of the capital stock purchased by the Series A investors ; (5) the date of the closing of a Series B preferred stock financing; or (6) upon a termination due to death or permanent disability. The definitions of cause, change in control and good reason have the same definitions as those set forth under Dr. Struthers employment agreement, as described above. All of Dr. Struthers restricted stock vested in February 2018 in connection with our Series B preferred stock financing.
Other elements of compensation
Perquisites, health, welfare and retirement benefits
Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans, including our medical, dental, vision, group life, disability and accidental death and dismemberment insurance plans, in each case on the generally on same basis as all of our other employees. We do, however, pay all of the health insurance premiums for Dr. Struthers. We provide a 401(k) plan to our employees, including our current named executive officers, as discussed in the section below entitled 401(k) plan.
We generally do not provide perquisites or personal benefits to our named executive officers, except in limited circumstances. We do, however, pay the premiums for term life insurance and disability insurance for all of our employees, including our executive officers. Our board of directors may elect to adopt qualified or non-qualified benefit plans in the future if it determines that doing so is in our best interests.
401(k) plan
We maintain a defined contribution employee retirement plan, or 401(k) plan, for our employees. Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan on the same basis as our other employees. The 401(k) plan is intended to qualify as a tax-qualified plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) plan provides that each participant may make pre-tax deferrals from his or her compensation up to the statutory limit, which is $18,500 for calendar year 2018, and other testing limits. Participants that are 50 years or older can also make catch-up contributions, which in calendar year 2018 may be up to an additional $6,000 above the statutory limit. Although the 401(k) plan provides for discretionary matching and profit sharing contributions, we currently do not make either type of contribution to the 401(k) plan. Participant contributions are held and invested, pursuant to the participants instructions, by the plans trustee.
Nonqualified deferred compensation
We do not maintain nonqualified defined contribution plans or other nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Our board of directors may elect to provide our officers and other employees with non-qualified defined contribution or other nonqualified deferred compensation benefits in the future if it determines that doing so is in our best interests.
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Change in control benefits
Our executive officers may become entitled to certain benefits or enhanced benefits in connection with a change in control of our company. Each of our executive officers employment agreements entitles them to accelerated vesting of all outstanding equity awards, as well as certain other benefits, upon a qualifying termination and in connection with a change in control of our company. For additional discussion, please see Employment agreements with our executive officers above.
Incentive award plans
2018 Incentive Award Plan
Our board of directors and stockholders have approved the 2018 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering. Under the 2018 Plan, we may grant cash and equity incentive awards to eligible service providers in order to attract, motivate and retain the talent for which we compete. The material terms of the 2018 Plan are summarized below.
Eligibility and administration
Our employees, consultants and directors, and employees and consultants of our subsidiaries, will be eligible to receive awards under the 2018 Plan. Following our initial public offering, the 2018 Plan will generally be administered by our board of directors with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by our compensation committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (referred to collectively as the plan administrator below), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under the 2018 Plan, Section 16 of the Exchange Act and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator will have the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the 2018 Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator will also set the terms and conditions of all awards under the 2018 Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.
Limitation on awards and shares available
An aggregate of 1,600,000 shares of our common stock will initially be available for issuance under awards granted pursuant to the 2018 Plan. The number of shares initially available for issuance will be increased by (1) the number of shares of common stock available for issuance and not subject to options granted under our 2015 Plan as of the effective date of the 2018 Plan, (2) the number of shares subject to stock options or similar awards granted under our 2015 Plan that expire or otherwise terminate without having been exercised in full after the effective date of the 2018 Plan and unvested shares issued pursuant to awards granted under the 2015 Plan that are forfeited to or repurchased by us after the effective date of the 2018 Plan, with the maximum number of shares to be added to the 2018 Plan pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) above equal to 3,142,857 shares, and (3) an annual increase on January 1 of each calendar year beginning in 2019 and ending in 2028, equal to the lesser of (a) 5% of the shares of common stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (b) such smaller number of shares as determined by our board of directors. No more than 15,000,000 shares of common stock may be issued upon the exercise of incentive stock options under the 2018 Plan. Shares issued under the 2018 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, shares purchased in the open market or treasury shares.
If an award under the 2018 Plan or the 2015 Plan expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, any shares subject to such award will, as applicable, become or again be available for new grants under the 2018 Plan. Further, shares
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delivered to us to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an award under the 2018 Plan or the 2015 Plan and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligations (including shares retained by us from the award under the 2018 Plan or the 2015 Plan being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will become or again be available for award grants under the 2018 Plan. Awards granted under the 2018 Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, awards authorized or outstanding under a qualifying equity plan maintained by an entity with which we enter into a merger or similar corporate transaction will not reduce the shares available for grant under the 2018 Plan.
Awards
The 2018 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, including incentive stock options, or ISOs, and nonqualified stock options, or NSOs, restricted stock, dividend equivalents, restricted stock units, or RSUs, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, and other stock or cash-based awards. Certain awards under the 2018 Plan may constitute or provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which may impose additional requirements on the terms and conditions of such awards. All awards under the 2018 Plan will be set forth in award agreements, which will detail the terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. A brief description of each award type follows.
Stock options. Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. ISOs, by contrast to NSOs, may provide tax deferral beyond exercise and favorable capital gains tax treatment to their holders if certain holding period and other requirements of the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. The exercise price of a stock option will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute options granted in connection with a corporate transaction. The term of a stock option may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders). Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to stock options and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions. ISOs generally may be granted only to our employees and employees of our parent or subsidiary corporations, if any.
SARs. SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the appreciation of the shares subject to the award between the grant date and the exercise date. The exercise price of a SAR will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (except with respect to certain substitute SARs granted in connection with a corporate transaction), and the term of a SAR may not be longer than ten years. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to SARs and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.
Restricted stock and RSUs. Restricted stock is an award of nontransferable shares of our common stock that remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and which may be subject to a purchase price. RSUs are contractual promises to deliver shares of our common stock in the future, which may also remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met and may be accompanied by the right to receive the equivalent value of dividends paid on shares of our common stock prior to the delivery of the underlying shares. Delivery of the shares underlying RSUs may be deferred under the terms of the award or at the election of the participant, if the plan administrator permits such a deferral. Conditions applicable to restricted stock and RSUs may be based on continuing service, the attainment of performance goals and/or such other conditions as the plan administrator may determine.
Other stock or cash-based awards. Other stock or cash-based awards are awards of cash, fully vested shares of our common stock and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or otherwise based on, shares of our common stock. Other stock or cash-based awards may be granted to participants and may also be available
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as a payment form in the settlement of other awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees or other cash compensation otherwise payable to any individual who is eligible to receive awards. The plan administrator will determine the terms and conditions of other stock or cash-based awards, which may include vesting conditions based on continued service, performance and/or other conditions.
Performance awards
Performance awards include any of the foregoing awards that are granted subject to vesting and/or payment based on the attainment of specified performance goals or other criteria the plan administrator may determine, which may or may not be objectively determinable. Performance criteria upon which performance goals are established by the plan administrator may include: net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash equity-based compensation expense); gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; net income (either before or after taxes) or adjusted net income; profits (including, but not limited to, gross profits, net profits, profit growth, net operation profit or economic profit), profit return ratios or operating margin; budget or operating earnings (either before or after taxes or before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow or cash flow return on capital); return on assets; return on capital or invested capital; cost of capital; return on stockholders equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; expenses; working capital; earnings or loss per share; adjusted earnings or loss per share; price per share or dividends per share (or appreciation in or maintenance of such price or dividends); regulatory achievements or compliance; implementation, completion or attainment of objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial or strategic milestones or developments; market share; economic value or economic value added models; division, group or corporate financial goals; customer satisfaction/growth; customer service; employee satisfaction; recruitment and maintenance of personnel; human resources management; supervision of litigation and other legal matters; strategic partnerships and transactions; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); debt levels or reductions; sales-related goals; financing and other capital raising transactions; cash on hand; acquisition activity; investment sourcing activity; and marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to our performance or the performance of a subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit, or based upon performance relative to performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to performance of other companies.
Provisions of the 2018 plan relating to director compensation
The 2018 Plan provides that the plan administrator may establish compensation for non-employee directors from time to time subject to the 2018 Plans limitations. Prior to commencing this offering, our stockholders will approve the initial terms of our non-employee director compensation program, which is described below under the heading Director compensation. Our board of directors or its authorized committee may modify the non-employee director compensation program from time to time in the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time, provided that the sum of any cash compensation or other compensation and the grant date fair value (as determined in accordance with ASC 718, or any successor thereto) of any equity awards granted as compensation for services as a non-employee director during any fiscal year may not exceed $750,000, increased to $1,000,000, in the fiscal year of a non-employee directors initial service as a non-employee director. The plan administrator may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee directors in extraordinary circumstances, as the plan administrator may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee directors.
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Certain transactions
In connection with certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, including a change in control, or change in any applicable laws or accounting principles, the plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the 2018 Plan to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits, facilitate such transaction or event, or give effect to such change in applicable laws or accounting principles. This includes canceling awards in exchange for either an amount in cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such award or realization of the participants rights under the vested portion of such award, accelerating the vesting of awards, providing for the assumption or substitution of awards by a successor entity, adjusting the number and type of shares available, replacing awards with other rights or property or terminating awards under the 2018 Plan. In the event of a change in control where the acquirer does not assume awards granted under the 2018 Plan, awards issued under the 2018 Plan shall be subject to accelerated vesting such that 100% of the awards will become vested and exercisable or payable, as applicable, and which may be subject to such terms and conditions as apply generally to holders of common stock under the change in control documents. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders, or an equity restructuring, the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the 2018 Plan and outstanding awards as it deems appropriate to reflect the equity restructuring.
For purposes of the 2018 Plan, a change in control means and includes each of the following: (1) a transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of our common stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the SEC or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (x) and (y) of clause (3) below) whereby any person or related group of persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than us, any of our subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by us or any of our subsidiaries or a person that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, us) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of our securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of our securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or (2) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the board of directors together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with us to effect a transaction described in clauses (1) or (3)) whose election by the board of directors or nomination for election by our stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or (3) the consummation by us (whether directly involving us or indirectly involving us through one or more intermediaries) of (a) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (b) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (c) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction: (x) which results in our voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into our voting securities or the voting securities of a successor entity, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of our outstanding voting securities or the successor entitys outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and (y) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of us or the successor entity (provided that no person will be treated as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of us or the successor entity for purposes of this clause (y) solely as a result of the voting power held in us prior to the consummation of the transaction).
Foreign participants, claw-back provisions, transferability and participant payments
With respect to foreign participants, the plan administrator may modify award terms, establish subplans and/or adjust other terms and conditions of awards, subject to the share limits described above. All awards will be subject
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to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by our company to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy or in the applicable award agreement. With limited exceptions for estate planning, domestic relations orders, certain beneficiary designations and the laws of descent and distribution, awards under the 2018 Plan are generally non-transferable prior to vesting and are exercisable only by the participant. With regard to tax withholding obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2018 Plan and exercise price obligations arising in connection with the exercise of stock options under the 2018 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash, wire transfer, or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, a market sell order or such other consideration as it deems suitable or any combination of the foregoing.
Plan amendment and termination
Our board of directors may amend or terminate the 2018 Plan at any time; however, except in connection with certain changes in our capital structure, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that increases the number of shares available under the 2018 Plan. The plan administrator will have the authority, without the approval of our stockholders, to amend any outstanding stock option or SAR to reduce its exercise price per share. No award may be granted pursuant to the 2018 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date on which our board of directors adopts the 2018 Plan.
Securities laws
The 2018 Plan is intended to conform to all provisions of the Securities Act, and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the SEC thereunder, including, without limitation, Rule 16b-3. The 2018 Plan will be administered, and awards will be granted and may be exercised, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.
Federal income tax consequences
The material federal income tax consequences of the 2018 Plan under current federal income tax law are summarized in the following discussion, which deals with the general tax principles applicable to the 2018 Plan. The following discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings and decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change. Foreign, state and local tax laws, and employment, estate and gift tax considerations are not discussed due to the fact that they may vary depending on individual circumstances and from locality to locality.
Stock options and SARs. A 2018 Plan participant generally will not recognize taxable income and we generally will not be entitled to a tax deduction upon the grant of a stock option or SAR. The tax consequences of exercising a stock option and the subsequent disposition of the shares received upon exercise will depend upon whether the option qualifies as an ISO or an NSO. Upon exercising an NSO when the fair market value of our stock is higher than the exercise price of the option, a 2018 Plan participant generally will recognize taxable income at ordinary income tax rates equal to the excess of the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise over the purchase price, and we (or our subsidiaries, if any) generally will be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction for compensation expense, in the amount equal to the amount by which the fair market value of the shares purchased exceeds the purchase price for the shares. Upon a subsequent sale or other disposition of the option shares, the participant will recognize a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss in the amount of the difference between the sales price of the shares and the participants tax basis in the shares.
Upon exercising an ISO, a 2018 Plan participant generally will not recognize taxable income, and we will not be entitled to a tax deduction for compensation expense. However, upon exercise, the amount by which the fair market value of the shares purchased exceeds the purchase price will be an item of adjustment for alternative minimum tax purposes. The participant will recognize taxable income upon a sale or other taxable disposition of the option shares. For federal income tax purposes, dispositions are divided into two categories: qualifying and disqualifying. A qualifying disposition generally occurs if the sale or other disposition is made more than
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two years after the date the option was granted and more than one year after the date the shares are transferred upon exercise. If the sale or disposition occurs before these two periods are satisfied, then a disqualifying disposition generally will result.
Upon a qualifying disposition of ISO shares, the participant will recognize long-term capital gain in an amount equal to the excess of the amount realized upon the sale or other disposition of the shares over their purchase price. If there is a disqualifying disposition of the shares, then the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date (or, if less, the price at which the shares are sold) over their purchase price will be taxable as ordinary income to the participant. If there is a disqualifying disposition in the same year of exercise, it eliminates the item of adjustment for alternative minimum tax purposes. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon the disposition will be recognized as a capital gain or loss by the participant.
We will not be entitled to any tax deduction if the participant makes a qualifying disposition of ISO shares. If the participant makes a disqualifying disposition of the shares, we should be entitled to a tax deduction for compensation expense in the amount of the ordinary income recognized by the participant.
Upon exercising or settling an SAR, a 2018 Plan participant will recognize taxable income at ordinary income tax rates, and we should be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction for compensation expense, in the amount paid or value of the shares issued upon exercise or settlement. Payments in shares will be valued at the fair market value of the shares at the time of the payment, and upon the subsequent disposition of the shares the participant will recognize a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss in the amount of the difference between the sales price of the shares and the participants tax basis in the shares.
Restricted stock and RSUs. A 2018 Plan participant generally will not recognize taxable income at ordinary income tax rates and we generally will not be entitled to a tax deduction upon the grant of restricted stock or RSUs. Upon the termination of restrictions on restricted stock or the payment of RSUs, the participant will recognize taxable income at ordinary income tax rates, and we should be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction for compensation expense, in the amount paid to the participant or the amount by which the then fair market value of the shares received by the participant exceeds the amount, if any, paid for them. Upon the subsequent disposition of any shares, the participant will recognize a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss in the amount of the difference between the sales price of the shares and the participants tax basis in the shares. However, a 2018 Plan participant granted restricted stock that is subject to forfeiture or repurchase through a vesting schedule such that it is subject to a risk of forfeiture (as defined in Section 83 of the Code) may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to recognize taxable income at ordinary income tax rates, at the time of the grant, in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of common stock on the date of grant, less the amount paid, if any, for such shares. We will be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction for compensation, in the amount recognized as taxable income by the participant. If a timely Section 83(b) election is made, the participant will not recognize any additional ordinary income on the termination of restrictions on restricted stock, and we will not be entitled to any additional tax deduction.
Other stock or cash-based awards. A 2018 Plan participant will not recognize taxable income and we will not be entitled to a tax deduction upon the grant of other stock or cash-based awards until cash or shares are paid or distributed to the participant. At that time, any cash payments or the fair market value of shares that the participant receives will be taxable to the participant at ordinary income tax rates and we should be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction for compensation expense. Payments in shares will be valued at the fair market value of the shares at the time of the payment, and upon the subsequent disposition of the shares, the participant will recognize a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss in the amount of the difference between the sales price of the shares and the participants tax basis in the shares.
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2015 Stock Incentive Plan
Our board of directors and stockholders approved the 2015 Plan, which originally became effective in February 2015 and was further amended and restated in October 2015. As of March 31, 2018, 667,185 shares of our common stock were available for issuance under future awards under the 2015 Plan and 1,457,952 shares of our common stock were subject to outstanding option awards under the 2015 Plan.
The 2015 Plan will be terminated on, and we will not make any further awards under the 2015 Plan following, the date the 2018 Plan becomes effective. However, any outstanding awards granted under the 2015 Plan will remain outstanding, subject to the terms of our 2015 Plan and award agreements, until such outstanding awards vest and are exercised (as applicable) or until they terminate or expire by their terms. The material terms of the 2015 Plan are summarized below.
Eligibility and administration
Our employees, consultants and directors, and employees and consultants of our affiliates, are eligible to receive awards under the 2015 Plan. The 2015 Plan is generally administered by our board of directors with respect to awards to non-employee directors and by our compensation committee with respect to other participants, each of which may delegate its duties and responsibilities to committees of our directors and/or officers (referred to collectively as the plan administrator below), subject to certain limitations that may be imposed under the 2015 Plan, Section 16 of the Exchange Act and/or stock exchange rules, as applicable. The plan administrator has the authority to make all determinations and interpretations under, prescribe all forms for use with, and adopt rules for the administration of, the 2015 Plan, subject to its express terms and conditions. The plan administrator also sets the terms and conditions of all awards under the 2015 Plan, including any vesting and vesting acceleration conditions.
Limitation on awards and shares available
As of March 31, 2018, an aggregate of 2,413,373 shares of our common stock were authorized for issuance under awards granted pursuant to the 2015 Plan. In May 2018, the board of directors approved an amendment to the 2015 Plan to (i) increase the share limit by 729,484 shares to a total of 3,142,857 shares and (ii) increase the number of shares that may be issued upon the exercise of incentive stock options under the 2015 Plan to 3,142,857 shares. The amendment was effective immediately. Shares issued under the 2015 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, shares purchased in the open market or treasury shares. If an award under the 2015 Plan expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, any shares subject to such award will, as applicable, become or again be available for new grants under the 2015 Plan.
Awards
The 2015 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, including ISOs and NSOs, restricted stock and SARs. Certain awards under the 2015 Plan may constitute or provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which may impose additional requirements on the terms and conditions of such awards. All awards under the 2015 Plan will be set forth in award agreements, which will detail the terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations. A brief description of each award type follows.
Stock options. Stock options provide for the purchase of shares of our common stock in the future at an exercise price set on the grant date. ISOs, by contrast to NSOs, may provide tax deferral beyond exercise and favorable capital gains tax treatment to their holders if certain holding period and other requirements of the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. The exercise price of a stock option will not be less than 100% of the fair
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market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (or 110% in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders), except with respect to certain substitute options granted in connection with a corporate transaction. The term of a stock option may not be longer than ten years (or five years in the case of ISOs granted to certain significant stockholders). Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to stock options and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions. ISOs generally may be granted only to our employees and employees of our parent or subsidiary corporations, if any.
SARs. SARs entitle their holder, upon exercise, to receive from us an amount equal to the appreciation of the shares subject to the award between the grant date and the exercise date. The exercise price (base value) of a SAR will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying share on the date of grant (except with respect to certain substitute SARs granted in connection with a corporate transaction), and the term of a SAR may not be longer than ten years. Vesting conditions determined by the plan administrator may apply to SARs and may include continued service, performance and/or other conditions.
Restricted stock. Restricted stock is an award of shares of our common stock that remain forfeitable unless and until specified conditions are met, and which may be subject to a purchase price. Conditions applicable to restricted stock may be based on continuing service, the attainment of performance goals and/or such other conditions as the plan administrator may determine.
Certain transactions
In connection with certain transactions and events affecting our common stock, including a change in control (as defined below), or change in any applicable laws or accounting principles, the plan administrator has broad discretion to take action under the 2015 Plan to prevent the dilution or enlargement of intended benefits, facilitate such transaction or event, or give effect to such change in applicable laws or accounting principles. This includes canceling awards, accelerating the vesting of awards, providing for the assumption or substitution of awards by a successor entity, adjusting the number and type of shares available and replacing or terminating awards under the 2015 Plan. In the event of a change in control where the acquirer does not assume awards granted under the 2015 Plan, awards issued under the 2015 Plan shall be subject to accelerated vesting such that 100% of the awards will become vested and exercisable or payable, as applicable. In addition, in the event of certain non-reciprocal transactions with our stockholders, or an equity restructuring, the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the 2015 Plan and outstanding awards as it deems appropriate to reflect the equity restructuring.
Under the 2015 Plan, change in control generally means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) a change in the effective control of our company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of our board of directors is replaced during any twelve (12) month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority vote of the members of the board of directors before the date of the appointment or election; (2) the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group acquires ownership of our stock that, together with stock held by such person, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of our stock, provided that a change in control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of our securities directly from us, (B) on account of the acquisition of our securities by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other person that acquires our securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for us through the issuance of equity securities or (C) solely because the level of ownership held by any person exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by us reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a change in control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by us, and after such share acquisition, the person becomes the owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting
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securities owned by the person over the designated percentage threshold, then a change in control will be deemed to occur; or (3) a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of our assets which occurs on the date that any person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person) our assets and the assets of our subsidiaries (taken as a whole) that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of all of our assets the assets of our subsidiaries (taken as a whole) immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions.
Claw-back provisions, transferability and participant payments
Awards under the 2015 Plan are generally non-transferable prior to vesting and are exercisable only by the participant. With regard to tax withholding obligations arising in connection with awards under the 2015 Plan and exercise price obligations arising in connection with the exercise of stock options under the 2015 Plan, the plan administrator may, in its discretion, accept cash, wire transfer, or check, shares of our common stock that meet specified conditions, and/or such other consideration as it deems suitable or any combination of the foregoing.
Plan amendment and termination
Our board of directors has the authority to amend, suspend or terminate the 2015 Plan, provided that such action does not impair the existing rights of any participant without such participants consent. As described above, the 2015 Plan is expected to terminate upon the effective date of the 2018 Plan.
Securities laws and federal income tax consequences
The 2015 Plan is designed to comply with applicable securities laws in the same manner described above in the description of the 2018 Plan under the heading 2018 Incentive Award Plan Securities laws. The general federal tax consequences of awards under the 2015 Plan are the same as those described above in the description of the 2018 Plan under the heading 2018 Incentive Award Plan Federal income tax consequences.
2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Our board of directors and our stockholders have approved a 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering. The material terms of the ESPP are summarized below.
Shares available; administration. A total of 250,000 shares of our common stock are initially reserved for issuance under our ESPP. In addition, the number of shares available for issuance under the ESPP will be annually increased on January 1 of each calendar year beginning in 2019 and ending in 2028, by an amount equal to the lesser of: (a) 1% of the shares outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (b) such smaller number of shares as is determined by our board of directors. In no event will more than 4,000,000 shares of our common stock be available for issuance under the ESPP.
Our board of directors or its committee will have authority to interpret the terms of the ESPP and determine eligibility of participants. We expect that the compensation committee will be the initial administrator of the ESPP.
Eligibility. Our employees are eligible to participate in the ESPP if they meet the eligibility requirements under the ESPP established from time to time by the plan administrator. However, an employee may not be granted rights to purchase stock under our ESPP if such employee, immediately after the grant, would own (directly or through attribution) stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of our common or other class of stock.
Grant of rights. The ESPP is intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code and stock will be offered under the ESPP during offering periods. The length of the offering periods under the ESPP will be determined by the plan administrator and may be up to 27 months long. Employee payroll deductions will be
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used to purchase shares on each purchase date during an offering period. The number of purchase periods within, and purchase dates during each offering period will be established by the plan administrator prior to the commencement of each offering period. Offering periods under the ESPP will commence when determined by the plan administrator. The plan administrator may, in its discretion, modify the terms of future offering periods.
The ESPP permits participants to purchase common stock through payroll deductions of up to 20% of their eligible compensation, which includes a participants gross base compensation for services to us, including overtime payments and excluding sales commissions, incentive compensation, bonuses, expense reimbursements, fringe benefits and other special payments. The plan administrator will establish a maximum number of shares that may be purchased by a participant during any offering period or purchase period, which, in the absence of a contrary designation, will be 100,000 shares. In addition, no employee will be permitted to accrue the right to purchase stock under the ESPP at a rate in excess of $25,000 worth of shares during any calendar year during which such a purchase right is outstanding (based on the fair market value per share of our common stock as of the first day of the offering period).
On the first trading day of each offering period, each participant will automatically be granted an option to purchase shares of our common stock. The option will be exercised on the applicable purchase date(s) during the offering period, to the extent of the payroll deductions accumulated during the applicable purchase period. The purchase price of the shares, in the absence of a contrary determination by the plan administrator, will be 85% of the lower of the fair market value of our common stock on the first trading day of the offering period or on the applicable purchase date, which will be the final trading day of the applicable purchase period. Participants may voluntarily end their participation in the ESPP at any time at least one week prior to the end of the applicable offering period (or such shorter or longer period specified by the plan administrator), and will be paid their accrued payroll deductions that have not yet been used to purchase shares of common stock. Participation ends automatically upon a participants termination of employment.
A participant may not transfer rights granted under the ESPP other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as otherwise provided under the ESPP.
Certain transactions. In the event of certain transactions or events affecting our common stock, such as any stock dividend or other distribution, change in control, reorganization, merger, consolidation or other corporate transaction, the plan administrator will make equitable adjustments to the ESPP and outstanding rights. In addition, in the event of the foregoing transactions or events or certain significant transactions, including a change in control, the plan administrator may provide for (1) either the replacement of outstanding rights with other rights or property or termination of outstanding rights in exchange for cash, (2) the assumption or substitution of outstanding rights by the successor or survivor corporation or parent or subsidiary thereof, if any, (3) the adjustment in the number and type of shares of stock subject to outstanding rights, (4) the use of participants accumulated payroll deductions to purchase stock on a new purchase date prior to the next scheduled purchase date and termination of any rights under ongoing offering periods or (5) the termination of all outstanding rights. Under the ESPP, a change in control has the same definition as given to such term in the 2018 Plan.
Plan amendment; termination. The plan administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the ESPP at any time. However, stockholder approval of any amendment to the ESPP will be obtained for any amendment which increases the aggregate number or changes the type of shares that may be sold pursuant to rights under the ESPP, changes the corporations or classes of corporations whose employees are eligible to participate in the ESPP or changes the ESPP in any manner that would cause the ESPP to no longer be an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. The ESPP will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the date it is initially approved by our board of directors.
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Securities laws. The ESPP has been designed to comply with various securities laws in the same manner as described above in the description of the 2018 Plan.
Federal income taxes. The material federal income tax consequences of the ESPP under current federal income tax law are summarized in the following discussion, which deals with the general tax principles applicable to the ESPP. The following discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings and decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change. Foreign, state and local tax laws, and employment, estate and gift tax considerations are not discussed due to the fact that they may vary depending on individual circumstances and from locality to locality.
The ESPP, and the right of participants to make purchases thereunder, is intended to qualify under the provisions of Section 423 of the Code. Under the applicable Code provisions, no income will be taxable to a participant until the sale or other disposition of the shares purchased under the ESPP. This means that an eligible employee will not recognize taxable income on the date the employee is granted an option under the ESPP (i.e., the first day of the offering period). In addition, the employee will not recognize taxable income upon the purchase of shares. Upon such sale or disposition, the participant will generally be subject to tax in an amount that depends upon the length of time such shares are held by the participant prior to disposing of them. If the shares are sold or disposed of more than two years from the first day of the offering period during which the shares were purchased and more than one year from the date of purchase, or if the participant dies while holding the shares, the participant (or his or her estate) will recognize ordinary income measured as the lesser of: (1) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such sale or disposition over the purchase price; or (2) an amount equal to 15% of the fair market value of the shares as of the first day of the offering period. Any additional gain will be treated as long-term capital gain. If the shares are held for the holding periods described above but are sold for a price that is less than the purchase price, there is no ordinary income and the participating employee has a long-term capital loss for the difference between the sale price and the purchase price.
If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of the holding periods described above, the participant will recognize ordinary income generally measured as the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date the shares are purchased over the purchase price and we will be entitled to a tax deduction for compensation expense in the amount of ordinary income recognized by the employee. Any additional gain or loss on such sale or disposition will be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on how long the shares were held following the date they were purchased by the participant prior to disposing of them. If the shares are sold or otherwise disposed of before the expiration of the holding periods described above but are sold for a price that is less than the purchase price, the participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of purchase over the purchase price (and we will be entitled to a corresponding deduction), but the participant generally will be able to report a capital loss equal to the difference between the sales price of the shares and the fair market value of the shares on the date of purchase.
Director compensation
Historically, we have not paid cash compensation to directors for their service on our board of directors. We have occasionally compensated certain of our non-employee directors with equity awards.
In 2017, we did not grant any equity awards to the non-employee members of our board of directors. The aggregate number of shares subject to each non-employee directors outstanding and unexercised option awards as of December 31, 2017 was as follows: Dr. Wierenga, 80,850 stock options (20,060 of which were granted outside of the 2015 Plan); Dr. Freeman, 54,711 stock options; and Dr. Kaldor, 54,711 options.
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In February 2018, we appointed Matthew K. Fust to our board of directors and in connection with his appointment, in March 2018, Mr. Fust was awarded a stock option to purchase 45,592 shares of our common stock in March 2018 with a grant date fair value of $55,181, as determined in accordance with ASC 718, Stock Compensation. One-third of Mr. Fusts stock option will vest on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date, February 16, 2018, with the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over twenty-four months thereafter. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Fust served as a finance advisor to us and received a monthly cash retainer of $3,000 for his services and was awarded a bonus in September 2017 in the amount of $3,000 for an aggregate of $39,000 in cash compensation for fiscal 2017. Additionally, in connection with services he provided in 2017, Mr. Fust was awarded a stock option to purchase 6,079 shares of our common stock in November 2017 with a grant date fair value of $7,000, as determined in accordance with ASC 505-50, EquityEquity-Based Payments to Non-Employees. Mr. Fusts stock option will vest in equal monthly installments over four years from the vesting commencement date, December 1, 2017.
We have reimbursed and will continue to reimburse all of our non-employee directors for their travel, lodging and other reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings of our board of directors and committees of our board of directors.
In connection with this offering, we intend to adopt and ask our stockholders to approve the initial terms of our non-employee director compensation program. The material terms of the non-employee director compensation program policy are summarized below.
The non-employee director compensation program will provide for annual retainer fees and/or long-term equity awards for our non-employee directors. We expect each non-employee director will receive an annual retainer of $40,000, with an additional $30,000 annual retainer payable to the Chairman of the board of directors. Non- employee directors serving as the chairs of the audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees will receive additional annual retainers of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500, respectively. Non-employee directors serving as members of the audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees will receive additional annual retainers of $7,500, $5,000 and $3,750, respectively. Each non-employee director who is initially elected or appointed to the board of directors after the consummation of this offering will receive an initial grant of options to purchase 25,000 shares of our common stock, vesting over three years in three equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date, subject to continuous service as a director through each vesting date. Each non-employee director who is serving on the board of directors as of the date of any annual meeting of our stockholders following the consummation of this offering and has been serving as a non-employee director for at least 6 months as of the date of such meeting will be automatically granted an option to purchase 12,500 shares of common stock, vesting on the first to occur of the first anniversary of the date of grant or the next occurring annual meeting of our stockholders, subject to continuous service as a director through such vesting date.
Compensation under our non-employee director compensation policy will be subject to the annual limits on non-employee director compensation set forth in the 2018 Plan, as described above. Our board of directors or its authorized committee may modify the non-employee director compensation program from time to time in the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time, subject to the annual limit on non-employee director compensation set forth in the 2018 Plan. As provided in the 2018 Plan, our board of directors or its authorized committee may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee directors in extraordinary circumstances, as the board of directors or its authorized committee may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other compensation decisions involving non-employee directors.
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Limitations of liability and indemnification matters
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits our amended and restated certificate of incorporation from limiting the liability of our directors for the following:
| any breach of the directors duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
| acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or |
| any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws also provide that if Delaware law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director, then the liability of our directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as so amended. This limitation of liability does not apply to liabilities arising under the federal securities laws and does not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws also provide that we shall have the power to indemnify our employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by law. Our amended and restated bylaws also permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of his or her actions in this capacity, regardless of whether our amended and restated bylaws would permit indemnification. We have obtained directors and officers liability insurance.
We have entered into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers, in addition to indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. These agreements, among other things, provide for indemnification of our directors and executive officers for expenses, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by this person in any action or proceeding arising out of this persons services as a director or executive officer or at our request. We believe that these provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and executive officers.
The above description of the indemnification provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws and our indemnification agreements is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to these documents, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our stockholders. A stockholders investment may be harmed to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers as to which indemnification is being sought, nor are we aware of any pending or threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification by any director or officer.
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Certain relationships and related person transactions
The following includes a summary of transactions since January 1, 2015 to which we have been a party in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000, and in which any of our directors, executive officers or, to our knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our capital stock or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than equity and other compensation, termination, change in control and other arrangements, which are described under Executive and director compensation. We also describe below certain other transactions with our directors, executive officers and stockholders.
Preferred stock financings
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Financings. In October 2015, we entered into a Series A preferred stock purchase agreement, pursuant to which we sold to investors in an initial closing and, upon the achievement of certain specified milestones, subsequent closings from October 2015 to December 2017 in private placements an aggregate of 28,763,179 shares of our Series A convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $1.043 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $30.0 million.
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Financings. In February 2018, we entered into a Series B preferred stock purchase agreement, pursuant to which we sold to investors in an initial closing and a subsequent closing in February and March 2018 in private placements an aggregate of 19,641,200 shares of our Series B convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $3.233 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $63.5 million.
All purchasers of our convertible preferred stock are entitled to specified registration rights. See the section titled Description of capital stockRegistration rights for more information regarding these registration rights.
The following table sets forth the aggregate number of shares acquired by the listed directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or their affiliates. Each share of preferred stock, including the shares identified in the following table, will convert into shares of common stock at a ratio of 3.29-for-one immediately prior to the closing of this offering.
Participants | Series A convertible preferred stock |
Series B convertible |
||||||
5% or Greater Stockholders(1) |
||||||||
Entities affiliated with 5AM Ventures(2) |
9,587,727 | 1,546,551 | ||||||
Entities affiliated with Vivo Capital(3) |
9,587,727 | 1,546,551 | ||||||
Entities affiliated with Versant Ventures(4) |
9,587,725 | 1,546,551 | ||||||
Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd.(5) |
| 6,186,205 | ||||||
OrbiMed Private Investments VI, LP |
| 5,722,239 | ||||||
Entities affiliated with RA Capital Management, LLC(6) |
| 3,093,103 | ||||||
|
(1) | Additional details regarding these stockholders and their equity holdings are provided under Principal stockholders. |
(2) | Represents securities acquired by 5AM Ventures IV, L.P. and 5AM Co-Investors IV, L.P. Mason Freeman, M.D., a member of our board of directors, is a venture partner at 5AM Venture Management, LLC, which is an affiliate of 5AM Partners IV, LLC. |
(3) | Represents securities acquired by Vivo Capital Fund VIII, L.P. and Vivo Capital Surplus Fund VIII, L.P. Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc., a member of our board of directors, is a Managing Director at Vivo Capital. |
(4) | Represents securities acquired by Versant Venture Capital V, L.P., Versant Affiliates Fund V, L.P., Versant Ophthalmic Affiliates Fund I, L.P. and Versant Venture Capital V (Canada) LP. |
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(5) | Weston Nichols, Ph.D., a member of our board of directors, is an analyst at Perceptive Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd. |
(6) | Represents securities acquired by RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. and Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A. |
Investor rights agreement
We entered into an investor rights agreement in October 2015, which was amended in February 2018, with the holders of our convertible preferred stock, including entities with which certain of our directors are affiliated. This agreement provides for certain rights relating to the registration of their shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of their convertible preferred stock and certain additional covenants made by us. Except for the registration rights (including the related provisions pursuant to which we have agreed to indemnify the parties to the investor rights agreement), all rights under this agreement will terminate upon closing of this offering. The registration rights will continue following this offering and will terminate three years following the closing of this offering. See Description of capital stockRegistration rights for additional information.
Voting agreement
We entered into a voting agreement in October 2015, which was amended in February 2018, with certain of our stockholders, pursuant to which the following directors were each elected to serve as members on our board of directors and, as of the date of this prospectus, continue to so serve: Drs. Freeman, Kaldor, Struthers, Nichols, and Wierenga and Messrs. Fust and Nielsen. Pursuant to the voting agreement, Dr. Struthers, as our Chief Executive Officer, was initially selected to serve on our board of directors as a representative of holders of our common stock, as designated by a majority of our common stockholders. Dr. Wierenga and Mr. Fust were initially selected to serve on our board of directors as representatives of holders of our common stock and preferred stock, as designated by a majority of our common and preferred stockholders, voting together as a single class. Drs. Freeman and Kaldor and Mr. Nielsen were initially selected to serve on our board of directors as representatives of holders of our Series A convertible preferred stock, as designated by 5AM Ventures, Versant Ventures and Vivo Capital, respectively. Dr. Nichols was initially selected to serve on our board of directors as a representative of holders of our Series B convertible preferred stock, as designated by Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd.
The voting agreement will terminate upon the closing of this offering, and members previously elected to our board of directors pursuant to this agreement will continue to serve as directors until they resign, are removed or their successors are duly elected by holders of our common stock. The composition of our board of directors after this offering is described in more detail under ManagementBoard composition and election of directors.
Employment agreements
We have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers. For more information regarding these employment agreements, see the section in this prospectus entitled Executive and director compensationNarrative disclosure to compensation tablesEmployment agreements with our executive officers.
Director and officer indemnification
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. These agreements, among other things, require us or will require us to indemnify each director (and in certain cases their related venture capital funds) and executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including indemnification of expenses such as attorneys fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts
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incurred by the director or executive officer in any action or proceeding, including any action or proceeding by or in right of us, arising out of the persons services as a director or executive officer.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify each of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Further, we have purchased a policy of directors and officers liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment under certain circumstances. For further information, see Executive and director compensationLimitations of liability and indemnification matters.
Stock option grants to executive officers and directors
We have granted stock options to our executive officers and certain of our directors as more fully described in the section entitled Executive and director compensation.
Participation in this offering
Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, or any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these stockholders as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.
Policies and procedures for related person transactions
Our board of directors will adopt a written related person transaction policy, to be effective upon the closing of this offering, setting forth the policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of related-person transactions. This policy will cover, with certain exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships in which we were or are to be a participant, where the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including, without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. In reviewing and approving any such transactions, our audit committee is tasked to consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, whether the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in an arms length transaction and the extent of the related persons interest in the transaction. All of the transactions described in this section occurred prior to the adoption of this policy.
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The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of June 30, 2018, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of shares of common stock in this offering, by:
| each of our named executive officers; |
| each of our directors; |
| all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and |
| each person or group of affiliated persons known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock. |
The number of shares beneficially owned by each stockholder is determined under rules issued by the SEC. Under these rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares as to which a person has sole or shared voting power or investment power. Applicable percentage ownership is based on 17,195,957 shares of common stock outstanding on June 30, 2018, which gives effect to the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock and includes 139,025 shares subject to repurchase. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options or other rights held by such person that are currently exercisable or will become exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2018 are considered outstanding, although these shares are not considered outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed below is c/o Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2, San Diego, California 92121. We believe, based on information provided to us, that each of the stockholders listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by the stockholder unless noted otherwise, subject to community property laws where applicable.
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Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, or any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The following table does not reflect any such potential purchases by these stockholders or their affiliated entities. If any shares are purchased by these stockholders, the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned after this offering and the percentage of common stock beneficially owned after this offering would increase from that set forth in the table below.
Shares beneficially |
Percentage of shares beneficially owned |
|||||||||||
Name of beneficial owner | Before offering |
After offering |
||||||||||
5% or Greater Stockholders |
||||||||||||
Entities affiliated with Vivo Capital(1) |
3,438,989 | 20.0% | 15.5% | |||||||||
Entities affiliated with 5AM Ventures(2) |
3,384,278 | 19.7% | 15.2% | |||||||||
Entities affiliated with Versant Ventures(3) |
3,384,276 | 19.7% | 15.2% | |||||||||
Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd.(4) |
1,880,305 | 10.9% | 8.5% | |||||||||
OrbiMed Private Investments VI, LP(5) |
1,739,282 | 10.1% | 7.8% | |||||||||
Entities affiliated with RA Capital Management, LLC(6) |
940,152 | 5.5% | 4.2% | |||||||||
Named Executive Officers and Directors |
||||||||||||
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D.(7) |
1,257,597 | 7.3% | 5.7% | |||||||||
Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc.(1) |
0 | * | *% | |||||||||
Mason Freeman, M.D.(2)(8) |
37,613 | * | *% | |||||||||
Matthew K. Fust(9) |
58,762 | * | *% | |||||||||
Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D.(3)(10) |
52,810 | * | *% | |||||||||
Weston Nichols, Ph.D.(4) |
0 | * | *% | |||||||||
Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D(11) |
80,849 | * | *% | |||||||||
All executive officers and directors as a group (9 persons)(12) |
1,605,032 | 9.2% | 7.2% | |||||||||
|
* | Less than 1%. |
(1) | Consists of (1) 2,973,653 shares of common stock held by Vivo Capital Fund VIII, L.P., or Vivo Capital, (2) 410,625 shares of common stock held by Vivo Capital Surplus Fund VIII, L.P., or Vivo Surplus, and (3) 54,711 shares of common stock held by Vivo Capital LLC, including 18,237 shares of common stock subject to repurchase by us. Vivo Capital VIII, LLC is the general partner of both Vivo Capital and Vivo Capital Surplus. Vivo Capital LLC is the management company of Vivo Capital VIII, LLC. The voting members of each of Vivo Capital LLC and Vivo Capital VIII, LLC are Frank Kung, Albert Cha, Edgar Engleman, Chen Yu and Shan Fu, none of whom has individual voting or investment power with respect to these shares. Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc., a member of our board of directors, is a Managing Director at Vivo Capital LLC. Each of the above-listed individuals disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares. The address for Vivo Capital VIII, LLC and Vivo Capital LLC is 505 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 207, Palo Alto, California 94301. |
(2) | Consists of (1) 3,248,908 shares of common stock held by 5AM Ventures IV, L.P and (2) 135,370 shares of common stock held by 5AM Co-Investors IV, L.P. Dr. John D. Diekman, Andrew Schwab, and Dr. Scott M. Rocklage are managing members of 5AM Partners IV, LLC, the general partner of 5AM Ventures IV, L.P. and 5AM Co-Investors IV, L.P., and as such, share voting and investment authority over the shares held by 5AM Ventures IV, L.P. and 5AM Co-Investors IV, L.P. Mason Freeman, M.D., a member of our board of directors, is a venture partner at 5AM Venture Management, LLC, which is an affiliate of 5AM Partners IV, LLC. Each of 5AM Partners IV, LLC, Dr. Diekman, Mr. Schwab, Dr. Rocklage, and Dr. Freeman disclaim beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of its or their pecuniary interest therein. The address of 5AM Ventures is 501 2nd Street, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA 94107. |
(3) | Consists of (1) 2,969,926 shares of common stock held by Versant Venture Capital V, L.P., or VVC V, (2) 89,336 shares of common stock held by Versant Affiliates Fund V, L.P., or VAF V, (3) 98,989 shares of common stock held by Versant Ophthalmic Affiliates Fund I, L.P., or VOA, and (4) 226,025 shares of common stock held by Versant Venture Capital V (Canada) LP, or VVC CAN. Versant Ventures V, LLC, or VV V, serves as the sole general partner of VOA, VAF V and VVC V and owns no shares directly. Versant Ventures V (Canada) GP-GP, Inc. or VV V CAN GP, serves as the sole general partner of Versant Ventures V (Canada), L.P., or VV V CAN, which serves as the sole general partner of VVC CAN and owns no shares directly. Samuel D. Colella, William J. Link, Bradley Bolzon, Ph.D., Robin L. Praeger, Kirk G. Nielson and Thomas Woiwode, Ph.D. are managing directors of VV V and directors of VV V CAN GP and share voting and dispositive power over the shares held by VOA, VAF V, VVC V and VVC CAN. Each of the above-listed individuals disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares held by VOA, VAF V, VVC V and VVC CAN, except |
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to the extent of their pecuniary interests therein. The address for each of the Versant Ventures entities is One Sansome Street, Suite 3630, San Francisco, CA 94104. |
(4) | Consists of 1,880,305 shares of common stock. Perceptive Advisors LLC serves as the investment manager to Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd. and may be deemed to beneficially own such shares. Joseph Edelman is the managing member of Perceptive Advisors LLC and may be deemed to beneficially own such shares. Weston Nichols, Ph.D., a member of our board of directors, is an analyst at Perceptive Advisors LLC. Both Mr. Edelman and Mr. Nichols disclaim beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The principal business address of these persons and entities is 51 Astor Place, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10003. |
(5) | Consists of 1,739,282 shares of common stock. OrbiMed Capital GP VI LLC, or GP VI, is the sole general partner of OrbiMed Private Investments VI, LP, or OPI VI. OrbiMed Advisors LLC, or OrbiMed Advisors, is the managing member of GP VI. By virtue of such relationships, GP VI and OrbiMed Advisors may be deemed to have voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by OPI VI and as a result may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of such shares. OrbiMed Advisors exercises investment and voting power through a management committee comprised of Carl L. Gordon, Sven H. Borho and Jonathan T. Silverstein. Each of GP VI, OrbiMed Advisors and Carl L. Gordon, Sven H. Borho and Jonathan T. Silverstein disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by OPI VI, except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest therein if any. The address of these entities is 601 Lexington Avenue, 54th floor, New York, New York 10022. |
(6) | Consists of (1) 758,703 shares of common stock held by RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. and (2) 181,449 shares of common stock held by Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A. Peter Kolchinsky, as sole member of RA Capital Management, LLC, which is the general partner of RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. and the investment advisor of Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A, has voting and investment power over the shares held by Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A and RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. RA Capital Management, LLC and Dr. Kolchinsky may be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power over the shares directly owned by RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. and Blackwell Partners, LLCSeries A. Dr. Kolchinsky and RA Capital Management, LLC disclaim beneficial ownership over all shares held by Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A and RA Capital Healthcare Fund, LP, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest in such shares. The notice address for RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. is 20 Park Plaza, Suite 1200, Boston, MA 02116. The notice address for Blackwell Partners LLCSeries A is 280 S. Mangum Street, Suite 210, Durham, NC 27701. |
(7) | Includes 1,215,805 shares of common stock and 41,792 shares of common stock underlying options held by Dr. Struthers that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date. |
(8) | Includes 37,613 shares of common stock underlying options held by Dr. Freeman that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date. |
(9) | Includes 12,536 shares of common stock and 46,226 shares of common stock underlying options held by Mr. Fust that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date. |
(10) | Includes 52,810 shares of common stock underlying options held by Dr. Kaldor that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date. |
(11) | Includes 74,517 shares of common stock, including 16,622 shares of common stock subject to repurchase by us, and 6,332 shares of common stock underlying options held by Dr. Wierenga that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date. |
(12) | Consists of shares of common stock and shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options which are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date, as set forth in previous footnotes. Also includes 55,851 shares of common stock subject to repurchase by us and 61,550 shares of common stock underlying options that are exercisable as of June 30, 2018 or that will become exercisable within 60 days after such date, in each case, held by Marc Wilson, our Chief Financial Officer. |
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General
The following description summarizes some of the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, the amended and restated investor rights agreement and of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, and amended and restated investor rights agreement, copies of which have been filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which the prospectus is a part, as well as the relevant provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Following the closing of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of 200,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share.
Common stock
As of March 31, 2018, there were 17,007,961 shares of our common stock outstanding and held of record by 27 stockholders, assuming the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into shares of common stock, which will automatically occur immediately prior to the closing of this offering. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, and do not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose, other than any directors that holders of any preferred stock we may issue may be entitled to elect. Subject to the supermajority votes for some matters, other matters shall be decided by the affirmative vote of our stockholders having a majority in voting power of the votes cast by the stockholders present or represented and voting on such matter. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws also provide that our directors may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon is required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, several of the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. See below under Anti-takeover effects of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylawsAmendment of charter provisions.
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared by the board of directors out of legally available funds. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of or provision for all of our debts and other liabilities, subject to the prior rights of any preferred stock then outstanding. Holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking funds provisions applicable to the common stock. All outstanding shares of common stock are, and the common stock to be outstanding upon the closing of this offering will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.
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Preferred stock
Upon completion of this offering, all of our previously outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock will have been converted into common stock, there will be no authorized shares of our previously convertible preferred stock and we will have no shares of preferred stock outstanding. Under the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will become effective immediately prior to the closing of this offering, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the dividend, voting and other rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.
Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of the common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control and may adversely affect the market price of the common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock. We have no current plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Options
As of March 31, 2018, options to purchase 1,457,952 shares of our common stock were outstanding, of which 377,520 were vested and 564,826 were exercisable as of that date. For additional information regarding the terms of this plan, see Executive compensationIncentive award plans2015 Stock Option Plan.
Registration rights
As of March 31, 2018, upon the closing of this offering holders of 14,712,571 shares of our common stock, which includes all of the shares of common stock issuable upon the automatic conversion of our convertible preferred stock immediately prior to the closing of this offering, will be entitled to the following rights with respect to the registration of such shares for public resale under the Securities Act, pursuant to the amended and restated investor rights agreement by and among us and certain of our stockholders. The registration of shares of common stock as a result of the following rights being exercised would enable holders to trade these shares without restriction under the Securities Act when the applicable registration statement is declared effective.
Demand registration rights
Form S-1. If at any time beginning six months following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the holders of at least 30% of the registrable securities request in writing that we effect a registration with respect to their shares in an offering, we may be required to register their shares. We are obligated to effect at most two registrations for the holders of registrable securities in response to these demand registration rights, subject to certain exceptions.
Form S-3. If at any time we become entitled under the Securities Act to register our shares on Form S-3, the holders of at least 30% of the registrable securities request in writing that we register their shares for public resale on Form S-3 and the price to the public of the offering is $2.0 million or more, we will be required to provide notice to all holders of registrable securities and to use all reasonable efforts to effect such registration; provided, however, that we will not be required to effect such a registration if, within the preceding 12 months, we have already effected two registrations on Form S-3 for the holders of registrable securities.
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In the case of an S-1 registration, if the holders requesting registration intend to distribute their shares by means of an underwriting, the underwriter of such offering will have the right to limit the numbers of shares to be underwritten for reasons related to the marketing of the shares.
Piggyback registration rights
If at any time following the closing of this offering we propose to register any shares of our common stock under the Securities Act, subject to certain exceptions, the holders of registrable securities will be entitled to notice of the registration and to include their shares of registrable securities in the registration. If our proposed registration involves an underwriting, the managing underwriter of such offering will have the right to limit the number of shares to be underwritten for reasons related to the marketing of the shares.
Indemnification
Our investor rights agreement contains customary cross indemnification provisions, under which we are obligated to indemnify holders of registrable securities in the event of material misstatements or omissions in the registration statement attributable to us, and they are obligated to indemnify us for material misstatements or omissions attributable to them.
Expenses
Ordinarily, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, we will be required to pay all expenses incurred by us related to any registration effected pursuant to the exercise of these registration rights. These expenses may include all registration and filing fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of our counsel, reasonable fees and disbursements of a counsel for the selling securityholders, blue sky fees and expenses and the expenses of any special audits incident to the registration.
Termination of registration rights
The registration rights terminate upon the earlier of three years after the closing of this offering or upon the closing of an acquisition of our company.
Anti-takeover effects of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws
Some provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: an acquisition of us by means of a tender offer; an acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or the removal of our incumbent officers and directors. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions which provide for payment of a premium over the market price for our shares.
These provisions, summarized below, are intended to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of the increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Undesignated preferred stock
The ability of our board of directors, without action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences as designated by our board of directors
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could impede the success of any attempt to change control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.
Stockholder meetings
Our amended and restated bylaws provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by our chairman of the board, chief executive officer or president, or by a resolution adopted by a majority of our board of directors.
Requirements for advance notification of stockholder nominations and proposals
Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals to be brought before a stockholder meeting and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors.
Elimination of stockholder action by written consent
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting.
Staggered board
Our board of directors is divided into three classes. The directors in each class will serve for a three-year term (other than the directors initially assigned to Class I whose term shall expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders), one class being elected each year by our stockholders. For more information on the classified board, see ManagementBoard composition and election of directors. This system of electing and removing directors may tend to discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
Removal of directors
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no member of our board of directors may be removed from office by our stockholders except for cause and, in addition to any other vote required by law, upon the approval of not less than two thirds of the total voting power of all of our outstanding voting stock then entitled to vote in the election of directors.
Stockholders not entitled to cumulative voting
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not permit stockholders to cumulate their votes in the election of directors. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they choose, other than any directors that holders of our preferred stock may be entitled to elect.
Delaware anti-takeover statute
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits persons deemed to be interested stockholders from engaging in a business combination with a publicly held Delaware corporation for three years following the date these persons become interested stockholders unless the business combination is, or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder was, approved in a prescribed manner or another prescribed exception applies. Generally, an interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporations voting stock. Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by the board of directors.
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Choice of forum
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative form, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty or other wrongdoing by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, creditors or other constituents; (3) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws; (4) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or (5) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our restated certificate of incorporation also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this choice of forum provision. It is possible that a court of law could rule that the choice of forum provision contained in our restated certificate of incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable if it is challenged in a proceeding or otherwise.
Amendment of charter provisions
The amendment of any of the above provisions, except for the provision making it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock, would require approval by holders of at least two thirds of the total voting power of all of our outstanding voting stock.
The provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in the composition of our board and management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Transfer agent and registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrars address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.
The Nasdaq Global Market Listing
We have applied to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol CRNX.
Limitations of liability and indemnification matters
For a discussion of liability and indemnification, see Executive and director compensationLimitations of liability and indemnification matters.
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Shares eligible for future sale
Immediately prior to this offering, there was no public market for our common stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Although we have applied to have our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we cannot assure you that there will be an active public market for our common stock.
Based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2018, and assuming (1) the issuance of 5,000,000 shares in this offering, (2) the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of our common stock, which will occur automatically immediately prior to the closing of the offering, (3) no exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares of common stock and (4) no exercise of outstanding options, we will have outstanding an aggregate of approximately 22,007,961 shares of common stock.
Of these shares, all shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and shares purchased in this offering by participants in our directed share program, who have signed lock-up agreements or are otherwise restricted from reselling such shares by Rule 144 of the Securities Act. Shares purchased by our affiliates would be subject to the Rule 144 resale restrictions described below, other than the holding period requirement.
The remaining 17,007,961 shares of common stock will be restricted securities, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or 701 under the Securities Act, each of which is summarized below. We expect that substantially all of these shares will be subject to the 180-day lock-up period under the lock-up agreements described below.
In addition, of the 1,457,952 shares of our common stock that were subject to stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2018, options to purchase 377,520 of such shares of common stock were vested as of such date and, upon exercise, these shares will be eligible for sale subject to the lockup agreements described below and Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act.
Lock-up agreements
We, along with our directors, executive officers and substantially all of our other stockholders and optionholders, have agreed with the underwriters that for a period of 180 days, after the date of this prospectus, subject to specified exceptions, we or they will not offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock, request or demand that we file a registration statement related to our common stock or enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the common stock. Upon expiration of the lock-up period, certain of our stockholders will have the right to require us to register their shares under the Securities Act. See Registration rights below and Description of capital stockRegistration rights.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. may, in their sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the lock-up period, in certain cases without public notice, release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements. There are no existing agreements between the underwriters and any of our stockholders who will execute a lock-up agreement providing consent to the sale of shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up period.
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Upon the expiration of the lock-up period, substantially all of the shares subject to such lock-up restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to the limitations discussed above.
Rule 10b5-1 trading plans
Following the completion of this offering, certain of our officers, directors and significant stockholders may adopt written plans, known as Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, in which they will contract with a broker to buy or sell shares of our common stock on a periodic basis to diversify their assets and investments. Under these 10b5-1 trading plans, a broker may execute trades pursuant to parameters established by the officer, director or stockholder when entering into the plan, without further direction from such officer, director or stockholder. Such sales would not commence until the expiration of the applicable lock-up agreements entered into by such officer, director or stockholder in connection with this offering.
Rule 144
Affiliate resales of restricted securities
In general, beginning 90 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a person who is an affiliate of ours, or who was an affiliate at any time during the 90 days before a sale, who has beneficially owned shares of our common stock for at least six months would be entitled to sell in brokers transactions or certain riskless principal transactions or to market makers, a number of shares within any three-month period that does not exceed the greater of:
| 1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 220,079 shares immediately after this offering; or |
| the average weekly trading volume in our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale. |
Affiliate resales under Rule 144 are also subject to the availability of current public information about us. In addition, if the number of shares being sold under Rule 144 by an affiliate during any three-month period exceeds 5,000 shares or has an aggregate sale price in excess of $50,000, the seller must file a notice on Form 144 with the SEC and the Nasdaq Global Market concurrently with either the placing of a sale order with the broker or the execution of a sale directly with a market maker.
Non-affiliate resales of restricted securities
In general, beginning 90 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a person who is not an affiliate of ours at the time of sale, and has not been an affiliate at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned shares of our common stock for at least six months but less than a year, is entitled to sell such shares subject only to the availability of current public information about us. If such person has held our shares for at least one year, such person can resell under Rule 144(b)(1) without regard to any Rule 144 restrictions, including the 90-day public company requirement and the current public information requirement.
Non-affiliate resales are not subject to the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice filing provisions of Rule 144.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701, any of an issuers employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchases shares from the issuer in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written
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agreement before the effective date of a registration statement under the Securities Act is entitled to sell such shares 90 days after such effective date in reliance on Rule 144. An affiliate of the issuer can resell shares in reliance on Rule 144 without having to comply with the holding period requirement, and non-affiliates of the issuer can resell shares in reliance on Rule 144 without having to comply with the current public information and holding period requirements.
Equity plans
We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register all shares of common stock subject to outstanding stock options and common stock issued or issuable under our equity incentive plans and employee stock purchase plan. We expect to file the registration statement covering shares offered pursuant to these stock plans shortly after the date of this prospectus, permitting the resale of such shares by non-affiliates in the public market without restriction under the Securities Act and the sale by affiliates in the public market subject to compliance with the resale provisions of Rule 144.
Registration rights
As of March 31, 2018, upon the closing of this offering holders of 14,712,571 shares of our common stock, which includes all of the shares of common stock issuable upon the automatic conversion of our convertible preferred stock immediately prior to the closing of this offering, or their transferees will be entitled to various rights with respect to the registration of these shares under the Securities Act upon the closing of this offering. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming fully tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration, except for shares purchased by affiliates. See Description of capital stockRegistration rights for additional information. Shares covered by a registration statement will be eligible for sale in the public market upon the expiration or release from the terms of the lock-up agreement.
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Material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders
The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws, and any applicable state, local or non-U.S. tax laws are not discussed. This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, in each case in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities may change or be subject to differing interpretations. Any such change or differing interpretation may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position to that discussed below regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock.
This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that hold our common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holders particular circumstances, including the impact of the alternative minimum tax or the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:
| U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States; |
| persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment; |
| banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions; |
| brokers, dealers or traders in securities; |
| controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
| partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein); |
| tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations; |
| persons deemed to sell our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code; |
| persons who hold or receive our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation; |
| persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to our common stock being taken into account in an applicable financial statement (as defined in the Code); |
| tax-qualified retirement plans; and |
| qualified foreign pension funds as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds. |
If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the
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partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.
Definition of a Non-U.S. Holder
For purposes of this discussion, a Non-U.S. Holder is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is neither a U.S. person nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:
| an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
| a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; |
| an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
| a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the control of one or more United States persons (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), or (2) has a valid election in effect to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
Distributions
As described in the section entitled Dividend policy, we do not anticipate declaring or paying dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. However, if we do make distributions of cash or property on our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and first be applied against and reduce a Non-U.S. Holders adjusted tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below under Sale or other taxable disposition.
Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty, provided the Non-U.S. Holder furnishes a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) certifying qualification for the lower treaty rate). If a Non-U.S. Holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the Non-U.S. Holders behalf, the Non-U.S. Holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent, who then will be required to provide certification to the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. A Non-U.S. Holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.
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If dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holders conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), the Non-U.S. Holder will be exempt from the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. To claim the exemption, the Non-U.S. Holder must furnish to the applicable withholding agent a valid IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holders conduct of a trade or business within the United States.
Any such effectively connected dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected dividends, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Sale or other taxable disposition
A Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless:
| the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holders conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable); |
| the Non-U.S. Holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met; or |
| our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest, or USRPI, by reason of our status as a U.S. real property holding corporation, or USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.
Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the Non-U.S. Holder (even though the Non-U.S. Holder is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we currently are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC. Because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends, however, on the fair market value of our USRPIs relative to the fair market value of our non-U.S. real property interests and our other business assets, there can be no assurance we currently are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a Non-U.S. Holder of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is regularly traded, as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and such Non-U.S. Holder owned, actually or constructively, 5% or less of our common stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the Non-U.S. Holders holding period.
Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
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Information reporting and backup withholding
Payments of dividends on our common stock will not be subject to backup withholding, provided the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a United States person and the holder either certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any dividends on our common stock paid to the Non-U.S. Holder, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting, if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person, or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.
Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is established.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a Non-U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Additional withholding tax on payments made to foreign accounts
Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections are commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA) on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a foreign financial institution or a non-financial foreign entity (each as defined in the Code), unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial United States owners (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain specified United States persons or United States-owned foreign entities (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.
Under the applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our common stock and will apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of such stock on or after January 1, 2019.
Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our common stock.
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We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
Name | Number of shares |
|||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
||||
Leerink Partners LLC |
||||
Piper Jaffray & Co. |
||||
|
|
|||
Total |
5,000,000 | |||
|
The underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.
The underwriters propose to offer the common stock directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $ per share. Any such dealers may resell shares to certain other brokers or dealers at a discount of up to $ per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the shares of common stock are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
The underwriters have an option to buy up to 750,000 additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters which exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.
Certain of our principal stockholders, including entities affiliated with certain of our directors, have indicated an interest in purchasing an aggregate of approximately $30.0 million in shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares in this offering to any or all of these stockholders, and any or all of these stockholders may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discount on any shares purchased by these stockholders as they will on any other shares sold to the public in this offering.
At our request, the underwriters have reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to 2% of the shares offered hereby for employees, directors and other persons associated with us who have expressed an interest in purchasing common stock in the offering. Our officers and directors who are participating in this program have agreed that any shares purchased through this program will be subject to a 180-day lock-up restriction. The number of shares available for sale to the general public in the offering will be reduced to the
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extent these persons purchase the reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares.
The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $ per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares.
Without option to purchase additional shares exercise |
With full option to purchase additional shares exercise |
|||||||
Per Share |
$ | $ | ||||||
Total |
$ | $ | ||||||
|
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $2.8 million. We have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for expenses relating to the clearance of this offering with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in an amount up to $35,000.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.
We have agreed that we will not (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions.
Our directors and executive officers, and substantially all of our securityholders have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to which each of these persons or entities, with limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, may not, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co., (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including, without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such directors, executive officers, managers and members in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock or such other securities, whether
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any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of our common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to, among other items:
(1) the securities to be sold by the securityholder pursuant to the underwriting agreement;
(2) transfers of shares of common stock as a bona fide gift or gifts;
(3) distributions of shares of common stock to limited or general partners, members or stockholders of the securityholder;
(4) transfers to an immediate family member or trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the securityholder or an immediate family member;
(5) transfers to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held by the securityholder;
(6) transfers by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the securityholder;
(7) transfers pursuant to a court or regulatory agency order, a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement;
(8) transfers to us in connection with the net or cashless exercise of options or other rights to purchase shares of common stock granted pursuant to an equity incentive plan, stock purchase plan or other arrangement described in this prospectus in satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations through cashless surrender or otherwise, provided, that, any shares of common stock issued upon exercise of such option or other rights shall continue to be subject to the restrictions set forth herein until the expiration of the restricted period;
(9) if the securityholder is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, transfers pursuant to a merger or reorganization with or into another mutual fund that shares the same investment adviser registered pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended;
(10) transfers to any affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the securityholder or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the securityholder or under common management or control with the securityholder;
(11) in connection with the conversion of our outstanding shares of preferred stock into common stock as described in this prospectus, or any reclassification or conversion of the common stock, provided that any common stock received upon such conversion or reclassification will be subject to the lockup agreement;
(12) a transfer of securities to us in connection with any contractual arrangement in effect on the date of this prospectus that provides for the repurchase of the securityholders shares by us in connection with the termination of the securityholders employment or other services with us is permitted, provided that no filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of common stock shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period within 60 days after the date the securityholder ceases to provide services to us, and after such 60th day, if the securityholder is required to file a report under Section 16 of the Exchange Act reporting a
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reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of common stock during the restricted period, the securityholder shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the termination of the securityholders employment or other services;
(13) a transfer of securities pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of our securities involving a change of control of our company, in each case that is approved by the independent members of our board of directors, provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the securityholder shall remain subject to the lockup agreement;
(14) the establishment of a 10b5-1 trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, provided that (A) there are no sales of securities under such plan during the restricted period, (B) the establishment of such plan is not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the SEC, or otherwise, and (C) the securityholder does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report or any public announcement regarding the establishment of such plan; and
(15) the sale of securities purchased by the securityholder in this offering or in the open market following the date of this prospectus if and only if (A) such securities are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the SEC, or otherwise and (B) the securityholder does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales,
provided that, in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (9) or (10), each transferee, donee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the representatives a lock-up; provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) and (10), such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (2) through (10), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the restricted period referred to above). If the securityholder is an officer or director of our company, the securityholder further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed securities the securityholder may purchase in this offering.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing/quotation on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol CRNX.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of the common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be covered shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be naked shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are
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concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.
The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them.
These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the Nasdaq Global Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters. In determining the initial public offering price, we and the representatives of the underwriters expect to consider a number of factors including:
| the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representatives; |
| our prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete; |
| an assessment of our management; |
| our prospects for future earnings; |
| the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering; |
| the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded common stock of generally comparable companies; and |
| other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us. |
Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our common shares, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.
Other relationships
Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future.
Selling restrictions
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required.
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The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
Notice to prospective investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State, no offer of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:
a) | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; |
b) | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters; or |
c) | in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, |
provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive and each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with each of the underwriters and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.
In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant Member State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer of shares to the public in relation to any shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.
Notice to prospective investors in the United Kingdom
In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (1) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the
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Order) and/or (2) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of the shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons.
Notice to prospective investors in Canada
The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchasers province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchasers province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
Notice to prospective investors in Switzerland
The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of, and has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the shares has been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (CISA). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.
Notice to prospective investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
This document relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the
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Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
In relation to its use in the DIFC, this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.
Notice to prospective investors in the United Arab Emirates
The shares have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the DIFC) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the DIFC) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the DIFC) and is not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus has not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the DFSA.
Notice to prospective investors in Australia
This prospectus:
| does not constitute a product disclosure document or a prospectus under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Corporations Act); |
| has not been, and will not be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), as a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act; |
| does not constitute or involve a recommendation to acquire, an offer or invitation for issue or sale, an offer or invitation to arrange the issue or sale, or an issue or sale, of interests to a retail client (as defined in section 761G of the Corporations Act and applicable regulations) in Australia; and |
| may only be provided in Australia to select investors who are able to demonstrate that they fall within one or more of the categories of investors, or Exempt Investors, available under section 708 of the Corporations Act. |
The shares may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the shares may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement or other offering material relating to any shares may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the shares, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.
As any offer of shares under this document will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the shares you undertake to us that you will not, for a period
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of 12 months from the date of issue of the shares, offer, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate those securities to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.
Notice to prospective investors in Japan
The shares have not been and will not be registered pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Accordingly, none of the shares nor any interest therein may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan in effect at the relevant time.
Notice to prospective investors in Hong Kong
The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to professional investors as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a prospectus as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to professional investors as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.
Notice to prospective investors in Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the SFA), (2) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (3) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
a) | a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or |
b) | a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, |
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securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
i) | to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; |
ii) | where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; |
iii) | where the transfer is by operation of law; |
iv) | as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or |
v) | as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore. |
Notice to prospective investors in Bermuda
Shares may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Investment Business Act of 2003 of Bermuda which regulates the sale of securities in Bermuda. Additionally, non-Bermudian persons (including companies) may not carry on or engage in any trade or business in Bermuda unless such persons are permitted to do so under applicable Bermuda legislation.
Notice to prospective investors in Saudi Arabia
This document may not be distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia except to such persons as are permitted under the Offers of Securities Regulations as issued by the board of the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority (CMA) pursuant to resolution number 2-11-2004 dated 4 October 2004 as amended by resolution number 1-28-2008, as amended (the CMA Regulations). The CMA does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this document and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from, or incurred in reliance upon, any part of this document. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered hereby should conduct their own due diligence on the accuracy of the information relating to the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document, you should consult an authorised financial adviser.
Notice to prospective investors in the British Virgin Islands
The shares are not being, and may not be offered to the public or to any person in the British Virgin Islands for purchase or subscription by or on behalf of the Company. The Company may be offered to companies incorporated under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (British Virgin Islands) (BVI Companies), but only where the offer will be made to, and received by, the relevant BVI Company entirely outside of the British Virgin Islands. This prospectus has not been, and will not be, registered with the Financial Services Commission of the British Virgin Islands. No registered prospectus has been or will be prepared in respect of the shares for the purposes of the Securities and Investment Business Act, 2010 (SIBA) or the Public Issuers Code of the British Virgin Islands.
Notice to prospective investors in China
This prospectus does not constitute a public offer of shares, whether by sale or subscription, in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC). The shares are not being offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to or for the benefit of, legal or natural persons of the PRC.
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Further, no legal or natural persons of the PRC may directly or indirectly purchase any of the shares or any beneficial interest therein without obtaining all prior PRCs governmental approvals that are required, whether statutorily or otherwise. Persons who come into possession of this document are required by the issuer and its representatives to observe these restrictions.
Notice to prospective investors in Korea
The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Investments Services and Capital Markets Act of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder (the FSCMA), and the shares have been and will be offered in Korea as a private placement under the FSCMA. None of the shares may be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea, including the FSCMA and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law of Korea and the decrees and regulations thereunder (the FETL). Furthermore, the purchaser of the shares shall comply with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to requirements under the FETL) in connection with the purchase of the shares. By the purchase of the shares, the relevant holder thereof will be deemed to represent and warrant that if it is in Korea or is a resident of Korea, it purchased the shares pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of Korea.
Notice to prospective investors in Malaysia
No prospectus or other offering material or document in connection with the offer and sale of the shares has been or will be registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia (Commission) for the Commissions approval pursuant to the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Malaysia other than (1) a closed end fund approved by the Commission; (2) a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence; (3) a person who acquires the shares, as principal, if the offer is on terms that the shares may only be acquired at a consideration of not less than RM250,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) for each transaction; (4) an individual whose total net personal assets or total net joint assets with his or her spouse exceeds RM3 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), excluding the value of the primary residence of the individual; (5) an individual who has a gross annual income exceeding RM300,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) per annum in the preceding twelve months; (6) an individual who, jointly with his or her spouse, has a gross annual income of RM400,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), per annum in the preceding twelve months; (7) a corporation with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currencies) based on the last audited accounts; (8) a partnership with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies); (9) a bank licensee or insurance licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; (10) an Islamic bank licensee or takaful licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; and (11) any other person as may be specified by the Commission; provided that, in the each of the preceding categories (1) to (11), the distribution of the shares is made by a holder of a Capital Markets Services Licence who carries on the business of dealing in securities. The distribution in Malaysia of this prospectus is subject to Malaysian laws. This prospectus does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of public offering or an issue, offer for subscription or purchase, invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Commission under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.
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Notice to prospective investors in Taiwan
The shares have not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which constitutes an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan that requires a registration or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorised to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the shares in Taiwan.
Notice to prospective investors in South Africa
Due to restrictions under the securities laws of South Africa, the shares are not offered, and the offer shall not be transferred, sold, renounced or delivered, in South Africa or to a person with an address in South Africa, unless one or other of the following exemptions applies:
a) | the offer, transfer, sale, renunciation or delivery is to: |
i) | persons whose ordinary business is to deal in securities, as principal or agent; |
ii) | the South African Public Investment Corporation; |
iii) | persons or entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of South Africa; |
iv) | authorised financial service providers under South African law; |
v) | financial institutions recognised as such under South African law; |
vi) | a wholly-owned subsidiary of any person or entity contemplated in (c), (d) or (e), acting as agent in the capacity of an authorised portfolio manager for a pension fund or collective investment scheme (in each case duly registered as such under South African law); or |
vii) | any combination of the person in (i) to (vii); or |
b) | the total contemplated acquisition cost of the securities, for any single addressee acting as principal is equal to or greater than ZAR1,000,000. |
No offer to the public (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008 (as amended or re-enacted) (the South African Companies Act)) in South Africa is being made in connection with the issue of the shares. Accordingly, this document does not, nor is it intended to, constitute a registered prospectus (as that term is defined in the South African Companies Act) prepared and registered under the South African Companies Act and has not been approved by, and/or filed with, the South African Companies and Intellectual Property Commission or any other regulatory authority in South Africa. Any issue or offering of the shares in South Africa constitutes an offer of the shares in South Africa for subscription or sale in South Africa only to persons who fall within the exemption from offers to the public set out in section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act. Accordingly, this document must not be acted on or relied on by persons in South Africa who do not fall within section 96(1)(a) of the South African Companies Act (such persons being referred to as SA Relevant Persons). Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available in South Africa only to SA Relevant Persons and will be engaged in South Africa only with SA relevant persons.
179
The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California. The underwriters are being represented by Cooley LLP, San Diego, California.
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, included in this prospectus and in the registration statement have been so included in reliance on the report of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm appearing elsewhere herein and in the registration statement, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
Where you can find more information
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about us and the common stock offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed thereto. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Upon the closing of this offering, we will be required to file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act. You may read and copy this information at the Public Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference rooms by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about registrants, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is www.sec.gov.
Upon the completion of this offering, we will become subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance therewith, will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and website of the SEC referred to above. We maintain a website at www.crinetics.com. Upon the completion of this offering, you may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on our website, and you should not consider the contents of our website in making an investment decision with respect to our common stock.
180
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
Page | ||||
F-2 | ||||
F-3 | ||||
F-4 | ||||
Consolidated Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders Equity (Deficit) |
F-5 | |||
F-6 | ||||
F-7 |
F-1
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Board of Directors and Stockholders
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) and subsidiary as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of operations, convertible preferred stock and stockholders equity (deficit), and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and subsidiaries at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Companys consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ BDO USA, LLP
We have served as the Companys auditor since 2016.
San Diego, California
May 2, 2018, except for the Reverse Stock Split paragraph of Note 7, as to which the date is July 9, 2018
F-2
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(in thousands, except share and par value data)
December 31, | March 31, 2018 |
Pro Forma Stockholders Equity March 31, 2018 | ||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||||||||||
(unaudited) | (unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
Assets |
||||||||||||||||
Current assets: |
||||||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 12,152 | $ | 14,192 | $ | 73,740 | ||||||||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
213 | 973 | 991 | |||||||||||||
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|
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Total current assets |
12,365 | 15,165 | 74,731 | |||||||||||||
Property and equipment, net |
224 | 400 | 476 | |||||||||||||
Restricted cash |
| | 500 | |||||||||||||
Other assets |
10 | 33 | 622 | |||||||||||||
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Total assets |
$ | 12,599 | $ | 15,598 | $ | 76,329 | ||||||||||
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Liabilities, convertible preferred stock and stockholders equity (deficit) |
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Current liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||
Accounts payable |
$ | 340 | $ | 403 | $ | 1,335 | ||||||||||
Accrued expenses |
501 | 494 | 1,801 | |||||||||||||
Current portion of long-term debt |
49 | | | |||||||||||||
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Total current liabilities |
890 | 897 | 3,136 | |||||||||||||
Long-term debt, net of current portion |
163 | | | |||||||||||||
Deferred rent |
5 | 20 | 22 | |||||||||||||
Unvested stock liability |
5 | 3 | 172 | |||||||||||||
Commitments and contingencies (Note 3) |
||||||||||||||||
Convertible preferred stock, $0.001 par value; authorized shares 38,350,914 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and 48,868,345 at March 31, 2018 (unaudited); issued and outstanding shares 17,257,911, 28,763,179 and 48,404,379 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018 (unaudited), respectively; liquidation preference of $18,000, $30,000 and $93,500 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018 (unaudited), respectively; no shares issued and outstanding, pro forma (unaudited) |
17,740 | 29,700 | 92,975 | $ | - | |||||||||||
Stockholders equity (deficit): |
||||||||||||||||
Common stock, $0.001 par value; authorized shares 50,500,000 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and 65,000,000 at March 31, 2018 (unaudited); issued shares 1,978,592, 2,076,171 and 2,295,390 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018 (unaudited), respectively; outstanding shares 1,164,762, 1,549,575 and 2,191,035 at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018 (unaudited), respectively; 17,007,961 shares issued and 16,903,606 shares outstanding, pro forma (unaudited) |
1 | 1 | 2 | 17 | ||||||||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
903 | 1,242 | 1,751 | 94,711 | ||||||||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(7,108 | ) | (16,265 | ) | (21,729 | ) | (21,729 | ) | ||||||||
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| |||||
Total stockholders equity (deficit) |
(6,204 | ) | (15,022 | ) | (19,976 | ) | $ | 72,999 | ||||||||
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| |||||
Total liabilities, convertible preferred stock and stockholders equity (deficit) |
$ | 12,599 | $ | 15,598 | $ | 76,329 | ||||||||||
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|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-3
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Years Ended December 31, | Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||||
(unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
Grant revenues |
$ | 589 | $ | 2,045 | $ | 45 | $ | 442 | ||||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||||||
Research and development |
5,100 | 9,233 | 2,065 | 4,720 | ||||||||||||
General and administrative |
1,533 | 1,939 | 589 | 1,248 | ||||||||||||
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|
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|
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| |||||
Total operating expenses |
6,633 | 11,172 | 2,654 | 5,968 | ||||||||||||
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|
| |||||
Loss from operations |
(6,044 | ) | (9,127 | ) | (2,609 | ) | (5,526 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense): |
||||||||||||||||
Interest income |
37 | 26 | 7 | 64 | ||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(11 | ) | (8 | ) | (2 | ) | | |||||||||
Other expense |
(1 | ) | (48 | ) | (2 | ) | (2 | ) | ||||||||
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|
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| |||||
Total other income (expense) |
25 | (30 | ) | 3 | 62 | |||||||||||
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| |||||
Net loss |
$ | (6,019 | ) | $ | (9,157 | ) | $ | (2,606 | ) | $ | (5,464 | ) | ||||
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|
| |||||
Net loss per share, basic and diluted |
$ | (5.96 | ) | $ | (6.68 | ) | $ | (2.18 | ) | $ | (2.92 | ) | ||||
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| |||||
Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted |
1,010,510 | 1,370,578 | 1,197,711 | 1,869,576 | ||||||||||||
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| |||||
Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted (unaudited) |
$ | (1.18 | ) | $ | (0.39 | ) | ||||||||||
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| |||||||||||
Pro forma weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, basic and diluted (unaudited) |
7,746,089 | 13,878,156 | ||||||||||||||
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See accompanying notes.
F-4
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders Equity (Deficit)
(in thousands, except share data)
Convertible Preferred Stock |
Common Stock | Additional Paid-In Capital |
Accumulated Deficit |
Total Stockholders Equity (Deficit) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2015 |
17,257,911 | $ | 17,740 | 876,611 | $ | 1 | $ | 625 | $ | (1,089 | ) | $ | (463 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Vesting of shares of common stock subject to repurchase |
| | 287,234 | | 8 | | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of common stock options |
| | 917 | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
| | | | 270 | | 270 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
| | | | | (6,019 | ) | (6,019 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2016 |
17,257,911 | 17,740 | 1,164,762 | 1 | 903 | (7,108 | ) | (6,204 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of Series A convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $40 |
11,505,268 | 11,960 | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Vesting of shares of common stock subject to repurchase |
| | 287,234 | | 2 | | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of common stock options |
| | 97,579 | | 66 | | 66 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
| | | | 271 | | 271 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
| | | | | (9,157 | ) | (9,157 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2017 |
28,763,179 | 29,700 | 1,549,575 | 1 | 1,242 | (16,265 | ) | (15,022 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Issuance of Series B convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs of $225 (unaudited) |
19,641,200 | 63,275 | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Vesting of shares of common stock subject to repurchase (unaudited) |
| | 526,723 | 1 | 2 | | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exercise of common stock options (unaudited) |
| | 114,737 | | 81 | | 81 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation (unaudited) |
| | | | 426 | | 426 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net loss (unaudited) |
| | | | | (5,464 | ) | (5,464 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|
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Balance at March 31, 2018 (unaudited) |
48,404,379 | $ | 92,975 | 2,191,035 | $ | 2 | $ | 1,751 | $ | (21,729 | ) | $ | (19,976 | ) | ||||||||||||||
|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-5
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
Years Ended December 31, |
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||||
(unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
Cash flows from operating activities |
||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
$ | (6,019 | ) | $ | (9,157 | ) | $ | (2,606 | ) | $ | (5,464 | ) | ||||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
92 | 128 | 27 | 48 | ||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation |
270 | 271 | 56 | 426 | ||||||||||||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||
Prepaid expenses and other assets |
(116 | ) | (783 | ) | 32 | (290 | ) | |||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses |
300 | 47 | 163 | 1,871 | ||||||||||||
Deferred rent |
5 | 15 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
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| |||||
Net cash used in operating activities |
(5,468 | ) | (9,479 | ) | (2,326 | ) | (3,407 | ) | ||||||||
Cash flows from investing activities |
||||||||||||||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
(190 | ) | (304 | ) | (20 | ) | (57 | ) | ||||||||
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Net cash used in investing activities |
(190 | ) | (304 | ) | (20 | ) | (57 | ) | ||||||||
Cash flows from financing activities |
||||||||||||||||
Proceeds from issuance of convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs |
(5 | ) | 11,969 | | 63,393 | |||||||||||
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options |
| 66 | 63 | 253 | ||||||||||||
Repayment of long-term debt |
(48 | ) | (212 | ) | (12 | ) | | |||||||||
Payment of initial public offering costs |
| | | (134 | ) | |||||||||||
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| |||||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(53 | ) | 11,823 | 51 | 63,512 | |||||||||||
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| |||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |
(5,711 | ) | 2,040 | (2,295 | ) | 60,048 | ||||||||||
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period |
17,863 | 12,152 | 12,152 | 14,192 | ||||||||||||
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Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period |
$ | 12,152 | $ | 14,192 | $ | 9,857 | $ | 74,240 | ||||||||
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Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information |
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Cash paid for interest |
$ | 11 | $ | 8 | $ | 2 | $ | | ||||||||
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Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities |
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Change in unvested stock liability |
$ | 8 | $ | 2 | $ | | $ | (3 | ) | |||||||
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| |||||
Change in accrued preferred stock issuance costs and initial public offering costs |
$ | | $ | 9 | $ | | $ | 301 | ||||||||
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Change in accrued property and equipment purchases |
$ | | $ | | $ | | $ | 67 | ||||||||
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See accompanying notes.
F-6
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company incorporated in Delaware on November 18, 2008 and based in San Diego, California. The Company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for rare endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors. In January 2017, the Company established a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary, Crinetics Australia Pty Ltd (CAPL), in order to conduct various preclinical and clinical activities for its development candidates.
Liquidity and Going Concern
From its inception through March 31, 2018, the Company has devoted substantially all of its efforts to drug discovery and development and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. The Company has a limited operating history and the sales and income potential of the Companys business and market are unproven. Successful transition to attaining profitable operations is dependent upon achieving a level of revenues adequate to support the Companys cost structure. As of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, the Company had $14.2 million and $73.7 million, respectively, in cash and cash equivalents. The Company believes it has sufficient cash to meet its funding requirements for the foreseeable future. However, the Company has experienced net losses and negative cash flows from operating activities since its inception, and had an accumulated deficit of $16.3 million and $21.7 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses into the foreseeable future and that it will need to raise substantial additional capital to accomplish its business plan over the next several years. The Company plans to continue to fund its losses from operations and capital funding needs through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings or other sources, including potentially collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. If the Company is not able to secure adequate additional funding, the Company may be forced to make reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible, or suspend or curtail planned programs. Any of these actions could materially harm the Companys business, results of operations and future prospects. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available in the future.
Principles of Consolidation and Foreign Currency Transactions
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and CAPL. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The functional currency of both the Company and CAPL is the U.S. dollar. The Companys assets and liabilities that are not denominated in the functional currency are remeasured into U.S. dollars at foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date except for nonmonetary assets, which are remeasured at historical foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the date of transaction. Net realized and unrealized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions and remeasurement are reported in other income (expense), in the consolidated statements of operations and were not material for all periods presented.
Use of Estimates
The Companys consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The preparation of the Companys consolidated financial statements requires it to make estimates and assumptions that impact the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in
F-7
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
the Companys consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates in the Companys consolidated financial statements relate to revenue recognition, accrued amounts receivable under the Australian research and development tax incentive program, accrued expenses, and the fair value of stock-based compensation. Although these estimates are based on the Companys knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, actual results may ultimately materially differ from these estimates and assumptions.
Unaudited Interim Financial Information
The accompanying interim consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2018, the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 and the consolidated statement of convertible preferred stock and stockholders equity (deficit) for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and the related consolidated footnote disclosures are unaudited. In managements opinion, the unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and include all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Companys financial position as of March 31, 2018 and its results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full fiscal year or any other interim period.
Unaudited Pro Forma Balance Sheet Information
The unaudited pro forma balance sheet information as of March 31, 2018 assumes the conversion of all outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock into 14,712,571 shares of the Companys common stock and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the convertible preferred stock to permanent equity upon completion of the Companys planned initial public offering (IPO). Shares of common stock issued in the IPO and any related net proceeds are excluded from the pro forma information.
Fair Value Measurements
The accounting guidance defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or non-recurring basis. Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, the accounting guidance establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets.
Level 2: Inputs, other than the quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.
The carrying amounts of the Companys current financial assets, restricted cash and current financial liabilities are considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of the short-term nature of
F-8
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
those instruments. The fair value of the long-term debt as of December 31, 2016 approximates its carrying value due to the market rate of interest. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018, the Company had no financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis and none of the Companys non-financial assets and liabilities were recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis. No transfers between levels have occurred for the periods presented.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include cash in readily available checking accounts and a money market account.
Restricted cash represents cash held as collateral for the Companys facility lease and is reported as a long-term asset in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | March 31, | |||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 12,152 | $ | 14,192 | $ | 9,857 | $ | 73,740 | ||||||||
Restricted cash |
| | | 500 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
$ | 12,152 | $ | 14,192 | $ | 9,857 | $ | 74,240 | |||||||||
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|
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to significant risk on its cash balances due to the financial position of the depository institution in which those deposits are held. Additionally, the Company established guidelines regarding approved investments and maturities of investments, which are designed to maintain safety and liquidity.
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, which consist of lab equipment, computer and software and office equipment, are stated at cost and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the related assets (generally three to five years). Leasehold improvements are stated at cost and amortized on a straight-line basis over the lesser of the remaining lease term of the related lease or the estimated useful life of the leasehold improvements. Repairs and maintenance costs are charged to expense as incurred and expenditures that materially extend the useful lives of assets are capitalized.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment. An impairment loss is recorded if and when events and circumstances indicate that assets might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amount of those assets. The Company has not recognized any impairment losses through March 31, 2018.
F-9
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
Deferred Rent
Rent expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the term of the Companys facility lease. The difference between rent expense and amounts paid under the lease are recorded as deferred rent in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Revenue Recognition
The Companys revenues are derived from Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health. The Company recognizes SBIR grant revenue as reimbursable grant costs are incurred. The costs associated with these reimbursements are reflected as a component of research and development expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Australian Research and Development Tax Incentive
CAPL is eligible to obtain a cash refund from the Australian Taxation Office for eligible research and development expenditures under the Australian Research and Development Tax Incentive Program (the Australian Tax Incentive). The Australian Tax Incentive is recognized as a reduction to research and development expense when there is reasonable assurance that the Australian Tax Incentive will be received, the relevant expenditure has been incurred, and the amount can be reliably measured. As of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, the Company had an Australian Tax Incentive receivable of $0.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively, and recognized reductions to research and development expense of $0.5 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2018. No Australian Tax Incentive was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the three months ended March 31, 2017.
Research and Development Expenses
The Companys research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries, payroll taxes, employee benefits and stock-based compensation charges for those individuals involved in research and development efforts, as well as consulting expenses, third-party research and development expenses, laboratory supplies, clinical materials and overhead, including facilities and depreciation costs, offset by the Australian Tax Incentive discussed above. Research and development expenses are charged to expense as incurred. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development are capitalized until the goods or services are received.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation expense represents the cost of the grant date fair value of employee awards over the requisite service period of the awards (usually the vesting period) on a straight-line basis. For stock awards for which vesting is subject to performance-based milestones, the expense is recorded over the remaining service period after the point when the achievement of the milestone is probable or the performance condition has been achieved. The Company accounts for awards to nonemployees using the fair value method. Awards to nonemployees are subject to periodic revaluation over their vesting terms. The Company estimates the fair value of all stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognizes forfeitures as they occur.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have
F-10
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
been included in the consolidated financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the consolidated financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
The Company recognizes net deferred tax assets to the extent that the Company believes these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If management determines that the Company would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, management would make an adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
The Company records uncertain tax positions on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) management determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, management recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within income tax expense. Any accrued interest and penalties are included within the related tax liability.
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive loss is defined as a change in equity during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. There have been no items qualifying as other comprehensive loss and, therefore, for all periods presented, the Companys comprehensive loss was the same as its reported net loss.
Net Loss Per Share
Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury-stock and if-converted methods. Dilutive common stock equivalents are comprised of convertible preferred stock, common stock subject to repurchase, and options outstanding under the Companys stock option plan. For all periods presented, there is no difference in the number of shares used to calculate basic and diluted shares outstanding as inclusion of the potentially dilutive securities would be antidilutive.
F-11
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
Potentially dilutive securities not included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share because to do so would be anti-dilutive are as follows (in common stock equivalent shares):
December 31, | March 31, | |||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||||
Convertible preferred stock |
5,245,562 | 8,742,597 | 5,245,562 | 14,712,571 | ||||||||||||
Common stock options |
856,217 | 838,276 | 706,673 | 1,457,952 | ||||||||||||
Common stock subject to repurchase |
813,830 | 526,596 | 742,021 | 104,355 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
6,915,609 | 10,107,469 | 6,694,256 | 16,274,878 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited Pro Forma Net Loss Per Share
The following table summarizes the Companys unaudited pro forma net loss per share (in thousands, except share and per share data):
Year Ended December 31, 2017 |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 |
|||||||
Numerator |
||||||||
Net loss and pro forma net loss |
$ | (9,157) | $ | (5,464) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Denominator |
||||||||
Shares used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted |
1,370,578 | 1,869,576 | ||||||
Pro forma adjustments to reflect assumed weighted-average effect of conversion of convertible preferred stock |
6,375,511 | 12,008,580 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Shares used to compute pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted |
7,746,089 | 13,878,156 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted |
$ | (1.18) | $ | (0.39) | ||||
|
|
|
|
Segment Reporting
Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which converges the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board standard on revenue recognition. Areas of revenue recognition that will be affected include, but are not limited to, transfer of control, variable consideration, allocation of transfer pricing, licenses, time value of money, contract costs and disclosures. This guidance is effective for the fiscal years and
F-12
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018. The Company does not currently have any contracts with customers and, as such, the adoption had no material impact on its financial position and results of operations.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which outlines a comprehensive lease accounting model and supersedes the current lease guidance. The new accounting standard requires lessees to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for all leases with lease terms of greater than twelve months. It also changes the definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. The new accounting standard must be adopted using the modified retrospective approach and is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. Although the Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of the ASU on its financial statements, the Company currently believes the most significant changes will be related to the recognition of lease liabilities on the Companys consolidated balance sheets for real estate operating leases.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash, which requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, entities will no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The adoption of this standard, in the first quarter of 2018, changed the presentation of the Companys statement of cash flows to include its restricted cash balance with non-restricted cash balances. The new guidance did not have a material impact on the Companys consolidated financial statements.
2. Balance Sheet Details
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | March 31, 2018 |
|||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||||||
Grant receivable |
$ | 72 | $ | 231 | $ | 243 | ||||||
Prepaid research and development |
98 | 141 | 27 | |||||||||
Australian tax incentive receivable |
- | 503 | 495 | |||||||||
Other |
43 | 98 | 226 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total |
$ | 213 | $ | 973 | $ | 991 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | March 31, 2018 |
|||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||||||
Laboratory equipment |
$ | 360 | $ | 640 | $ | 645 | ||||||
Computers and software |
27 | 27 | 27 | |||||||||
Office equipment |
19 | 19 | 19 | |||||||||
Leasehold improvements |
- | 18 | 18 | |||||||||
Construction in progress |
- | - | 119 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
406 | 704 | 828 | ||||||||||
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization |
(182) | (304) | (352) | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total |
$ | 224 | $ | 400 | $ | 476 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-13
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
Other assets consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | March 31, 2018 |
|||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||||||
Long-term portion of Australian tax incentive receivable |
$ | - | $ | - | $ | 288 | ||||||
Deferred initial public offering costs |
- | - | 317 | |||||||||
Other |
10 | 33 | 17 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
$ | 10 | $ | 33 | $ | 622 | |||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accrued expenses consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, | March 31, 2018 |
|||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||||||
Accrued compensation |
$ | 272 | $ | 315 | $ | 610 | ||||||
Accrued research and development |
180 | 126 | 1,009 | |||||||||
Other accrued expenses |
49 | 53 | 182 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total |
$ | 501 | $ | 494 | $ | 1,801 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
3. Commitments and Contingencies
2013 Operating Lease
In July 2013, as amended in 2015 and March 2017, the Company entered into a non-cancelable operating lease for laboratory facilities and office space in San Diego, California. The lease expires in April 2020 and is subject to charges for common area maintenance and other costs. The Company has an early termination option subject to at least five months prior written notice and a termination fee of two months base rent and the unamortized portion of any leasing costs, abated rent and any other lease concessions. In addition, the Company has an option to extend the term of the lease for two years. Rent expense is being recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Rent expense was $0.1 million, $0.2 million, $33,000 and $44,000 for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively.
2018 Operating Lease
In February 2018, the Company entered into a non-cancelable operating lease for its new facility in San Diego, California. The lease has an initial term of seven years and the Company has an option to extend the term of the lease for an additional five years and has a termination option subject to early termination fees. The lease is subject to base lease payments and additional charges for common area maintenance and other costs and includes certain lease incentives and tenant improvement allowances. Under the terms of the lease agreement, the Company provided the lessor with an irrevocable letter of credit in the amount of $0.5 million. The lessor is entitled to draw on the letter of credit in the event of any default by the Company under the terms of the lease.
F-14
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
As of March 31, 2018, future minimum payments under the non-cancelable operating leases were as follows (in thousands):
Nine months ended December 31, 2018 |
$ | 405 | ||
Years ended December 31, |
||||
2019 |
1,296 | |||
2020 |
1,195 | |||
2021 |
1,176 | |||
2022 |
1,211 | |||
Thereafter |
3,292 | |||
|
|
|||
$ | 8,575 | |||
|
|
Litigation
From time to time, the Company may be subject to various claims and suits arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company does not expect that the resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its financial position or results of operations.
4. Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders Deficit
The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock as of March 31, 2018 consist of the following (in thousands, except share amounts):
Shares Authorized |
Shares Issued and Outstanding |
Liquidation Preference |
Carrying Value |
|||||||||||||
Series A |
28,763,179 | 28,763,179 | $ | 30,000 | $ | 29,700 | ||||||||||
Series B |
20,105,166 | 19,641,200 | 63,500 | 63,275 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
48,868,345 | 48,404,379 | $ | 93,500 | $ | 92,975 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2017 consist of the following (in thousands, except share amounts):
Shares Authorized |
Shares Issued and Outstanding |
Liquidation Preference |
Carrying Value |
|||||||||||||
Series A |
38,350,914 | 28,763,179 | $ | 30,000 | $ | 29,700 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock as of December 31, 2016 consist of the following (in thousands, except share amounts):
Shares Authorized |
Shares Issued and Outstanding |
Liquidation Preference |
Carrying Value |
|||||||||||||
Series A |
38,350,914 | 17,257,911 | $ | 18,000 | $ | 17,740 | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-15
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
The convertible preferred stock is classified outside of stockholders equity (deficit) because the shares contain certain redemption features that are not solely within the control of the Company.
Description of Securities
Dividends
Holders of Series A convertible preferred stock and Series B convertible preferred stock (collectively, Series Preferred), in preference to the holders of common stock, shall be entitled to receive, but only out of funds that are legally available therefor, cash dividends at the annual per share rate of $0.27452 per share and $0.85093 per share, respectively. Such dividends shall be payable only when, as and if declared by the Companys board of directors and shall be non-cumulative. No dividends have been declared as of March 31, 2018.
Liquidation
Holders of Series A convertible preferred stock and Series B convertible preferred stock are entitled to receive a liquidation preference at the rate of $3.43147 per share and $10.63657 per share, respectively, plus all declared and unpaid dividends. Liquidation payments to the holders of Series Preferred have priority and are made in preference to any payments to the holders of common stock. After full payment of the liquidation preference to the holders of the Series Preferred, the remaining assets, if any, will be distributed ratably to the holders of the common stock and Series Preferred on an as-if-converted to common stock basis until the holders of Series A convertible preferred stock and Series B convertible preferred stock have received an aggregate amount per share equal to $10.29441 and $21.27314, respectively, plus all declared and unpaid dividends thereon; thereafter, the remaining assets of the Company legally available for distribution, if any, shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the common stock.
Conversion
The shares of Series Preferred are convertible into shares of common stock at a ratio of 3.29-for-one, at the option of the holder, subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments. Each share of Series Preferred is automatically converted into common stock, (A) at any time upon the affirmative election of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the both Series A convertible preferred and Series B convertible preferred, or (B) immediately upon the closing of a firmly underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering the offer and sale of common stock for the account of the Company in which (i) the per share price is at least $15.9549 (ii) the gross cash proceeds to the Company are at least $50 million and (iii) the Companys shares have been listed for trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq.
Voting Rights
The holder of each share of Series Preferred is entitled to one vote for each share of common stock into which it would convert and to vote as one class with the common stockholders on all matters.
Convertible Preferred Stock Transactions
In April and December 2017, pursuant to a Series A preferred stock purchase agreement entered into in October 2015 which called for an initial closing and, upon the achievement of certain specified milestones, subsequent closings, the Company issued an aggregate of 11,505,268 shares of Series A convertible preferred stock at $1.043 per share for cash proceeds of $12.0 million, net of $40,000 of offering costs.
F-16
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
In February and March 2018, pursuant to a Series B stock purchase agreement entered into in February 2018 which called for an initial closing and a subsequent closing, the Company issued an aggregate of 19,641,200 shares of its Series B convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $3.233 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $63.5 million. The Company incurred $0.2 million of issuance costs in connection with the Series B financing.
Shares of Common Stock Subject to Repurchase
In October 2015, in connection with the issuance of Series A convertible preferred stock, certain of the Companys founders entered into stock restriction agreements, whereby 1,914,893 of previously unrestricted shares of common stock became subject to repurchase by the Company upon the stockholders termination of employment or service to the Company. Any shares subject to repurchase by the Company are not deemed, for accounting purposes, to be outstanding until those shares vest. The Companys repurchase rights lapsed as to 765,957 shares of common stock in October 2015 and lapse 23,936 shares per month thereafter, such that the shares of common stock will be fully vested in October 2019. However, the shares of common stock are subject to accelerated vesting upon certain events, and became fully vested upon the closing of the Companys Series B preferred stock financing in February 2018 (see Note 7). The stock restriction agreements resulted in the deemed cancellation and reissuance of common shares. As such, the Company recognizes the measurement date fair value of the restricted stock over the vesting period as compensation expense. As of October 2015, the aggregate fair value of the common shares subject to repurchase was $1.4 million. For of the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, the Company recognized stock-based compensation for these awards of $0.2 million, $0.2 million, $0.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018, 813,830 shares, 526,596 shares and no shares of common stock, respectively, were subject to repurchase by the Company. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018, the unvested stock liability related to these awards was $5,000 and $3,000 and $0, respectively.
Stock Incentive Plan
In February 2015, the Company adopted the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan), which provides for the issuance of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards and other stock awards to its employees, members of its board of directors and consultants. The Plan expires in February 2025 and, in general, the options issued under the Plan expire ten years from the date of grant and vest over a four-year period. The Plan allows for early exercise of stock options, and early exercised options and restricted stock awards may be subject to repurchase by the Company until they become fully vested. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017, no awards under the Plan were subject to repurchase by the Company. As of March 31, 2018, there were 104,355 shares issued and subject to repurchase as a result of the early exercise of stock options, resulting in an unvested stock liability of $0.2 million. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and March 31, 2018, 1,653,495 shares, 1,653,495 shares and 2,413,373 shares, respectively, were authorized for issuance under the Plan, of which 825,844 shares, 746,205 shares and 667,185 shares, respectively, remained available for future issuance.
F-17
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
Prior to adoption of the Plan, stock options to purchase 47,717 shares of common stock were granted. As of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, options to purchase 23,099 shares of common stock remained outstanding outside of the Plan and are included in the table below.
A summary of the Companys stock option activity is as follows (in thousands, expect share and per share data):
Number of Outstanding Options |
Weighted- Average Exercise Price |
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years) |
Aggregate Intrinsic Value |
|||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2016 |
856,217 | $ | 0.69 | 8.89 | $ | 38 | ||||||||||
Granted |
147,407 | 1.34 | ||||||||||||||
Cancelled |
(67,768) | 0.73 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised |
(97,580) | 0.68 | ||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2017 |
838,276 | 0.80 | 8.25 | $ | 549 | |||||||||||
Granted |
838,898 | 1.83 | ||||||||||||||
Exercised |
(219,222) | 1.15 | ||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2018 |
1,457,952 | $ | 1.34 | 8.98 | $ | 839 | ||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2017 |
838,276 | $ | 0.80 | 8.25 | $ | 549 | ||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Exercisable at December 31, 2017 |
351,041 | $ | 0.65 | 7.72 | $ | 283 | ||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Vested and expected to vest at March 31, 2018 |
1,457,952 | $ | 1.34 | 8.98 | $ | 839 | ||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Exercisable at March 31, 2018 |
564,826 | $ | 1.01 | 8.33 | $ | 512 | ||||||||||
|
|
The Company received cash from the exercise of stock options of $0, $0.1 million, $0.1 million and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised was $0, $5,000, $0 and $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of employee stock option grants were as follows:
Years Ended December 31, |
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||
Risk-free interest rate |
1.49 | % | 1.89% 2.14% | 2.06 | % | 2.45% 2.70% | ||||||||
Expected volatility |
63.78 | % | 65.61% 73.45% | 67.35 | % | 70.1% | ||||||||
Expected term (in years) |
6.08 | 6.02 6.08 | 6.08 | 5.52 6.08 | ||||||||||
Expected dividend yield |
0.0 | % | 0.0% | 0.0 | % | 0.0% |
F-18
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
Risk-free interest rate. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect at the time of grant for zero coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities approximately equal to the expected term of the awards.
Expected volatility. Since the Company is not yet a public company and does not have a trading history for its common stock, the expected volatility assumption is based on volatilities of a peer group of similar companies whose share prices are publicly available. The peer group was developed based on companies in the biotechnology industry. The Company will continue to apply this process until a sufficient amount of historical information regarding the volatility of its own stock price becomes available
Expected term. The expected term represents the period of time that options are expected to be outstanding. Because the Company does not have historical exercise behavior, it determines the expected life assumption using the simplified method, for employees, which is an average of the contractual term of the option and its vesting period.
Expected dividend yield. The Company bases the expected dividend yield assumption on the fact that it has never paid cash dividends and has no present intention to pay cash dividends, therefore, the Company used an expected dividend yield of zero.
Stock-based compensation expense recognized for all equity awards has been reported in the consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31, |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
2016 | 2017 | 2017 | 2018 | |||||||||||||
Research and development |
$ | 108 | $ | 122 | $ | 27 | $ | 161 | ||||||||
General and administrative |
162 | 149 | 29 | 265 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
$ | 270 | $ | 271 | $ | 56 | $ | 426 | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The weighted-average grant date fair value of employee option grants for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 was $0.43 per share, $0.85 per share $0.45 per share and $1.17 per share, respectively. As of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, total unrecognized stock-based compensation costs related employee awards was $0.2 million and $1.1 million, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average period of approximately 3.0 years and 3.6 years, respectively.
Common Stock Reserved for Future Issuance
Common stock reserved for future issuance is as follows:
December 31, 2017 |
March 31, 2018 |
|||||||
Conversion of preferred stock |
8,742,597 | 14,712,571 | ||||||
Common stock options issued and outstanding |
838,276 | 1,457,952 | ||||||
Common stock options available for future issuance |
746,205 | 667,185 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total |
10,327,078 | 16,837,708 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
F-19
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
5. Income Taxes
The Companys loss before benefit for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 were generated in the following jurisdictions (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||
Domestic |
$ | (6,019) | $ | (8,141) | ||||
Foreign |
- | (1,016) | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Consolidated net loss |
$ | (6,019) | $ | (9,157) | ||||
|
|
|
|
A reconciliation of income tax expense to the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to the loss from operations is summarized for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||
Expected tax benefit at statutory rate |
$ | (2,046) | $ | (3,113) | ||||
State income taxes, net of federal benefit |
(327) | (474) | ||||||
Tax effect of: |
||||||||
Change in valuation allowance |
2,511 | 2,112 | ||||||
Federal rate change |
- | 1,602 | ||||||
Research and development credit |
(342) | (525) | ||||||
Australian Tax Incentive |
- | 176 | ||||||
Other |
204 | 222 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total |
$ | - | $ | - | ||||
|
|
|
|
Significant components of the Companys net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 are as follows (in thousands):
December 31, | ||||||||
2016 | 2017 | |||||||
Deferred tax assets: |
||||||||
Tax loss carryforwards |
$ | 2,378 | $ | 1,863 | ||||
Capitalized research expenses |
- | 2,127 | ||||||
Research and development and other tax credits |
333 | 829 | ||||||
Other, net |
35 | 39 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total deferred tax assets |
2,746 | 4,858 | ||||||
Less valuation allowance |
(2,746) | (4,858) | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net deferred tax assets |
$ | - | $ | - | ||||
|
|
|
|
At December 31, 2017, the Company had federal, state, and foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $6.2 million, $6.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal and state loss carryforwards
F-20
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
will begin expiring in 2035, unless previously utilized. The foreign loss carryforwards do not expire. The Company also has federal and California research and development credit carryforwards totaling $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The federal research and development credit carryforwards will begin to expire in 2030, unless previously utilized. The California research credits do not expire.
Management assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to use the existing deferred tax assets. Based on the weight of all evidence including a history of operating losses, management has determined that it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax assets will not be realized. A valuation allowance of $4.9 million as of December 31, 2017 has been established to offset the deferred tax assets as realization of such assets is uncertain.
Future utilization of the Companys net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to an annual limitation, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Sections 382 and 383, as a result of ownership changes that may have occurred or that could occur in the future. An ownership change occurs when a cumulative change in ownership of more than 50% occurs within a three-year period. The Company has not completed an IRC Section 382/383 analysis regarding the limitation of net operating loss and research and development credit carryforwards. When this analysis is finalized, the Company plans to update its unrecognized tax benefits accordingly.
The Company has not provided for deferred taxes on the outside basis difference of its Australian subsidiary. The deficit in earnings would result in a deferred tax asset, and it is not apparent that this temporary difference will reverse in the foreseeable future.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Act includes a number of changes to existing U.S. tax laws that impact the Company, most notably a reduction of the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from a maximum of 35% to a flat 21%, effective January 1, 2018, and a one-time transition tax on unremitted foreign earnings. In conjunction with the tax law changes, the Securities and Exchange Commission staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin 118 (SAB 118) to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Act. In these instances, a Company can record provisional amounts in its consolidated financial statements for the income tax effects for which a reasonable estimate can be determined. For items for which a reasonable estimate cannot be determined, a company should continue to apply ASC 740 based on the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately prior to the Act being enacted.
As a result of the new law, the Company has remeasured its deferred tax assets based on the rates at which they are expected to reverse in the future, resulting in a reduction in the deferred tax asset balance of $1.6 million which was offset by a reduction in the valuation allowance by a corresponding amount. The one-time transition tax is based on the total post-1986 earnings and profits (E&P) previously deferred from U.S. income taxes. As the Company has a deficit in post-1986 E&P from its foreign subsidiary, there was no increase in income tax expense as a result of the one-time transition tax. This impact is considered to be a provisional amount as the Company is still analyzing certain aspects of the Act and refining its calculations. The ultimate impact may differ from this provisional amount, due to, among other things, additional analysis, changes in interpretations and assumptions the Company has made, additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and actions the Company may take as a result of the Act.
F-21
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
The following table summarized the changes to the Companys unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 (in thousands)
2016 | 2017 | |||||||
Beginning balance |
$ | - | $ | 68 | ||||
Increases related to current year positions |
68 | 91 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Ending balance |
$ | 68 | $ | 159 | ||||
|
|
|
|
The Companys unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 were $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. Due to the existence of the valuation allowance, future changes in unrecognized tax benefits would have no effect on the Companys effective tax rate. The Companys policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, the Company has not recorded any interest or penalties related to income tax matters. The Company does not foresee any material changes to unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.
The Company is subject to taxation in the United States federal and state jurisdictions as well as Australia. Generally, the Companys federal income tax returns from 2014 and forward and state income tax returns from 2013 and forward are subject to examination by tax authorities; however, the Companys tax attribute carryforwards such as net operating losses and research tax credits generated in closed years are also subject to examination. The Australian tax returns are subject to examination beginning in 2017. The Company is not currently under audit by any tax authority.
6. 401(k) Plan
The Company maintains a defined contribution 401(k) plan available to eligible employees. Employee contributions are voluntary and are determined on an individual basis, limited to the maximum amount allowable under federal tax regulations. The Company, at its discretion, may make certain matching contributions to the 401(k) plan. As of December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, the Company had not made any matching contributions.
7. Subsequent Events
The Company has completed an evaluation of all subsequent events through May 2, 2018 for the consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017 and through July 9, 2018 for the interim consolidated financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018, to ensure that these consolidated financial statements include appropriate disclosure of events both recognized in the consolidated financial statements and events which occurred but were not recognized in the consolidated financial statements. Except as described below, the Company has concluded that no subsequent event has occurred that requires disclosure.
2015 Stock Incentive Plan
In May 2018, the shares reserved for issuance under the 2015 Stock Incentive Plan were increased by 729,484 shares to a total of 3,142,857 shares.
In May and June 2018, certain employees and consultants of the Company were granted options to purchase an aggregate of 1,027,196 shares of common stock at exercise prices ranging from $9.28 to $12.01 per share.
F-22
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements(Continued)
(Information as of March 31, 2018 and thereafter and for the three months ended
March 31, 2017 and 2018 is unaudited)
SBIR Grants
In the second quarter of 2018, the Company was awarded two SBIR grants for an aggregate of $2.4 million. The grants will fund the continued research and development of the Companys nonpeptide, oral somatostatin agonists for acromegaly and congenital hyperinsulinemias.
Approval of the 2018 Equity Incentive Award Plan
In July 2018, the Companys board of directors and stockholders approved and adopted the 2018 Incentive Award Plan (the 2018 Plan). The 2018 Plan will become effective on the day prior to the effectiveness of the IPO. Under the 2018 Plan, the Company may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and other stock or cash-based awards to individuals who are then employees, officers, directors or consultants of the Company, and employees and consultants of the Companys subsidiaries. A total of 1,600,000 shares of common stock were approved to be initially reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan. The number of shares reserved that are remaining under the 2015 Plan as of the effective date of the 2018 Plan will be added to the shares initially reserved under the 2018 Plan upon its effectiveness. In addition, the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2018 Plan will be automatically increased on the first day of each calendar year during the ten-year term of the 2018 Plan, beginning with January 1, 2019, by an amount equal to 5% of the outstanding number of shares of the Companys common stock on December 31st of the preceding calendar year or such lesser amount as determined by the Companys board of directors.
Approval of the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
In July 2018, the Companys board of directors and stockholders approved and adopted the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The ESPP will become effective on the day prior to the effectiveness of the IPO. The ESPP permits participants to purchase common stock through payroll deductions of up to 20% of their eligible compensation. A total of 250,000 shares of common stock were approved to be initially reserved for issuance under the ESPP. In addition, the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the ESPP will be automatically increased on the first day of each calendar year during the ten-year term of the ESPP, beginning with January 1, 2019, by an amount equal to 1% of the outstanding number of shares of the Companys common stock on December 31st of the preceding calendar year or such lesser amount as determined by the Companys board of directors.
Increase in Authorized Common Stock
In July 2018, the Company increased the number of shares of its authorized common stock from 65,000,000 shares to 67,400,000 shares.
Reverse Stock Split
On July 6, 2018, the Company effected a 1-for-3.29 reverse stock split of its common stock. The par value and the authorized shares of the common stock were not adjusted as a result of the reverse stock split. The reverse stock split resulted in an adjustment to the Series A and B preferred stock conversion prices to reflect a proportional decrease in the number of shares of common stock to be issued upon conversion. The accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements give retroactive effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented.
F-23
5,000,000 shares
Common stock
Prospectus
J.P. Morgan | Leerink Partners | Piper Jaffray |
, 2018
Part II
Information not required in prospectus
Item 13. Other expenses of issuance and distribution.
The following table indicates the expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this registration statement, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, all of which will be paid by us. All amounts are estimated except the SEC registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, filing fee and the Nasdaq Global Market listing fee.
Amount
paid to be paid |
||||
SEC registration fee |
$ | 12,170 | ||
FINRA filing fee |
15,000 | |||
Nasdaq Global Market listing fee |
125,000 | |||
Accountants fees and expenses |
785,000 | |||
Legal fees and expenses |
1,365,000 | |||
Transfer Agents fees and expenses |
5,000 | |||
Printing and engraving expenses |
275,000 | |||
Miscellaneous |
217,830 | |||
|
|
|||
Total expenses |
$ | 2,800,000 | ||
|
Item 14. Indemnification of directors and officers.
Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation provides that no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable to it or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or a person serving at the request of the corporation for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, ending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of
II-1
all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will become effective immediately prior to the closing of this offering, provides that we will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of us) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an Indemnitee), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of us to procure a judgment in our favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to us, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by us against all expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and officers for some expenses, including attorneys fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by a director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of our directors or officers, or any of our subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request.
We maintain a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of our corporation arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.
In any underwriting agreement we enter into in connection with the sale of common stock being registered hereby, the underwriters will agree to indemnify, under certain conditions, us, our directors, our officers and persons who control us within the meaning of the Securities Act, against certain liabilities.
II-2
Item 15. Recent sales of unregistered securities.
Set forth below is information regarding shares of capital stock issued by us since January 1, 2015. Also included is the consideration received by us for such shares and information relating to the section of the Securities Act, or rule of the SEC, under which exemption from registration was claimed.
(a) | Issuances of Capital Stock |
1. | In October 2015, we entered into a Series A preferred stock purchase agreement, pursuant to which we sold to investors in an initial closing and, upon the achievement of certain specified milestones, subsequent closings from October 2015 to December 2017 in private placements an aggregate of 28,763,179 shares of Series A convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $1.043 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $30.0 million. |
2. | In February 2018, we entered into a Series B preferred stock purchase agreement, pursuant to which we sold to investors in an initial closing and a subsequent closing in February and March 2018 in private placements an aggregate of 19,641,200 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $3.233 per share, for aggregate consideration of approximately $63.5 million. |
No underwriters were involved in the foregoing sales of securities. The securities described in this section (a) of Item 15 were issued to investors in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, as set forth in Section 4(2) under the Securities Act and Regulation D promulgated thereunder relative to transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering, to the extent an exemption from such registration was required. All purchasers of shares of convertible preferred stock described above represented to us in connection with their purchase that they were accredited investors and were acquiring the shares for their own account for investment purposes only and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, any distribution thereof and that they could bear the risks of the investment and could hold the securities for an indefinite period of time. The purchasers received written disclosures that the securities had not been registered under the Securities Act and that any resale must be made pursuant to a registration statement or an available exemption from such registration.
(b) | Grants and Exercise of Stock Options |
1. | From January 2015 through June 30, 2018, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 2,841,754 shares of our common stock at a weighted-average exercise price of $4.36 per share, to certain of our employees, consultants and directors in connection with services provided to us by such persons. Of these, 476,232 options have been exercised for aggregate consideration of $460,024, and 90,534 options have been cancelled through June 30, 2018. |
The stock options and the common stock issuable upon the exercise of such options as described in this section (b) of Item 15 were issued pursuant to written compensatory plans or arrangements with our employees and directors, in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act or the exemption set forth in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Regulation D promulgated thereunder relative to transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering. All recipients either received adequate information about us or had access, through employment or other relationships, to such information.
All of the foregoing securities are deemed restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act. All certificates representing the issued shares of capital stock described in this Item 15 included appropriate legends setting forth that the securities had not been registered and the applicable restrictions on transfer.
II-3
Item 16. Exhibits and financial statement schedules.
(a) | Exhibits. See Exhibit Index attached to this registration statement, which is incorporated by reference herein. |
(b) | Financial statement schedules. Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto. |
Item 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter, at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned hereby undertakes that:
(1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
II-4
Exhibit index
** | Previously filed. |
# | Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. |
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in San Diego, California, on this 9th day of July, 2018.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. |
By: |
/s/ R. Scott Struthers | |
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. | ||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Signatures and power of attorney
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities held on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive officer) | July 9, 2018 | ||
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
||||
/s/ Marc J.S. Wilson |
Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) |
July 9, 2018 | ||
Marc J.S. Wilson |
||||
* |
Chairman of the Board of Directors | July 9, 2018 | ||
Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D. |
||||
* |
Director | July 9, 2018 | ||
Mason Freeman, M.D. |
||||
* |
Director | July 9, 2018 | ||
Matthew K. Fust |
||||
* |
Director | July 9, 2018 | ||
Stephen Kaldor, Ph.D. |
||||
* |
Director | July 9, 2018 | ||
Weston Nichols, Ph.D. |
||||
* |
Director | July 9, 2018 | ||
Jack B. Nielsen, M.Sc. |
*By: |
/s/ R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
|||||
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
||||||
Attorney-in-Fact |
||||||
|
Exhibit 1.1
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
[] Shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
Underwriting Agreement
[], 2018
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
Piper Jaffray & Co.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
c/o Leerink Partners LLC
One Federal Street, 37th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
c/o Piper Jaffray & Co.
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the Underwriters), for whom you are acting as representatives (the Representatives), an aggregate of [] shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock), of the Company (the Underwritten Shares) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional [] shares of Common Stock of the Company (the Option Shares). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the Shares. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the Stock.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (the Directed Share Underwriter) has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement, up to [] Shares, for sale to officers, directors, employees, friends and family of the Company (collectively, Participants), as set forth in the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) under the heading Underwriting (the Directed Share Program). The Shares to be sold by the Directed Share Underwriter and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program are referred to hereinafter as the Directed Shares. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by [] [A/P].M., New York City time on the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the Securities Act), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-225824), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (Rule 430 Information), is referred to herein as the Registration Statement; and as used herein, the term Preliminary Prospectus means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term Prospectus means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the Rule 462 Registration Statement), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the Pricing Disclosure Package): a Preliminary Prospectus dated [], 2018 and each free-writing prospectus (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
Applicable Time means [] [A/P].M., New York City time, on [], 2018.
2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this underwriting agreement (this Agreement), and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share of $[] (the Purchase Price) from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriters name in Schedule 1 hereto.
In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.
If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
2
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 4401 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, California 92121, at [] A.M., New York City time, on [], 2018, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the Closing Date, and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the Additional Closing Date.
(d) Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arms length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor the other Underwriters shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives and the other Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
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3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
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to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(d) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an emerging growth company, as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an Emerging Growth Company). Testing-the-Waters Communication means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.
(e) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications by virtue of a writing substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto. The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Annex B hereto. Written Testing-the-Waters Communication means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing
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Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package 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; all disclosures included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding non-GAAP financial measures (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the Exchange Act) and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
(h) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its
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subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a Material Adverse Effect). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement. The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company.
(j) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading Capitalization and Description of Capital Stock; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors qualifying shares) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(k) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the Stock Options) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company Stock Plans), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and
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authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the Nasdaq Global Market (the Nasdaq Market) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. Each Company Stock Plan is accurately described in all material respects in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(l) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.
(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been duly waived or satisfied;
(o) Listing. The Shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Market, subject to notice of issuance.
(p) Description of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(q) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, 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; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(r) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, 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, right or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) No Consents Required. No consent, filing, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(t) Legal Proceedings. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (Actions) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may reasonably be expected to become a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may reasonably be expected to become the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the knowledge of the Company, no such Actions are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(u) Independent Accountants. BDO USA, LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations
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adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(v) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, or possess rights to use, all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, trade dress, designs, data, database rights, Internet domain names, copyrights, works of authorship, licenses, proprietary information and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (collectively, Intellectual Property), and to the Companys knowledge, neither the manufacture of, nor the use or sale of, any of the product candidates described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus would infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any material respect with any known, valid and enforceable Intellectual Property rights of others. The Intellectual Property has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part. There is no pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Companys rights in or to any Intellectual Property; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property; or (C) asserting that the Company or its subsidiaries infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Disclosure Documents as under development, infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, any intellectual property rights of others. To the Companys knowledge, the Intellectual Property owned by the Company are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, defects and other restrictions, and to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property owned by the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of their Intellectual Property, the value of which to the Company is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality agreements, invention assignment agreements and invention assignments with their employees. To the Companys knowledge, the duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Intellectual Property have been complied with; and, to the Companys knowledge, in all foreign offices having similar requirements, all such requirements have been complied with. To the Companys knowledge, none of the Company owned Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) employed by the Company or its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiary in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or its subsidiaries.
(x) Trade Secrets. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable and customary actions to protect their rights in and prevent the unauthorized use and disclosure of
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material trade secrets and confidential business information (including confidential source code, ideas, research and development information, know-how, formulas, compositions, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, research records, records of inventions, test information, financial, marketing and business data, customer and supplier lists and information, pricing and cost information, business and marketing plans and proposals) owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there has been no unauthorized use or disclosure of material trade secrets and confidential business information.
(y) IT Assets. Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) the computers, software, servers, networks, data communications lines, and other information technology systems owned, licensed, leased or otherwise used by the Company or its subsidiaries (excluding any public networks) (collectively, the IT Assets) operate and perform as is necessary for the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (ii) to the Companys knowledge, such IT Assets are not infected by viruses, disabling code or other harmful code.
(z) FDA Compliance. The Company: (A) is in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.) and the regulations promulgated thereunder ( the FDCA) except where failure to be so in compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) has not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from the FDA alleging or asserting material noncompliance with the FDCA or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required under the FDCA (Authorizations); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such except where failure to possess or be so in compliance with such Authorizations would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA or any governmental entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of the FDCA or the terms of any Authorization and has no knowledge that the FDA or any governmental entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, which if resolved adversely to the Company, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (E) has not received written notice that the FDA or any governmental entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any governmental entity is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required under the FDCA or any Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except where instances of failure to file, obtain, maintain or submit required documentation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Companys knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in compliance with and any
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applicable laws, including, without limitation, the FDCA and its implementing regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58 and 312 and any applicable rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notices or written correspondence from the FDA or any governmental entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials.
(bb) Compliance with Health Care Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all Health Care Laws except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, Health Care Laws means: (i) the FDCA; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), and the exclusion law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; and (v) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Companys knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or the to the Companys knowledge, their agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
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(cc) No Undisclosed Relationships. 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, suppliers or other affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(dd) Investment Company Act. 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 Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an investment company or an entity controlled by an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the Investment Company Act).
(ee) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof; and there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets and which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ff) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course. To the Companys knowledge, no party granting any such licenses, certificates, permits or other authorizations has taken any action to limit, suspend or revoke the same in any material respect. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission) as required for maintenance of their licenses, certificates, permits or other authorizations that are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses.
(gg) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, 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 its or its subsidiaries principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.
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(hh) Certain Environmental Matters. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, Environmental Laws); (y) have received and are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) none of the Company or its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.
(ii) Hazardous Materials. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials by, relating to or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on, under or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or at, on, under or from any other property or facility, in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Hazardous Materials means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. Release means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into from or through any building or structure.
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(jj) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), for which the Company or any member of its Controlled Group (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the the Code would have any liability (each, a Plan) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in at risk status (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in endangered status or critical status (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA) (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Companys and its Controlled Group affiliates most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
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(ll) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that are designed to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. There are no material weaknesses in the Companys internal controls. The Companys auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Companys ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting.
(mm) Insurance. 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 the Company reasonably believes are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; 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.
(nn) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, 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 or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other
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unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(oo) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. 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, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(pp) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf 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 or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a specially designated national or blocked person), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and the Crimea Region of the Ukraine (each, a Sanctioned Country); 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 or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(qq) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiarys capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiarys properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(rr) No Brokers Fees. 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
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give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finders fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ss) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares, except such rights that have been validly waived.
(tt) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.
(uu) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(vv) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(ww) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(xx) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Companys directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(yy) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(zz) No Ratings. There are (and prior to the Closing Date, will be) no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.
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(aaa) Directed Share Program. The Company represents and warrants that (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses comply in all material respects, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply in all material respects, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program, and that (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, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer or suppliers 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.
(bbb) Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Companys or any of its subsidiaries information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology (collectively, IT Systems and Data) and (y) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (ii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, three signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined
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below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term Prospectus Delivery Period means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information including, but not limited to, any request for information concerning any Testing-the-Waters Communication; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then
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amended or supplemented would 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 existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would 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 existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its securityholders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the effective date (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement, provided that the Company will be deemed to have satisfied such requirement to the extent such information is filed on the Commissions Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with, or submit to, the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition, submission or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other
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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, other than (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options granted under Company Stock Plans described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the conversion of convertible preferred stock outstanding on the date of this Agreement in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, (D) any options and other awards granted under a Company Stock Plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (E) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to a Company Stock Plan described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (F) any shares of Stock of the Company, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, or the entry into an agreement to issue shares of Stock of the Company, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Stock, issued in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided, however, that the aggregate number of shares of Stock, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, that the Company may issue or agree to issue pursuant to this clause (F) shall not exceed 5% of the total outstanding shares of Stock immediately following the issuance of the Underwritten Shares pursuant hereto and provided, further, that the recipient of any such shares of Stock or securities issued pursuant to clauses (B), (C), (D) or (F) during the 180-day restricted period described above shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
(i) If the Representatives in their sole discretion agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 6(m) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto 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 Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading Use of Proceeds.
(k) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.
(l) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Market.
(m) Reports. For a period of three years from the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or
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other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commissions Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.
(n) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
(o) Filings. The Company will file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.
(p) Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 4(h) hereof.
(q) Directed Share Program. The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:
(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no issuer information (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing.
(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
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(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
6. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt securities or preferred stock issued, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) Officers Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives on behalf of the Company and not in their individual capacities (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the
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Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(f) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. (i) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, BDO USA, LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants comfort letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a cut-off date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Company. Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(h) Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for the Company. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., intellectual property counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(i) Opinion and Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and negative assurance letter of Cooley LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance and Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.
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(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(l) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Market, subject to official notice of issuance.
(m) Lock-up Agreements. The lock-up agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and substantially all of the securityholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any issuer information filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a road show) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use
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therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption Underwriting and the information contained in the fifteenth paragraph under the caption Underwriting.
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9, such person (the Indemnified Person) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the Indemnifying Person) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses
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shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) 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 or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) 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 that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
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liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable legal or other reasonable expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
(g) Directed Share Program Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Directed Share Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Directed Share Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each a Directed Share Underwriter Entity) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with defending or investigating any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) (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 or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of the Directed Share Underwriter Entities.
(h) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Directed Share Underwriter Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to paragraph (g) above, the Directed Share Underwriter Entity seeking indemnity shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Directed Share Underwriter Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Directed Share Underwriter Entity to represent the Directed Share Underwriter Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Directed Share Underwriter Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Directed Share Underwriter Entity unless (i) the Company and such Directed Share Underwriter Entity shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the Company has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Directed Share Underwriter Entity, (iii) the Directed Share Underwriter Entity shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company or (iv) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Directed Share Underwriter Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
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differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Directed Share Underwriter Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Directed Share Underwriter Entities. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent, the Company agrees to indemnify the Directed Share Underwriter Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time any Directed Share Underwriter Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse such Directed Share Underwriter Entity for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed such Directed Share Underwriter Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Directed Share Underwriter, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Directed Share Underwriter Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Directed Share Underwriter Entity, unless (x) such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Directed Share Underwriter Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of the Directed Share Underwriter Entity.
(i) To the extent the indemnification provided for in paragraph (g) above is unavailable to a Directed Share Underwriter Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Directed Share Underwriter Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (1) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (2) if the allocation provided by clause 7(i)(1) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(i)(1) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Directed Share Underwriter Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Directed Share Underwriter Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Directed Share Underwriter Entities and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(j) The Company and the Directed Share Underwriter Entities agree that it would be not just or equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (i) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Directed Share Underwriter Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
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method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (i) above. The amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter Entities in connection with investigating or defending such any action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (i) above, no Directed Share Underwriter Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Directed Share Underwriter Entity has otherwise been required to pay. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in paragraphs (g) through (j) are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(k) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in paragraphs (g) through (j) shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Directed Share Underwriter Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.
9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date: (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in
31
the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term Underwriter includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriters pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
11. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Companys counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum and any Canadian wrapper (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $5,000); (v) the cost of preparing
32
stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters, provided that the reimbursement obligation for any such fees and expenses shall be reasonably documented and not exceed $35,000); (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any road show presentation to potential investors (provided that the Underwriters and the Company shall each pay 50% of the cost of chartering any aircraft and other transportation to be used in connection with the road show by the Company and the Underwriters, and all lodging, commercial airfare and individual expenses of the Underwriters shall be the responsibility of the Underwriters); (ix) all of the fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Market.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters (other than by reason of a default by any Underwriter) or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the Company shall not pay or reimburse any costs, fees or expenses incurred by an Underwriter pursuant to this paragraph (b) that defaults on its obligations to purchase the Shares.
12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters or the directors, officers, controlling persons or affiliates referred to in Section 7 hereof.
14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term affiliate has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term business day means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term subsidiary has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term significant subsidiary has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act. In the event that the Company has only one subsidiary, then all references herein to subsidiaries of the Company shall be deemed to refer to such single subsidiary, mutatis mutandis.
33
15. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. 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.
16. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 622-8358), c/o Leerink Partners LLC, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 and c/o Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention: Equity Capital Markets and separately, General Counsel. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2, San Diego, California 92121, (Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer.
(b) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(c) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
(g) Integration. 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.
[Signature Page Follows]
34
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours, | ||
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. |
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
Accepted: As of the date first written above | ||
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | ||
LEERINK PARTNERS LLC | ||
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO. | ||
For themselves and on behalf of the | ||
several Underwriters listed | ||
in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
LEERINK PARTNERS LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO. | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Schedule 1
Underwriter |
Number of Shares | |||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
||||
Leerink Partners LLC |
||||
Piper Jaffray & Co. |
||||
|
|
|||
Total |
||||
|
|
36
Schedule 2
Significant Subsidiaries
Crinetics Australia Pty Ltd
37
Annex A
a. | Pricing Disclosure Package |
[list each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to be included in the Pricing Disclosure Package]
b. | Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters |
[set out key information included in script that will be used by Underwriters to confirm sales]
38
Annex B
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
[Crinetics TTW Investor Presentation]
39
Annex C
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Pricing Term Sheet
[TO COME]
40
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2018
J. P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
LEERINK PARTNERS LLC
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO.
As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below
c/o J. P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10179
c/o Leerink Partners LLC
One Federal Street, 37th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
c/o Piper Jaffray & Co.
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Re: Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Initial Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, a stockholder of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), understands that you, as representatives (the Representatives) of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) with the Company, providing for the initial public offering (the Public Offering) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriters), of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Common Stock), of the Company (the Securities). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this Letter Agreement) and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the Prospectus) (such period, the Restricted Period), (1) lend, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including, without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned
41
by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (and, for the avoidance of doubt, the undersigned hereby waives any and all notice requirements and rights with respect to the registration of any securities pursuant to any agreement, instrument, understanding or otherwise, including any stockholders or registration rights agreement or similar agreement, to which the undersigned is a party or under which the undersigned is entitled to any right or benefit), in each case other than (A) the Securities to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (B) transfers of shares of Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts, (C) distributions of shares of Common Stock to limited or general partners, members or stockholders of the undersigned, (D) transfers to an immediate family member or trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or an immediate family member, (E) transfers to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held by the undersigned, (F) transfers by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned, (G) transfers pursuant to a court or regulatory agency order, a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, (H) transfers to the Company in connection with the net or cashless exercise of options or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to an equity incentive plan, stock purchase plan or other arrangement described in the registration statement (Registration Statement) on Form S-1 to be filed with the SEC in satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations through cashless surrender or otherwise, provided, that, any shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of such option or other rights shall continue to be subject to the restrictions set forth herein until the expiration of the Restricted Period, (I) if the undersigned is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (a Mutual Fund), transfers pursuant to a merger or reorganization with or into another Mutual Fund that shares the same investment adviser registered pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, (J) transfers to any affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned or under common management or control with the undersigned, and (K) in connection with the conversion of outstanding shares of preferred stock of the Company into Common Stock as described in the Registration Statement, or any reclassification or conversion of the Common Stock, provided that any Common Stock received upon such conversion or reclassification will be subject to the restrictions set forth in this paragraph; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (B), (C), (D), (E), (F), (G), (I) or (J), each transferee, donee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (C), (D), (E), (F), (G) and (J), such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (B) through (J), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above). 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 Company-directed Securities the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.
Further, a transfer of Securities to the Company in connection with any contractual arrangement in effect on the date of the Prospectus that provides for the repurchase of the undersigneds shares by the
42
Company in connection with the termination of the undersigneds employment or other services with the Company is permitted, provided that no filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period within 60 days after the date the undersigned ceases to provide services to the Company, and after such 60th day, if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16 of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock during the Restricted Period, the undersigned shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the termination of the undersigneds employment or other services. Additionally, a transfer of Securities pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Companys Securities involving a change of control of the Company, in each case that is approved by the independent members of the Board of Directors of the Company, is permitted provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such Securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Letter Agreement. As used herein, 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, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company or the surviving entity.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein shall prevent the undersigned from establishing a 10b5-1 trading plan that complies with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (10b5-1 Trading Plan), provided that (i) there are no sales of Securities under such 10b5-1 Trading Plan during the Restricted Period, (ii) the establishment of such 10b5-1 Trading Plan is not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the SEC, or otherwise, and (iii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report or any public announcement regarding the establishment of such 10b5-1 Trading Plan.
As used herein, immediate family shall mean the spouse, domestic partner, lineal descendent (including adopted children), father, mother, brother or sister of the transferor.
Furthermore, the undersigned may sell Securities purchased by the undersigned in the Public Offering (including any issuer-directed Securities if the undersigned is not an officer or director of the Company) or in the open market following the date of the Prospectus for the Public Offering if and only if (i) such Securities are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the SEC, or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters 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 on behalf of the Underwriters 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 on behalf of the Underwriters 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.
43
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, (i) if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by November 30, 2018 (provided, however, that the Company may extend such date by up to three months with written notice to the undersigned prior thereto if the Company is still pursuing the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement), (ii) if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, (iii) if the Company files an application to withdraw the Registration Statement or (iv) if the Company advises the Representatives in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
44
This letter agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this letter agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
Very truly yours, | ||
| ||
Name of Security Holder (Print exact name) | ||
By: |
| |
Signature | ||
If not signing in an individual capacity: | ||
| ||
Name of Authorized Signatory (Print) | ||
| ||
Title of Authorized Signatory (Print) | ||
(indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity) |
[Signature Page to Lock-up Agreement]
Exhibit B
Form of Waiver of Lock-up
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
LEERINK PARTNERS LLC
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO.
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Public Offering of Common Stock
, 201
[Name and Address of
Officer or Director
Requesting Waiver]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:
This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the offering by Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) of shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the Common Stock), of the Company and the lock-up letter dated , 2018 (the Lock-up Letter), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated , 201 , with respect to shares of Common Stock (the Shares).
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Letter, but only with respect to the Shares, effective , 201 ; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].
Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Letter shall remain in full force and effect.
Yours very truly, | ||
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
LEERINK PARTNERS LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
cc: Company
Exhibit C
Form of Press Release
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[Date]
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) announced today that J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Leerink Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co., the joint book-running managers in the Companys recent public sale of shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Companys 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.
2
Exhibit D
[Company Letterhead]
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Testing the Waters Authorization Letter
May 16, 2018
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
Piper Jaffray & Co.
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
c/o Leerink Partners LLC
One Federal Street, 37th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
c/o Piper Jaffray & Co.
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
In reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Issuer) hereby authorizes J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (J.P. Morgan) and its affiliates and their respective employees, Leerink Partners LLC (Leerink) and its affiliates and their respective employees and Piper Jaffray & Co. (Piper) and its affiliates and their respective employees, to engage on behalf of the Issuer in oral and written communications with potential investors that are qualified institutional buyers, as defined in Rule 144A under the Act, or institutions that are accredited investors, as defined in Regulation D under the Act, to determine whether such investors might have an interest in the Issuers contemplated initial public offering (Testing-the-Waters Communications). A Written Testing-the-Waters Communication means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
The Issuer represents that it is an emerging growth company as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (Emerging Growth Company) and agrees to promptly notify J.P. Morgan, Leerink and Piper in writing if the Issuer hereafter ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company while this authorization is in effect. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Issuer will promptly notify J.P. Morgan, Leerink and Piper and will
promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
Nothing in this authorization is intended to limit or otherwise affect the ability of J.P. Morgan and its affiliates and their respective employees, Leerink and its affiliates and their respective employees and Piper and its affiliates and their respective employees, to engage in communications in which they could otherwise lawfully engage in the absence of this authorization, including, without limitation, any written communication containing only one or more of the statements specified under Rule 134(a) under the Act. This authorization shall remain in effect until the Issuer has provided to J.P. Morgan, Leerink and Piper a written notice revoking this authorization. All notices as described herein shall be sent by email to the attention of Libby Hauser at elizabeth.c.hauser@jpmorgan.com,Patrick Morley at patrick.morley@leerink.com and Chad E. Huber at chad.e.huber@pjc.com.
[Signature page follows]
Sincerely, | ||
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Date: |
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. hereby certifies that:
ONE: The date of filing the original Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware was November 18, 2008.
TWO: He is the duly elected and acting Chief Executive Officer of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
THREE: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation is hereby amended and restated to read as follows:
I.
The name of this corporation is Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company).
II.
The address of the registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808, and the name of the registered agent of the corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is Corporation Service Company.
III.
The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL).
IV.
A. The Company is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, Common Stock and Preferred Stock. The total number of shares that the Company is authorized to issue is 113,868,345 shares, 65,000,000 shares of which shall be Common Stock (the Common Stock), and 48,868,345 shares of which shall be Preferred Stock (the Preferred Stock). The Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share and the Common Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share.
B. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Company entitled to vote (voting together as a single class on an as-if-converted basis).
C. 28,763,179 of the authorized shares of Preferred Stock are hereby designated Series A Preferred Stock (the Series A Preferred) and 20,105,166 of the authorized shares of Preferred Stock are hereby designated Series B Preferred Stock (the Series B Preferred together with the Series A Preferred, the Series Preferred).
D. The rights, preferences, privileges, restrictions and other matters relating to the Common Stock and the Series Preferred are as follows:
1. DIVIDEND RIGHTS.
(a) Holders of Series Preferred, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled to receive, but only out of funds that are legally available therefor, on a pari passu basis, cash dividends at the rate of 8% of the applicable Original Issue Price (as defined below), per annum on each outstanding share of Series Preferred. Such dividends shall be payable only when, as and if declared by the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) and shall be non-cumulative.
(b) The Series A Original Issue Price of the Series A Preferred shall be $1.043 (as adjusted for any stock dividends, combinations, splits, recapitalizations and the like with respect to such shares after the filing date hereof). The Series B Original Issue Price of the Series B Preferred shall be $3.233 (as adjusted for any stock dividends, combinations, splits, recapitalizations and the like with respect to such shares after the filing date hereof). Each of the Series A Original Issue Price and Series B Original Issue Price are sometimes referred to herein as the Original Issue Price.
(c) So long as any shares of Series Preferred are outstanding, the Company shall not pay or declare any dividend (whether in cash or property), or make any other distribution on the Common Stock, or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for value any shares of Common Stock, until all dividends as set forth in Section 1(a) above on the Series Preferred shall have been paid or declared and set apart, except for:
(i) acquisitions of Common Stock by the Company pursuant to agreements that permit the Company to repurchase such shares at no more than cost upon termination of services to the Company;
(ii) acquisitions of Common Stock in exercise of the Companys right of first refusal to repurchase such shares, provided that such acquisitions are approved by the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors (as defined below); or
(iii) distributions to holders of Common Stock in accordance with Section 3.
(d) In the event dividends are paid on any share of Common Stock, the Company shall pay an additional dividend on all outstanding shares of Series Preferred in a per share amount equal (on an as-if-converted to Common Stock basis) to the amount paid or set aside for each share of Common Stock.
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(e) The provisions of Sections 1(c) and 1(d) shall not apply to a dividend payable solely in Common Stock to which the provisions of Section 4(f) hereof are applicable, or to any repurchase of any outstanding securities of the Company that is approved by (i) the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors, and, (ii) if required by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this Certificate of Incorporation), the Series Preferred.
(f) A distribution to the Companys stockholders may be made without regard to the preferential dividends arrears amount or any preferential rights amount (each as determined under applicable law).
2. VOTING RIGHTS.
(a) General Rights. Each holder of shares of the Series Preferred shall be entitled to the number of votes equal to the number of shares of Common Stock into which such shares of Series Preferred could be converted pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof immediately after the close of business on the record date fixed for such meeting or the effective date of such written consent, shall have voting rights and powers equal to the voting rights and powers of the Common Stock and shall be entitled to notice of any stockholders meeting in accordance with the bylaws of the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein or as required by law, the Series Preferred shall vote together with the Common Stock at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders and not as a separate class, and may act by written consent in the same manner as the Common Stock. The holders of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held at all meetings of stockholders (and actions by written consent in lieu of meetings); provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation or pursuant to the DGCL.
(b) Separate Vote of Series Preferred. For so long as any shares of Series Preferred remain outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent required herein or by law, the vote or written consent of (1) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred and (2) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred, each voting separately as a class (the Requisite Majority), shall be necessary to do any of the following (whether by merger, recapitalization or otherwise), and any such act or transaction entered into without such vote or consent shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:
(i) alter or change the rights, powers, preferences or privileges of the Series Preferred;
(ii) amend, alter, waive or repeal any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company or any subsidiary thereof, including, without limitation, amending this Certificate of Incorporation in order to increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock;
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(iii) create, authorize or designate, whether by reclassification or otherwise, any new class or series of stock or any other securities convertible into a new class or series of stock of the Company ranking on a parity with or senior to the Series Preferred in right of redemption, liquidation preference, voting or dividend rights or any increase in the authorized or designated number of any such class or series;
(iv) redeem, repurchase, pay or declare dividends or other distributions with respect to the Common Stock or Preferred Stock (except for any acquisition of Common Stock or payment by the Company permitted by Sections 1(c)(i), (ii) or (iii) or 1(e) hereof);
(v) incur, create, issue or guarantee, or authorize the incurrence, creation, issuance or guarantee of, any indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $2,000,000 in the aggregate (through the issuance of debt securities or otherwise), unless otherwise approved by the Board (including at least one of the Series Preferred Directors (as defined below));
(vi) enter into any agreement pursuant to which the Company would reasonably be expected to have financial obligations (contingent or otherwise) in excess of $2,000,000, unless otherwise approved by the Board (including at least one of the Series Preferred Directors);
(vii) issue, or authorize the issuance, of shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company representing in excess of 10% of the Companys outstanding shares of capital stock on an as-if-converted to Common Stock basis (taking into account all outstanding Convertible Securities (as defined below)) in order to acquire any equity securities or assets of another entity;
(viii) create, or hold capital stock in, any subsidiary that is not wholly owned by the Company (directly or through one or more other subsidiaries), or sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any capital stock of any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company, or permit any direct or indirect subsidiary to sell, lease, transfer, exclusively license or otherwise dispose (in a single transaction or series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of such subsidiary;
(ix) enter into any agreement regarding an Asset Transfer or Acquisition (each as defined in Section 3 hereof);
(x) voluntarily dissolve or liquidate the Company; or
(xi) increase or decrease the authorized number of members of the Board (except as required pursuant to the terms of that certain Voting Agreement, dated on or about the filing date hereof and as may be amended from time to time, by and among the Company, those certain holders of Common Stock listed on Exhibit A thereto and the persons and entities listed on Exhibit B thereto).
(c) Separate Vote of Series B Preferred. For so long as any shares of Series B Preferred remain outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent required herein
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or by law, the vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Series B Preferred shall be necessary to do any of the following (whether by merger, recapitalization or otherwise), and any such act or transaction entered into without such vote or consent shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:
(i) adversely alter or change the rights, powers, preferences or privileges of the Series B Preferred; or
(ii) increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of Series B Preferred.
(d) Separate Vote of Series A Preferred. For so long as any shares of Series A Preferred remain outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent required herein or by law, the vote or written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred shall be necessary to do any of the following (whether by merger, recapitalization or otherwise), and any such act or transaction entered into without such vote or consent shall be null and void ab initio, and of no force or effect:
(i) adversely alter or change the rights, powers, preferences or privileges of the Series A Preferred; or
(ii) increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of Series A Preferred.
(e) Election of Board of Directors.
(i) For so long as any shares of Series A Preferred remain outstanding, the holders of Series A Preferred, voting as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect three (3) members of the Board (each, a Series A Director and collectively, the Series A Directors) at each meeting or pursuant to each consent of the Companys stockholders for the election of directors, and to remove from office such directors in accordance with applicable law and to fill any vacancy caused by the resignation, death or removal of such directors.
(ii) For so long as any shares of Series B Preferred remain outstanding, the holders of Series B Preferred, voting as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect one (1) member of the Board (the Series B Director and together with the Series A Directors, the Series Preferred Directors) at each meeting or pursuant to each consent of the Companys stockholders for the election of directors, and to remove from office such directors in accordance with applicable law and to fill any vacancy caused by the resignation, death or removal of such directors.
(iii) The holders of Common Stock, voting as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect one member of the Board at each meeting or pursuant to each consent of the Companys stockholders for the election of directors, and to remove from office such director in accordance with applicable law and to fill any vacancy caused by the resignation, death or removal of such director.
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(iv) The holders of Common Stock and Series Preferred, voting together as a single class on an as-if converted basis, shall be entitled to elect all remaining members of the Board at each meeting or pursuant to each consent of the Companys stockholders for the election of directors, and to remove from office such directors in accordance with applicable law and to fill any vacancy caused by the resignation, death or removal of such directors.
(v) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 223(a)(1) and 223(a)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, and subject to Sections 2(e)(i), 2(e)(ii) and 2(e)(iii), as the case may be, any vacancy, including newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or amendment of this Certificate of Incorporation, and vacancies created by removal or resignation of a director, may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and the directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and shall qualify, unless sooner displaced; provided, however, that where such vacancy occurs among the directors elected by the holders of a class or series of stock, the holders of shares of such class or series shall be entitled to fill such vacancy by (i) voting for their own designee to fill such vacancy at a meeting of the Companys stockholders or (ii) written consent, if the consenting stockholders would hold a sufficient number of shares to elect their designee at a meeting of the stockholders in which all members of such class or series are present and voted. Any director may be removed during his or her term of office without cause, by, and only by, the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of the class or series of stock entitled to elect such director or directors, given either at a special meeting of such stockholders duly called for that purpose or pursuant to a written consent of such stockholders, and any vacancy thereby created may be filled by the holders of that class or series of stock represented at the meeting or pursuant to written consent. At any meeting held for the purpose of electing a director, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the class or series entitled to elect such director shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of electing such director.
(vi) No person entitled to vote at an election for directors may cumulate votes to which such person is entitled unless required by applicable law at the time of such election. During such time or times that applicable law requires cumulative voting, every stockholder entitled to vote at an election for directors may cumulate such stockholders votes and give one candidate a number of votes equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which such stockholders shares are otherwise entitled, or distribute the stockholders votes on the same principle among as many candidates as such stockholder desires. No stockholder, however, shall be entitled to so cumulate such stockholders votes unless (A) the names of such candidate or candidates have been placed in nomination prior to the voting and (B) the stockholder has given notice at the meeting, prior to the voting, of such stockholders intention to cumulate such stockholders votes. If cumulative voting is required by applicable law and any stockholder has given proper notice to cumulate votes, all stockholders may cumulate their votes for any candidates who have been properly placed in nomination. Under cumulative voting, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes, up to the number of directors to be elected, are elected.
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(f) Voting Rights of Directors. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 2(f), each director of the Company shall be entitled to one vote on every matter that comes before the Board (or any committee or subcommittee thereof on which such director serves). In accordance with Section 141(d) of the DGCL, in the event (A) the Board is comprised of an even number of directors, (B) a matter comes before the Board at a duly held meeting, and (C) but for this Section 2(f), the votes on such matter are evenly split amongst the directors (e.g., the same number of directors vote in favor of the matter as the number of directors that vote against the matter), then, in each such case, (i) each Series Preferred Director shall have two votes with respect to such matter and (ii) the vote of each Series Preferred Director on such matter shall, as of the time of the original vote taken on such matter, constitute two votes with respect to such matter.
3. LIQUIDATION RIGHTS.
(a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary (a Liquidation Event), before any distribution or payment shall be made to the holders of any Common Stock, the holders of Series Preferred shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company legally available for distribution (or the consideration received by the Company or its stockholders in an Acquisition) for each share of Series Preferred held by them, on a pari passu basis, an amount per share of Series B Preferred equal to the Series B Original Issue Price, plus all declared and unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred (the Series B Liquidation Preference), and an amount per share of Series A Preferred equal to the Series A Original Issue Price, plus all declared and unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred (the Series A Liquidation Preference and together with the Series B Liquidation Preference, the Liquidation Preference). If, upon any such Liquidation Event, the assets of the Company shall be insufficient to make payment in full to all holders of Series Preferred of the liquidation preference set forth in this Section 3(a), then such assets (or consideration) shall be distributed among the holders of Series Preferred at the time outstanding, ratably in proportion to the full amounts to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
(b) After the payment of the full Liquidation Preference as set forth in Section 3(a) above, the remaining assets of the Company legally available for distribution in such Liquidation Event (or the consideration received by the Company or its stockholders in an Acquisition), if any, shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Common Stock and Series Preferred, on a pari passu and an as-if-converted to Common Stock basis, until (i) with respect to holders of Series A Preferred, such holders have received pursuant to Section 3(a) above and this Section 3(b) an aggregate amount per share of Series A Preferred equal to three times the Series A Liquidation Preference, and (ii) with respect to holders of Series B Preferred, such holders have received pursuant to Section 3(a) above and this Section 3(b) two times the Series B Liquidation Preference, in each case after taking into account any Liquidation Preference previously paid on such shares. Thereafter, the remaining assets of the Company legally available for distribution in such Liquidation Event (or the consideration received by the Company or its stockholders in an Acquisition), if any, shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Common Stock.
(c) An Asset Transfer or Acquisition (each as defined below) shall be deemed a Liquidation Event for purposes of this Section 3.
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(i) For the purposes of this Section 3: (i) Acquisition shall mean (A) any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other corporation or other entity or person, or any other corporate reorganization, other than any such consolidation, merger or reorganization in which the shares of capital stock of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation, merger or reorganization, continue to represent a majority of the voting power of the surviving entity (or, if the surviving entity is a wholly owned subsidiary, its parent) immediately after such consolidation, merger or reorganization (provided that, for the purpose of this Section 3(c), all shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options outstanding immediately prior to such consolidation or merger or upon conversion of Convertible Securities (as defined below) outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation shall be deemed to be outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation and, if applicable, converted or exchanged in such merger or consolidation on the same terms as the actual outstanding shares of capital stock are converted or exchanged); or (B) any transaction or series of related transactions to which the Company is a party in which in excess of 50% of the Companys voting power is transferred; provided that an Acquisition shall not include any transaction or series of transactions principally for bona fide equity financing purposes in which cash is received by the Company or any successor or indebtedness of the Company is cancelled or converted or a combination thereof; and (ii) Asset Transfer shall mean a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
(ii) In any Acquisition or Asset Transfer, if the consideration to be received is securities of a corporation or other property other than cash, its value will be deemed its fair market value as determined in good faith by the Board on the date such determination is made.
(iii) The Company shall not have the power to effect an Acquisition or Asset Transfer unless the definitive agreement for such transaction (the Agreement) provides that the consideration payable to the stockholders of the Company in connection therewith shall be allocated among the holders of capital stock of the Company in accordance with this Section 3.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any Liquidation Event, (including an Acquisition or Asset Transfer), each holder of Series Preferred shall be entitled to receive, for each share of Series Preferred then held, out of the proceeds available for distribution, the greater of (i) the amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would be entitled to receive with respect to such shares in a Liquidation Event pursuant to Section 3(a) and 3(b) (without giving effect to this Section 3(d)) or (ii) the amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would be entitled to receive in a Liquidation Event with respect to such shares if such shares had been converted to Common Stock immediately prior to such Liquidation Event or Acquisition or Asset Transfer, giving effect to this Section 3(d) with respect to all series of Preferred Stock simultaneously.
(e) In the event of a Liquidation Event (including an Acquisition or Asset Transfer), if any portion of the consideration payable to the stockholders of the Company is placed into escrow and/or is payable to the stockholders of the Company subject to contingencies, the Agreement shall provide that (x) the portion of such consideration that is not placed in escrow and not subject to any contingencies (the Initial Consideration) shall be
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allocated among the holders of capital stock of the Company in accordance with Sections 3(a), 3(b), and 3(d) as if the Initial Consideration were the only consideration payable in connection with such Acquisition or Asset Transfer and (y) any additional consideration that becomes payable to the stockholders of the Company upon release from escrow or satisfaction of contingencies shall be allocated among the holders of capital stock of the Company in accordance with Sections 3(a), 3(b), and 3(d) after taking into account the previous payment of the Initial Consideration as part of the same transaction.
4. CONVERSION RIGHTS.
The holders of the Series Preferred shall have the following rights with respect to the conversion of the Series Preferred into shares of Common Stock (the Conversion Rights):
(a) Optional Conversion. Subject to and in compliance with the provisions of this Section 4, any shares of Series Preferred may, at the option of the holder, be converted at any time into fully-paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, any determination under this Certificate of Incorporation as to the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on an as-if-converted basis, as-if-converted to Common Stock basis, or any similar determination, shall, with respect to then-outstanding shares of Series Preferred, reflect the number of shares into which such shares of Series Preferred may be converted pursuant to this Section 4(a). The number of shares of Common Stock to which a holder of Series Preferred shall be entitled to receive upon conversion pursuant to this Section 4(a) or Section 4(l) below shall be the product obtained by multiplying the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Rate for such series then in effect (determined as provided in Section 4(b)) by the number of shares of Series Preferred being converted.
(b) Series Preferred Conversion Rates. The conversion rate in effect at any time for conversion of the Series A Preferred (the Series A Preferred Conversion Rate) shall be the quotient obtained by dividing the Series A Original Issue Price by the Series A Preferred Conversion Price, calculated as provided in Section 4(c). The conversion rate in effect at any time for conversion of the Series B Preferred (the Series B Preferred Conversion Rate and together with the Series A Preferred Conversion Rate, the Series Preferred Conversion Rate) shall be the quotient obtained by dividing the Series B Original Price by the Series B Preferred Conversion Price, calculated as provided in Section 4(c).
(c) Series Preferred Conversion Prices. The conversion price for the Series A Preferred shall initially be the Series A Original Issue Price of the Series A Preferred (the Series A Preferred Conversion Price), and the conversion price for the Series B Preferred shall initially be the Series B Original Issue Price of the Series B Preferred (the Series B Preferred Conversion Price and together with the Series A Preferred Conversion Price, the Series Preferred Conversion Price). Such initial Series Preferred Conversion Prices shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Section 4. All references to the Series Preferred Conversion Prices herein shall mean the Series Preferred Conversion Prices as so adjusted.
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(d) Mechanics of Optional Conversion. Each holder of Series Preferred who desires to convert the same into shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Section 4 shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly endorsed, at the office of the Company or any transfer agent for the Series Preferred, and shall give written notice to the Company at such office that such holder elects to convert the same. Such notice shall state the number of shares of Series Preferred being converted. Thereupon, the Company shall promptly issue and deliver at such office to such holder a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock to which such holder is entitled and shall promptly pay (i) in cash or, to the extent sufficient funds are not then legally available therefor, in Common Stock (at the Common Stocks fair market value determined by the Board as of the date of such conversion), any declared and unpaid dividends on the shares of Series Preferred being converted and (ii) in cash (at the Common Stocks fair market value determined by the Board as of the date of conversion) the value of any fractional share of Common Stock otherwise issuable to any holder of Series Preferred. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made at the close of business on the date of such surrender of the certificates representing the shares of Series Preferred to be converted, and the person entitled to receive the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder of such shares of Common Stock on such date.
(e) Adjustment for Stock Splits and Combinations. If at any time or from time to time on or after the date that the first share of Series B Preferred is issued (the Original Issue Date) the Company effects a subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock, the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price in effect immediately before that subdivision shall be proportionately decreased. Conversely, if at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date the Company combines the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price in effect immediately before the combination shall be proportionately increased. Any adjustment under this Section 4(e) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
(f) Adjustment for Common Stock Dividends and Distributions. If at any time or from time to time on or after the Original Issue Date the Company pays to holders of Common Stock a dividend or other distribution in additional shares of Common Stock, the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price then in effect shall be decreased as of the time of such issuance, as provided below:
(i) The applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price shall be adjusted by multiplying such Series Preferred Conversion Price then in effect by a fraction equal to:
(A) the numerator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance, and
(B) the denominator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance
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plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable in payment of such dividend or distribution;
(ii) If the Company fixes a record date to determine which holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive such dividend or other distribution, the Series Preferred Conversion Prices shall be fixed as of the close of business on such record date and the number of shares of Common Stock shall be calculated immediately prior to the close of business on such record date; and
(iii) If such record date is fixed and such dividend is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed therefor, the Series Preferred Conversion Prices shall be recomputed accordingly as of the close of business on such record date and thereafter the Series Preferred Conversion Prices shall be adjusted pursuant to this Section 4(f) to reflect the actual payment of such dividend or distribution.
(g) Adjustment for Reclassification, Exchange, Substitution, Reorganization, Merger or Consolidation. If at any time or from time to time on or after the Original Issue Date the Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series Preferred is changed into the same or a different number of shares of any class or classes of stock, whether by recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or otherwise (other than an Acquisition as defined in Section 3 or a subdivision or combination of shares or stock dividend provided for elsewhere in this Section 4), in any such event each share of Series Preferred shall thereafter be convertible in lieu of the Common Stock into which it was convertible prior to such event into the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company issuable upon conversion of one share of Series Preferred immediately prior to such recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or other transaction would have been entitled to receive pursuant to such transaction, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein or with respect to such other securities or property by the terms thereof. In any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Section 4 with respect to the rights of the holders of Series Preferred after the capital reorganization to the end that the provisions of this Section 4 (including adjustment of the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price then in effect and the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Series Preferred) shall be applicable after that event and be as nearly equivalent as practicable.
(h) Sale of Shares Below Series Preferred Conversion Prices.
(i) If at any time or from time to time on or after the Original Issue Date the Company issues or sells, or is deemed by the express provisions of this Section 4(h) to have issued or sold, Additional Shares of Common Stock (as defined below), other than as provided in Section 4(e), 4(f) or 4(g) above, for an Effective Price (as defined below) less than the then effective applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price (a Qualifying Dilutive Issuance), then and in each such case, the then existing applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price shall be reduced, as of the opening of business on the date of such issue or sale, to a price determined by multiplying the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issuance or sale by a fraction:
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(A) the numerator of which shall be (A) the number of shares of Common Stock deemed outstanding (as determined below) immediately prior to such issue or sale, plus (B) the number of shares of Common Stock that the Aggregate Consideration (as defined below) received or deemed received by the Company for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at such then-existing applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price, and
(B) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock deemed outstanding (as determined below) immediately prior to such issue or sale plus the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued.
For the purposes of the preceding sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, (B) the number of shares of Common Stock into which the then outstanding shares of Series Preferred could be converted if fully converted on the day immediately preceding the given date, and (C) the number of shares of Common Stock that are issuable upon the exercise or conversion of all other rights, options and Convertible Securities outstanding on the day immediately preceding the given date.
(ii) No adjustment shall be made to the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price if the adjustment amount would be less than 1% of the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price then in effect. Any adjustment otherwise required by this Section 4(h) that is not required to be made due to the first sentence of this subsection (ii) shall be included in any subsequent adjustment to the Series Preferred Conversion Prices. Any adjustment required by this Section 4(h) shall be rounded to the first decimal for which such rounding represents less than 1% of the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price in effect after such adjustment.
(iii) For the purpose of making any adjustment required under this Section 4(h), the aggregate consideration received by the Company for any issue or sale of securities (the Aggregate Consideration) shall be defined as: (A) to the extent it consists of cash, the gross amount of cash received by the Company before deduction of any underwriting or similar commissions, compensation or concessions paid or allowed by the Company in connection with such issue or sale and without deduction of any expenses payable by the Company, (B) to the extent it consists of property other than cash, the fair market value of that property as determined in good faith by the Board, and (C) if Additional Shares of Common Stock, Convertible Securities (as defined below) or rights or options to purchase either Additional Shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities are issued or sold together with other stock or securities or other assets of the Company for a consideration that covers both, the portion of the consideration so received that may be reasonably determined in good faith by the Board to be allocable to such Additional Shares of Common Stock, Convertible Securities or rights or options.
(iv) For the purpose of the adjustment required under this Section 4(h), if the Company issues or sells (x) Preferred Stock or other stock, options, warrants, purchase rights or other securities exercisable for or convertible into, Additional Shares of Common Stock (such convertible stock or securities being herein referred to as Convertible
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Securities) or (y) rights or options for the purchase of Additional Shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities and if the Effective Price of such Additional Shares of Common Stock is less than the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price, in each case the Company shall be deemed to have issued at the time of the issuance of such rights or options or Convertible Securities the maximum number of Additional Shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise or conversion thereof and to have received as consideration for the issuance of such shares an amount equal to the total amount of the consideration, if any, received by the Company for the issuance of such rights or options or Convertible Securities plus:
(A) in the case of such rights or options, the minimum amounts of consideration, if any, payable to the Company upon the exercise of such rights or options; and
(B) in the case of Convertible Securities, the minimum amounts of consideration, if any, payable to the Company upon the conversion thereof (other than by cancellation of liabilities or obligations evidenced by such Convertible Securities); provided that if the minimum amounts of such consideration cannot be ascertained, but are a function of antidilution or similar protective clauses, the Company shall be deemed to have received the minimum amounts of consideration without reference to such clauses.
(C) If the minimum amount of consideration payable to the Company upon the exercise or conversion of rights, options or Convertible Securities is reduced over time or on the occurrence or non-occurrence of specified events other than by reason of antidilution adjustments, the Effective Price shall be recalculated using the figure to which such minimum amount of consideration is reduced; provided further, that if the minimum amount of consideration payable to the Company upon the exercise or conversion of such rights, options or Convertible Securities is subsequently increased, the Effective Price shall be again recalculated using the increased minimum amount of consideration payable to the Company upon the exercise or conversion of such rights, options or Convertible Securities.
(D) No further adjustment of the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price, as adjusted upon the issuance of such rights, options or Convertible Securities, shall be made as a result of the actual issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock or the exercise of any such rights or options or the conversion of any such Convertible Securities. If any such rights or options or the conversion privilege represented by any such Convertible Securities shall expire without having been exercised, the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price as adjusted upon the issuance of such rights, options or Convertible Securities shall be readjusted to the Series Preferred Conversion Price that would have been in effect had an adjustment been made on the basis that the only Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued were the Additional Shares of Common Stock, if any, actually issued or sold on the exercise of such rights or options or rights of conversion of such Convertible Securities, and such Additional Shares of Common Stock, if any, were issued or sold for the consideration actually received by the Company upon such exercise, plus the consideration, if any, actually received by the Company for the granting of all such rights or options, whether or not exercised, plus the consideration received for issuing or selling the Convertible Securities actually converted, plus the consideration, if any, actually received by the Company (other than by cancellation of liabilities or obligations evidenced by such Convertible Securities) on the
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conversion of such Convertible Securities, provided that such readjustment shall not apply to prior conversions of Series Preferred.
(v) For the purpose of making any adjustment to the Series Preferred Conversion Price of the Series Preferred required under this Section 4(h), Additional Shares of Common Stock shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued by the Company or deemed to be issued pursuant to this Section 4(h) (including shares of Common Stock subsequently reacquired or retired by the Company), other than (the following securities being collectively referred to as Exempted Securities):
(A) shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Series Preferred;
(B) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued after the Original Issue Date to employees, officers or directors of, or consultants or advisors to the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to the Companys equity incentive plan as in effect on the filing date hereof, or pursuant to such other stock purchase or stock option plans or other arrangements that are approved by the Board (including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors);
(C) shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise or conversion of Convertible Securities outstanding as of the Original Issue Date;
(D) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued for consideration other than cash pursuant to a merger, consolidation, acquisition, strategic alliance or similar business combination approved by the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors;
(E) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued pursuant to any equipment loan or leasing arrangement, real property leasing arrangement or debt financing from a bank or similar financial or lending institution approved by the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors;
(F) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued to third-party service providers in exchange for or as consideration for services rendered to the Company, provided the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors, approves the issuance of such shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities and the exclusion of such shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities from the definition of Additional Shares of Common Stock for the purposes of this Section 4(h);
(G) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued in connection with strategic transactions involving the Company and other entities, including without limitation, joint ventures, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, technology transfer, sponsored research or development arrangements, provided the Board, including at least a majority of the Series Preferred Directors, approves the issuance of such shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities and the exclusion of such shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities from the definition of Additional Shares of Common Stock for the purposes of this Section 4(h);
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(H) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities issued pursuant to the terms of that certain Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, dated on or about the filing date hereof and as may be amended from time to time, by and among the Company and each of those persons and entities whose names are set forth on Exhibit A thereto; or
(I) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities that the Requisite Majority elect in writing to exclude from the definition of Additional Shares of Common Stock for purposes of this Section 4.
References to Common Stock in the subsections of this clause (v) above shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued by the Company or deemed to be issued pursuant to this Section 4(h). The Effective Price of Additional Shares of Common Stock shall mean the quotient determined by dividing the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock issued or sold, or deemed to have been issued or sold by the Company under this Section 4(h), into the Aggregate Consideration received, or deemed to have been received by the Company for such issue under this Section 4(h), for such Additional Shares of Common Stock. In the event that the number of shares of Additional Shares of Common Stock or the Effective Price cannot be ascertained at the time of issuance, such Additional Shares of Common Stock shall be deemed issued immediately upon the occurrence of the first event that makes such number of shares or the Effective Price, as applicable, ascertainable.
(vi) In the event that the Company issues or sells, or is deemed to have issued or sold, Additional Shares of Common Stock in a Qualifying Dilutive Issuance (the First Dilutive Issuance), then in the event that the Company issues or sells, or is deemed to have issued or sold, Additional Shares of Common Stock in a Qualifying Dilutive Issuance other than the First Dilutive Issuance as a part of the same transaction or series of related transactions as the First Dilutive Issuance (a Subsequent Dilutive Issuance), then and in each such case upon a Subsequent Dilutive Issuance the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price shall be reduced to the Series Preferred Conversion Price that would have been in effect had the First Dilutive Issuance and each Subsequent Dilutive Issuance all occurred on the closing date of the First Dilutive Issuance.
(i) Certificate of Adjustment. In each case of an adjustment or readjustment of the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price for the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon conversion of the Series Preferred, if the Series Preferred is then convertible pursuant to this Section 4, the Company, at its expense, shall compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the provisions hereof and shall, upon request, prepare a certificate showing such adjustment or readjustment, and shall mail such certificate, by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each registered holder of Series Preferred so requesting at the holders address as shown in the Companys books. The certificate shall set forth such adjustment or readjustment, showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, including a statement of (i) the consideration received or deemed to be received by the Company for any Additional Shares of Common Stock issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold, (ii) the applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price at the time in effect, (iii) the number of Additional Shares of Common Stock and (iv) the type and amount, if
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any, of other property that at the time would be received upon conversion of the Series Preferred. Failure to request or provide such notice shall have no effect on any such adjustment.
(j) Waiver of Adjustment to Conversion Price. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any downward adjustment of the Conversion Price of any series of Preferred Stock may be waived, either prospectively or retroactively and either generally or in a particular instance, by the consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of then outstanding shares of such series of Preferred Stock (voting together as a single class and not as separate series, and on an as-converted basis). Any such waiver shall bind all future holders of shares of such series of Preferred Stock.
(k) Notices of Record Date. Upon (i) any taking by the Company of a record of the holders of any class of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend or other distribution, or (ii) any Acquisition (as defined in Section 3) or other capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Company, any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other corporation, or any Asset Transfer (as defined in Section 3), or any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company, the Company shall mail to each holder of Series Preferred at least 10 days prior to (x) the record date, if any, specified therein; or (y) if no record date is specified, the date upon which such action is to take effect (or, in either case, such shorter period approved by the Requisite Majority) a notice specifying (A) the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend or distribution and a description of such dividend or distribution, (B) the date on which any such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected to become effective, and (C) the date, if any, that is to be fixed as to when the holders of record of Common Stock (or other securities) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or other securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such Acquisition, reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, Asset Transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
(l) Automatic Conversion.
(i) Each share of Series Preferred shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock, based on the then-effective applicable Series Preferred Conversion Price for such series, (A) at any time upon the affirmative election of the Requisite Majority, or (B) immediately upon the closing of a firmly underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering the offer and sale of Common Stock for the account of the Company in which (i) the per share price is at least $4.8495 (as adjusted for any stock dividends, combinations, splits, recapitalizations and the like with respect to such shares after the filing date hereof), (ii) the gross cash proceeds to the Company (before underwriting discounts, commissions and fees) are at least $50,000,000 and (iii) the Companys shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Global Select Market or NASDAQ Global Market (a Qualified IPO). Upon such automatic conversion, any declared and unpaid dividends shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(d).
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(ii) Upon the occurrence of either of the events specified in Section 4(l)(i) above, the outstanding shares of Series Preferred shall be converted automatically without any further action by the holders of such shares and whether or not the certificates representing such shares are surrendered to the Company or its transfer agent; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to issue certificates evidencing the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion unless the certificates evidencing such shares of Series Preferred are either delivered to the Company or its transfer agent as provided below, or the holder notifies the Company or its transfer agent that such certificates have been lost, stolen or destroyed and executes an agreement satisfactory to the Company to indemnify the Company from any loss incurred by it in connection with such certificates. Upon the occurrence of such automatic conversion of the Series Preferred, the holders of Series Preferred shall surrender the certificates representing such shares at the office of the Company or any transfer agent for the Series Preferred. Thereupon, there shall be issued and delivered to such holder promptly at such office and in its name as shown on such surrendered certificate or certificates, a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Series Preferred surrendered were convertible on the date on which such automatic conversion occurred, and any declared and unpaid dividends shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(d).
(m) Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of Series Preferred. All shares of Common Stock (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one share of Series Preferred by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share. If after the aforementioned aggregation the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional share, the Company shall, in lieu of issuing any fractional share, pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the fair market value of one share of Common Stock (as determined by the Board) on the date of conversion.
(n) Reservation of Stock Issuable Upon Conversion. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of the Series Preferred, such number of its shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of the Series Preferred. If at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of the Series Preferred, the Company will take such corporate action as may be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purpose.
(o) Notices. Any notice required by the provisions of this Section 4 shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (i) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (ii) when sent by electronic transmission in compliance with the provisions of the DGCL, if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; and if sent at a time other than the normal business hours of the recipient, then on the next business day, (iii) five days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (iv) one day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with verification of receipt. All notices shall be addressed to each holder of record at the address of such holder appearing on the books of the Company.
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(p) Payment of Taxes. The Company will pay all taxes (other than taxes based upon income) and other governmental charges that may be imposed with respect to the issue or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Series Preferred, excluding any tax or other charge imposed in connection with any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock in a name other than that in which the shares of Series Preferred so converted were registered.
5. NO REISSUANCE OF SERIES PREFERRED.
Any shares or shares of Series Preferred redeemed, purchased, converted or exchanged by the Company shall be cancelled and retired and shall not be reissued or transferred.
V.
A. The liability of the directors of the Company for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent under applicable law.
B. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers and agents of the Company (and any other persons to which applicable law permits the Company to provide indemnification) through Bylaw provisions, agreements with such agents or other persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise in excess of the indemnification and advancement otherwise permitted by such applicable law. If applicable law is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article V to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director to the Company shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as so amended.
C. Any repeal or modification of this Article V shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights or protections or increase the liability of any director under this Article V in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any act or omission to act giving rise to liability or indemnification.
D. The Company renounces, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any interest or expectancy of the Company in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Excluded Opportunity. An Excluded Opportunity is any matter, transaction or interest that is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or which otherwise comes into the possession of (i) any director of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (ii) any holder of Series Preferred or any partner, member, director, stockholder, employee or agent of any such holder, other than someone who is an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, Covered Persons), unless such matter, transaction or interest is presented to, or acquired, created or developed by, or otherwise comes into the possession of, a Covered Person expressly and solely in such Covered Persons capacity as a director of the Company.
VI.
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For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Company, and in further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Company, of its directors and of its stockholders or any class thereof, as the case may be, it is further provided that:
A. The management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Company shall be vested in its Board. The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed by the Board in the manner provided in the Bylaws, subject to any restrictions which may be set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation.
B. The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Company, subject to any restrictions that may be set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation. The stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Company, subject to any restrictions that may be set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation.
C. The directors of the Company need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
* * * *
FOUR: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly approved by the Board of Directors of this corporation.
FIVE: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was approved by the holders of the requisite number of shares of this corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL by the stockholders of this corporation.
[THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer this 9th day of February, 2018.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. |
Signature: /s/ R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
Print Name: R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. |
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Corporation) originally filed its Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware on November 18, 2008, and is organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies as follows:
1. That the Board of Directors of said Corporation duly adopted resolutions proposing and declaring advisable the following amendments of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the Certificate) of said Corporation. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendments is as follows:
RESOLVED, that Section A of Article Fourth of the Certificate are hereby amended and restated in their entirety as follows:
A. The Company is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, Common Stock and Preferred Stock. The total number of shares that the Company is authorized to issue is 116,268,345 shares, 67,400,000 shares of which shall be Common Stock (the Common Stock), and 48,868,345 shares of which shall be Preferred Stock (the Preferred Stock). The Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share and the Common Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share.
Effective upon the filing of this Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, a 1-for-3.29 reverse stock split for each share of Common Stock outstanding or held in treasury immediately prior to such time shall automatically and without any action on the part of the holders thereof occur (the Reverse Stock Split). The par value of the Common Stock shall remain $0.001 per share. This conversion shall apply to all shares of Common Stock. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon the Reverse Stock Split or otherwise. In lieu of any fractional shares of Common Stock to which the stockholder would otherwise be entitled upon the Reverse Stock Split, the Company shall pay cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the then fair market value of the Common Stock as determined by the Companys Board of Directors.
All certificates representing shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the filing of this Certificate of Amendment shall immediately after the filing of this Certificate of Amendment represent instead the number of shares of Common Stock as provided above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any holder of Common Stock may (but shall not be required to) surrender his, her or its stock certificate or certificates to the Company, and upon such surrender the holder may request that the Company issue a certificate for the correct number of shares of Common Stock to which the holder is entitled under the provisions of this Certificate of Amendment. Shares of Common Stock that were outstanding prior to the filing of this Certificate of Amendment, and that are not outstanding after and as a result of the filing of this Certificate of Amendment, shall resume the status of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock.
2. That thereafter, pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors and in lieu of a meeting of stockholders, the stockholders gave their approval of said amendment by written consent in accordance with the provisions of Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
3. That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
4. That said amendment shall be executed, filed and recorded in accordance with Section 103 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by an authorized officer thereof, this 6th day of July, 2018.
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | ||
/s/ R. Scott Struthers | ||
By: | R. Scott Struthers, Ph.D. | |
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 3.3
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(originally incorporated on November 18, 2008)
FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
SECOND: The address of the Corporations registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808. The name of its registered agent at that address is Corporation Service Company.
THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 210,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (Common Stock), and (b) 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (Preferred Stock).
The following is a statement of the designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation.
A. COMMON STOCK.
1. General. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board of Directors upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.
2. Voting. The holders of the Common Stock shall have voting rights at all meetings of stockholders, each such holder being entitled to one vote for each share thereof held by such holder; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (which, as used herein, shall mean the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended from time to time, including the terms of any certificate of designations of any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. There shall be no cumulative voting.
The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
3. Dividends. Dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock if, as and when determined by the Board of Directors subject to any preferential dividend or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock and to the requirements of applicable law.
4. Liquidation. Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive all assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, subject to any preferential or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.
B. PREFERRED STOCK.
Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as hereinafter provided.
Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designations relating thereto in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each such series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation or any resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such series of stock adopted by the Board of Directors, the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation
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entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FIFTH: Except as otherwise provided herein, the Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute and this Certificate of Incorporation, and all rights conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted subject to this reservation.
SIXTH: In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders may not adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, or adopt any provision inconsistent therewith, unless such action is approved, in addition to any other vote required by this Certificate of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article SIXTH.
SEVENTH: Except to the extent that the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability. No amendment to or repeal of this provision shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. If the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is amended to permit further elimination or limitation of the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as so amended.
EIGHTH: This Article EIGHTH is inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.
1. General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.
2. Number of Directors; Election of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be established from time to time by the Board of Directors. Election of directors need not be by written ballot, except as and to the extent provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.
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3. Classes of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors shall be and is divided into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors to Class I, Class II or Class III.
4. Terms of Office. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporations first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporations second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporations third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
5. Quorum. The greater of (a) a majority of the directors at any time in office and (b) one-third of the number of directors fixed pursuant to Section 2 of this Article EIGHTH shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors. If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than such a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
6. Action at Meeting. Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board of Directors unless a greater number is required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation.
7. Removal. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, directors of the Corporation may be removed but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.
8. Vacancies. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy or newly created directorship in the Board of Directors, however occurring, shall be filled only by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and shall not be filled by the stockholders, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancy or newly created directorship shall be filled by the stockholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next
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election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such directors earlier death, resignation or removal.
9. Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business, Etc. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws of the Corporation.
10. Amendments to Article. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article EIGHTH.
NINTH: No action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article NINTH.
TENTH: Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by the Board of Directors, the chairperson of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or the president (in the absence of a chief executive officer), and may not be called by any other person or persons. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article TENTH.
ELEVENTH: Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee, agent or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporations stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as
5
defendants therein; provided that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article ELEVENTH. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article ELEVENTH. If any provision or provisions of this Article ELEVENTH shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article ELEVENTH (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article ELEVENTH containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates, integrates and amends the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and which has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and has been executed by its duly authorized officer this day of , 2018.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
6
Exhibit 3.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES | 1 | |||||
1.1 |
REGISTERED OFFICE |
1 | ||||
1.2 |
OTHER OFFICES |
1 | ||||
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS | 1 | |||||
2.1 |
PLACE OF MEETINGS |
1 | ||||
2.2 |
ANNUAL MEETING |
1 | ||||
2.3 |
SPECIAL MEETING |
1 | ||||
2.4 |
ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE A MEETING |
2 | ||||
2.5 |
ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS |
8 | ||||
2.6 |
NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS |
12 | ||||
2.7 |
MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE; AFFIDAVIT OF NOTICE |
12 | ||||
2.8 |
QUORUM |
13 | ||||
2.9 |
ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE |
13 | ||||
2.10 |
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS |
13 | ||||
2.11 |
VOTING |
14 | ||||
2.12 |
STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING |
15 | ||||
2.13 |
RECORD DATE FOR STOCKHOLDER NOTICE; VOTING |
15 | ||||
2.14 |
PROXIES |
15 | ||||
2.15 |
LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE |
16 | ||||
2.16 |
POSTPONEMENT, ADJOURNMENT AND CANCELLATION OF MEETING |
16 | ||||
2.17 |
INSPECTORS OF ELECTION |
16 | ||||
ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS | 17 | |||||
3.1 |
POWERS |
17 | ||||
3.2 |
NUMBER OF DIRECTORS |
17 | ||||
3.3 |
ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS |
17 | ||||
3.4 |
RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES |
17 | ||||
3.5 |
PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE |
18 | ||||
3.6 |
REGULAR MEETINGS |
18 | ||||
3.7 |
SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE |
18 | ||||
3.8 |
QUORUM |
19 | ||||
3.9 |
BOARD ACTION BY CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING |
19 | ||||
3.10 |
FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS |
19 | ||||
3.11 |
REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS |
19 | ||||
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES | 20 | |||||
4.1 |
COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS |
20 | ||||
4.2 |
COMMITTEE MINUTES |
20 | ||||
4.3 |
MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES |
20 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS | 21 | |||||
5.1 |
OFFICERS |
21 | ||||
5.2 |
APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS |
21 | ||||
5.3 |
SUBORDINATE OFFICERS |
21 | ||||
5.4 |
REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS |
22 | ||||
5.5 |
VACANCIES IN OFFICES |
22 | ||||
5.6 |
REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER ENTITIES |
22 | ||||
5.7 |
AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS |
22 | ||||
ARTICLE VI - RECORDS AND REPORTS | 22 | |||||
6.1 |
MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS |
22 | ||||
ARTICLE VII - GENERAL MATTERS | 23 | |||||
7.1 |
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS |
23 | ||||
7.2 |
STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES |
23 | ||||
7.3 |
MULTIPLES CLASSES OR SERIES OF STOCK |
23 | ||||
7.4 |
LOST CERTIFICATES |
24 | ||||
7.5 |
CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS |
24 | ||||
7.6 |
DIVIDENDS |
24 | ||||
7.7 |
FISCAL YEAR |
25 | ||||
7.8 |
SEAL |
25 | ||||
7.9 |
TRANSFER OF STOCK |
25 | ||||
7.10 |
STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS |
25 | ||||
7.11 |
REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS |
25 | ||||
7.12 |
WAIVER OF NOTICE |
26 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII - NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION | 26 | |||||
8.1 |
NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION |
26 | ||||
8.2 |
DEFINITION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION |
27 | ||||
ARTICLE IX - INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT | 27 | |||||
9.1 |
ACTIONS, SUITS AND PROCEEDINGS OTHER THAN BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION |
27 | ||||
9.2 |
ACTIONS OR SUITS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION |
28 | ||||
9.3 |
INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTY |
28 | ||||
9.4 |
NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIM |
28 | ||||
9.5 |
ADVANCE OF EXPENSES |
29 | ||||
9.6 |
PROCEDURE FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES |
30 | ||||
9.7 |
REMEDIES |
30 | ||||
9.8 |
LIMITATIONS |
31 | ||||
9.9 |
SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT |
31 | ||||
9.10 |
OTHER RIGHTS |
31 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||||
9.11 |
PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION |
32 | ||||
9.12 |
INSURANCE |
32 | ||||
9.13 |
SAVINGS CLAUSE |
32 | ||||
9.14 |
DEFINITIONS |
32 | ||||
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS | 33 |
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AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES
1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE.
The registered office of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Corporation) shall be fixed in the Corporations certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the certificate of incorporation).
1.2 OTHER OFFICES.
The Corporation may have other offices at any place or places, either within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporations board of directors (the Board) shall from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS.
Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders meetings shall be held at the Corporations principal executive office.
2.2 ANNUAL MEETING.
The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws may be transacted.
2.3 SPECIAL MEETING.
A special meeting of the stockholders may be called at any time by the Board, chairperson of the Board, chief executive officer or president (in the absence of a chief executive officer) of the Corporation, but such special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons.
No business may be transacted at such special meeting other than the business specified in such notice to stockholders. Nothing contained in this paragraph of this Section 2.3 shall be construed as limiting, fixing, or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board may be held.
2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE A MEETING.
(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) brought before the meeting by the Corporation and specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board (or a committee thereof) or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record of the Corporation (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such business is proposed, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) has complied with this Section 2.4 as to such business. Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the Exchange Act), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. Stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders, and the only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3 of these bylaws. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 of these bylaws.
(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of the second sentence of Section 2.4(a) of these bylaws, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholders notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received by the Secretary at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting; provided, however, that (x) if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date or (y) with respect to the first annual meeting held after the Companys initial public offering of its shares pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered,
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or mailed and received, not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the later of the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting and the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made (such notice within such time periods, Timely Notice). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.
(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholders notice to the secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:
(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, without limitation, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporations books and records) and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as Stockholder Information);
(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) any derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such Proposing Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares of any class or series of the Corporation, including, without limitation, due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap or other transactions are determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any shares of any class or series of the Corporation, or which derivative, swap or other transactions provide, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the Corporation (Synthetic Equity Interests), which Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) the derivative, swap or other transactions convey any voting rights in such shares to such Proposing Person, (y) the derivative, swap or other transactions are required to be, or are capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares or (z) such Proposing Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap or other transactions, (B) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such Proposing Person has or
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shares a right to vote any shares of any class or series of the Corporation, (C) any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship, including, without limitation, any repurchase or similar so-called stock borrowing agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of shares of any class or series of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposing Person with respect to the shares of any class or series of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation (Short Interests), (D) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (E) any performance related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such Proposing Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the Corporation, or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests, if any, (F)(x) if such Proposing Person is not a natural person, the identity of the natural person or persons associated with such Proposing Person responsible for the formulation of and decision to propose the business to be brought before the meeting (such person or persons, the Responsible Person), the manner in which such Responsible Person was selected, any fiduciary duties owed by such Responsible Person to the equity holders or other beneficiaries of such Proposing Person, the qualifications and background of such Responsible Person and any material interests or relationships of such Responsible Person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, and (y) if such Proposing Person is a natural person, the qualifications and background of such natural person and any material interests or relationships of such natural person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, (G) any significant equity interests or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such Proposing Persons, (H) any direct or indirect interest of such Proposing Person in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, without limitation, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (I) any pending or threatened litigation in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (J) any material transaction occurring during the prior twelve months between such Proposing
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Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation, on the other hand, (K) a summary of any material discussions regarding the business proposed to be brought before the meeting (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation (including, without limitation, their names) and (L) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (L) are referred to as Disclosable Interests); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and
(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a reasonably brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including, without limitation, the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws of the Corporation, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among any of the Proposing Persons or between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including, without limitation, their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (D) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business, (E) a representation whether the Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends (1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal and/or (2) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal and (F) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph (c)(iii) shall not include
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any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.
(d) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term Proposing Person shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate (each within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act for the purposes of these bylaws) of such stockholder or beneficial owner and (iv) any other person with whom such stockholder or beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined below).
(e) A person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with another person for purposes of these bylaws if such person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) in concert with, or towards a common goal relating to the management, governance or control of the Corporation in parallel with, such other person where (i) each person is conscious of the other persons conduct or intent and this awareness is an element in their decision-making processes and (ii) at least one additional factor suggests that such persons intend to act in concert or in parallel, which such additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information (whether publicly or privately), attending meetings, conducting discussions, or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in parallel; provided, that a person shall not be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any other person solely as a result of the solicitation or receipt of revocable proxies or consents from such other person in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a proxy or consent solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A. A person Acting in Concert with another person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also Acting in Concert with such other person.
(f) A stockholder providing notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the annual meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the annual meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been
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adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(g) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary and except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of an annual meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty (a) to determine that any business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4 (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholders business in compliance with such stockholders representation as required by clause (c)(iii)(E) of this Section 2.4); and (b) if any proposed business was not proposed in compliance with this Section 2.4 to declare to the meeting that any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
(h) The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 2.4 shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to business other than a nomination if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholders proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
(i) For purposes of these bylaws, public disclosure shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(j) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.4, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting to present proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.4, except as provided under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the annual meeting and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the annual meeting.
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(k) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.4, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.4; provided however, that any references in these bylaws to the Exchange Act are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to proposals as to any business to be considered pursuant to this Section 2.4 (including paragraph (a)(iii) hereof), and compliance with paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 2.4 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to submit business (other than, as provided in the first sentence of paragraph (h) of this Section 2.4, business brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, as may be amended from time to time).
2.5 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS.
(a) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but, in the case of a special meeting, only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (i) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof, or (ii) by a stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record of the Corporation (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such nomination is proposed to be made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such nomination. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board to be considered by the stockholders at an annual meeting or special meeting.
(b) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(b) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. Notwithstanding anything in this paragraph to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board at an annual meeting is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise by due under this paragraph (b) and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting, a stockholders notice required by paragraph (b) of this Section 2.5 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation. Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to such position(s) as specified in the notice of the special meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide timely notice
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thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholders notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the later of the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting and the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4(i) of these bylaws) of the date of such special meeting was first made. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above.
(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholders notice to the secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:
(i) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(i) of these bylaws) except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(i);
(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(ii) and the disclosure in clause (L) of Section 2.4(c)(ii) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting) provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Nominating Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and;
(iii) As to each person whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such proposed nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholders notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 if such proposed nominee were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such proposed nominee that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including, without limitation, such proposed nominees written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and
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understandings during the past three (3) years, and any other material relationships, between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, his or her respective affiliates and associates and any other persons with whom such proposed nominee (or any of his or her respective affiliates and associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined in Section 2.4(e) of these bylaws), on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the registrant for purposes of such rule and the proposed nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as Nominee Information), (D) a representation that the Nominating Person is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such nomination, (E) a representation whether the Nominating Person intends or is part of a group which intends (1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee and/or (2) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such nomination and (F) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.5(g); and
(iv) The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information (A) as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporations Corporate Governance Guidelines or (B) that could be material to a reasonable stockholders understanding of the independence or lack of independence of such proposed nominee.
(d) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term Nominating Person shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate of such stockholder or beneficial owner and (iv) any other person with whom such stockholder or such beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert.
(e) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to
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notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(f) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with this Section 2.5, except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act. The presiding officer at any meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty to (a) determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 2.5 (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination was made, solicited or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholders nomination in compliance with such stockholders representation as required by clause (c)(iii)(E) of this Section 2.5); and (b) if any proposed nomination was not made in compliance with this Section 2.5 to declare such determination to the meeting that the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
(g) To be eligible to be a nominee for election as a director of the Corporation, the proposed nominee must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under this Section 2.5) to the secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such proposed nominee (which questionnaire shall be provided by the secretary upon written request) and a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the secretary upon written request) that such proposed nominee (i) is not and will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a Voting Commitment) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominees ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominees fiduciary duties under applicable law, (ii) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with candidacy, service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (iii) in such proposed nominees individual capacity and on behalf of the stockholder (and the beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf the nomination is made) would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply with applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation.
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(h) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.
(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.5, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the meeting to present the proposed nomination, such proposed nomination shall not be considered, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.5, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting.
2.6 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given in accordance with either Section 2.7 or Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
2.7 MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE; AFFIDAVIT OF NOTICE.
Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be deemed given:
(a) if mailed, when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholders address as it appears on the Corporations records; or
(b) if electronically transmitted, as provided in Section 8.1 of these bylaws.
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by mail or by a form of electronic transmission, as applicable, shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
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2.8 QUORUM.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (a) the chairperson of the meeting or (b) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.
2.9 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the adjourned meeting.
2.10 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.
The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the presiding person of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (c)
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limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the presiding person of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
2.11 VOTING.
The stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.13 of these bylaws, subject to Section 217 (relating to voting rights of fiduciaries, pledgors and joint owners of stock) and Section 218 (relating to voting trusts and other voting agreements) of the DGCL.
Except as may be otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
At all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders, at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. All other elections and questions presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, shall, unless a different or minimum vote is required by the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or any law or regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the applicable vote on the matter, be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions) at the meeting by the holders entitled to vote thereon.
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2.12 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING.
Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
2.13 RECORD DATE FOR STOCKHOLDER NOTICE; VOTING.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such other action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
2.14 PROXIES.
Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram or
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other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.
2.15 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE.
The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the date of the meeting), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (b) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporations principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote in person or by proxy and the number of shares held by each of them, and as to the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders.
2.16 POSTPONEMENT, ADJOURNMENT AND CANCELLATION OF MEETING.
Any previously scheduled annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be postponed or adjourned, and any previously scheduled annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be canceled, by resolution of the Board.
2.17 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.
Before any meeting of stockholders, the Board shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment or postponement and make a written report thereof. The number of inspectors shall be either one (1) or three (3). If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting may, and upon the request of any stockholder or a stockholders proxy shall, appoint a person to fill that
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vacancy. Unless otherwise required by law, inspectors may be officers, employees or agents of the Corporation. Such inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by law. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. If there are three (3) inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS
3.1 POWERS.
Subject to the provisions of the DGCL and any limitations in the certificate of incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed and all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of the Board.
3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS.
The authorized number of directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board, provided the Board shall consist of at least one (1) member. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that directors term of office expires.
3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS.
Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including, without limitation, a director elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until such directors successor is elected and qualified or until such directors earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a chairperson of the Board and a vice chairperson of the Board. The certificate of incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors.
3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES.
Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the chairperson of the Board or the Corporations chief executive officer, president or secretary. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in this section in the filling of other vacancies.
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Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall, unless the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such directors successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board shall be deemed to exist under these bylaws in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE.
The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS.
Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board; provided that any director who is absent when such determination is made shall be given notice of the determination. A regular meeting of the Board may be held without notice immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders.
3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE.
Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary or a majority of the authorized number of directors.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:
(a) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;
(b) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;
(c) sent by facsimile; or
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(d) sent by electronic mail, electronic transmission or other similar means,
directed to each director at that directors address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail or other electronic address, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporations records.
If the notice is (a) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (b) sent by facsimile or (c) sent by electronic mail or electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by United States mail, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice may be communicated to the director. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporations principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.
3.8 QUORUM.
The greater of (a) a majority of the directors at any time in office and (b) one-third of the number of directors established by the Board pursuant to Section 3.2 of these bylaws shall constitute a quorum of the Board for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
3.9 BOARD ACTION BY CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.
3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS.
Subject to the rights of the holders of the shares of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation, the Board or any individual director may be removed from office only for cause and
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only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS.
The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (a) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (b) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.
4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES.
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES.
Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:
(a) Section 3.5 of these bylaws (place of meetings and meetings by telephone);
(b) Section 3.6 of these bylaws (regular meetings);
(c) Section 3.7 of these bylaws (special meetings and notice);
(d) Section 3.8 of these bylaws (quorum);
(e) Section 7.12 of these bylaws (waiver of notice); and
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(f) Section 3.9 of these bylaws (action without a meeting),
with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:
(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;
(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board; and
(iii) notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions (or any part thereof) of these bylaws.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
5.1 OFFICERS.
The officers of the Corporation shall be a president and a secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer or treasurer, one (1) or more vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant treasurers, one (1) or more assistant secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS.
The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.
5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS.
The Board may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers shall hold office for such period, as is provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.
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5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS.
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES.
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.3 of these bylaws.
5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER ENTITIES.
The chairperson of the Board, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board or the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all securities of any other entity or entities standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.
5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
ARTICLE VI - RECORDS AND REPORTS
6.1 MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS.
Subject to applicable law, the Corporation shall, either at its principal executive office or at such place or places as designated by the Board, keep a record of its stockholders listing their names and addresses and the number and class of shares held by each stockholder, a copy of these bylaws as amended to date, accounting books and other records.
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ARTICLE VII - GENERAL MATTERS
7.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS.
The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
7.2 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES.
The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates provided that the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock shall be uncertificated shares. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the certificate of incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by any two authorized officers of the Corporation representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.
7.3 MULTIPLES CLASSES OR SERIES OF STOCK.
If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the
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face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the Corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to the DGCL or a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
7.4 LOST CERTIFICATES.
Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owners legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
7.5 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term person includes both a corporation and a natural person.
7.6 DIVIDENDS.
The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (a) the DGCL or (b) the certificate of incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporations capital stock.
The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.
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7.7 FISCAL YEAR.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.
7.8 SEAL.
The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
7.9 TRANSFER OF STOCK.
Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holders attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.
7.10 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS.
The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
7.11 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS.
The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law,:
(a) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner;
(b) shall be entitled to hold liable for calls and assessments the person registered on its books as the owner of shares; and
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(c) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
7.12 WAIVER OF NOTICE.
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII - NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
8.1 NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION.
Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders pursuant to the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if:
(a) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent; and
(b) such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice.
However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
(a) | if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; |
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(b) | if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; |
(c) | if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (i) such posting and (ii) the giving of such separate notice; and |
(d) | if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. |
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
8.2 DEFINITION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION.
For the purposes of these bylaws, an electronic transmission means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
ARTICLE IX - INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT
9.1 ACTIONS, SUITS AND PROCEEDINGS OTHER THAN BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION.
The Corporation shall indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the request of the Corporation, as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan) (all such persons being referred to hereafter as an Indemnitee), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit
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or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
9.2 ACTIONS OR SUITS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION.
The Corporation shall indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the request of the Corporation, as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made under this Section 9.2 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation, unless, and only to the extent, that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of such liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.
9.3 INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTY.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article IX, to the extent that an Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of these bylaws, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, or on appeal from any such action, suit or proceeding, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection therewith.
9.4 NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIM.
As a condition precedent to an Indemnitees right to be indemnified, such Indemnitee must notify the Corporation in writing as soon as practicable of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation involving such Indemnitee for which indemnity will or could be sought. With
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respect to any action, suit, proceeding or investigation of which the Corporation is so notified, the Corporation will be entitled to participate therein at its own expense and/or to assume the defense thereof at its own expense, with legal counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee. After notice from the Corporation to Indemnitee of its election so to assume such defense, the Corporation shall not be liable to Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, other than as provided below in this Section 9.4. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her own counsel in connection with such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, but the fees and expenses of such counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of its assumption of the defense thereof shall be at the expense of Indemnitee unless (a) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been authorized by the Corporation, (b) counsel to Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest or position on any significant issue between the Corporation and Indemnitee in the conduct of the defense of such action, suit, proceeding or investigation or (c) the Corporation shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel for Indemnitee shall be at the expense of the Corporation, except as otherwise expressly provided by this Article IX. The Corporation shall not be entitled, without the consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Corporation or as to which counsel for Indemnitee shall have reasonably made the conclusion provided for in clause (b) above. The Corporation shall not be required to indemnify Indemnitee under this Article IX for any amounts paid in settlement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation effected without its written consent. The Corporation shall not settle any action, suit, proceeding or investigation in any manner which would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitees written consent. Neither the Corporation nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold or delay its consent to any proposed settlement.
9.5 ADVANCE OF EXPENSES.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 9.4 and 9.6 of these bylaws, in the event of any threatened or pending action, suit, proceeding or investigation of which the Corporation receives notice under this Article IX, any expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in defending an action, suit, proceeding or investigation or any appeal therefrom shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such matter to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, the payment of such expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in advance of the final disposition of such matter shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay all amounts so advanced in the event that it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article IX or otherwise; and provided further that no such advancement of expenses shall be made under this Article IX if it is determined (in the manner described in Section 9.6 of these bylaws) that (a) Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or
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not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, or (b) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Such undertaking shall be accepted without reference to the financial ability of Indemnitee to make such repayment.
9.6 PROCEDURE FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES.
In order to obtain indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to Section 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 or 9.5 of these bylaws, an Indemnitee shall submit to the Corporation a written request. Any such advancement of expenses shall be made promptly, and in any event within 60 days after receipt by the Corporation of the written request of Indemnitee, unless (a) the Corporation has assumed the defense pursuant to Section 9.4 of these bylaws (and none of the circumstances described in Section 9.4 of these bylaws that would nonetheless entitle the Indemnitee to indemnification for the fees and expenses of separate counsel have occurred) or (b) the Corporation determines within such 60-day period that Indemnitee did not meet the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 9.1, 9.2 or 9.5 of these bylaws, as the case may be. Any such indemnification, unless ordered by a court, shall be made with respect to requests under Section 9.1 or 9.2 of these bylaws only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination by the Corporation that the indemnification of Indemnitee is proper because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 9.1 or 9.2 of these bylaws, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made in each instance (a) by a majority vote of the directors of the Corporation consisting of persons who are not at that time parties to the action, suit or proceeding in question (disinterested directors), whether or not a quorum, (b) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by majority vote of disinterested directors, whether or not a quorum, (c) if there are no disinterested directors, or if the disinterested directors so direct, by independent legal counsel (who may, to the extent permitted by law, be regular legal counsel to the Corporation) in a written opinion or (d) by the stockholders of the Corporation.
9.7 REMEDIES.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the right to indemnification or advancement of expenses as granted by this Article IX shall be enforceable by Indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction. Neither the failure of the Corporation to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Corporation pursuant to Section 9.6 of these bylaws that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or advancement, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses,
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under this Article IX. Indemnitees expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees) reasonably incurred in connection with successfully establishing Indemnitees right to indemnification or advancement, in whole or in part, in any such proceeding shall also be indemnified by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any suit brought by Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder it shall be a defense that the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL.
9.8 LIMITATIONS.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article IX, except as set forth in Section 9.7 of these bylaws, the Corporation shall not indemnify an Indemnitee pursuant to this Article IX in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee unless the initiation thereof was approved by the Board. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article IX, the Corporation shall not indemnify (or advance expenses to) an Indemnitee to the extent such Indemnitee is reimbursed (or advanced expenses) from the proceeds of insurance, and in the event the Corporation makes any indemnification (or advancement) payments to an Indemnitee and such Indemnitee is subsequently reimbursed from the proceeds of insurance, such Indemnitee shall promptly refund indemnification (or advancement) payments to the Corporation to the extent of such insurance reimbursement.
9.9 SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT.
No amendment, termination or repeal of this Article IX or of the relevant provisions of the DGCL or any other applicable laws shall adversely affect or diminish in any way the rights of any Indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of expenses under the provisions hereof with respect to any action, suit, proceeding or investigation arising out of or relating to any actions, transactions or facts occurring prior to the final adoption of such amendment, termination or repeal.
9.10 OTHER RIGHTS.
The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by this Article IX shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which an Indemnitee seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory), agreement or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitees official capacity and as to action in any other capacity while holding office for the Corporation, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer, and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee. Nothing contained in this Article IX shall be deemed to prohibit, and the Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into, agreements with officers and directors providing indemnification and advancement rights and procedures different from those set forth in this Article IX. In addition, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, grant indemnification
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and advancement rights to other employees or agents of the Corporation or other persons serving the Corporation and such rights may be equivalent to, or greater or less than, those set forth in this Article IX.
9.11 PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION.
If an Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Article IX to indemnification by the Corporation for some or a portion of the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) or amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any action, suit, proceeding or investigation and any appeal therefrom but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) or amounts paid in settlement to which Indemnitee is entitled.
9.12 INSURANCE.
The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan) against any expense, liability or loss incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.
9.13 SAVINGS CLAUSE.
If this Article IX or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each Indemnitee as to any expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative, including, without limitation, an action by or in the right of the Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article IX that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
9.14 DEFINITIONS.
Terms used in this Article IX and defined in Section 145(h) and Section 145(i) of the DGCL shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in such Section 145(h) and Section 145(i).
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ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS.
Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.9 of these bylaws or the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, the Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by the certificate of incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.
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Exhibit 4.1
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SAMPLE **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Alexander David Sample **** Mr. Sample **** Mr. Sample is the owner of **000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares*** *000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares**** 000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****0 THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN 00000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****00 ***ZERO HUNDRED THOUSAND 0000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000 CITIES DESIGNATED BY THE TRANSFER 000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****0000 AGENT, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 00**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****00000 0**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000 ZERO HUNDRED AND ZERO*** www.computershare.com **Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000* *Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000** Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**Shares****000000**S FULLY-PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (hereinafter called the Company), transferable on the books of the Company in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby, are issued and shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the By-Laws, as amended, of the Company (copies of which are on file with the Company and with the Transfer Agent), to all of which each holder, by acceptance hereof, assents. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar. Witness the facsimile seal of the Company and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers. DATED DD-MMM-YYYY RMAC A E COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED: H U P RPOR TI O AT COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. S C E C C I N D A President and Chief Executive Officer T I L TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR, E S , N I N I R NOVEMBER 18,2008 C C . DEL RE AWA By Chief Financial Officer and Secretary AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE CUSIP/IDENTIFIER XXXXXX XX X Holder ID XXXXXXXXXX Insurance Value 00.1,000,000 Number of Shares 123456 DTC 12345678901234512345678 PO BOX 43004, Providence, RI 02940-3004 Certificate Numbers Num/No Denom. Total. MR A SAMPLE 1234567890/1234567890 111 DESIGNATION (IF ANY) 1234567890/1234567890 222 ADD 1 ADD 2 1234567890/1234567890 333 1234567890/1234567890 444 ADD 3 ADD 4 1234567890/1234567890 555 1234567890/1234567890 666 Total Transaction 7
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. THE COMPANY WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH SHAREHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS, A SUMMARY OF THE POWERS, DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF STOCK OF THE COMPANY AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF SUCH PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS, AND THE VARIATIONS IN RIGHTS, PREFERENCES AND LIMITATIONS DETERMINED FOR EACH SERIES, WHICH ARE FIXED BY THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY, AS AMENDED, AND THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY, AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DETERMINE VARIATIONS FOR FUTURE SERIES. SUCH REQUEST MAY BE MADE TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY OR TO THE TRANSFER AGENT. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY REQUIRE THE OWNER OF A LOST OR DESTROYED STOCK CERTIFICATE, OR HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, TO GIVE THE COMPANY A BOND TO INDEMNIFY IT AND ITS TRANSFER AGENTS AND REGISTRARS AGAINST ANY CLAIM THAT MAY BE MADE AGAINST THEM ON ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGED LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY SUCH CERTIFICATE. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: TEN COM - as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT.Custodian (Cust) (Minor) TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (State) JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship UNIF TRF MIN ACT Custodian (until age ) and not as tenants in common (Cust) under Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (Minor) (State) Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE For value received, hereby sell, assign and transfer unto (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) Shares of the common stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Company with full power of substitution in the premises. Dated: 20 Signature(s) Guaranteed: Medallion Guarantee Stamp THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (Banks, Stockbrokers, Savings and Loan Associations and Credit Unions) WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15. Signature: Signature: Notice: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate, in every particular, without alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever. The IRS requires that the named transfer agent (we) report the cost basis of certain shares or units acquired after January 1, 2011. If your shares or units are covered by the legislation, and you requested to sell or transfer the shares or units using a specific cost basis calculation method, then we have processed as you requested. If you did not specify a cost basis calculation method, then we have defaulted to the first in, first out (FIFO) method. Please consult your tax advisor if you need additional information about cost basis. If you do not keep in contact with the issuer or do not have any activity in your account for the time period specified by state law, your property may become subject to state unclaimed property laws and transferred to the appropriate state.
Exhibit 5.1
12670 High Bluff Drive, | ||||
San Diego, California 92130 | ||||
Tel: +1.858.523.5400 Fax: +1.858.523.5450 www.lw.com
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FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES | ||||
Abu Dhabi | Milan | |||
Barcelona | Moscow | |||
Beijing | Munich | |||
Boston | New Jersey | |||
Brussels | New York | |||
Chicago | Orange County | |||
Doha | Paris | |||
Dubai | Riyadh | |||
July 9, 2018 | Düsseldorf | Rome | ||
Frankfurt | San Diego | |||
Hamburg | San Francisco | |||
Hong Kong | Shanghai | |||
Houston | Silicon Valley | |||
London | Singapore | |||
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Los Angeles | Tokyo | ||
10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2 | Madrid | Washington, D.C. |
San Diego, CA 92121
Re: | Registration Statement No. 333-225824; 5,750,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), in connection with the proposed issuance of up to 5,750,000 shares (including up to 750,000 shares subject to the underwriters option to purchase additional shares) of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the Shares). The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on June 22, 2018 (File No. 333-225824) (as amended, the Registration Statement). The term Shares shall include any additional shares of common stock registered by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement. This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares.
As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers, and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the form of underwriting agreement most recently filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will
July 9, 2018
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comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading Legal Matters. We further consent to the incorporation by reference of this letter and consent into any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) with respect to the Shares. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Very truly yours,
|
/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP |
Exhibit 10.1
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2015 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective October 30, 2015)
This is the 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan), established by Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), as originally adopted by its Board of Directors as of February 16, 2015, and as further amended and restated by its Board of Directors effective as of October 30, 2015 (the Effective Date).
ARTICLE 1.
PURPOSES OF THE PLAN
1.1 Purposes. The purposes of the Plan are (a) to enhance the Companys ability to attract and retain the services of qualified employees, officers and directors (including non-employee officers and directors), and consultants and other service providers upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the successful conduct and development of the Companys business largely depends (Key Team Members), and (b) to provide additional incentives to such persons or entities to devote their utmost effort and skill to the advancement and betterment of the Company, by providing them an opportunity to participate in the ownership of the Company and thereby have an interest in the success and increased value of the Company.
ARTICLE 2.
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
2.1 Administrator. Administrator means the Board or, if the Board delegates responsibility for any matter to the Committee, the term Administrator shall mean the Committee.
2.2 Affiliated Company. Affiliated Company means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively.
2.3 Award. Award means any Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right granted to a Participant under the Plan.
2.4 Award Agreement. Award Agreement means any Option Agreement, Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement or Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant under the Plan.
2.5 Base Value. Base Value shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3 hereof.
2.6 Board. Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.7 Cause. Cause shall, unless otherwise defined in a Participants written employment agreement or Award Agreement, mean: (a) the commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty by Participant which adversely affects the business of the Company, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), (b) any unauthorized use or disclosure by Participant of
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confidential information or trade secrets of the Company, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), (c) the refusal or omission by the Participant to perform any duties required of him if such duties are consistent with duties customary for the position held with the Company, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), (d) any act or omission by the Participant involving malfeasance or gross negligence in the performance of Participants duties to, or deviation from any of the policies or directives of, the Company or the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), (e) conduct on the part of Participant which constitutes the breach of any statutory or common law duty of loyalty to the Company, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), or (f) any illegal act by Participant which adversely affects the business of the Company, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or any subsidiary thereof), or any felony committed by Participant, as evidenced by conviction thereof.
2.8 Change in Control. Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following:
(a) If the Company has a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, a change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12) month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority vote of the members of the Board before the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this clause (a), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control;
(b) The date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a Group (Person) acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company, provided that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur (i) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (ii) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Person that acquires the Companys securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities or (iii) solely because the level of ownership held by any Person exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Person becomes the owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities owned by the Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur; or
(c) a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such Person) assets of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions. For purposes of this clause (c), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to
2
time. Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the jurisdiction of the Companys incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Companys securities immediately before such transaction.
2.9 Code. Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance promulgated thereunder.
2.10 Committee. Committee means a committee of two or more members of the Board appointed to administer the Plan pursuant to Section 8.1 hereof.
2.11 Common Stock. Common Stock means the Common Stock of the Company.
2.12 Company. Company shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Plan.
2.13 Consultant. Consultant means any consultant or advisor if: (a) the consultant or advisor renders bona fide services to the Company or any Affiliated Company; (b) the services rendered by the consultant or advisor are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Companys securities; and (c) the consultant or advisor is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Company or any Affiliated Company to render such services.
2.14 Continuous Service. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the terms of which may be different from the following, Continuous Service means (a) Participants employment by either the Company or any Affiliated Company, or by successor entity following a Change in Control, which is uninterrupted except for vacations, illness (not including Disability), or leaves of absence which are approved in writing by the Company or any of such other employer corporations, as applicable, (b) service as a member of the Board until the Participant resigns, is removed from office, or Participants term of office expires and he or she is not reelected, or (c) so long as the Participant is engaged as a Consultant or other Service Provider.
2.15 Disability. Disability means permanent and total disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. The Administrators determination of a Disability or the absence thereof shall be conclusive and binding on all interested parties.
2.16 Effective Date. Effective Date shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Plan.
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2.17 Equity Restructuring. Equity Restructuring means, as determined by the Administrator, a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the shares of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities of the Company) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.
2.18 Established Securities Market. Established Securities Market means either: (a) a securities exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act; (b) a foreign national securities exchange officially recognized, sanctioned or supervised by governmental authority; or (c) an OTC Market.
2.19 Exchange Act. Exchange Act means the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.20 Exercise Price. Exercise Price means the purchase price per share of Common Stock payable upon exercise of an Option.
2.21 Fair Market Value. Fair Market Value on any given date means the value of a share of Common Stock, determined as follows:
(a) If the Common Stock is then readily tradable on an Established Securities Market, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator through the application of a valuation method permitted under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(A); and
(b) If the Common Stock is not then readily tradable on an Established Securities Market, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith through the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B), which determination shall be conclusive and binding on all interested parties.
2.22 FINRA Dealer. FINRA Dealer means a broker-dealer that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
2.23 Group. Group is as defined in paragraph (i)(5)(v)(B) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3.
2.24 Incentive Option. Incentive Option means any Option designated and qualified as an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of the Code.
2.25 New Incentives. New Incentives shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(a) hereof.
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2.26 Nonqualified Option. Nonqualified Option means any Option that is not an Incentive Option. To the extent any Option designated as an Incentive Option fails in whole or in part to qualify as an Incentive Option, including without limitation, for failure to meet the requirements applicable to 10% Stockholders or because the annual limit described in Section 5.7 hereof is exceeded, it shall to that extent constitute a Nonqualified Option.
2.27 Option. Option means any option to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to Article 5 hereof.
2.28 Option Agreement. Option Agreement means the written agreement entered into between the Company and an Optionee with respect to an Option granted under the Plan.
2.29 Optionee. Optionee means a Participant who holds an Option.
2.30 OTC Market. OTC Market means an over-the-counter market reflected by the existence of an interdealer quotation system.
2.31 Participant. Participant means a Key Team Member that holds an Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to the Plan.
2.32 Plan. Plan means this amended and restated 2015 Stock Incentive Plan of the Company.
2.33 Publicly Held. Publicly Held means, with respect to the Company, any point in time in which any class of common equity securities of the Company are required to be registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
2.34 Purchase Price. Purchase Price means the purchase price payable to purchase a share of Restricted Stock.
2.35 Repurchase Right. Repurchase Right means the right of the Company to repurchase shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to an Award granted under the Plan.
2.36 Restricted Stock. Restricted Stock means shares of Common Stock issued pursuant the Plan, subject to any restrictions and conditions as are established pursuant to Article 6 hereof.
2.37 Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement means the written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant with respect to the purchase of Restricted Stock under the Plan.
2.38 Securities Act. Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.39 Service Provider. Service Provider means a Consultant or other natural person the Administrator authorizes to become a Participant in the Plan and who provides services to: (a) the Company; (b) an Affiliated Company; or (c) any other business venture designated by the Administrator in which the Company (or any entity that is a successor to the Company) or an Affiliated Company has a significant ownership interest.
2.40 Stock Appreciation Right. Stock Appreciation Right means a contractual right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 7 hereof, the exercise or settlement of which entitles the Participant to receive shares of Common Stock, cash, or a combination of Common Stock and cash, equal
5
to the difference between the Base Value per share of the Stock Appreciation Right and the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise or settlement, multiplied by the number of shares subject to the Stock Appreciation Right at such time, and subject to such conditions set forth in this Plan and the applicable Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement.
2.41 Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement. Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement means the written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan.
2.42 10% Stockholder. 10% Stockholder means a person who, as of a relevant date, owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of an Affiliated Company measured as of an Incentive Options date of grant.
2.43 Treasury Regulations. Treasury Regulations shall mean the regulations of the United States Treasury Department promulgated under the Code.
ARTICLE 3.
ELIGIBILITY
3.1 Incentive Options. Only employees of the Company or of an Affiliated Company (including officers of the Company and members of the Board if they are employees of the Company or of an Affiliated Company) are eligible to receive Incentive Options under the Plan.
3.2 Nonqualified Options, Restricted Stock and Stock Appreciation Rights. Employees of the Company or of an Affiliated Company, members of the Board (whether or not employed by the Company or an Affiliated Company), and Service Providers are eligible to receive Nonqualified Options, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan.
3.3 Section 162(m) Limitation. On and after such time, if any, that the Company is Publicly Held, no employee of the Company or of an Affiliated Company shall be eligible to be granted Options or Stock Appreciation Rights covering more than 303,951 shares of Common Stock during any calendar year; provided, however, the preceding limitation shall not apply until the earliest time required for compensation attributable to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan to be exempt from the deduction limitation of Section 162(m) of the Code.
ARTICLE 4.
PLAN SHARES
4.1 Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to Section 4.2, a total of One Million Six Hundred Fifty-Three Thousand Four Hundred Ninety-Five (1,653,495) shares of Common Stock shall be available for issuance under the Plan. Of this total, One Million Six Hundred Fifty-Three Thousand Four Hundred Ninety-Five (1,653,495) shares of Common Stock are available for issuance pursuant to Incentive Options. For purposes of this Section 4.1, in the event that (a) all or any portion of any Award granted or offered under the Plan can no longer under any circumstances be exercised or (b) any shares of Common Stock are reacquired by the Company which were initially the subject of an Award Agreement, the shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of such Award, or the shares so reacquired, shall again be available for grant or issuance under the Plan.
4.2 Changes in Capital Structure.
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(a) In the event that the outstanding shares of Common Stock are hereafter increased or decreased or changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of a recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, combination of shares, reclassification, stock dividend, or other change in the capital structure of the Company, then appropriate adjustments shall be automatically made to the aggregate number and kind of shares subject to this Plan, the number and kind of shares and the exercise price or purchase price per share subject to outstanding Award Agreements, and the limits on the number of shares under Sections 3.3 and 4.1 hereof, all in order to preserve, as nearly as practical, but not to increase, the benefits to Participants.
(b) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.2, the Administrator will equitably adjust each outstanding Award, which adjustments may include adjustments to the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, the grant of new Awards to Participants, and/or the making of a cash payment to Participants, as the Administrator deems appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring. The adjustments provided under this Section 4.2(b) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that whether an adjustment is equitable shall be determined by the Administrator.
ARTICLE 5.
OPTIONS
5.1 Option Agreement. Each Option granted pursuant to this Plan shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement that shall specify the number of shares subject thereto, the Exercise Price per share, and whether the Option is an Incentive Option or Nonqualified Option. As soon as is practical following the grant of an Option, an Option Agreement shall be duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Optionee to whom such Option is granted. Each Option Agreement shall be in such form and contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the Administrator shall, from time to time, deem desirable, including without limitation, the imposition of any rights of first refusal and resale obligations upon any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option Agreement. Each Option Agreement may be different from each other Option Agreement.
5.2 Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per share of Common Stock covered by each Option shall be determined by the Administrator, provided that (a) the Exercise Price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted, and (b) in the case of an Incentive Option granted to a 10% Stockholder, the Exercise Price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date the Incentive Option is granted. However, an Option may be granted with an Exercise Price lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Sections 409A and 424 of the Code, as applicable.
5.3 Payment of Exercise Price. Payment of the Exercise Price shall be made upon exercise of an Option and may be made, in the discretion of the Administrator, subject to any restrictions under applicable corporate law, by: (a) cash; (b) check; (c) surrender of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option, which surrendered shares shall be valued at Fair Market Value as of the date of such exercise; (d) delivery of a promissory note in a form and with such recourse, interest, security and other provisions as the Administrator determines to be appropriate (subject to applicable corporate law); (e) cancellation of indebtedness of the Company to the Optionee; (f) waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Optionee for services rendered; (g) provided that a public market for the Common Stock exists, a same day sale commitment from the Optionee and an FINRA Dealer whereby the Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to sell a portion of the shares so
7
purchased to pay for the Exercise Price and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such shares to forward the Exercise Price directly to the Company; (h) provided that a public market for the Common Stock exists, a margin commitment from the Optionee and an FINRA Dealer whereby the Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to pledge the shares so purchased to the FINRA Dealer in a margin account as security for a loan from the FINRA Dealer in the amount of the Exercise Price, and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such shares to forward the Exercise Price directly to the Company; (i) a net exercise arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise by the number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise equal to the total Exercise Price; or (j) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment or any other consideration or method of payment as shall be permitted by applicable corporate law.
5.4 Term and Termination of Options. The term and provisions for termination of each Option shall be as fixed by the Administrator, but no Option may be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date it is granted or such shorter period as specified in the Option Agreement. An Incentive Option granted to a person who is a 10% Stockholder on the date of grant shall not be exercisable more than five (5) years after the date it is granted.
5.5 Date of Grant. The date of grant of an Option will be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination to grant such Option, unless a later date is otherwise specified by the Administrator. The Option Agreement and a copy of this Plan will be delivered to the Optionee within a reasonable time after the granting of the Option.
5.6 Vesting and Exercise of Options. Each Option shall vest and become exercisable in one or more installments at such time or times and subject to such conditions, including without limitation, the achievement of specified performance goals or objectives, as shall be determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if necessary to comply with applicable laws, each Option granted to an employee of the Company or Affiliated Company shall provide that the employee shall have the right to exercise the vested portion of any Option held at the termination of the employees Continuous Service for at least thirty (30) days following termination of the employees Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause (but not more than ninety (90) days) and that the employee (or employees designee) shall have the right to exercise the Option for at least six (6) months if such termination of employees Continuous Service is due to the death or Disability of the employee.
5.7 Annual Limit on Incentive Options. To the extent required for incentive stock option treatment under Section 422 of the Code, if the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Options granted under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or any Affiliated Company becomes exercisable for the first time by an Optionee during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, such excess shall be a Nonqualified Option. In the event that the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder are amended after the Effective Date to provide for a different limit on the Fair Market Value of Shares permitted to be subject to incentive stock options (as defined in Section 422 of the Code), then such different limit will be automatically incorporated herein and will apply to any Incentive Options granted after the effective date of such amendment.
5.8 Nontransferability of Options. Except as otherwise provided by the Administrator in an Option Agreement and as permissible under applicable law, no Option shall be assignable or transferable except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and during the life of the Optionee shall be exercisable only by such Optionee. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the Administrator may grant Nonqualified Options that may be transferred to a revocable trust or as otherwise permitted under Rule 701 of the Securities Act.
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5.9 Rights as Stockholder. An Optionee or permitted transferee of an Option shall have no rights or privileges as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by an Option until such Option has been duly exercised and shares purchased upon such exercise have been issued to such person.
5.10 Unvested Shares. The Administrator shall have the discretion to grant Options that are exercisable for unvested shares of Common Stock on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine from time to time.
5.11 Companys Repurchase Right. In the event of a termination of an Optionees Continuous Service for any reason whatsoever (including death or Disability), the Option Agreement may provide, in the discretion of the Administrator, that the Company, or its assignee, shall have the right, exercisable at the discretion of the Administrator, to repurchase shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option at any time on such terms as may be provided in the Option Agreement. The repurchase price for shares repurchased by the Company shall be as set forth in the document evidencing the Repurchase Right, subject to the following requirements:
(a) In the case of vested shares, the repurchase price shall be equal to the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Optionees Continuous Service; and
(b) In the case of unvested shares, the repurchase price may be equal to one of the following: (i) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Optionees Continuous Service, (ii) the Exercise Price paid per share, or (iii) the lesser of (A) the Exercise Price paid per share, or (B) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Optionees Continuous Service.
The terms upon which the Companys Repurchase Right shall be exercisable (including but not limited to the period and procedure for exercise and the timing and method of payment for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Administrator and set forth in the document evidencing such Repurchase Right.
5.12 Compliance with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 5 to the contrary, to the extent that any Option is subject to Code Section 409A, the Option is intended to be structured to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A, or an applicable exemption, as determined by the Administrator.
ARTICLE 6.
RESTRICTED STOCK
6.1 Issuance and Sale of Restricted Stock. The Administrator shall have the authority to grant Restricted Stock under this Plan, subject to such terms, restrictions and conditions as the Administrator may determine at the time of grant. Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, continued employment or the achievement of specified performance goals or objectives. The Purchase Price of Restricted Stock, which may include zero dollars ($0), shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.
6.2 Restricted Stock Purchase Agreements. A Participant shall have no rights with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement until the Participant has paid the full Purchase Price to the Company in the manner set forth in Section 6.3 hereof and has executed and delivered to the Company the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. Each Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall be in such form, and shall set forth the Purchase Price and such other terms,
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conditions and restrictions of the Restricted Stock, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the Administrator shall, from time to time, deem desirable. Each Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement may be different from each other Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. The Restricted Stock will be accepted by the Participants execution and delivery of the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement and full payment for the Shares to the Company within thirty (30) days from the date the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement is delivered to the person. If such person does not execute and deliver the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement along with full payment for the Shares to the Company within such thirty (30) days, then the offer will terminate, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator.
6.3 Payment of Purchase Price. Subject to any restrictions under applicable corporate law, payment of the Purchase Price may be made, in the discretion of the Administrator, by: (a) cash; (b) check; (c) surrender of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant, which surrendered shares shall be valued at Fair Market Value as of the date of such acceptance; (d) delivery of a promissory note in a form and with such recourse, interest, security and other provisions as the Administrator determines to be appropriate (subject to applicable corporate law); (e) cancellation of indebtedness of the Company to the Participant; (f) the waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Participant for services rendered; or (g) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment or any other consideration or method of payment as shall be permitted by applicable corporate law.
6.4 Rights as a Stockholder. Upon complying with the provisions of Section 6.2 hereof, a Participant shall have the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Stock purchased pursuant to a Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement, including voting and dividend rights, subject to the terms, restrictions and conditions as are set forth in such Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. Unless the Administrator shall determine otherwise, certificates evidencing shares of Restricted Stock shall remain in the possession of the Company until such shares have vested in accordance with the terms of the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement.
6.5 Transfer Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of except as specifically provided in the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement.
6.6 Companys Repurchase Right. In the event of a termination of a Participants Continuous Service with the Company for any reason whatsoever (including death or Disability), the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement may provide, in the discretion of the Administrator, that the Company shall have the right, exercisable at the discretion of the Administrator, to repurchase shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to a Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement, on such terms as may be provided in the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. The repurchase price for shares repurchased by the Company shall be as set forth in the document evidencing the Repurchase Right, subject to the following requirements:
(a) In the case of vested shares, the repurchase price shall be equal to the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Participants Continuous Service; and
(b) In the case of unvested shares, the repurchase price may be equal to one of the following: (i) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Participants Continuous Service, (ii) the original Purchase Price paid per share, if any, or (iii) the lesser of (A) the original Purchase Price paid per share, if any, or (B) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Participants Continuous Service.
The terms upon which such Repurchase Right shall be exercisable (including but not limited to the period and procedure for exercise and the timing and method of payment for the purchased shares)
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shall be established by the Administrator and set forth in the document evidencing such Repurchase Right.
6.7 Vesting of Restricted Stock. The Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall specify the date or dates, the performance goals or objectives which must be achieved, and any other conditions on which the Restricted Stock may vest.
6.8 Dividends. If payment for shares of Restricted Stock is made by promissory note, any cash dividends paid with respect to the Restricted Stock may be applied, in the discretion of the Administrator, to repayment of such note.
6.9 Compliance with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 6 to the contrary, to the extent that a Restricted Stock Award is subject to Code Section 409A of the Code, the Restricted Stock Award is intended to be structured to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A, or an applicable exemption, as determined by the Administrator.
ARTICLE 7.
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
7.1 Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator shall have the authority to grant Stock Appreciation Rights subject to such terms, restrictions and conditions as the Administrator may determine at the time of grant. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted on a basis that allows for the exercise of the right by the Participant, or that provides for the automatic settlement of the right upon a specified date or event, for shares of Common Stock, cash or a combination of Common Stock and cash.
7.2 Stock Appreciation Rights Agreements. Each Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to this Plan shall be evidenced by a Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement, which shall specify the number of shares subject thereto, vesting provisions relating to such Stock Appreciation Right, the Base Value per share, and whether the Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable or subject to settlement for shares of Common Stock, cash or a combination of Common Stock and cash. As soon as is practicable following the grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement shall be duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Participant to whom such Stock Appreciation Right was granted. Each Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement shall be in such form and contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the Administrator shall, from time to time, deem desirable, including without limitation, the imposition of any rights of first refusal and resale obligations upon any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right. Each Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement may be different from each other Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement.
7.3 Base Value. The Base Value per share of Common Stock covered by each Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Administrator, except that the Base Value of a Stock Appreciation Right shall not be less than 100% of Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is granted.
7.4 Term and Termination of Stock Appreciation Rights. The term and provisions for termination of each Stock Appreciation Right shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Stock Appreciation Right may be exercisable or subject to settlement more than ten (10) years after the date it is granted or such shorter period as specified in the Award Agreement.
7.5 Vesting and Exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights. Each Stock Appreciation Right
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shall vest, and become exercisable or subject to settlement, in one or more installments at such time or times and shall be subject to such conditions, including without limitation the achievement of specified performance goals or objectives established with respect to one or more performance criteria, as shall be determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if necessary to comply with applicable laws, each Stock Appreciation Right granted to an employee of the Company or Affiliated Company, on a basis that allows the right to be exercised by the employee, shall provide that the employee shall have the right to exercise the vested portion of such right held at the termination of the employees Continuous Service for at least thirty (30) days following termination of the employees Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause and that the employee (or employees designee) shall have the right to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right for at least six (6) months if such termination of the employees Continuous Service is due to the death or Disability of the employee.
7.6 Payment of Appreciation. A Stock Appreciation Right will entitle the holder, upon exercise or settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, to receive an amount determined by multiplying: (a) the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise or settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right over the Base Value of such Stock Appreciation Right, by (b) the number of shares as to which such Stock Appreciation Right is exercised or settled. Upon exercise or settlement, payment of the appreciation determined under the preceding formula shall be made in shares of Common Stock, cash, or a combination of both shares and cash, as set forth in the Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement in the discretion of the Administrator. To the extent that payment is made in shares of Common Stock, such shares shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise or settlement.
7.7 Nontransferability of Stock Appreciation Rights. Except as otherwise provided by the Administrator in an Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement and as permissible under applicable law, no Stock Appreciation Right shall be assignable or transferable except by will, the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a domestic relations order, and during the life of the Participant shall be exercisable only by such Participant. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the Administrator may grant Stock Appreciation Rights that may be transferred to a revocable trust or as otherwise permitted under Rule 701 of the Securities Act.
7.8 Rights as a Stockholder. A Participant shall have no rights or privileges as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by a Stock Appreciation Right until such Stock Appreciation Right has been duly exercised or settled and certificates representing shares issued upon such exercise or settlement have been issued to such person.
7.9 Unvested Shares. The Administrator shall have the discretion to grant Stock Appreciation Rights that may be exercised or settled for unvested shares of Common Stock on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine from time to time.
7.10 Companys Repurchase Right. In the event of a termination of a Participants Continuous Service for any reason whatsoever (including death or Disability), the Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement may provide, in the discretion of the Administrator, that the Company, or its assignee, shall have the right, exercisable at the discretion of the Administrator, to repurchase shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise or settlement of a Stock Appreciation Right at any time on such terms as may be provided in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement. The repurchase price for shares repurchased by the Company shall be equal to the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the date of termination of Participants Continuous Service. The terms upon which such Repurchase Right shall be exercisable (including but not limited to the period and procedure for exercise and the timing and method of payment for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Administrator and set forth in the document evidencing such Repurchase Right.
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7.11 Compliance with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 7 to the contrary, all Stock Appreciation Rights Awards are intended to be structured to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A, or an applicable exemption, as determined by the Administrator.
ARTICLE 8.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
8.1 Administrator. Authority to control and manage the operation and administration of the Plan shall be vested in the Board, which may delegate such responsibilities in whole or in part to a committee consisting of two (2) or more members of the Board. Members of the Committee may be appointed from time to time by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board. When and if the Company becomes Publicly Held, the Board may limit the composition of the Committee to those persons necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
8.2 Delegation to an Officer. To the extent authorized by applicable law, the Board may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to do one or both of the following: (a) designate officers and employees of the Company or any of its subsidiary corporations to be recipients of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights and (b) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted to such officers and employees of the Company; provided, however, that the resolutions of the Board regarding such delegation shall specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to the Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted by such officer and that such officer may not grant an Option or Stock Appreciation Right to himself or herself. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not delegate authority to an officer to determine the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock.
8.3 Powers of the Administrator. In addition to any other powers or authority conferred upon the Administrator elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the Administrator shall have full power and authority: (a) to determine the persons to whom, and the time or times at which Awards shall be granted, the number of shares of Common Stock to be represented by each Option or Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement and the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement, and the consideration to be received by the Company upon the exercise of such Options or Stock Appreciation Right or sale of Restricted Stock; (b) to interpret the Plan; (c) to create, amend or rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; (d) to determine the terms, conditions and restrictions contained in, and the form of, Award Agreements; (e) to determine the identity or capacity of any persons who may be entitled to exercise a Participants rights under any Award Agreement under the Plan; (f) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement; (g) to accelerate the vesting of any Award or release or waive any Repurchase Rights of the Company with respect to any Award; (h) to extend the exercise date of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right (but not beyond the original expiration date); (i) to provide for rights of first refusal and/or Repurchase Rights; (j) to amend outstanding Award Agreements to provide for, among other things, any change or modification which the Administrator could have included in the original Award Agreement or in furtherance of the powers provided for herein; (k) to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, but only to the extent not contrary to the express provisions of the Plan; and (l) grant Awards to Key Team Members who are foreign nationals on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as is necessary or desirable to promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan, and adopt such modifications, procedures, and/or subplans and the like as may be necessary or desirable to comply with the provisions of the laws or regulations of other countries or jurisdictions to ensure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to such Key Team Members employed in such countries or jurisdictions, or to meet the requirements that permit the Plan to operate in
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a qualified or tax efficient manner, and/or comply with applicable foreign laws or regulations. Any action, decision, interpretation or determination made in good faith by the Administrator in the exercise of its authority conferred upon it under the Plan shall be final and binding on the Company and all Participants. The Administrators decisions and determinations need not be uniform and may be made selectively among Participants in the Committees sole discretion.
8.4 Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, to the extent that Awards are subject to Section 409A of the Code, (a) any adjustments made pursuant to this Article 8 to Awards that are considered deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; (b) any adjustments made pursuant to Article 8 to Awards that are not considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment the Awards either (i) continue not to be subject to Section 409A of the Code or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; and (c) in any event, the Administrator shall not have the authority to make any adjustments pursuant to Article 8 to the extent the existence of such authority would cause an Award that is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code at the time of grant to be subject thereto.
8.5 Limitation on Liability. No employee of the Company or member of the Board or Committee shall be subject to any liability with respect to duties under the Plan unless the person acts fraudulently or in bad faith. To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each member of the Board or Committee, and any employee of the Company with duties under the Plan, who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending or completed proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of such persons conduct in the performance of duties under the Plan.
ARTICLE 9.
CHANGE IN CONTROL
9.1 Change in Control.
(a) The Administrator, in connection with a Change in Control transaction, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control and either automatically or upon the Participants request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines, in its sole discretion, that such action is appropriate in order to facilitate such Change in Control:
(i) To provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of such Award or realization of the Participants rights had such Award been currently exercisable, payable and fully vested, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of such Award or realization of the Participants rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then such Award may be terminated without payment;
(ii) To provide that such Award shall vest and, to the extent applicable, be exercisable as to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the provisions of such Award;
(iii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as
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to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;
(iv) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards which may be granted in the future;
(v) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or
(vi) To provide that the Award will terminate and cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after the Change in Control.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 9.1(a) above, vesting of all outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall accelerate automatically effective as of immediately prior to the consummation of the Change in Control unless the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights are to be assumed by the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) or new options or new stock appreciation rights under a new stock incentive program (New Incentives) of comparable value are to be issued in exchange therefor, as provided in subsection (c) below.
(c) Vesting of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall not accelerate if and to the extent that: (i) the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (including the unvested portions thereof) are to be assumed by the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) pursuant to the terms of the Change in Control transaction, or (ii) the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights (including the unvested portions thereof) are to be replaced by the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) with New Incentives of comparable value containing such terms and provisions as the Administrator in its discretion may consider equitable. If outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights are assumed, or if New Incentives of comparable value are issued in exchange therefor, then each such Option, Stock Appreciation Right or New Incentive shall be appropriately adjusted, concurrently with the Change in Control, to apply to the number and class of securities or other property that the Participant, as the case may be, would have received pursuant to the Change in Control transaction in exchange for the shares issuable upon exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right had the Option or Stock Appreciation Right been exercised immediately prior to the Change in Control, and appropriate adjustment also shall be made to the Exercise Price such that the aggregate Exercise Price of each such Option or new option and the aggregate Base Value of each such Stock Appreciation Right or new stock appreciation right shall remain the same as nearly as practicable.
(d) If any Option or Stock Appreciation Right is assumed by an acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) or a New Incentive of comparable value is issued in exchange therefor pursuant to the terms of a Change in Control transaction, then if so provided in the Option Agreement or Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement, the vesting of the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, or the New Incentive shall accelerate if and at such time as the Participants service as an employee, director, officer, Consultant or other Service Provider to the acquiring or successor entity (or a parent or subsidiary thereof) is terminated involuntarily or voluntarily under certain circumstances within a specified period following consummation of the Change in Control, pursuant to such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in the Option Agreement or Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement.
(e) Outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate and cease to be exercisable upon consummation of a Change in Control except to the extent that the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights are assumed by the successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) pursuant to the terms of the Change in Control transaction.
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(f) If outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights will not be assumed by the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof), or such Awards are not purchased or exchanged for New Incentives, the Administrator shall cause written notice of a proposed Change in Control transaction to be given to Participants holding such Awards not less than five (5) days prior to the anticipated effective date of the proposed transaction.
(g) Notwithstanding Section 9.1(a) above, all Repurchase Rights of the Company under this Plan shall automatically terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such Change in Control, and the shares of Common Stock subject to such terminated Repurchase Rights shall immediately vest in full, except to the extent that: (a) in connection with such Change in Control, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) provides for the continuance or assumption of the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreements (or such other agreements evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable) or the substitution of new agreements of comparable value covering shares of a successor corporation, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and purchase price, or (b) such accelerated vesting is precluded by other limitations imposed by the Administrator in the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (or such other agreement evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable) at the time the shares are issued.
(h) The Administrator in its discretion may provide in any Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (or such other agreement evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable) that if, upon a Change in Control, the acquiring or successor entity (or parent or subsidiary thereof) provides for the continuance or assumption of such Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (or such other agreement evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable) or the substitution of new agreements of comparable value covering shares of a successor corporation (with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and purchase price), then any Repurchase Right provided for in such Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (or such other agreement evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable) shall terminate, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the terminated Repurchase Right or any substituted shares shall immediately vest in full, if the Participants service as an employee, director, officer, Consultant or other Service Provider to the acquiring or successor entity (or a parent or subsidiary thereof) is terminated involuntarily or voluntarily under certain circumstances within a specified period following consummation of a Change in Control pursuant to such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (or such other agreement evidencing the Companys Repurchase Right, as applicable).
ARTICLE 10.
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN
10.1 Amendments. The Board may from time to time alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in such respects as the Board may deem advisable. No such alteration, amendment, suspension or termination shall be made which shall (i) substantially affect or impair the rights of any Participant under an outstanding Award Agreement without such Participants consent, or (ii) cause this Plan, or any Award granted pursuant to it, to violate Code Section 409A. The Board may alter or amend the Plan to comply with requirements under the Code relating to Incentive Options or other types of options that give Optionees more favorable tax treatment than that applicable to Options granted under this Plan as of the date of its adoption. Upon any such alteration or amendment, any outstanding Award granted hereunder may, if the Administrator so determines and if permitted by applicable law, be subject to the more favorable tax treatment afforded to a Participant pursuant to such terms and conditions.
10.2 Plan Termination. Unless the Plan shall theretofore have been terminated, the Plan
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shall terminate on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date and no Awards may be granted under the Plan thereafter, but Award Agreements then outstanding shall continue in effect in accordance with their respective terms.
ARTICLE 11.
TAXES
11.1 Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power to withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy any applicable Federal, state, and local tax withholding requirements with respect to any Options or Stock Appreciation Rights exercised or shares of Restricted Stock issued under this Plan. To the extent permissible under applicable tax, securities and other laws, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate, permit a Participant to satisfy his or her obligation to pay any such tax, in whole or in part, by (a) directing the Company to apply shares of Common Stock to which the Participant is entitled as a result of the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or as a result of the purchase of or lapse of restrictions on shares of Restricted Stock or (b) delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant; provided, however, the amount withheld shall not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Companys tax withholding obligations at the minimum statutory withholding rates, as applicable. The shares of Common Stock so applied or delivered in satisfaction of the Participants tax withholding obligation shall be valued at their Fair Market Value as of the date of measurement of the amount of income subject to withholding.
ARTICLE 12.
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Benefits Not Alienable. Other than as provided above, benefits under the Plan may not be assigned or alienated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. Any unauthorized attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect.
12.2 No Enlargement of Employee Rights. This Plan is strictly a voluntary undertaking on the part of the Company and shall not be deemed to constitute a contract between the Company and any Participant to be consideration for, or an inducement to, or a condition of, the employment of any Participant. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be deemed to give the right to any Participant to be retained as an employee of the Company or any Affiliated Company or to limit the right of the Company or any Affiliated Company to discharge any Participant at any time.
12.3 Application of Funds. The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Option Agreements and Restricted Stock Purchase Agreements, except as otherwise provided herein, will be used for general corporate purposes.
12.4 Financial Reports. To the extent required by Rule 701(e) of the Securities Act, the Company shall provide, at least annually, summary financial information relating to the Companys financial condition and results of operations to each Participant who holds one or more Awards or shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Plan.
12.5 Adoption and Stockholder Approval. This amended and restated Plan will become effective on the Effective Date and will be approved by the stockholders of the Company (excluding Shares issued pursuant to this Plan), consistent with applicable laws, within twelve (12) months before or after the Effective Date. Upon the Effective Date, the Administrator may grant Awards pursuant to this Plan; provided, however, that: (a) no Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised prior to
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initial stockholder approval of this Plan; (b) no Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to an increase in the number of Shares approved by the Administrator shall be exercised prior to the time such increase has been approved by the stockholders of the Company; (c) in the event that initial stockholder approval is not obtained within the time period provided herein, all Awards shall be canceled, any Shares issued pursuant to any such Award shall be canceled and any purchase of such Shares issued hereunder shall be rescinded; and (d) Awards granted pursuant to an increase in the number of Shares approved by the Administrator which increase is not approved by stockholders within the time then required, any Shares issued pursuant to any such Awards shall be canceled, and any purchase of Shares subject to any such Award shall be rescinded.
12.6 Electronic Delivery. Any reference herein to a written agreement or document shall include any agreement or document delivered electronically or posted on the Companys intranet.
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2015 PLAN AMENDMENT
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. 2015 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN, as amended, (this Amendment), dated as of February 9, 2018, is made and adopted by Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan (as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan);
WHEREAS, the Company desires to amend the Plan as set forth below;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 10.1 of the Plan, the Plan may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has approved this Amendment pursuant to resolutions adopted on February 8, 2018.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:
1. Section 4.1 of the Plan is hereby amended to read as follows:
4.1 Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to Section 4.2, a total of Two Million Four Hundred Thirteen Thousand Three Hundred Seventy-Three (2,413,373) shares of Common Stock shall be available for issuance under the Plan. Of this total, Two Million Four Hundred Thirteen Thousand Three Hundred Seventy-Three (2,413,373) shares of Common Stock are available for issuance pursuant to Incentive Options. For purposes of this Section 4.1, in the event that (a) all or any portion of any Award granted or offered under the Plan can no longer under any circumstances be exercised or (b) any shares of Common Stock are reacquired by the Company which were initially the subject of an Award Agreement, the shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of such Award, or the shares so reacquired, shall again be available for grant or issuance under the Plan.
2. This Amendment shall be and is hereby incorporated in and forms a part of the Plan. All other terms and provisions of the Plan shall remain unchanged except as specifically modified herein. The Plan, as amended by this Amendment, is hereby ratified and confirmed.
I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on February 8, 2018.
By: | /s/ Marc Wilson | |
Name: | Marc Wilson | |
Title: | Secretary |
Signature Page to 2015 Stock Incentive Plan Amendment
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. 2015 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. 2015 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN, as amended (this Amendment), dated as of May 25, 2018, is made and adopted by Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan (as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan);
WHEREAS, the Company desires to amend the Plan as set forth below;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 10.1 of the Plan, the Plan may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has approved this Amendment pursuant to resolutions adopted on May 25, 2018.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the Company hereby amends the Plan as follows:
1. Section 4.1 of the Plan is hereby amended to read as follows:
4. 1 Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to Section 4.2, a total of Three Million One Hundred Forty-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty-Seven (3,142,857) shares of Common Stock shall be available for issuance under the Plan. Of this total, Three Million One Hundred Forty-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty-Seven (3,142,857) shares are available for issuance pursuant to Incentive Options. For purposes of this Section 4.1, in the event that (a) all or any portion of any Award granted or offered under the Plan can no longer under any circumstances be exercised or (b) any shares of Common Stock are reacquired by the Company which were initially the subject of an Award Agreement, the shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of such Award, or the shares so reacquired, shall again be available for grant or issuance under the Plan.
2. This Amendment shall be and is hereby incorporated in and forms a part of the Plan. All other terms and provisions of the Plan shall remain unchanged except as specifically modified herein. The Plan, as amended by this Amendment, is hereby ratified and confirmed.
I hereby certify that the foregoing Amendment was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on May 25, 2018.
By: | /s/ Marc Wilson | |
Name: | Marc Wilson | |
Title: | Secretary |
Signature Page to 2015 Stock Incentive Plan Amendment
Exhibit 10.3
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2018 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN
ARTICLE I.
PURPOSE
The Plans purpose is to enhance the Companys ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make) important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities. Capitalized terms used in the Plan are defined in Article XI.
ARTICLE II.
ELIGIBILITY
Service Providers are eligible to be granted Awards under the Plan, subject to the limitations described herein.
ARTICLE III.
ADMINISTRATION AND DELEGATION
3.1 Administration. The Plan is administered by the Administrator. The Administrator has authority to determine which Service Providers receive Awards, grant Awards and set Award terms and conditions, subject to the conditions and limitations in the Plan. The Administrator also has the authority to take all actions and make all determinations under the Plan, to interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and to adopt, amend and repeal Plan administrative rules, guidelines and practices as it deems advisable. The Administrator may correct defects and ambiguities, supply omissions and reconcile inconsistencies in the Plan or any Award as it deems necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and any Awards. The Administrators determinations under the Plan are in its sole discretion and will be final and binding on all persons having or claiming any interest in the Plan or any Award.
3.2 Appointment of Committees. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more Committees or officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Board may abolish any Committee or re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority at any time.
ARTICLE IV.
STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS
4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Article VIII and the terms of this Article IV, Awards may be made under the Plan covering up to the Overall Share Limit. As of the Plans effective date under Section 10.3, the Company will cease granting awards under the Prior Plan; however, Prior Plan Awards will remain subject to the terms of the applicable Prior Plan. Shares issued under the Plan may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, Shares purchased on the open market or treasury Shares.
4.2 Share Recycling. If all or any part of an Award or Prior Plan Award expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, in any case, in a manner that results in the Company acquiring Shares covered by the Award or Prior Plan Award at a price not greater than the price (as adjusted to reflect any Equity Restructuring) paid by the Participant for such Shares or not issuing any Shares covered by the Award or Prior Plan Award, the unused Shares covered by the Award or Prior Plan Award will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. Further, Shares delivered (either by actual delivery or attestation) to the Company by a Participant to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an Award or Prior Plan Award and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligation (including Shares retained by the Company from the Award or Prior Plan Award being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards or Prior Plan Awards shall not count against the Overall Share Limit.
4.3 Incentive Stock Option Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no more than 15,000,000 Shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options.
4.4 Substitute Awards. In connection with an entitys merger or consolidation with the Company or the Companys acquisition of an entitys property or stock, the Administrator may grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted before such merger or consolidation by such entity or its affiliate. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards will not count against the Overall Share Limit (nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above), except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided above); provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.
4.5 Non-Employee Director Compensation. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the Administrator may establish compensation for non-employee Directors from time to time, subject to the limitations in the Plan. The Administrator will from time to time determine the terms, conditions and amounts of all such non-employee Director compensation in its discretion and pursuant to the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time, provided that the sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of Awards granted to a non-employee Director as compensation for services as a non-employee Director during any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $750,000 increased to $1,000,000 in the fiscal year of a non-employee Directors initial service as a non-employee Director. The Administrator may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee Directors in extraordinary circumstances, as the Administrator may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee Director receiving such additional
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compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee Directors.
ARTICLE V.
STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
5.1 General. The Administrator may grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights to Service Providers subject to the limitations in the Plan, including any limitations in the Plan that apply to Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator will determine the number of Shares covered by each Option and Stock Appreciation Right, the exercise price of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right. A Stock Appreciation Right will entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right) to receive from the Company upon exercise of the exercisable portion of the Stock Appreciation Right an amount determined by multiplying the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, subject to any limitations of the Plan or that the Administrator may impose and payable in cash, Shares valued at Fair Market Value or a combination of the two as the Administrator may determine or provide in the Award Agreement.
5.2 Exercise Price. The Administrator will establish each Options and Stock Appreciation Rights exercise price and specify the exercise price in the Award Agreement. The exercise price will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the grant date of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right.
5.3 Duration. Each Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable at such times and as specified in the Award Agreement, provided that the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will not exceed ten years. Notwithstanding the foregoing and unless determined otherwise by the Company, in the event that on the last business day of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than an Incentive Stock Option) (i) the exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is prohibited by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, or (ii) Shares may not be purchased or sold by the applicable Participant due to any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) or a lock-up agreement undertaken in connection with an issuance of securities by the Company, the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is thirty (30) days after the end of the legal prohibition, black-out period or lock-up agreement, as determined by the Company; provided, however, in no event shall the extension last beyond the ten year term of the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participant, prior to the end of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, violates the non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other similar restrictive covenant provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the right of the Participant and the Participants transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant shall terminate immediately upon such violation, unless the Company otherwise determines. In addition, if, prior to the end of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant is given notice by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the Participants Termination of Service by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for Cause, and the effective date of such Termination of Service is subsequent to the date of the delivery of such notice, the right of the Participant and the Participants transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant shall be suspended from the time of the delivery of such notice until the earlier of (i) such time as it is determined or otherwise agreed that the Participants service as a Service Provider will not be terminated for Cause as provided in such notice or (ii) the effective date of the Participants Termination of Service by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for Cause (in which case the right of the Participant and the Participants transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant will terminate immediately upon the effective date of such termination of Service).
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5.4 Exercise. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by delivering to the Company a written notice of exercise, in a form the Administrator approves (which may be electronic), signed by the person authorized to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, together with, as applicable, payment in full (i) as specified in Section 5.5 for the number of Shares for which the Award is exercised and (ii) as specified in Section 9.5 for any applicable taxes. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
5.5 Payment Upon Exercise. Subject to Section 10.8, any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) and Applicable Laws, the exercise price of an Option must be paid by:
(a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or by check payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted;
(b) if there is a public market for Shares at the time of exercise, unless the Company otherwise determines, (A) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price, or (B) the Participants delivery to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator;
(c) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of Shares owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value;
(d) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, surrendering Shares then issuable upon the Options exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date;
(e) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery of a promissory note or any other property that the Administrator determines is good and valuable consideration; or
(f) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the above payment forms approved by the Administrator.
ARTICLE VI.
RESTRICTED STOCK; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS
6.1 General. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock, or the right to purchase Restricted Stock, to any Service Provider, subject to the Companys right to repurchase all or part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant (or to require forfeiture of such shares) if conditions the Administrator specifies in the Award Agreement are not satisfied before the end of the applicable restriction period or periods that the Administrator establishes for such Award. In addition, the Administrator may grant to Service Providers Restricted Stock Units, which may be subject to vesting and forfeiture conditions during the applicable restriction period or periods, as set forth in an Award Agreement. The Administrator will determine and set forth in the Award Agreement the terms and conditions for each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Award, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in the Plan.
6.2 Restricted Stock.
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(a) Dividends. Participants holding shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to all ordinary cash dividends paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise in the Award Agreement. In addition, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, if any dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, or consist of a dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock of property other than an ordinary cash dividend, the Shares or other property will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.
(b) Stock Certificates. The Company may require that the Participant deposit in escrow with the Company (or its designee) any stock certificates issued in respect of shares of Restricted Stock, together with a stock power endorsed in blank.
6.3 Restricted Stock Units.
(a) Settlement. The Administrator may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will occur upon or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Restricted Stock Units vest or will instead be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participants election, in a manner intended to comply with Section 409A.
(b) Stockholder Rights. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.
(c) Dividend Equivalents. If the Administrator provides, a grant of Restricted Stock Units may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents are granted and subject to other terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement.
ARTICLE VII.
OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS
Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be granted to Participants, including Awards entitling Participants to receive Shares to be delivered in the future and including annual or other periodic or long-term cash bonus awards (whether based on specified Performance Criteria or otherwise), in each case subject to any conditions and limitations in the Plan. Such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards will also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other Awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or other property, as the Administrator determines. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including any purchase price, performance goal (which may be based on the Performance Criteria), transfer restrictions, and vesting conditions, which will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII.
ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK
AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS
8.1 Equity Restructuring. In connection with any Equity Restructuring, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, the Administrator will equitably adjust each outstanding Award as it deems appropriate to reflect the Equity Restructuring, which
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may include adjusting the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the Awards exercise price or grant price (if applicable), granting new Awards to Participants, and making a cash payment to Participants. The adjustments provided under this Section 8.1 will be nondiscretionary and final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that the Administrator will determine whether an adjustment is equitable.
8.2 Corporate Transactions. In the event of any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, amalgamation, repurchase, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, Change in Control, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, other similar corporate transaction or event, other unusual or nonrecurring transaction or event affecting the Company or its financial statements or any change in any Applicable Laws or accounting principles, the Administrator, on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event (except that action to give effect to a change in Applicable Law or accounting principles may be made within a reasonable period of time after such change) and either automatically or upon the Participants request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to (x) prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award granted or issued under the Plan, (y) to facilitate such transaction or event or (z) give effect to such changes in Applicable Laws or accounting principles:
(a) To provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participants rights under the vested portion of such Award, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participants rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then the Award may be terminated without payment;
(b) To provide that such Award shall vest and, to the extent applicable, be exercisable as to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the provisions of such Award;
(c) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and/or applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;
(d) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards and/or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Article IV hereof on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued) and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards;
(e) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or
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(f) To provide that the Award will terminate and cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after the applicable event.
8.3 Effect of Non-Assumption in a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.2 above, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participants Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced with a substantially similar award by (a) the Company, or (b) a successor entity or its parent or subsidiary (an Assumption), and provided that the Participant has not had a Termination of Service, then, immediately prior to the Change in Control, such Awards shall become fully vested, exercisable and/or payable, as applicable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse, in which case, such Awards shall be canceled upon the consummation of the Change in Control in exchange for the right to receive the Change in Control consideration payable to other holders of Common Stock (i) which may be on such terms and conditions as apply generally to holders of Common Stock under the Change in Control documents (including, without limitation, any escrow, earn-out or other deferred consideration provisions) or such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may provide, and (ii) determined by reference to the number of shares subject to such Awards and net of any applicable exercise price; provided that to the extent that any Awards constitute nonqualified deferred compensation that may not be paid upon the Change in Control under Section 409A without the imposition of taxes thereon under Section 409A, the timing of such payments shall be governed by the applicable Award Agreement (subject to any deferred consideration provisions applicable under the Change in Control documents); and provided, further, that if the amount to which a Participant would be entitled upon the settlement or exercise of such Award at the time of the Change in Control is equal to or less than zero, then such Award may be terminated without payment. The Administrator shall determine whether an Assumption of an Award has occurred in connection with a Change in Control.
8.4 Administrative Stand Still. In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other extraordinary transaction or change affecting the Shares or the share price of Common Stock, including any Equity Restructuring or any securities offering or other similar transaction, for administrative convenience, the Administrator may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award for up to sixty days before or after such transaction.
8.5 General. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the Administrators action under the Plan, no Participant will have any rights due to any subdivision or consolidation of Shares of any class, dividend payment, increase or decrease in the number of Shares of any class or dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or other corporation. Except as expressly provided with respect to an Equity Restructuring under Section 8.1 above or the Administrators action under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of Shares of any class, or securities convertible into Shares of any class, will affect, and no adjustment will be made regarding, the number of Shares subject to an Award or the Awards grant or exercise price. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreements and the Awards granted hereunder will not affect or restrict in any way the Companys right or power to make or authorize (i) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Companys capital structure or its business, (ii) any merger, consolidation dissolution or liquidation of the Company or sale of Company assets or (iii) any sale or issuance of securities, including securities with rights superior to those of the Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares. The Administrator may treat Participants and Awards (or portions thereof) differently under this Article VIII.
ARTICLE IX.
GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
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9.1 Transferability. Except as the Administrator may determine or provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise for Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or, subject to the Administrators consent, pursuant to a domestic relations order, and, during the life of the Participant, will be exercisable only by the Participant. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, will include references to a Participants authorized transferee that the Administrator specifically approves.
9.2 Documentation. Each Award will be evidenced in an Award Agreement, which may be written or electronic, as the Administrator determines. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan.
9.3 Discretion. Except as the Plan otherwise provides, each Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award to a Participant need not be identical, and the Administrator need not treat Participants or Awards (or portions thereof) uniformly.
9.4 Termination of Status. The Administrator will determine how the disability, death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or any other change or purported change in a Participants Service Provider status affects an Award and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, the Participants legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary may exercise rights under the Award, if applicable.
9.5 Withholding. Each Participant must pay the Company, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required by law to be withheld in connection with such Participants Awards by the date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company may deduct an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations based on the applicable statutory withholding rates (or such other rate as may be determined by the Company after considering any accounting consequences or costs) from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant. In the absence of a contrary determination by the Company (or, with respect to withholding pursuant to clause (ii) below with respect to Awards held by individuals subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, a contrary determination by the Administrator), all tax withholding obligations will be calculated based on the minimum applicable statutory withholding rates. Subject to Section 10.8 and any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods), Participants may satisfy such tax obligations (i) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, by check made payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted, (ii) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, in whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares delivered by attestation and Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery, (iii) if there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligations are satisfied, unless the Company otherwise determines, (A) delivery (including electronically or telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the tax obligations, or (B) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator, or (iv) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the foregoing payment forms approved by the Administrator. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be so delivered or retained pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery or retention no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the
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United States of America)); provided, however, to the extent such Shares were acquired by Participant from the Company as compensation, the Shares must have been held for the minimum period required by applicable accounting rules to avoid a charge to the Companys earnings for financial reporting purposes; provided, further, that, any such Shares delivered or retained shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the applicable Award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. If any tax withholding obligation will be satisfied under clause (ii) above by the Companys retention of Shares from the Award creating the tax obligation and there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligation is satisfied, the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on the applicable Participants behalf some or all of the Shares retained and to remit the proceeds of the sale to the Company or its designee, and each Participants acceptance of an Award under the Plan will constitute the Participants authorization to the Company and instruction and authorization to such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this sentence.
9.6 Amendment of Award; Repricing. The Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including by substituting another Award of the same or a different type, changing the exercise or settlement date, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Participants consent to such action will be required unless (i) the action, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the Participants rights under the Award, or (ii) the change is permitted under Article VIII or pursuant to Section 10.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Administrator may, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, reduce the exercise price per share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per share that is less than the exercise price per share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
9.7 Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Companys satisfaction, (ii) as determined by the Company, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any Applicable Laws. The Companys inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Administrator determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any securities, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.
9.8 Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately vested and fully or partially exercisable, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise fully or partially realizable.
9.9 Additional Terms of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of its present or future parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. If an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, the exercise price will not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the Options grant date, and the term of the Option will not exceed five years. All Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and construed consistently with Section 422 of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within (i) two years from the grant date of the Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of
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such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, in such disposition or other transfer. Neither the Company nor the Administrator will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code for any reason, including becoming exercisable with respect to Shares having a fair market value exceeding the $100,000 limitation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-4, will be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1 No Right to Employment or Other Status. No person will have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award will not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan or any Award, except as expressly provided in an Award Agreement.
10.2 No Rights as Stockholder; Certificates. Subject to the Award Agreement, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary will have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under an Award until becoming the record holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless the Administrator otherwise determines or Applicable Laws require, the Company will not be required to deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares may be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator). The Company may place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan that the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.
10.3 Effective Date and Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Plan will become effective on the day prior to the Public Trading Date and will remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the earlier of (i) the date the Board adopted the Plan or (ii) the date the Companys stockholders approved the Plan, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date in accordance with the Plan. If the Plan is not approved by the Companys stockholders, the Plan will not become effective, no Awards will be granted under the Plan and the Prior Plan will continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms. The Plan will be submitted for the approval of the Companys stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Boards adoption of the Plan.
10.4 Amendment of Plan. The Administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided that no amendment, other than an increase to the Overall Share Limit, may materially and adversely affect any Award outstanding at the time of such amendment without the affected Participants consent. No Awards may be granted under the Plan during any suspension period or after the Plans termination. Awards outstanding at the time of any Plan suspension or termination will continue to be governed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, as in effect before such suspension or termination. The Board will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Laws.
10.5 Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Administrator may modify Awards granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans or procedures under the Plan to address differences in laws, rules, regulations or customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefit or other matters.
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10.6 Section 409A.
(a) General. The Company intends that all Awards be structured to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A, such that no adverse tax consequences, interest, or penalties under Section 409A apply. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may, without a Participants consent, amend this Plan or Awards, adopt policies and procedures, or take any other actions (including amendments, policies, procedures and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including any such actions intended to (A) exempt this Plan or any Award from Section 409A, or (B) comply with Section 409A, including regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority that may be issued after an Awards grant date. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to an Awards tax treatment under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company will have no obligation under this Section 10.6 or otherwise to avoid the taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and will have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute noncompliant nonqualified deferred compensation subject to taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A.
(b) Separation from Service. If an Award constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A, any payment or settlement of such Award upon a termination of a Participants Service Provider relationship will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A, be made only upon the Participants separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A), whether such separation from service occurs upon or after the termination of the Participants Service Provider relationship. For purposes of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to any such payments or benefits, references to a termination, termination of employment or like terms means a separation from service.
(c) Payments to Specified Employees. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment(s) of nonqualified deferred compensation required to be made under an Award to a specified employee (as defined under Section 409A and as the Administrator determines) due to his or her separation from service will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such separation from service (or, if earlier, until the specified employees death) and will instead be paid (as set forth in the Award Agreement) on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Any payments of nonqualified deferred compensation under such Award payable more than six months following the Participants separation from service will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made.
10.7 Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, no individual acting as a director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary will be liable to any Participant, former Participant, spouse, beneficiary, or any other person for any claim, loss, liability, or expense incurred in connection with the Plan or any Award, and such individual will not be personally liable with respect to the Plan because of any contract or other instrument executed in his or her capacity as an Administrator, director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each director, officer, other employee and agent of the Company or any Subsidiary that has been or will be granted or delegated any duty or power relating to the Plans administration or interpretation, against any cost or expense (including attorneys fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the Administrators approval) arising from any act or omission concerning this Plan unless arising from such persons own fraud or bad faith.
10.8 Lock-Up Period. The Company may, at the request of any underwriter representative or otherwise, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act,
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prohibit Participants from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during a period of up to one hundred eighty days following the effective date of a Company registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or such longer period as determined by the underwriter.
10.9 Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this section by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Participants participation in the Plan. The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participants name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its Subsidiaries and affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the Data). The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Participants participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Participants country, or elsewhere, and the Participants country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients country. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Participants participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participants participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 10.9 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Participants ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrators discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 10.9. For more information on the consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.
10.10 Severability. If any portion of the Plan or any action taken under it is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provisions had been excluded, and the illegal or invalid action will be null and void.
10.11 Governing Documents. If any contradiction occurs between the Plan and any Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company (or any Subsidiary) that the Administrator has approved, the Plan will govern, unless it is expressly specified in such Award Agreement or other written document that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.
10.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any states choice-of-law principles requiring the application of a jurisdictions laws other than the State of Delaware.
10.13 Claw-back Provisions. All Awards (including, without limitation, any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any shares of Common Stock underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without
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limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with Applicable Laws (including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder) as and to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy or the Award Agreement.
10.14 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, if any conflict, the Plans text, rather than such titles or headings, will control.
10.15 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan and all Awards will be administered only in conformance with Applicable Laws. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Plan and all Award Agreements will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.
10.16 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan will be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except as expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
10.17 Broker-Assisted Sales. In the event of a broker-assisted sale of Shares in connection with the payment of amounts owed by a Participant under or with respect to the Plan or Awards, including amounts to be paid under the final sentence of Section 9.5: (a) any Shares to be sold through the broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the payment first becomes due, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (b) such Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (c) the applicable Participant will be responsible for all brokers fees and other costs of sale, and by accepting an Award, each Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (d) to the extent the Company or its designee receives proceeds of such sale that exceed the amount owed, the Company will pay such excess in cash to the applicable Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (e) the Company and its designees are under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price; and (f) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the Participants applicable obligation, the Participant may be required to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its designee an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Participants obligation.
ARTICLE XI.
DEFINITIONS
As used in the Plan, the following words and phrases will have the following meanings:
11.1 Administrator means the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Boards powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.
11.2 Applicable Laws means the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where Awards are granted.
11.3 Award means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock or Cash Based Awards.
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11.4 Award Agreement means a written agreement evidencing an Award, which may be electronic, that contains such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines, consistent with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
11.5 Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
11.6 Cause means (a) if a Participant is a party to a written employment or consulting agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or an Award Agreement in which the term cause is defined, Cause as defined in such agreement, and (b) if no such agreement exists, (i) the Administrators determination that the Participant failed to substantially perform the Participants duties (other than any such failure resulting from the Participants Disability); (ii) the Administrators determination that the Participant failed to carry out, or comply with any lawful and reasonable directive of the Board or the Participants immediate supervisor; (iii) the occurrence of any act or omission by the Participant that could reasonably be expected to result in (or has resulted in) the Participants conviction, plea of no contest, plea of nolo contendere, or imposition of unadjudicated probation for any felony or indictable offense or crime involving moral turpitude; (iv) the Participants unlawful use (including being under the influence) or possession of illegal drugs on the premises of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or while performing the Participants duties and responsibilities for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (v) the Participants commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, misconduct, or breach of fiduciary duty against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
11.7 Change in Control means and includes each of the following:
(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any person or related group of persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a person that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Companys securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Companys assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
(i) which results in the Companys voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or
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indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Companys assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the Successor Entity)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entitys outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and
(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or portion of any Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a change in control event, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a change in control event as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.
11.8 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.
11.9 Committee means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which may include one or more Company directors or executive officers, to the extent Applicable Laws permit. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a non-employee director within the meaning of Rule 16b-3; however, a Committee members failure to qualify as a non-employee director within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 will not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.
11.10 Common Stock means the common stock of the Company.
11.11 Company means Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor.
11.12 Consultant means any person, including any adviser, engaged by the Company or its parent or Subsidiary to render services to such entity if the consultant or adviser: (a) renders bona fide services to the Company; (b) renders services not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Companys securities; and (c) is a natural person.
11.13 Designated Beneficiary means the beneficiary or beneficiaries the Participant designates, in a manner the Administrator determines, to receive amounts due or exercise the Participants
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rights if the Participant dies or becomes incapacitated. Without a Participants effective designation, Designated Beneficiary will mean the Participants estate.
11.14 Director means a Board member.
11.15 Disability means a permanent and total disability under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, as amended.
11.16 Dividend Equivalents means a right granted to a Participant under the Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares.
11.17 Employee means any employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
11.18 Equity Restructuring means a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other Company securities) or the share price of Common Stock (or other Company securities) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.
11.19 Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
11.20 Fair Market Value means, as of any date, the value of a share of Common Stock determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award granted on the pricing date of the Companys initial public offering, the Fair Market Value shall mean the initial public offering price of a Share as set forth in the Companys final prospectus relating to its initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
11.21 Good Reason means (a) if a Participant is a party to a written employment or consulting agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or an Award Agreement in which the term good reason is defined, Good Reason as defined in such agreement, and (b) if no such agreement exists, (i) a change in the Participants position with the Company (or its Subsidiary employing the Participant) that materially reduces the Participants authority, duties or responsibilities or the level of management to which he or she reports, (ii) a material diminution in the Participants level of compensation (including base salary, fringe benefits and target bonuses under any corporate performance-based incentive programs) or (iii) a relocation of the Participants place of employment by more than 50 miles, provided that such change, reduction or relocation is effected by the Company (or its Subsidiary employing the Participant) without the Participants consent.
11.22 Greater Than 10% Stockholder means an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or subsidiary corporation, as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively.
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11.23 Incentive Stock Option means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of the Code.
11.24 Non-Qualified Stock Option means an Option not intended or not qualifying as an Incentive Stock Option.
11.25 Option means an option to purchase Shares.
11.26 Other Stock or Cash Based Awards means cash awards, awards of Shares, and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property.
11.27 Overall Share Limit means the sum of (a) 1,600,000 Shares; (b) the number of shares of Common Stock that remain available for issuance under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date; (c) any shares of Common Stock which are subject to Prior Plan Awards which become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Article IV (which number added to the Overall Share Limit pursuant to clauses (b) and (c) shall not exceed 3,142,857 shares of Common Stock); and (d) an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year beginning January 1, 2019 and ending on and including January 1, 2028, equal to the lesser of (i) 5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of Shares as is determined by the Board.
11.28 Participant means a Service Provider who has been granted an Award.
11.29 Performance Criteria mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator may select for an Award to establish performance goals for a performance period, which may include the following: net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and non-cash equity-based compensation expense); gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; net income (either before or after taxes) or adjusted net income; profits (including but not limited to gross profits, net profits, profit growth, net operation profit or economic profit), profit return ratios or operating margin; budget or operating earnings (either before or after taxes or before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow or cash flow return on capital); return on assets; return on capital or invested capital; cost of capital; return on stockholders equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; expenses; working capital; earnings or loss per share; adjusted earnings or loss per share; price per share or dividends per share (or appreciation in or maintenance of such price or dividends); regulatory achievements or compliance; implementation, completion or attainment of objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial, or strategic milestones or developments; market share; economic value or economic value added models; division, group or corporate financial goals; customer satisfaction/growth; customer service; employee satisfaction; recruitment and maintenance of personnel; human resources management; supervision of litigation and other legal matters; strategic partnerships and transactions; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); debt levels or reductions; sales-related goals; financing and other capital raising transactions; cash on hand; acquisition activity; investment sourcing activity; and marketing initiatives, any of which may be measured in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Companys performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company or a Subsidiary, or based upon performance relative to performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to performance of other companies. The Committee may provide for exclusion of the impact of an event or occurrence which the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual, infrequently occurring or non-recurring charges or events, (b) asset write-downs, (c) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (d) acquisitions
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or divestitures, (e) reorganization or change in the corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, (f) an event either not directly related to the operations of the Company, Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit or not within the reasonable control of management, (g) foreign exchange gains and losses, (h) a change in the fiscal year of the Company, (i) the refinancing or repurchase of bank loans or debt securities, (j) unbudgeted capital expenditures, (k) the issuance or repurchase of equity securities and other changes in the number of outstanding shares, (l) conversion of some or all of convertible securities to Common Stock, (m) any business interruption event (n) the cumulative effects of tax or accounting changes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or (o) the effect of changes in other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results.
11.30 Plan means this 2018 Incentive Award Plan.
11.31 Prior Plan means the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2015 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended and restated effective October 30, 2015.
11.32 Prior Plan Award means an award outstanding under the Prior Plan as of the Plans effective date under Section 10.3.
11.33 Public Trading Date means the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system, or, if earlier, the date on which the Company becomes a publicly held corporation for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(c)(1).
11.34 Restricted Stock means Shares awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.
11.35 Restricted Stock Unit means an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one Share or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by the Administrator to be of equal value as of such settlement date, subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.
11.36 Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
11.37 Section 409A means Section 409A of the Code and all regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority thereunder.
11.38 Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
11.39 Service Provider means an Employee, Consultant or Director.
11.40 Shares means shares of Common Stock.
11.41 Stock Appreciation Right means a stock appreciation right granted under Article V.
11.42 Subsidiary means any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.
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11.43 Substitute Awards shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.
11.44 Termination of Service means the date the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider.
* * * * *
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Exhibit 10.4
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2018 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN
STOCK OPTION GRANT NOTICE
Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Stock Option Grant Notice (the Grant Notice) have the meanings given to them in the 2018 Incentive Award Plan (as amended from time to time, the Plan) of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company).
The Company hereby grants to the participant listed below (Participant) the stock option described in this Grant Notice (the Option), subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Stock Option Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the Agreement), both of which are incorporated into this Grant Notice by reference.
Participant: | ||||
Grant Date: | ||||
Exercise Price per Share: | ||||
Shares Subject to the Option: | ||||
Final Expiration Date: | ||||
Vesting Commencement Date: | ||||
Vesting Schedule: | [To be specified in individual award agreements] | |||
Type of Option | ☐ Incentive Stock Option | ☐ Non-Qualified Stock Option |
By Participants signature below, Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Grant Notice, the Plan and the Agreement. Participant has reviewed the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of the Plan, this Grant Notice and the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | PARTICIPANT |
By: |
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By: |
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Print Name: |
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Print Name: |
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Title: |
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Exhibit A
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified in the Grant Notice or, if not defined in the Grant Notice, in the Plan.
ARTICLE I.
GENERAL
1.1 Grant of Option. The Company has granted to Participant the Option effective as of the grant date set forth in the Grant Notice (the Grant Date).
1.2 Incorporation of Terms of Plan. The Option is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan will control.
ARTICLE II.
PERIOD OF EXERCISABILITY
2.1 Commencement of Exercisability. The Option will vest and become exercisable according to the vesting schedule in the Grant Notice (the Vesting Schedule), except that any fraction of a Share as to which the Option would be vested or exercisable will be accumulated and will vest and become exercisable only when a whole Share has accumulated. The Option shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional Shares. Notwithstanding anything in the Grant Notice, the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, the Option will immediately expire and be forfeited as to any portion that is not vested and exercisable as of Participants Termination of Service for any reason.
2.2 Duration of Exercisability. The Vesting Schedule is cumulative. Any portion of the Option which vests and becomes exercisable will remain vested and exercisable until the Option expires. The Option will be forfeited immediately upon its expiration.
2.3 Expiration of Option. Subject to Section 5.3 of the Plan, the Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after, and will expire on, the first of the following to occur:
(a) The final expiration date in the Grant Notice; which shall in no event be more than ten (10) years from the Grant Date;
(b) If this Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and the Participant, at the time the Option was granted, was a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, the expiration of five (5) years from the Grant Date;
(c) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of three (3) months from the date of Participants Termination of Service, unless Participants Termination of Service is for Cause or by reason of Participants death or Disability;
(d) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the expiration of one (1) year from the date of Participants Termination of Service by reason of Participants death or Disability; and
(e) Except as the Administrator may otherwise approve, the date of Participants Termination of Service for Cause.
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ARTICLE III.
EXERCISE OF OPTION
3.1 Person Eligible to Exercise. During Participants lifetime, only Participant may exercise the Option, unless it has been disposed of, with the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a domestic relations order. After Participants death, any exercisable portion of the Option may, prior to the time when the Option becomes unexercisable under Section 2.3 hereof, be exercised by the Participants Designated Beneficiary or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Participants will or under the then applicable laws of descent and distribution.
3.2 Partial Exercise. Any exercisable portion of the Option or the entire Option, if then wholly exercisable, may be exercised, in whole or in part, according to the procedures in the Plan at any time prior to the time the Option or portion thereof expires, except that the Option may only be exercised for whole Shares.
3.3 Tax Withholding.
(a) The Company has the right and option, but not the obligation, to treat Participants failure to provide timely payment in accordance with the Plan of any withholding tax arising in connection with the Option as Participants election to satisfy all or any portion of the withholding tax by requesting the Company retain Shares otherwise issuable under the Option.
(b) Participant acknowledges that Participant is ultimately liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Option, regardless of any action the Company or any Subsidiary takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary makes any representation or undertaking regarding the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the awarding, vesting or exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of Shares. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not commit and are under no obligation to structure the Option to reduce or eliminate Participants tax liability.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER PROVISIONS
4.1 Adjustments. Participant acknowledges that the Option is subject to adjustment, modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and the Plan.
4.2 Notices. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company must be in writing and addressed to the Company in care of the Companys Secretary at the Companys principal office or the Secretarys then-current email address or facsimile number. Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to Participant must be in writing and addressed to Participant (or, if Participant is then deceased, to the person entitled to exercise the Option) at Participants last known mailing address, email address or facsimile number in the Companys personnel files. By a notice given pursuant to this Section, either party may designate a different address for notices to be given to that party. Any notice will be deemed duly given when actually received, when sent by email, when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited with postage prepaid in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, when delivered by a nationally recognized express shipping company or upon receipt of a facsimile transmission confirmation.
4.3 Titles. Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.
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4.4 Conformity to Securities Laws. The Participant acknowledges that the Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all Applicable Laws and, to the extent Applicable Laws permit, will be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such Applicable Laws.
4.5 Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth in the Plan, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
4.6 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Participant is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Option will be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, this Agreement will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.
4.7 Entire Agreement. The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.
4.8 Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision of the Grant Notice or this Agreement is held illegal or invalid, the provision will be severable from, and the illegality or invalidity of the provision will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of the Grant Notice or this Agreement.
4.9 Limitation on Participants Rights. Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and may not be construed as creating a trust. Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets. Participant will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the Option, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Shares as a general unsecured creditor with respect to the Option, as and when exercised pursuant to the terms hereof.
4.10 Not a Contract of Employment. Nothing in the Plan, the Grant Notice or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or interferes with or restricts in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Participant.
4.11 Counterparts. The Grant Notice may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by way of any electronic signature, subject to Applicable Law, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument.
4.12 Incentive Stock Options. If the Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option:
(a) Participant acknowledges that to the extent the aggregate fair market value of shares (determined as of the time the option with respect to the shares is granted) with respect to which stock options intended to qualify as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code, including the
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Option, are exercisable for the first time by Participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000 or if for any other reason such stock options do not qualify or cease to qualify for treatment as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code, such stock options (including the Option) will be treated as non-qualified stock options. Participant further acknowledges that the rule set forth in the preceding sentence will be applied by taking the Option and other stock options into account in the order in which they were granted, as determined under Section 422(d) of the Code. Participant acknowledges that amendments or modifications made to the Option pursuant to the Plan that would cause the Option to become a Non-Qualified Stock Option will not materially or adversely affect Participants rights under the Option, and that any such amendment or modification shall not require Participants consent. Participant also acknowledges that if the Option is exercised more than three (3) months after Participants Termination of Service as an Employee, other than by reason of death or disability, the Option will be taxed as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
(b) Participant will give prompt written notice to the Company of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares acquired under this Agreement if such disposition or other transfer is made (a) within two (2) years from the Grant Date or (b) within one (1) year after the transfer of such Shares to Participant. Such notice will specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by Participant in such disposition or other transfer.
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Exhibit 10.5
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
ARTICLE I.
PURPOSE
The purposes of this Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the Plan) are to assist Eligible Employees of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and its Designated Subsidiaries in acquiring a stock ownership interest in the Company pursuant to a plan which is intended to qualify as an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code, and to help Eligible Employees provide for their future security and to encourage them to remain in the employment of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries.
ARTICLE II.
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates. Masculine, feminine and neuter pronouns are used interchangeably and each comprehends the others.
2.1 Administrator means the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article XI. The term Administrator shall refer to the Committee unless the Board has assumed the authority for administration of the Plan as provided in Article XI.
2.2 Applicable Law means the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where rights under this Plan are granted.
2.3 Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.4 Change in Control means and include each of the following:
(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any person or related group of persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a person that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of
the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Companys securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Companys assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
(i) which results in the Companys voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Companys assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the Successor Entity)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entitys outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and
(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.
The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.
2.5 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations issued thereunder.
2.6 Common Stock means the common stock of the Company and such other securities of the Company that may be substituted therefor pursuant to Article VIII.
2.7 Company means Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
2.8 Compensation of an Eligible Employee means the gross base compensation received by such Eligible Employee as compensation for services to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, including prior week adjustment and overtime payments but excluding vacation pay, holiday pay, jury duty pay, funeral leave pay, military leave pay, commissions, incentive compensation, one-time bonuses (e.g., retention or sign on bonuses), education or tuition reimbursements, travel expenses, business and moving reimbursements, income received in connection with any stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other compensatory equity awards, fringe benefits, other special payments
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and all contributions made by the Company or any Designated Subsidiary for the Employees benefit under any employee benefit plan now or hereafter established.
2.9 Designated Subsidiary means any Subsidiary designated by the Administrator in accordance with Section 11.3(b).
2.10 Director means a Board member.
2.11 Effective Date means the day prior to the Public Trading Date, provided that the Board has adopted the Plan prior to or on such date.
2.12 Eligible Employee means an Employee who does not, immediately after any rights under this Plan are granted, own (directly or through attribution) stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of Common Stock and other stock of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary (as determined under Section 423(b)(3) of the Code). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code with regard to the attribution of stock ownership shall apply in determining the stock ownership of an individual, and stock that an Employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the Employee; provided, however, that the Administrator may provide in an Offering Document that an Employee shall not be eligible to participate in an Offering Period if: (a) such Employee is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code, (b) such Employee has not met a service requirement designated by the Administrator pursuant to Section 423(b)(4)(A) of the Code (which service requirement may not exceed two years), (c) such Employees customary employment is for twenty hours or less per week, (d) such Employees customary employment is for less than five months in any calendar year and/or (e) such Employee is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction and the grant of a right to purchase Common Stock under the Plan to such Employee would be prohibited under the laws of such foreign jurisdiction or the grant of a right to purchase Common Stock under the Plan to such Employee in compliance with the laws of such foreign jurisdiction would cause the Plan to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, further, that any exclusion in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) shall be applied in an identical manner under each Offering Period to all Employees, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e).
2.13 Employee means any officer or other employee (as defined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary. Employee shall not include any director of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary who does not render services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary as an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or Designated Subsidiary and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2). Where the period of leave exceeds three months and the individuals right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three-month period.
2.14 Enrollment Date means the first day of each Offering Period (or, with respect to the Initial Offering Period, such date set forth in the Offering Document approved by the Administrator with respect to the Initial Offering Period).
2.15 Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
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2.16 Fair Market Value means, as of any date, the value of a share of Common Stock determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion; or (d) with respect to the Initial Offering Period, the Fair Market Value as specified in the Offering Document approved by the Administrator with respect to the Initial Offering Period.
2.17 Grant Date means the first Trading Day of an Offering Period (or, with respect to the Initial Offering Period, such date set forth in the Offering Document approved by the Administrator with respect to the Initial Offering Period).
2.18 Initial Offering Period shall mean the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending the date set forth in the Offering Document approved by the Administrator with respect to the Initial Offering Period.
2.19 Offering Document shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.1.
2.20 Offering Period shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.1.
2.21 Parent means any corporation, other than the Company, in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.
2.22 Participant means any Eligible Employee who has executed a subscription agreement and been granted rights to purchase Common Stock pursuant to the Plan.
2.23 Plan means this Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.
2.24 Public Trading Date means the first date upon which the Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system, or, if earlier, the date on which the Company becomes a publicly held corporation for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(c)(1).
2.25 Purchase Date means the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period.
2.26 Purchase Period shall refer to one or more periods within an Offering Period, as designated in the applicable Offering Document; provided, however, that, in the event no Purchase Period is designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document, the Purchase Period for each Offering Period covered by such Offering Document shall be the same as the applicable Offering Period.
2.27 Purchase Price means the purchase price designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document (which purchase price shall not be less than 85% of the Fair Market Value
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of a Share on the Grant Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower); provided, however, that, in the event no purchase price is designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document, the purchase price for the Offering Periods covered by such Offering Document shall be 85% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower; provided, further, that the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Administrator pursuant to Article VIII and shall not be less than the par value of a Share.
2.28 Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.29 Share means a share of Common Stock.
2.30 Subsidiary means any corporation, other than the Company, in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in an unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain; provided, however, that a limited liability company or partnership may be treated as a Subsidiary to the extent either (a) such entity is treated as a disregarded entity under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) by reason of the Company or any other Subsidiary that is a corporation being the sole owner of such entity, or (b) such entity elects to be classified as a corporation under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) and such entity would otherwise qualify as a Subsidiary.
2.31 Trading Day means a day on which national stock exchanges in the United States are open for trading.
ARTICLE III.
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
3.1 Number of Shares. Subject to Article VIII, the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to rights granted under the Plan shall be 250,000 Shares. In addition to the foregoing, subject to Article VIII, on the first day of each calendar year beginning on January 1, 2019 and ending on and including January 1, 2028, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be increased by that number of Shares equal to the lesser of (a) 1% of the Shares outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year, and (b) such smaller number of Shares as determined by the Board. If any right granted under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Common Stock not purchased under such right shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3.1 to the contrary, the number of Shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to the rights granted under the Plan shall not exceed an aggregate of 4,000,000 Shares, subject to Article 8.
3.2 Stock Distributed. Any Common Stock distributed pursuant to the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.
ARTICLE IV.
OFFERING PERIODS; OFFERING DOCUMENTS; PURCHASE DATES
4.1 Offering Periods. The Administrator may from time to time grant or provide for the grant of rights to purchase Common Stock under the Plan to Eligible Employees during one or more periods (each, an Offering Period) selected by the Administrator. The terms and conditions applicable to each Offering Period shall be set forth in an Offering Document adopted by the Administrator, which Offering Document shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall
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deem appropriate and shall be incorporated by reference into and made part of the Plan and shall be attached hereto as part of the Plan. The Administrator shall establish in each Offering Document one or more Purchase Periods during such Offering Period during which rights granted under the Plan shall be exercised and purchases of Shares carried out during such Offering Period in accordance with such Offering Document and the Plan. The provisions of separate Offering Periods under the Plan need not be identical.
4.2 Offering Documents. Each Offering Document with respect to an Offering Period shall specify (through incorporation of the provisions of this Plan by reference or otherwise):
(a) the length of the Offering Period, which period shall not exceed twenty-seven months;
(b) the length of the Purchase Period(s) within the Offering Period;
(c) the maximum number of Shares that may be purchased by any Eligible Employee during such Offering Period, which, in the absence of a contrary designation by the Administrator, shall be 100,000 Shares;
(d) in connection with each Offering Period that contains more than one Purchase Period, the maximum aggregate number of shares which may be purchased by any Eligible Employee during each Purchaser Period, which, in the absence of a contrary designation by the Administrator, shall be 100,000 Shares; and
(e) such other provisions as the Administrator determines are appropriate, subject to the Plan.
ARTICLE V.
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
5.1 Eligibility. Any Eligible Employee who shall be employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on a given Enrollment Date for an Offering Period shall be eligible to participate in the Plan during such Offering Period, subject to the requirements of this Article V and the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code.
5.2 Enrollment in Plan.
(a) Except as otherwise set forth in an Offering Document or determined by the Administrator, an Eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan for an Offering Period by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company by such time prior to the Enrollment Date for such Offering Period (or such other date specified in the Offering Document) designated by the Administrator and in such form as the Company provides.
(b) Each subscription agreement shall designate a whole percentage of such Eligible Employees Compensation to be withheld by the Company or the Designated Subsidiary employing such Eligible Employee on each payday during the Offering Period as payroll deductions under the Plan or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions to be made by such Eligible Employee. The designated percentage may not be less than 1% and may not be more than the maximum percentage specified by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document (which percentage shall be 20% in the absence of any such designation). The payroll deductions or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions made for each Participant shall be credited to an account for such Participant under the Plan and shall be deposited with the general funds of the Company.
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(c) A Participant may increase or decrease the percentage of Compensation designated in his or her subscription agreement, subject to the limits of this Section 5.2, or may suspend his or her payroll deductions, or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions, at any time during an Offering Period; provided, however, that the Administrator may limit the number of changes a Participant may make to his or her payroll deduction elections or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions, during each Offering Period in the applicable Offering Document (and in the absence of any specific designation by the Administrator, a Participant shall be allowed one change to his or her payroll deduction elections or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions, during each Offering Period). Any such change or suspension of payroll deductions, or, if permitted by the Administrator, contributions, shall be effective with the first full payroll period that is at least five business days after the Companys receipt of the new subscription agreement (or such shorter or longer period as may be specified by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document). In the event a Participant suspends his or her payroll deductions or contributions, such Participants cumulative payroll deductions or contributions prior to the suspension shall remain in his or her account and shall be applied to the purchase of Shares on the next occurring Purchase Date and shall not be paid to such Participant unless he or she withdraws from participation in the Plan pursuant to Article VII.
(d) Except as set forth in Section 5.8, as otherwise set forth in an Offering Document or determined by the Administrator, a Participant may participate in the Plan only by means of payroll deduction and may not make contributions by lump sum payment for any Offering Period.
5.3 Payroll Deductions. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Offering Document or Section 5.8, payroll deductions for a Participant shall commence on the first payroll following the Enrollment Date and shall end on the last payroll in the Offering Period to which the Participants authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Article VII or suspended by the Participant or the Administrator as provided in Section 5.2 and Section 5.6, respectively.
5.4 Effect of Enrollment. A Participants completion of a subscription agreement will enroll such Participant in the Plan for each subsequent Offering Period on the terms contained therein until the Participant either submits a new subscription agreement, withdraws from participation under the Plan as provided in Article VII or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan.
5.5 Limitation on Purchase of Common Stock. An Eligible Employee may be granted rights under the Plan only if such rights, together with any other rights granted to such Eligible Employee under employee stock purchase plans of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary, as specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, do not permit such employees rights to purchase stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of the fair market value of such stock (determined as of the time which such rights are granted) for each calendar year in which such rights are outstanding at any time. This limitation shall be applied in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.
5.6 Decrease or Suspension of Payroll Deductions or Contributions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 5.5 or the other limitations set forth in this Plan, a Participants payroll deductions or contributions may be suspended or discontinued by the Administrator at any time during an Offering Period. The balance of the amount credited to the account of each Participant that has not been applied to the purchase of Shares by reason of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Section 5.5 or the other limitations set forth in this Plan shall be paid to such Participant in one lump sum in cash as soon as reasonably practicable after the Purchase Date.
5.7 Foreign Employees. In order to facilitate participation in the Plan, the Administrator may provide for such special terms applicable to Participants who are citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction, or who are employed by a Designated Subsidiary outside of the United States, as the
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Administrator may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Such special terms may not be more favorable than the terms of rights granted under the Plan to Eligible Employees who are residents of the United States. Moreover, the Administrator may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of, this Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect for any other purpose. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or restatements shall include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as then in effect unless this Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the stockholders of the Company.
5.8 Leave of Absence. During leaves of absence approved by the Company meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2) under the Code, a Participant may continue participation in the Plan by making cash payments to the Company on his or her normal payday equal to his or her authorized payroll deduction.
ARTICLE VI.
GRANT AND EXERCISE OF RIGHTS
6.1 Grant of Rights. On the Grant Date of each Offering Period, each Eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted a right to purchase the maximum number of Shares specified under Section 4.2, subject to the limits in Section 5.5, and shall have the right to buy, on each Purchase Date during such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price), such number of whole Shares as is determined by dividing (a) such Participants payroll deductions or permitted contributions accumulated prior to such Purchase Date and retained in the Participants account as of the Purchase Date, by (b) the applicable Purchase Price (rounded down to the nearest Share). The right shall expire on the earlier of: (x) the last Purchase Date of the Offering Period, (y) last day of the Offering Period and (z) the date on which the Participant withdraws in accordance with Section 7.1 or Section 7.3.
6.2 Exercise of Rights. On each Purchase Date, each Participants accumulated payroll deductions or permitted contributions and any other additional payments specifically provided for in the applicable Offering Document will be applied to the purchase of whole Shares, up to the maximum number of Shares permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering Document, at the Purchase Price. No fractional Shares shall be issued upon the exercise of rights granted under the Plan, unless the Offering Document specifically provides otherwise. Any cash in lieu of fractional Shares remaining after the purchase of whole Shares upon exercise of a purchase right will be credited to a Participants account and returned to the Participant in one lump sum payment in a subsequent payroll check as soon as practicable after the Exercise Date. Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator may determine and may be issued in certificated form or issued pursuant to book-entry procedures.
6.3 Pro Rata Allocation of Shares. If the Administrator determines that, on a given Purchase Date, the number of Shares with respect to which rights are to be exercised may exceed (a) the number of Shares that were available for issuance under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (b) the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan on such Purchase Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants for whom rights to purchase Common Stock are to be exercised pursuant to this Article VI on such Purchase Date, and shall either (i) continue all Offering Periods then in effect, or (ii) terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Article IX. The Company may make pro rata allocation of the Shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional Shares for issuance under the Plan by the
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Companys stockholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date. The balance of the amount credited to the account of each Participant that has not been applied to the purchase of Shares shall be paid to such Participant in one lump sum in cash as soon as reasonably practicable after the Purchase Date.
6.4 Withholding. At the time a Participants rights under the Plan are exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of, the Participant must make adequate provision for the Companys federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, that arise upon the exercise of the right or the disposition of the Common Stock. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participants compensation the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Participant.
6.5 Conditions to Issuance of Common Stock. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for, or make any book entries evidencing, Shares purchased upon the exercise of rights under the Plan prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:
(a) The admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges, if any, on which the Common Stock is then listed;
(b) The completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any state or federal law or under the rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body, that the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable;
(c) The obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any state or federal governmental agency that the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;
(d) The payment to the Company of all amounts that it is required to withhold under federal, state or local law upon exercise of the rights, if any; and
(e) The lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the rights as the Administrator may from time to time establish for reasons of administrative convenience.
ARTICLE VII.
WITHDRAWAL; CESSATION OF ELIGIBILITY
7.1 Withdrawal. A Participant may withdraw all but not less than all of the payroll deductions or contributions credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her rights under the Plan at any time by giving written notice to the Company in a form acceptable to the Company no later than one week prior to the end of the Offering Period (or such shorter or longer period specified by the Administrator in the Offering Document). All of the Participants payroll deductions credited to his or her account or contributions made by the Participant during an Offering Period shall be paid to such Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal and such Participants rights for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of Shares shall be made or contributions accepted for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, payroll deductions shall not resume at the beginning of the next Offering Period unless the Participant timely delivers to the Company a new subscription agreement.
7.2 Future Participation. A Participants withdrawal from an Offering Period shall not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan that may hereafter be adopted by the
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Company or a Designated Subsidiary or in subsequent Offering Periods that commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.
7.3 Cessation of Eligibility. Upon a Participants ceasing to be an Eligible Employee for any reason, he or she shall be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan pursuant to this Article VII and the payroll deductions credited to such Participants account or contributions made by such Participant during the Offering Period shall be paid to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 12.4, as soon as reasonably practicable, and such Participants rights for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated.
ARTICLE VIII.
ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK
8.1 Changes in Capitalization. Subject to Section 8.3, in the event that the Administrator determines that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), Change in Control, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, combination, repurchase, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event, as determined by the Administrator, affects the Common Stock such that an adjustment is determined by the Administrator to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any outstanding purchase rights under the Plan, the Administrator shall make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (a) the aggregate number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and the limitations established in each Offering Document pursuant to Section 4.2 on the maximum number of Shares that may be purchased); (b) the class(es) and number of Shares and price per Share subject to outstanding rights; and (c) the Purchase Price with respect to any outstanding rights.
8.2 Other Adjustments. Subject to Section 8.3, in the event of any transaction or event described in Section 8.1 or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate (including without limitation any Change in Control), or of changes in Applicable Law or accounting principles, the Administrator, in its discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any right under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:
(a) To provide for either (i) termination of any outstanding right in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon the exercise of such right had such right been currently exercisable or (ii) the replacement of such outstanding right with other rights or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion;
(b) To provide that the outstanding rights under the Plan shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar rights covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;
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(c) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding rights under the Plan and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding rights and rights that may be granted in the future;
(d) To provide that Participants accumulated payroll deductions or contributions may be used to purchase Common Stock prior to the next occurring Purchase Date on such date as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion and the Participants rights under the ongoing Offering Period(s) shall be terminated; and
(e) To provide that all outstanding rights shall terminate without being exercised.
8.3 No Adjustment Under Certain Circumstances. No adjustment or action described in this Article VIII or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to fail to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.
8.4 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Administrator under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of Shares subject to outstanding rights under the Plan or the Purchase Price with respect to any outstanding rights.
ARTICLE IX.
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION
9.1 Amendment, Modification and Termination. The Administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time and from time to time; provided, however, that approval of the Companys stockholders shall be required to amend the Plan to: (a) increase the aggregate number, or change the type, of shares that may be sold pursuant to rights under the Plan under Section 3.1 (other than an adjustment as provided by Article VIII); (b) change the corporations or classes of corporations whose employees may be granted rights under the Plan; or (c) change the Plan in any manner that would cause the Plan to no longer be an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code.
9.2 Certain Changes to Plan. Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been adversely affected, to the extent permitted by Section 423 of the Code, the Administrator shall be entitled to change or terminate the Offering Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld from Compensation during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Companys processing of payroll withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participants Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion to be advisable that are consistent with the Plan.
9.3 Actions In the Event of Unfavorable Financial Accounting Consequences. In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited
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to:
(a) altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;
(b) shortening any Offering Period so that the Offering Period ends on a new Purchase Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator action; and
(c) allocating Shares.
Such modifications or amendments shall not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Participant.
9.4 Payments Upon Termination of Plan. Upon termination of the Plan, the balance in each Participants Plan account shall be refunded as soon as practicable after such termination, without any interest thereon.
ARTICLE X.
TERM OF PLAN
The Plan shall be effective on the Effective Date. The effectiveness of the Plan shall be subject to approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company within twelve months following the date the Plan is first approved by the Board. No right may be granted under the Plan prior to such stockholder approval. The Plan shall be in effect until the tenth anniversary of the date of the initial adoption of the Plan by the Board, unless sooner terminated under Section 9.1 hereof. No rights may be granted under the Plan during any period of suspension of the Plan or after termination of the Plan.
ARTICLE XI.
ADMINISTRATION
11.1 Administrator. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Administrator of the Plan shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board (or another committee or a subcommittee of the Board to which the Board delegates administration of the Plan) (such committee, the Committee). The Board may at any time vest in the Board any authority or duties for administration of the Plan.
11.2 Action by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Board or in any charter of the Administrator, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present and, subject to Applicable Law and the Bylaws of the Company, acts approved in writing by a majority of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, the Companys independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.
11.3 Authority of Administrator. The Administrator shall have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(a) To determine when and how rights to purchase Common Stock shall be granted and the provisions of each offering of such rights (which need not be identical).
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(b) To designate from time to time which Subsidiaries of the Company shall be Designated Subsidiaries, which designation may be made without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.
(c) To construe and interpret the Plan and rights granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Administrator, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.
(d) To amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as provided in Article IX.
(e) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Administrator deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code.
11.4 Decisions Binding. The Administrators interpretation of the Plan, any rights granted pursuant to the Plan, any subscription agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
ARTICLE XII.
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Restriction upon Assignment. A right granted under the Plan shall not be transferable other than by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the Participants lifetime only by the Participant. Except as provided in Section 12.4 hereof, a right under the Plan may not be exercised to any extent except by the Participant. The Company shall not recognize and shall be under no duty to recognize any assignment or alienation of the Participants interest in the Plan, the Participants rights under the Plan or any rights thereunder.
12.2 Rights as a Stockholder. With respect to Shares subject to a right granted under the Plan, a Participant shall not be deemed to be a stockholder of the Company, and the Participant shall not have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder, until such Shares have been issued to the Participant or his or her nominee following exercise of the Participants rights under the Plan. No adjustments shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash securities, or other property) or distribution or other rights for which the record date occurs prior to the date of such issuance, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or as determined by the Administrator.
12.3 Interest. No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions or contributions of a Participant under the Plan.
12.4 Designation of Beneficiary.
(a) A Participant may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any Shares and/or cash, if any, from the Participants account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death subsequent to a Purchase Date on which the Participants rights are exercised but prior to delivery to such Participant of such Shares and cash. In addition, a Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participants account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death prior to exercise of the Participants rights under the Plan. If the Participant is married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participants spouse as his or her beneficiary shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participants spouse.
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(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice to the Company. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participants death, the Company shall deliver such Shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such Shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.
12.5 Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
12.6 Equal Rights and Privileges. Subject to Section 5.7, all Eligible Employees will have equal rights and privileges under this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code. Subject to Section 5.7, any provision of this Plan that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code will, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Board or the Administrator, be reformed to comply with the equal rights and privileges requirement of Section 423 of the Code.
12.7 Use of Funds. All payroll deductions or contributions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions or contributions.
12.8 Reports. Statements of account shall be given to Participants at least annually, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions or contributions, the Purchase Price, the number of Shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.
12.9 No Employment Rights. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to give any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) the right to remain in the employ of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary or affect the right of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to terminate the employment of any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) at any time, with or without cause.
12.10 Notice of Disposition of Shares. Each Participant shall give prompt notice to the Company of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares purchased upon exercise of a right under the Plan if such disposition or transfer is made: (a) within two years from the Grant Date of the Offering Period in which the Shares were purchased or (b) within one year after the Purchase Date on which such Shares were purchased. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Participant in such disposition or other transfer.
12.11 Governing Law. The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.
12.12 Electronic Forms. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law and in the discretion of the Administrator, an Eligible Employee may submit any form or notice as set forth herein by means of an electronic form approved by the Administrator. Before the commencement of an Offering Period, the Administrator shall prescribe the time limits within which any such electronic form shall be submitted to the Administrator with respect to such Offering Period in order to be a valid election.
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CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
OFFERING DOCUMENT
This document (this Offering Document) is hereby adopted by the Board of Directors of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company), in its capacity as Administrator of the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) and is hereby incorporated by reference into and made a part of the Plan. A copy of this Offering Document shall be attached to the Plan. Defined terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings specified in the Plan.
This Offering Document shall apply with respect to Offering Periods under the Plan until this Offering Document is terminated, amended or modified by the Administrator or a new Offering Document is adopted by the Administrator.
Eligibility Requirements: | Only Eligible Employees of the Company and any Designated Subsidiaries shall be eligible to participate, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements set forth in the Plan. | |
An Employee shall not be an Eligible Employee if such Employees customary employment is for twenty hours or less per week, or such Employees customary employment is for less than five months in any calendar year. | ||
Offering Periods: | The Plan shall be implemented by consecutive, overlapping Offering Periods of approximately twenty-four months in length commencing on each May 21 and November 21 during the term of the Plan (each, the Enrollment Date), and terminating on the May 20 or November 20 occurring twenty-four months later (or, if such days are not Trading Days, the immediately preceding Trading Day), as applicable. The Grant Date of each Offering Period shall be the first Trading Day within such Offering Period (which may be the same as the Enrollment Date). Each Offering Period shall include four Purchase Periods. | |
However, the initial Offering Period under the Plan (the Initial Offering Period) may be less than twenty-four months in length and shall commence on the Effective Date of the Plan (such date, the Initial Enrollment Date) and shall end on the May 20 or November 20 that is at least eighteen months but no more than twenty-four months thereafter (or, if such days are not Trading Days, the immediately preceding Trading Day, as applicable). |
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The Initial Offering Period shall still consist of four Purchase Periods. | ||
The Grant Date for purposes of the Initial Offering Period (the Initial Grant Date) shall be the date on which the Companys registration statement filed in connection with the initial public offering of the Common Stock is declared effective. | ||
If the Fair Market Value on any Purchase Date (except the final scheduled Purchase Date of any Offering Period) is less than the Fair Market Value on the Grant Date for that Offering Period, then that Offering Period will immediately terminate on such Purchase Date after the acquisition of shares of Common Stock for the applicable Purchase Period, and each Participant shall automatically be enrolled in the Offering Period that commences on the next occurring May 21 or November 21 on the same terms and conditions as in effect under the Participants subscription agreement on file for the terminated Offering Period. | ||
Purchase Periods: | With the exception of the first Purchase Period under the Initial Offering Period, Purchase Periods under the Plan will be the approximately six-month periods commencing on each May 21 and November 21 following the Effective Date and ending on the next occurring November 20 or May 20 (or, if such days are not Trading Days, the immediately preceding Trading Day), as applicable (each, a Purchase Date). The first Purchase Period under the Initial Offering Period may be shorter than six-months in length and shall commence on the Initial Grant Date and shall end on the next occurring November 20 or May 20 (or, if such day is not a Trading Day, the immediately preceding Trading Day), as applicable. | |
Maximum Number of Shares That May Be Purchased By an Eligible Employee During an Offering Period: | 100,000 Shares | |
Maximum Number of Shares That May Be Purchased By an Eligible Employee During a Purchase Period: | 100,000 Shares | |
Purchase Price: | On each Purchase Date during an Offering Period, the purchase price for a Share will be 85% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date for such Offering Period or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower; provided, however, that the Purchase Price may be |
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adjusted by the Administrator as provided in the Plan; provided, further, that the Purchase Price shall not be less than the par value of a Share. | ||
Contributions: | A Participant may elect to have up to 20% of his or her Compensation deducted on each payday on an after-tax basis for use in purchasing Common Stock pursuant to the Plan. | |
Enrollment: | With the exception of the Initial Offering Period, Eligible Employees must enroll in an Offering Period by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company on or prior to the Enrollment Date of such Offering Period (or such longer period prior to the Enrollment Date as may be determined by the Company). | |
A Participant may participate in only one Offering Period at a given time. | ||
First Offering Period Only: | Each Eligible Employee who is employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on the Initial Enrollment Date shall automatically become a Participant in the Plan with respect to the Initial Offering Period. Each such Participant shall be granted a right to purchase shares of Common Stock and shall be enrolled in such Initial Offering Period to the extent of 20% of his or her Compensation for the paydays during the Initial Offering Period (or, if less, the maximum amount of contributions permitted to be made by such Participant for such Offering Period by payroll deduction under the terms of the Plan). Following the Initial Grant Date (but in no event prior to the date on which the Companys registration statement on Form S-8 is filed with respect to the Plan), each such Participant may, during the period designated from time to time by the Administrator for such purpose, (i) elect to make such contributions (or a lesser amount of contributions) for the Initial Offering Period by payroll deductions in accordance with the Plan, (ii) for the first Purchase Period in the Initial Offering Period only, elect to make such contributions (or a lesser amount of contributions) for such first Purchase Period by making a lump sum cash payment to the Company not later than ten calendar days before the first Purchase Date during the Initial Offering Period (or such shorter or longer period as may be determined by the Company), and such payment may be made in an amount not exceeding 20% of such Participants Compensation for the paydays occurring during such Purchase Period and occurring prior to such lump sum payment, or (iii) elect to make no contributions for such Initial Offering Period; provided, however, that, to make contributions by payroll deductions, such Participant must complete the form of |
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subscription agreement provided by the Company for the Initial Offering Period under this Plan during the time designated by the Administrator for such purpose. If (i) during the Initial Offering Period, a Participant elects to make contributions by payroll deduction, or elects to make no contributions for such Offering Period, or (ii) on or prior to the tenth calendar day before the last day of the first Purchase Period during the Initial Offering Period, such a Participant fails to make any lump sum cash payment, such Participant shall be deemed to have elected not to make contributions by lump sum payment with respect to the Initial Offering Period. | ||
The Fair Market Value for a Share on the Initial Grant Date shall be the initial public offering price of a Share in the Companys initial public offering of its Common Stock. | ||
Changes in Contribution Rates: | Participants may decrease or suspend their rate of contributions once during each Purchase Period. Participants may increase their rate of contributions for any future Purchase Period or Offering Period. Any increase in the rate of contributions to be effective for a future Purchase Period or Offering Period must be made prior to the first day of such Purchase Period or Offering Period. | |
Withdrawals: | A Participant must withdraw from an Offering Period at least one week prior to the last day of the Offering Period (or such shorter or longer period as may be determined by the Company). | |
If a Participant withdraws from the Plan, the Participant may elect to participate again in the Plan for any subsequent Offering Period so long as he or she is still eligible to participate in the Plan. |
* * * * *
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Exhibit 10.8
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is entered into by and between Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and Alan Krasner, M.D. (Executive), and shall be effective as of June 15, 2018 (the Effective Date).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive, and Executive desires to accept employment with the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, the parties agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) Acquisition means (i) any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other corporation or other entity or person, or any other corporate reorganization, other than any such consolidation, merger or reorganization in which the shares of capital stock of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation, merger or reorganization, continue to represent a majority of the voting power of the surviving entity (or, if the surviving entity is a wholly owned subsidiary, its parent) immediately after such consolidation, merger or reorganization (provided that, for the purpose of this Section 1(a), all shares of the Companys common stock issuable upon exercise of options outstanding immediately prior to such consolidation or merger or upon conversion of Convertible Securities outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation shall be deemed to be outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation and, if applicable, converted or exchanged in such merger or consolidation on the same terms as the actual outstanding shares of capital stock are converted or exchanged); or (ii) any transaction or series of related transactions to which the Company is a party in which in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the Companys voting power is transferred; provided that an Acquisition shall not include any transaction or series of transactions principally for bona fide equity financing purposes in which cash is received by the Company or any successor or indebtedness of the Company is cancelled or converted or a combination thereof.
(b) Asset Transfer means a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
(c) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) Cause means any of the following:
(i) the commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty by Executive, or the commission of some other illegal act by Executive, that causes material harm to the Company or any successor or affiliate thereof;
(ii) Executives conviction of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof;
(iii) any intentional unauthorized use or disclosure by Executive of confidential information or trade secrets of the Company or any successor or affiliate thereof that has a material adverse impact on the Company;
(iv) Executives gross negligence, insubordination or material violation of any duty of loyalty to the Company or any successor or affiliate thereof, or any other material misconduct on the part of Executive;
(v) Executives ongoing and repeated failure or refusal to perform or neglect of Executives duties as required by this Agreement, which failure, refusal or neglect continues for fifteen (15) days following Executives receipt of written notice from the Board or the Companys Chief Executive Officer (the CEO) stating with specificity the nature of such failure, refusal or neglect; or
(vi) Executives intentional, material breach of any Company policy or any contract or agreement between Executive and the Company or any successor or affiliate thereof;
provided, however, that prior to the determination that Cause under clauses (iv), (v) or (vi) of this Section 1(d) has occurred, the Company shall (A) provide to Executive in writing, in reasonable detail, the reasons for the determination that such Cause exists, (B) other than with respect to clause (v) above which specifies the applicable period of time for Executive to remedy his or her breach, afford Executive a reasonable opportunity to remedy any such breach, (C) provide Executive an opportunity to be heard prior to the final decision to terminate Executives employment hereunder for such Cause and (D) make any decision that such Cause exists in good faith.
The foregoing definition shall not in any way preclude or restrict the right of the Company or any successor or affiliate thereof to discharge or dismiss Executive for any other acts or omissions, but such other acts or omissions shall not be deemed, for purposes of this Agreement, to constitute grounds for termination for Cause.
(e) Change in Control means an Acquisition or Asset Transfer; provided, however, that, from and after the date on which the Companys Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with respect to the Companys initial public offering becomes effective, Change in Control shall have the meaning given to such term in the Companys 2018 Incentive Award Plan as in effect on such date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any payment hereunder that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event with respect to such payment shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such payment if such transaction also
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constitutes a change in control event, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
(f) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the Treasury Regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder.
(g) Convertible Securities means preferred stock or other stock, options, warrants, purchase rights or other securities exercisable for or convertible into, additional shares of the Companys common stock.
(h) Good Reason means the occurrence of any of the following events or conditions without Executives written consent:
(i) a material diminution in Executives authority, duties or responsibilities;
(ii) a material diminution in Executives base compensation, unless such a reduction is imposed across-the-board to senior executives of the Company;
(iii) a material change in the geographic location at which Executive must perform his or her duties; or
(iv) any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach by the Company or any successor or affiliate of its obligations to Executive under this Agreement.
Executive must provide written notice to the Company of the occurrence of any of the foregoing events or conditions without Executives written consent within sixty (60) days of the occurrence of such event. The Company or any successor or affiliate shall have a period of thirty (30) days to cure such event or condition after receipt of written notice of such event from Executive. Executives Separation from Service by reason of resignation from employment with the Company for Good Reason must occur within thirty (30) days following the expiration of the foregoing thirty (30) day cure period.
(i) Involuntary Termination means (i) Executives Separation from Service by reason of Executives discharge by the Company other than for Cause, or (ii) Executives Separation from Service by reason of Executives resignation of employment with the Company for Good Reason. Executives Separation from Service by reason of Executives death or discharge by the Company following Executives Permanent Disability shall not constitute an Involuntary Termination.
(j) Executives Permanent Disability shall be deemed to have occurred if Executive shall become physically or mentally incapacitated or disabled or otherwise unable fully to discharge his or her duties hereunder for a period of ninety (90) consecutive calendar days or for one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in any one hundred eighty (180) calendar-day period. The existence of Executives Permanent Disability shall be determined by the Company on the advice of a physician chosen by the Company and the Company reserves the right to have Executive examined by a physician chosen by the Company at the Companys expense.
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(k) Separation from Service, with respect to Executive, means Executives separation from service, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h).
(l) Stock Awards means all stock options, restricted stock and such other awards granted pursuant to the Companys stock option and equity incentive award plans or agreements and any shares of stock issued upon exercise thereof.
2. Services to Be Rendered.
(a) Duties and Responsibilities. Executive shall serve as Chief Medical Officer of the Company. In the performance of such duties, Executive shall report directly to the CEO and shall be subject to the direction of the CEO and to such limits upon Executives authority as the CEO may from time to time impose. In the event of the CEOs incapacity or unavailability, Executive shall be subject to the direction of the Board. Executive hereby consents to serve as an officer and/or director of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof without any additional salary or compensation, if so requested by the CEO. Executive shall be employed by the Company on a full time basis. Executives primary place of work shall be the Companys offices in San Diego, California, or, with the Companys consent, at any other place at which the Company maintains an office; provided, however, that the Company may from time to time require Executive to travel temporarily to other locations in connection with the Companys business. Executive shall be subject to and comply with the policies and procedures generally applicable to senior executives of the Company to the extent the same are not inconsistent with any term of this Agreement.
(b) Exclusive Services. Executive shall at all times faithfully, industriously and to the best of his or her ability, experience and talent perform to the satisfaction of the Board and the CEO all of the duties that may be assigned to Executive hereunder and shall devote substantially all of his or her productive time and efforts to the performance of such duties. Subject to the terms of the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement referred to in Section 5(b), this shall not preclude Executive from (i) serving on industry trade, civic, or charitable boards or committees; (ii) delivering lectures or fulfilling speaking engagements; (iii) serving on the board of directors or other similar governance body of any entity, subject to the consent of the Board, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; or (iv) managing personal, family and other investments, provided such activities do not interfere with his or her duties to the Company, as determined in good faith by the CEO. Executive agrees that he or she will not join any boards, other than community and civic boards (which do not interfere with his or her duties to the Company), without the prior approval of the Board and the CEO.
3. Compensation and Benefits. The Company shall pay or provide, as the case may be, to Executive the compensation and other benefits and rights set forth in this Section 3.
(a) Base Salary. The Company shall pay to Executive a base salary of $375,000 per year, payable in accordance with the Companys usual pay practices (and in any event no less frequently than monthly). Executives base salary shall be subject to review annually by and at the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board or its designee.
(b) Bonus. Executive shall participate in any bonus plan that the Board or its designee may approve for the senior executives of the Company. Executives target bonus under the Companys annual bonus plan shall be thirty-five percent (35%) of Executives base salary. Executives annual bonus for 2018 shall be pro-rated for partial year service.
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(c) Benefits. Executive shall be entitled to participate in benefits under the Companys benefit plans and arrangements, including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan or arrangement made available in the future by the Company to its senior executives, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms, conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements. The Company shall have the right to amend or delete any such benefit plan or arrangement made available by the Company to its senior executives and not otherwise specifically provided for herein.
(d) Expenses. The Company shall reimburse Executive for reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses incurred in connection with the performance of his or her duties hereunder, subject to such policies as the Company may from time to time establish, and Executive furnishing the Company with evidence in the form of receipts satisfactory to the Company substantiating the claimed expenditures.
(e) Paid Time Off. Executive shall be entitled to such periods of paid time off (PTO) each year as provided from time to time under the Companys PTO policy and as otherwise provided for senior executive officers; provided that Executive shall be entitled to at least twenty (20) days of PTO per year.
(f) Equity Awards and Plans.
(i) As soon as practicable following the Effective Date, and subject to the approval of the Board, Executive shall receive stock options to purchase 550,000 shares of the Companys common stock pursuant to the Companys 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (the Equity Plan). Such stock options shall have an exercise price equal to the Fair Market Value per share of the Companys common stock on the date of grant, as determined by the Board. The shares subject to such stock options shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares subject to the option shall vest on the first anniversary of the Effective Date, and the remaining shares subject to the option shall vest in thirty-six (36) equal monthly installment over the three-year period thereafter, subject to Executives continued employment or service with the Company on each such date. Such stock options shall have a ten (10) year term and shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Plan and the stock option agreement pursuant to which such stock options are granted.
(ii) Executive shall be entitled to participate in any equity or other employee benefit plan that is generally available to executives of the Company. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, Executives participation in and benefits under any such plan shall be on the terms and subject to the conditions specified in the governing document of the particular plan.
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(g) Stock Award Acceleration.
(i) Subject to Section 4(d), in the event of Executives Separation from Service by reason of Executives death or discharge by the Company following Executives Permanent Disability, the vesting and/or exercisability of 100% of Executives outstanding unvested Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of Executives Separation from Service.
(ii) Subject to Section 4(d), in the event of a Change in Control, the vesting and/or exercisability of 100% of Executives outstanding unvested Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated on the first to occur of (A) Executives Involuntary Termination following such Change in Control, or (B) the first anniversary of the closing of such Change in Control.
(iii) Subject to Section 4(d), in the event of Executives Involuntary Termination prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control, the vesting and/or exercisability of any outstanding unvested portion of each of Executives Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated as to the number of Stock Awards that would vest over the nine (9) month period following the date of Executives Separation from Service had Executive remained continuously employed by the Company during such period.
(iv) The vesting pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this Section 3(g) shall be cumulative. The foregoing provisions are hereby deemed to be a part of each Stock Award and to supersede any less favorable provision in any agreement or plan regarding such Stock Award.
4. Severance. Executive shall be entitled to receive benefits upon a Separation from Service only as set forth in this Section 4:
(a) At-Will Employment; Termination. The Company and Executive acknowledge that Executives employment is and shall continue to be at-will, as defined under applicable law, and that Executives employment with the Company may be terminated by either party at any time for any or no reason, with or without notice. If Executives employment terminates for any reason, Executive shall not be entitled to any payments, benefits, damages, awards or compensation other than as provided in this Agreement. Executives employment under this Agreement shall be terminated immediately on the death of Executive.
(b) Severance Upon Involuntary Termination. Subject to Sections 4(d) and 9(o) and Executives continued compliance with Section 5, if Executives employment is Involuntarily Terminated, Executive shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of any severance benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any severance plan or program of the Company, the benefits provided below:
(i) the Company shall pay to Executive his or her fully earned but unpaid base salary, when due, through the date of Executives Involuntary Termination at the rate then in effect, accrued and unused PTO, plus all other benefits, if any, under any Company group retirement plan, nonqualified deferred compensation plan, equity award plan or agreement (other
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than any such plan or agreement pertaining to Stock Awards whose treatment is prescribed by Section 3(g) above), health benefits plan or other Company group benefit plan to which Executive may be entitled pursuant to the terms of such plans or agreements at the time of Executives Involuntary Termination (the Accrued Obligations);
(ii) Executive shall be entitled to receive severance pay in an amount equal to nine (9) multiplied by Executives monthly base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of Executives Involuntary Termination, which amount shall be payable in a lump sum sixty (60) days following Executives Involuntary Termination; and
(iii) for the period beginning on the date of Executives Separation from Service and ending on the date which is nine (9) full months following the date of Executives Separation from Service (or, if earlier, (1) the date on which the applicable continuation period under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (COBRA) expires or (2) the date Executive becomes eligible to receive the equivalent or increased healthcare coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment) (such period, the COBRA Coverage Period), if Executive and/or his or her eligible dependents who were covered under the Companys health insurance plans as of the date of Executives Separation from Service elect to have COBRA coverage and are eligible for such coverage, the Company shall pay for or reimburse Executive on a monthly basis for an amount equal to (A) the monthly premium Executive and/or his or her covered dependents, as applicable, are required to pay for continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA for Executive and/or his or her eligible dependents, as applicable, who were covered under the Companys health plans as of the date of Executives Separation from Service (calculated by reference to the premium as of the date of Executives Separation from Service) less (B) the amount Executive would have had to pay to receive group health coverage for Executive and/or his or her covered dependents, as applicable, based on the cost sharing levels in effect on the date of Executives Separation from Service. If any of the Companys health benefits are self-funded as of the date of Executives Separation from Service, or if the Company cannot provide the foregoing benefits in a manner that is exempt from Section 409A (as defined below) or that is otherwise compliant with applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), instead of providing the payments or reimbursements as set forth above, the Company shall instead pay to Executive the foregoing monthly amount as a taxable monthly payment for the COBRA Coverage Period (or any remaining portion thereof). Executive shall be solely responsible for all matters relating to continuation of coverage pursuant to COBRA, including, without limitation, the election of such coverage and the timely payment of premiums. Executive shall notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes eligible to receive the equivalent or increased healthcare coverage by means of subsequent employment or self-employment.
(iv) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4(b), and subject to Sections 4(d) and 9(o) and Executives continued compliance with Section 5, in the event of Executives Involuntary Termination within twelve (12) months following a Change in Control, (A) the references to nine (9) months in clauses (ii) and (iii) above shall be increased to twelve (12) months, and (B) Executive shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the severance benefits described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, an amount equal to Executives target bonus for the year in which Executives Involuntary Termination occurs, which amount shall be payable in a lump sum sixty (60) days following Executives Involuntary Termination.
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(c) Termination for Cause, Voluntary Resignation Without Good Reason, Death or Termination for Permanent Disability. In the event of Executives termination of employment as a result of Executives discharge by the Company for Cause, Executives resignation without Good Reason, Executives death or Executives termination of employment following Executives Permanent Disability, the Company shall not have any other or further obligations to Executive under this Agreement (including any financial obligations) except that Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations. The foregoing shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any and all other rights and remedies which may be available to the Company under the circumstances, whether at law or in equity.
(d) Release. As a condition to Executives receipt of any post-termination benefits pursuant to Section 4(b) above, Executive (or, in the event of Executives incapacity as a result of his or her Permanent Disability, Executives legal representative) shall execute and not revoke a general release of all claims in favor of the Company (the Release) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. In the event the Release does not become effective within the fifty-five (55) day period following the date of Executives Separation from Service, Executive shall not be entitled to the aforesaid payments and benefits.
(e) Exclusive Remedy. Except as otherwise expressly required by law (e.g., COBRA) or as specifically provided herein, all of Executives rights to salary, severance, benefits, bonuses and other amounts hereunder (if any) accruing after the termination of Executives employment shall cease upon such termination. In the event of Executives termination of employment with the Company, Executives sole remedy shall be to receive the payments and benefits described in Section 3(g) and this Section 4. In addition, Executive acknowledges and agrees that he or she is not entitled to any reimbursement by the Company for any taxes payable by Executive as a result of the payments and benefits received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(g) and this Section 4, including, without limitation, any excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code. Any payments made to Executive under this Section 4 shall be inclusive of any amounts or benefits to which Executive may be entitled pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, 29 U.S.C. Sections 2101 et seq., and the Department of Labor regulations thereunder, or any similar state statute.
(f) No Mitigation. Except as otherwise provided in Section 4(b)(iii) above, Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Section 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in this Section 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by Executive as the result of employment by another employer or self-employment or by retirement benefits; provided, however, that loans, advances or other amounts owed by Executive to the Company may be offset by the Company against amounts payable to Executive under this Section 4.
(g) Return of the Companys Property. In the event of Executives termination of employment for any reason, the Company shall have the right, at its option, to require Executive to vacate his or her offices prior to or on the effective date of separation and to cease all activities on the Companys behalf. Upon Executives termination of employment in any manner, as a condition to Executives receipt of any severance benefits described in this Agreement, Executive shall immediately surrender to the Company all lists, books and records of, or in connection with, the Companys business, and all other property belonging to the
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Company, it being distinctly understood that all such lists, books and records, and other documents, are the property of the Company. Executive shall deliver to the Company a signed statement certifying compliance with this Section 4(g) prior to the receipt of any severance benefits described in this Agreement.
(h) Deemed Resignation. Upon termination of Executives employment for any reason, Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from all offices and directorships, if any, then held with the Company or any of its affiliates, and, at the Companys request, Executive shall execute such documents as are necessary or desirable to effectuate such resignations.
5. Certain Covenants.
(a) Noncompetition. Except as may otherwise be approved by the Board, during the term of Executives employment, Executive shall not have any ownership interest (of record or beneficial) in, or have any interest as an employee, salesman, consultant, officer or director in, or otherwise aid or assist in any manner, any firm, corporation, partnership, proprietorship or other business that engages in any county, city or part thereof in the United States and/or any foreign country in a business which competes directly or indirectly (as determined by the CEO) with the Companys business in such county, city or part thereof, so long as the Company, or any successor in interest of the Company to the business and goodwill of the Company, remains engaged in such business in such county, city or part thereof or continues to solicit customers or potential customers therein; provided, however, that Executive may own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any entity which are traded on any national securities exchange if Executive (i) is not a controlling person of, or a member of a group which controls, such entity; or (ii) does not, directly or indirectly, own one percent (1%) or more of any class of securities of any such entity.
(b) Confidential Information. Executive and the Company have entered into the Companys standard employee proprietary information and inventions agreement (the Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement). Executive agrees to perform each and every obligation of Executive therein contained.
(c) Solicitation of Employees. Executive shall not during the term of Executives employment and for a period of twelve (12) months following Executives Separation from Service (the Restricted Period), directly or indirectly, solicit or encourage to leave the employment of the Company or any of its affiliates, any employee of the Company or any of its affiliates.
(d) Solicitation of Consultants. Executive shall not during the term of Executives employment and for the Restricted Period, directly or indirectly, encourage to cease work with the Company or any of its affiliates any consultant then under contract with the Company or any of its affiliates within one year of the termination of such consultants engagement by the Company or any of its affiliates.
(e) Rights and Remedies Upon Breach. If Executive breaches or threatens to commit a breach of any of the provisions of this Section 5 (the Restrictive Covenants), the Company shall have the following rights and remedies, each of which rights and remedies shall
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be independent of the other and severally enforceable, and all of which rights and remedies shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other rights and remedies available to the Company under law or in equity:
(i) Specific Performance. With regard to breaches or threatened breaches of Sections 5(b) through 5(d) only, the right and remedy to have the Restrictive Covenants specifically enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, all without the need to post a bond or any other security or to prove any amount of actual damage or that money damages would not provide an adequate remedy, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such breach or threatened breach will cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money damages will not provide adequate remedy to the Company; and
(ii) Accounting. The right and remedy to require Executive to account for and pay over to the Company all compensation, profits, monies, accruals, increments or other benefits derived or received by Executive or any associated party deriving such benefits as a result of any such breach of the Restrictive Covenants.
(f) Severability of Covenants/Blue Pencilling. If any court determines that any of the Restrictive Covenants, or any part thereof, is invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Restrictive Covenants shall not thereby be affected and shall be given full effect, without regard to the invalid portions. If any court determines that any of the Restrictive Covenants, or any part thereof, are unenforceable because of the duration of such provision or the area covered thereby, such court shall have the power to reduce the duration or area of such provision and, in its reduced form, such provision shall then be enforceable and shall be enforced. Executive hereby waives any and all right to attack the validity of the Restrictive Covenants on the grounds of the breadth of their geographic scope or the length of their term.
(g) Enforceability in Jurisdictions. The Company and Executive intend to and do hereby confer jurisdiction to enforce the Restrictive Covenants upon the courts of any jurisdiction within the geographical scope of such covenants. If the courts of any one or more of such jurisdictions hold the Restrictive Covenants wholly unenforceable by reason of the breadth of such scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the Company and Executive that such determination not bar or in any way affect the right of the Company to the relief provided above in the courts of any other jurisdiction within the geographical scope of such covenants, as to breaches of such covenants in such other respective jurisdictions, such covenants as they relate to each jurisdiction being, for this purpose, severable into diverse and independent covenants.
(h) Whistleblower Provision. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit Executive from communicating directly with, cooperating with, or providing information to, any government regulator, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the U.S. Department of Justice. Executive acknowledges that the Company has provided Executive with the following notice of immunity rights in compliance with the requirements of the Defend Trade Secrets Act: (i) Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of proprietary information of the Company that is made in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, (ii) Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly
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liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of proprietary information of the Company that is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and (iii) if Executive files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Executive may disclose the proprietary information to my attorney and use the proprietary information in the court proceeding, if Executive files any document containing the proprietary information under seal, and does not disclose the proprietary information, except pursuant to court order.
(i) Definitions. For purposes of this Section 5, the term Company means not only Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., but also any company, partnership or entity which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
6. Insurance; Indemnification.
(a) Insurance. The Company shall have the right to take out life, health, accident, key-man or other insurance covering Executive, in the name of the Company and at the Companys expense in any amount deemed appropriate by the Company. Executive shall assist the Company in obtaining such insurance, including, without limitation, submitting to any required examinations and providing information and data required by insurance companies.
(b) Indemnification. Executive will be provided with indemnification against third party claims related to his or her work for the Company as required by Delaware law. The Company shall provide Executive with directors and officers liability insurance coverage at least as favorable as that which the Company may maintain from time to time for members of the Board and other executive officers.
7. Arbitration. Any dispute, claim or controversy based on, arising out of or relating to Executives employment or this Agreement shall be settled by final and binding arbitration in San Diego, California, before a single neutral arbitrator in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes (the Rules) of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The Rules may be found online at www.adr.org. Arbitration may be compelled pursuant to the California Arbitration Act (Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1280 et seq.). If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator, one shall be appointed by the AAA in accordance with its Rules. Each party shall pay the fees of its own attorneys, the expenses of its witnesses and all other expenses connected with presenting its case; however, Executive and the Company agree that, to the extent permitted by law, the arbitrator may, in his or her discretion, award reasonable attorneys fees to the prevailing party. Other costs of the arbitration, including the cost of any record or transcripts of the arbitration, AAAs administrative fees, the fee of the arbitrator, and all other fees and costs, shall be borne by the Company. This Section 7 is intended to be the exclusive method for resolving any and all claims by the parties against each other for payment of damages under this Agreement or relating to Executives employment; provided, however, that Executive shall retain the right to file administrative charges with or seek relief through any government agency of competent jurisdiction, and to participate in any government investigation, including but not limited to (i) claims for workers compensation, state disability insurance or unemployment insurance; (ii) claims for unpaid wages or waiting time penalties
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brought before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement; provided, however, that any appeal from an award or
from denial of an award of wages and/or waiting time penalties shall be arbitrated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; and (iii) claims for administrative relief from the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and/or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (or any similar agency in any applicable jurisdiction other than California); provided, further, that Executive shall not be entitled to obtain any monetary relief through such agencies other than workers compensation benefits or unemployment insurance benefits. This Agreement shall not limit either partys right to obtain any provisional remedy, including, without limitation, injunctive or similar relief, from any court of competent jurisdiction as may be necessary to protect their rights and interests pending the outcome of arbitration, including without limitation injunctive relief, in any court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure § 1281.8 or any similar statute of an applicable jurisdiction. Seeking any such relief shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such partys right to compel arbitration. Both Executive and the Company expressly waive their right to a jury trial.
8. General Relationship. Executive shall be considered an employee of the Company within the meaning of all federal, state and local laws and regulations including, but not limited to, laws and regulations governing unemployment insurance, workers compensation, industrial accident, labor and taxes.
9. Miscellaneous.
(a) Modification; Prior Claims. This Agreement and the Employee Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (and the other documents referenced therein) set forth the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersede all existing agreements between them concerning such subject matter. This Agreement may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.
(b) Assignment; Assumption by Successor. The rights of the Company under this Agreement may, without the consent of Executive, be assigned by the Company, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to any person, firm, corporation or other business entity which at any time, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, directly or indirectly, acquires all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company. The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company expressly to assume and to agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place; provided, however, that no such assumption shall relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. As used in this Agreement, the Company shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law or otherwise.
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(c) Survival. The covenants, agreements, representations and warranties contained in or made in Sections 3(g), 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 of this Agreement shall survive any Executives termination of employment.
(d) Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating, any rights enforceable by any person not a party to this Agreement.
(e) Waiver. The failure of either party hereto at any time to enforce performance by the other party of any provision of this Agreement shall in no way affect such partys rights thereafter to enforce the same, nor shall the waiver by either party of any breach of any provision hereof be deemed to be a waiver by such party of any other breach of the same or any other provision hereof.
(f) Section Headings. The headings of the several sections in this Agreement are inserted solely for the convenience of the parties and are not a part of and are not intended to govern, limit or aid in the construction of any term or provision hereof.
(g) Notices. Any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered as follows with notice deemed given as indicated: (i) by personal delivery when delivered personally; (ii) by overnight courier upon written verification of receipt; (iii) by email, telecopy or facsimile transmission upon acknowledgment of receipt of electronic transmission; or (iv) by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, upon verification of receipt. Notice shall be sent to Executive at the address listed on the Companys personnel records and to the Company at its principal place of business, or such other address as either party may specify in writing.
(h) Severability. All Sections, clauses and covenants contained in this Agreement are severable, and in the event any of them shall be held to be invalid by any court, this Agreement shall be interpreted as if such invalid Sections, clauses or covenants were not contained herein.
(i) Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California applicable to contracts made and to be performed wholly within such State, and without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof. Except as provided in Sections 5 and 7, any suit brought hereon shall be brought in the state or federal courts sitting in San Diego, California, the parties hereto hereby waiving any claim or defense that such forum is not convenient or proper. Each party hereby agrees that any such court shall have in personam jurisdiction over it and consents to service of process in any manner authorized by California law.
(j) Non-transferability of Interest. None of the rights of Executive to receive any form of compensation payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be assignable or transferable except through a testamentary disposition or by the laws of descent and distribution upon the death of Executive. Any attempted assignment, transfer, conveyance, or other disposition (other than as aforesaid) of any interest in the rights of Executive to receive any form of compensation to be made by the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be void.
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(k) Gender. Where the context so requires, the use of the masculine gender shall include the feminine and/or neuter genders and the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa, and the word person shall include any corporation, firm, partnership or other form of association.
(l) Counterparts; Facsimile or .pdf Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered will be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement may be executed and delivered by facsimile or by .pdf file and upon such delivery the facsimile or .pdf signature will be deemed to have the same effect as if the original signature had been delivered to the other party.
(m) Construction. The language in all parts of this Agreement shall in all cases be construed simply, according to its fair meaning, and not strictly for or against any of the parties hereto. Without limitation, there shall be no presumption against any party on the ground that such party was responsible for drafting this Agreement or any part thereof.
(n) Withholding and other Deductions. All compensation payable to Executive hereunder shall be subject to such deductions as the Company is from time to time required to make pursuant to law, governmental regulation or order.
(o) Code Section 409A.
(i) This Agreement is not intended to provide for any deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, and, accordingly, the severance payments payable under Sections 4(b)(ii) and 4(b)(iv) shall be paid no later than the later of: (A) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third month following Executives first taxable year in which such amounts are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, and (B) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third month following first taxable year of the Company in which such amounts are is no longer subject to substantial risk of forfeiture, as determined in accordance with Code Section 409A and any Treasury Regulations and other guidance issued thereunder. To the extent applicable, this Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with Code Section 409A and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder. Each series of installment payments made under this Agreement is hereby designated as a series of separate payments within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to Executives termination of employment shall mean Executives Separation from Service.
(ii) If Executive is a specified employee (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), as determined by the Company in accordance with Section 409A of the Code, on the date of Executives Separation from Service, to the extent that the payments or benefits under this Agreement are subject to Section 409A of the Code and the delayed payment or distribution of all or any portion of such amounts to which Executive is entitled under this Agreement is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then such portion deferred pursuant to this Section 9(o)(ii) shall be paid or distributed to Executive in a lump sum on the earlier of (A) the date that is six (6)-months following Executives Separation from Service, (B) the date of Executives death or (C) the earliest date as
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is permitted under Section 409A of the Code. Any remaining payments due under the Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.
(iii) To the extent applicable, this Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the applicable exemptions from Section 409A of the Code. If Executive and the Company determine that any payments or benefits payable under this Agreement intended to comply with Sections 409A(a)(2), (3) and (4) of the Code do not comply with Section 409A of the Code, Executive and the Company agree to amend this Agreement, or take such other actions as Executive and the Company deem reasonably necessary or appropriate, to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder (and any applicable transition relief) while preserving the economic agreement of the parties. To the extent that any provision in this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the provision shall be read in such a manner that no payments payable under this Agreement shall be subject to an additional tax as defined in Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Code.
(iv) Any reimbursement of expenses or in-kind benefits payable under this Agreement shall be made in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv) and shall be paid on or before the last day of Executives taxable year following the taxable year in which Executive incurred the expenses. The amount of expenses reimbursed or in-kind benefits payable during any taxable year of Executives shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits payable in any other taxable year of Executives, and Executives right to reimbursement for such amounts shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ R. Scott Struthers | |
Name: | R. Scott Struthers | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
EXECUTIVE | ||
/s/ Alan Krasner | ||
Alan Krasner, M.D. |
SIGNATURE PAGE TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS
[The language in this Release may change based on legal developments and evolving best practices; this form is provided as an example of what will be included in the final Release document.]
This General Release of Claims (Release) is entered into as of this day of , , between Alan Krasner, M.D. (Executive), and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) (collectively referred to herein as the Parties).
WHEREAS, Executive and the Company are parties to that certain Employment Agreement dated as of June 15, 2018 (the Agreement);
WHEREAS, the Parties agree that Executive is entitled to certain severance benefits under the Agreement, subject to Executives execution of this Release; and
WHEREAS, the Company and Executive now wish to fully and finally to resolve all matters between them.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of, and subject to, the severance benefits payable to Executive pursuant to the Agreement, the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged by Executive, and which Executive acknowledges that he or she would not otherwise be entitled to receive, Executive and the Company hereby agree as follows:
1. General Release of Claims by Executive.
(a) Executive, on behalf of himself or herself and his or her executors, heirs, administrators, representatives and assigns, hereby agrees to release and forever discharge the Company and all predecessors, successors and their respective parent corporations, affiliates, related, and/or subsidiary entities, and all of their past and present investors, directors, shareholders, officers, general or limited partners, employees, attorneys, agents and representatives, and the employee benefit plans in which Executive is or has been a participant by virtue of his or her employment with or service to the Company (collectively, the Company Releasees), from any and all claims, debts, demands, accounts, judgments, rights, causes of action, equitable relief, damages, costs, charges, complaints, obligations, promises, agreements, controversies, suits, expenses, compensation, responsibility and liability of every kind and character whatsoever (including attorneys fees and costs), whether in law or equity, known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, suspected or unsuspected (collectively, Claims), which Executive has or may have had against such Company Releasees based on any events or circumstances arising or occurring on or prior to the date hereof or on or prior to the date hereof, arising directly or indirectly out of, relating to, or in any other way involving in any manner whatsoever Executives employment by or service to the Company or the termination thereof, including any and all claims arising under federal, state, or local laws relating to employment, including without limitation claims of wrongful discharge, breach of express or implied contract,
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fraud, misrepresentation, defamation, or liability in tort, and claims of any kind that may be brought in any court or administrative agency including, without limitation, claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 2000, et seq.; the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.; the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991; 42 U.S.C. Section 1981, et seq.; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section 621, et seq. (the ADEA); the Equal Pay Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section 206(d); regulations of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, 41 C.F.R. Section 60, et seq.; the Family and Medical Leave Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.; the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.; and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, California Government Code Section 12940, et seq.
Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, Executive does not release the following claims:
(i) Claims for unemployment compensation or any state disability insurance benefits pursuant to the terms of applicable state law;
(ii) Claims for workers compensation insurance benefits under the terms of any workers compensation insurance policy or fund of the Company;
(iii) Claims pursuant to the terms and conditions of the federal law known as COBRA;
(iv) Claims for indemnity under the bylaws of the Company, as provided for by California law or under any applicable insurance policy with respect to Executives liability as an employee, director or officer of the Company;
(v) Claims based on any right Executive may have to enforce the Companys executory obligations under the Agreement;
(vi) Executives right to bring to the attention of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing or any other federal, state or local government agency claims of discrimination, or from participating in an investigation or proceeding conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local government agency; provided, however, that Executive does release his right to secure any damages for alleged discriminatory treatment;
(vii) Claims Executive may have to vested or earned compensation and benefits; and
(viii) Executives right to communicate or cooperate with any governmental agency.
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(b) EXECUTIVE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE OR SHE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF AND IS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1542, WHICH PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS:
A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.
BEING AWARE OF SAID CODE SECTION, EXECUTIVE HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHTS HE OR SHE MAY HAVE THEREUNDER, AS WELL AS UNDER ANY OTHER STATUTES OR COMMON LAW PRINCIPLES OF SIMILAR EFFECT.
[Note: Clauses (c), (d) and (e) apply only if Executive is age 40 or older at time of termination]
(c) Executive acknowledges that this Release was presented to him or her on the date indicated above and that Executive is entitled to have [twenty-one (21)][forty-five (45)] days time in which to consider it. Executive further acknowledges that the Company has advised him or her that he or she is waiving his or her rights under the ADEA, and that Executive should consult with an attorney of his or her choice before signing this Release, and Executive has had sufficient time to consider the terms of this Release. Executive represents and acknowledges that if Executive executes this Release before [twenty-one (21)][forty-five (45)] days have elapsed, Executive does so knowingly, voluntarily, and upon the advice and with the approval of Executives legal counsel (if any), and that Executive voluntarily waives any remaining consideration period.
(d) Executive understands that after executing this Release, Executive has the right to revoke it within seven (7) days after his or her execution of it. Executive understands that this Release will not become effective and enforceable unless the seven (7) day revocation period passes and Executive does not revoke the Release in writing. Executive understands that this Release may not be revoked after the seven (7) day revocation period has passed. Executive also understands that any revocation of this Release must be made in writing and delivered to the Company at its principal place of business within the seven (7) day period.
(e) Executive understands that this Release shall become effective, irrevocable, and binding upon Executive on the eighth (8th) day after his or her execution of it, so long as Executive has not revoked it within the time period and in the manner specified in clause (d) above.
(f) Executive further understands that Executive will not be given any severance benefits under the Agreement unless this Release is effective on or before the date that is fifty-five (55) days following the date of Executives termination of employment.
2. No Assignment. Executive represents and warrants to the Company Releasees that there has been no assignment or other transfer of any interest in any Claim that Executive may
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have against the Company Releasees. Executive agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company Releasees from any liability, claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and attorneys fees incurred as a result of any such assignment or transfer from Executive.
3. Severability. In the event any provision of this Release is found to be unenforceable by an arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent necessary to allow enforceability of the provision as so limited, it being intended that the parties shall receive the benefit contemplated herein to the fullest extent permitted by law. If a deemed modification is not satisfactory in the judgment of such arbitrator or court, the unenforceable provision shall be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.
4. Interpretation; Construction. The headings set forth in this Release are for convenience only and shall not be used in interpreting this Agreement. This Release has been drafted by legal counsel representing the Company, but Executive has participated in the negotiation of its terms. Furthermore, Executive acknowledges that Executive has had an opportunity to review and revise the Release and have it reviewed by legal counsel, if desired, and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Release. Either partys failure to enforce any provision of this Release shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision, or prevent that party thereafter from enforcing each and every other provision of this Release.
5. Governing Law and Venue. This Release will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States of America and the State of California applicable to contracts made and to be performed wholly within such State, and without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof. Any suit brought hereon shall be brought in the state or federal courts sitting in San Diego County, California, the Parties hereby waiving any claim or defense that such forum is not convenient or proper. Each party hereby agrees that any such court shall have in personam jurisdiction over it and consents to service of process in any manner authorized by California law.
6. Entire Agreement. This Release and the Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the Parties in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein and supersede all prior or simultaneous representations, discussions, negotiations and agreements, whether written or oral. This Release may be amended or modified only with the written consent of Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. No oral waiver, amendment or modification will be effective under any circumstances whatsoever.
7. Counterparts. This Release may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(Signature Page Follows)
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, and intending to be legally bound, the Parties have executed the foregoing Release as of the date first written above.
EXECUTIVE | CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | |||||
|
By: | |||||
Print Name: Alan Krasner, M.D. | Print Name: | |||||
Title: |
Exhibit 10.9
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (Agreement) is made as of , 20 by and between Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and , [a member of the Board of Directors/ an officer] of the Company (Indemnitee). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous Agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering indemnification and advancement .
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board) believes that highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers, or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification and advancement of expenses against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL). The Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation, and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification and advancement of expenses;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance, to indemnification, and to advancement of expenses may increase the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and is not a substitute therefor, nor diminishes or abrogates any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation, DGCL and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve or continue to serve as an officer or director without adequate additional protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified and be advanced expenses.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a [director/officer] of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law). This Agreement does not create any obligation on the Company to continue Indemnitee in such position and is not an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee.
Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) Agent means any person who is authorized by the Company or an Enterprise to act for or represent the interests of the Company or an Enterprise, respectively.
(b) A Change in Control occurs upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
i. Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities unless the change in relative beneficial ownership of the Companys securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;
ii. Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(b)(i), 2(b)(iii) or 2(b)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
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iii. Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;
iv. Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Companys assets; and
v. Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
vi. For purposes of this Section 2(b), the following terms have the following meanings:
1 | Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. |
2 | Person has the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person excludes (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company. |
3 | Beneficial Owner has the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner excludes any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity. |
(c) Corporate Status describes the status of a person who is or was acting as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary, or Agent of the Company or an Enterprise.
(d) Disinterested Director means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
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(e) Enterprise means any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other entity for which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, or Agent.
(f) Expenses includes all reasonable attorneys fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts and other professionals, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 14(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitees rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitees counsel as being reasonable in the good faith judgment of such counsel will be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, do not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(g) Independent Counsel means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Independent Counsel does not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitees rights under this Agreement.
(h) Potential Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the Company enters into any written or oral agreement, undertaking or arrangement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any Person or the Company publicly announces an intention to take or consider taking actions which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control; (iii) any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 5% or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors increases his beneficial ownership of such securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such Person on the date hereof; or (iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred.
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(i) The term Proceeding includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of Indemnitees Corporate Status or by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee (or a failure to take action by Indemnitee) or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitees part while acting pursuant to Indemnitees Corporate Status, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement. A Proceeding also includes a situation the Indemnitee believes in good faith may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding.
(j) Fund Indemnitor means [insert names]
Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company will indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitees conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company will indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. The Company will not indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses under this Section 4 related to any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding for which Indemnitee has been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless, and only to the extent that, the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought determines upon application by Indemnitee that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.
Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted
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by applicable law, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding the extent that Indemnitee is successful, on the merits or otherwise. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, will be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party but to which Indemnitee is a witness, deponent, interviewee, or otherwise asked to participate.
Section 7. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
Section 8. Additional Indemnification. Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including but not limited to, the DGCL and any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that expand the Companys ability to indemnify its officers and directors) if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor).
Section 9. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company is not obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification payment to Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except to the extent provided in Section 16(b) and except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or
(b) for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (as defined in Section 2(b) hereof) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, (ii) any reimbursement of the Company by the Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by the Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), or the payment to the
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Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) or (iii) any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act; or
(c) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitees rights to indemnification or advancement, of Expenses, including a Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement, (ii) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (iii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
Section 10. Advances of Expenses.
(a) The Company will advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee or any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee if (i) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitees rights to obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company or Enterprise, including a proceeding initiated pursuant to Section 14 or (ii) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation,. The Company will advance the Expenses within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding.
(b) Advances will be unsecured and interest free. Indemnitee undertakes to repay the amounts advanced (without interest) to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company, thus Indemnitee qualifies for advances upon the execution of this Agreement and delivery to the Company. No other form of undertaking is required other than the execution of this Agreement. The Company will make advances without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement.
Section 11. Procedure for Notification of Claim for Indemnification or Advancement.
(a) Indemnitee will notify the Company in writing of any Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. Indemnitee will include in the written notification to the Company a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding and provide such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of such Proceeding. Indemnitees failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company
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from any obligation it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company will not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company will, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification or advancement.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
Section 12. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Unless a Change of Control has occurred, the determination of Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification will be made:
i. by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board;
ii. by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board;
iii. if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by written opinion provided by Independent Counsel selected by the Board; or
iv. if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company.
(b) If a Change in Control has occurred, the determination of Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification will be made by written opinion provided by Independent Counsel selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee requests such selection be made by the Board).
(c) The party selecting Independent Counsel pursuant to subsection (a)(iii) or (b) of this Section 12 will provide written notice of the selection to the other party. The notified party may, within ten (10) days after receiving written notice of the selection of Independent Counsel, deliver to the selecting party a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of Independent Counsel as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection will set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected will act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within thirty (30) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, Independent Counsel has not been selected or, if selected, any objection to has not been resolved, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court designates. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel will be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(d) Indemnitee will cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. The Company will advance and pay any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the indemnification determination irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing of the determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied and providing a copy of any written opinion provided to the Board by Independent Counsel.
(e) If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company will make payment to Indemnitee within ten (10) days after such determination.
Section 13. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement, and the Company will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, will be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the determination of the Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification has not made pursuant to Section 12 within sixty (60) days after the latter of (i) receipt by the Company of Indemnitees request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a) and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding for which Indemnitee requested Indemnification (the Determination Period), the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee will be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. The Determination Period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, the Determination Period may be extended an additional fifteen (15) days if the determination of
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entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 12(a)(iv) of this Agreement.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitees conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee acted based on the records or books of account of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Company or an Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser, financial advisor or other expert selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company, its subsidiaries, or an Enterprise. Further, Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company, as referred to in this Agreement if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan. The provisions of this Section 13(d) is not exclusive and does not limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, Agent or employee of the Enterprise may not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining Indemnitees right to indemnification under this Agreement.
Section 14. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Indemnitee may commence litigation against the Company in the Delaware Court of Chancery to obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses provided by this Agreement in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) the Company does not advance Expenses pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) the determination of entitlement to indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement within the Determination Period, (iv) the Company does not indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the second to last sentence of Section 12(d) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) the Company does not indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 3, 4, 7, or 8 of this Agreement within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the
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Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitees option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee must commence such Proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such Proceeding pursuant to this Section 14(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause does not apply in respect of a Proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitees rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company will not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) If a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 will be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee may not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 the Company will have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be and will not introduce evidence of the determination made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement.
(c) If a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company will be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company is, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and will stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitees rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee hereunder. The Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, will (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance to Indemnitee such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action concerning this Agreement, Indemnitees right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company, or concerning any directors and officers liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. and will indemnify Indemnitee against any and all such Expenses unless the court determines that each of the Indemnitees claims in such Proceeding were made in bad faith or were frivolous or are prohibited by law.
Section 15. Establishment of Trust.
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(a) In the event of a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control, the Company will, upon written request by Indemnitee, create a trust for the benefit of Indemnitee (the Trust) and from time to time upon written request of Indemnitee will fund such Trust in an amount sufficient to satisfy the reasonably anticipated indemnification and advancement obligations of the Company to the Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding for which Indemnitee has demanded indemnification and/or advancement prior to the Potential Change in Control or Change in Control (the Funding Obligation). The trustee of the Trust (the Trustee) will be a bank or trust company or other individual or entity chosen by the Indemnitee and reasonably acceptable to the Company. Nothing in this Section 15 relieves the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) The amount or amounts to be deposited in the Trust pursuant to the Funding Obligation will be determined by mutual agreement of the Indemnitee and the Company or, if the Company and the Indemnitee are unable to reach such an agreement, by Independent Counsel selected in accordance with Section 12(b) of this Agreement. The terms of the Trust will provide that, except upon the consent of both the Indemnitee and the Company, upon a Change in Control: (i) the Trust may not be revoked, or the principal thereof invaded, without the written consent of the Indemnitee; (ii) the Trustee will advance, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, within two (2) business days of a request by the Indemnitee; (iii) the Company will continue to fund the Trust in accordance with the Funding Obligation; (iv) the Trustee will promptly pay to the Indemnitee all amounts for which the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise; and (v) all unexpended funds in such Trust revert to the Company upon mutual agreement by the Indemnitee and the Company or, if the Indemnitee and the Company are unable to reach such an agreement, by Independent Counsel selected in accordance with Section 12(b) of this Agreement, that the Indemnitee has been fully indemnified under the terms of this Agreement. New York law (without regard to its conflicts of laws rules) governs the Trust and the Trustee will consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of Delaware Court of Chancery, in accordance with Section 25 of this Agreement.
Section 16. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided by this Agreement are not exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. The indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided by this Agreement may not be limited or restricted by any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement in any way with respect to any action taken or omitted by Indemnitee in Indemnitees Corporate Status occurring prior to any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws, Certificate of Incorporation, or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy is cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion
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or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of Expenses and/or insurance provided by one or more Persons with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor).
i. The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees:
1) the Company is the indemnitor of first resort with respect to any request for indemnification or advancement of Expenses made pursuant to this Agreement concerning any Proceeding arising from or related to Indemnitees Corporate Status with the Company;
2) the Company is primarily liable for all indemnification and indemnification or advancement of Expenses obligations for any Proceeding arising from or related to Indemnitees Corporate Status, whether created by law, organizational or constituent documents, contract (including this Agreement) or otherwise;
3) any obligation of any other Persons with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor) to indemnify Indemnitee and/or advance Expenses to Indemnitee in respect of any proceeding are secondary to the obligations of the Companys obligations;
4) the Company will indemnify Indemnitee and advance Expenses to Indemnitee hereunder to the fullest extent provided herein without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, any Fund Indemnitor) or insurer of any such Person; and
ii. the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases (A) any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor) from any claim of contribution, subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration or indemnification, or any other recovery of any kind in respect of amounts paid by the Company to Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement and (B) any right to participate in any claim or remedy of Indemnitee against any Fund Indemnitor (or former Fund Indemnitor), whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from any Fund Indemnitor (or former Fund Indemnitor), directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account of such claim, remedy or right.
iii. In the event any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor) or their insurers advances or extinguishes any liability or loss for Indemnitee, the payor has a right of subrogation against the Company or its insurers for all amounts so paid which would otherwise be payable by the Company or its insurers under this Agreement. In no event will payment by any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor) or their
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insurers affect the obligations of the Company hereunder or shift primary liability for the Companys obligation to indemnify or advance of Expenses to any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor).
iv. Any indemnification or advancement of Expenses provided by any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated (including, without limitation, any Fund Indemnitor) is specifically in excess over the Companys obligation to indemnify and advance Expenses or any valid and collectible insurance (including but not limited to any malpractice insurance or professional errors and omissions insurance) provided by the Company.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or Agents of the Enterprise, the Company will obtain a policy or policies covering Indemnitee to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or Agent under such policy or policies, including coverage in the event the Company does not or cannot, for any reason, indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee as required by this Agreement. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to this Agreement, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company will give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of a Proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company will thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. Indemnitee agrees to assist the Company efforts to cause the insurers to pay such amounts and will comply with the terms of such policies, including selection of approved panel counsel, if required.
(d) The Companys obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee for any Proceeding concerning Indemnitees Corporate Status with an Enterprise will be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such Enterprise. The Company and Indemnitee intend that any such Enterprise (and its insurers) be the indemnitor of first resort with respect to indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitees Corporate Status with such Enterprise. The Companys obligation to indemnify and advance Expenses to Indemnitee is secondary to the obligations the Enterprise or its insurers owe to Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to take all reasonably necessary and desirable action to obtain from an Enterprise indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitees Corporate Status with such Enterprise.
(e) In the event of any payment made by the Company under this Agreement, the Company will be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee from any Enterprise or insurance carrier. Indemnitee will execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
Section 17. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement continues until and terminates upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee ceases to serve as a [director/officer] of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding
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then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement relating thereto. The indemnification and advancement of Expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement are binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or Agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise, and inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitees spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
Section 18. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions will be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) will be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 19. Interpretation. Any ambiguity in the terms of this Agreement will be resolved in favor of Indemnitee and in a manner to provide the maximum indemnification and advancement of Expenses permitted by law. The Company and Indemnitee intend that this Agreement provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly provided, without limitation, by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, vote of the Company stockholders or disinterested directors, or applicable law.
Section 20. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director or officer of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and is not a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
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Section 21. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement is binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement will be deemed or constitutes a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor will any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 22. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company does not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.
Section 23. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand to the other party, (b) sent by reputable overnight courier to the other party or (c) sent by facsimile transmission or electronic mail, with receipt of oral confirmation that such communication has been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee provides to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
Name: | Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | |
Address: | 10222 Barnes Canyon Road, Bldg. #2 | |
San Diego, CA 92121 | ||
Attention: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Email: | sstruthers@crinetics.com |
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 24. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, will contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and Agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
Section 25. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties are governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, the
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Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or Proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement may be brought only in the Delaware Court of Chancery and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or Proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or Proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or Proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 26. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together constitutes one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 27. Headings. The headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute part of this Agreement or affect the construction thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | INDEMNITEE | |||||||
By: |
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Name: | Name: | |||||||
Office: | Address: |
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Exhibit 10.11
CRINETICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PROGRAM
Non-employee members of the board of directors (the Board) of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) shall receive cash and equity compensation as set forth in this Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (this Program). This Program has been adopted under the Companys 2018 Incentive Award Plan (the Equity Plan) and shall be effective on the Effective Date. The cash and equity compensation described in this Program shall be paid or be made, as applicable, automatically and without further action of the Board, to each member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company (each, a Non-Employee Director) who is entitled to receive such cash or equity compensation, unless such Non-Employee Director declines the receipt of such cash or equity compensation by written notice to the Company. This Program shall remain in effect until it is revised or rescinded by further action of the Board. This Program may be amended, modified or terminated by the Board at any time in its sole discretion. The terms and conditions of this Program shall supersede any prior cash and/or equity compensation arrangements for service as a member of the Board between the Company and any of its Non-Employee Directors. No Non-Employee Director shall have any rights hereunder, except with respect to stock options granted pursuant to the Program. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed in the Equity Plan.
1. Cash Compensation.
(a) Annual Retainers. Each Non-Employee Director shall receive an annual retainer of $40,000 for service on the Board.
(b) Additional Annual Retainers. In addition, each Non-Employee Director shall receive the following additional annual retainers, as applicable:
(i) Chairperson of the Board. A Non-Employee Director serving as Chairperson of the Board shall receive an additional annual retainer of $30,000 for such service.
(ii) Audit Committee. A Non-Employee Director serving as Chairperson of the Audit Committee shall receive an additional annual retainer of $15,000 for such service. A Non-Employee Director serving as a member of the Audit Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall receive an additional annual retainer of $7,500 for such service.
(iii) Compensation Committee. A Non-Employee Director serving as Chairperson of the Compensation Committee shall receive an additional annual retainer of $10,000 for such service. A Non-Employee Director serving as a member of the Compensation Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall receive an additional annual retainer of $5,000 for such service.
(iv) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. A Non-Employee Director serving as Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall receive an additional annual retainer of $7,500 for such service. A Non-Employee Director serving as a member of
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (other than the Chairperson) shall receive an additional annual retainer of $3,750 for such service.
(c) Payment of Retainers. The annual retainers described in Sections 1(a) and 1(b) shall be earned on a quarterly basis based on a calendar quarter and shall be paid by the Company in arrears not later than the fifteenth day following the end of each calendar quarter. In the event a Non-Employee Director does not serve as a Non-Employee Director, or in the applicable positions described in Section 1(b), for an entire calendar quarter, the retainer paid to such Non-Employee Director shall be prorated for the portion of such calendar quarter actually served as a Non-Employee Director, or in such position, as applicable.
2. Equity Compensation. Non-Employee Directors shall be granted the equity awards described below. The awards described below shall be granted under and shall be subject to the terms and provisions of the Equity Plan, or any other applicable Company equity incentive plan then-maintained by the Company, and shall be granted subject to the execution and delivery of award agreements, including attached exhibits, in substantially the forms previously approved by the Board. All applicable terms of the Equity Plan apply to this Program as if fully set forth herein, and all grants of stock options hereby are subject in all respects to the terms of the Equity Plan and the applicable award agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the share numbers in this Section 2 shall be subject to adjustment as provided in the Equity Plan, including with respect to any reverse stock split of the Companys common stock effected on or prior to the Effective Date.
(a) Initial Awards. Each Non-Employee Director who is initially elected or appointed to the Board after the Effective Date shall receive an option under the Equity Plan, or any other applicable Company equity incentive plan then-maintained by the Company, to purchase 25,000 shares of the Companys common stock on the date of such initial election or appointment. The awards described in this Section 2(a) shall be referred to as Initial Awards. No Non-Employee Director shall be granted more than one Initial Award.
(b) Subsequent Awards. A Non-Employee Director who (i) is serving on the Board as of the date of any annual meeting of the Companys stockholders after the Effective Date and has been serving as a Non-Employee Director for at least six months as of the date of such meeting, and (ii) will continue to serve as a Non-Employee Director immediately following such meeting, shall be automatically granted an option under the Equity Plan, or any other applicable Company equity incentive plan then-maintained by the Company, to purchase 12,500 of the Companys common stock on the date of such annual meeting. The awards described in this Section 2(b) shall be referred to as Subsequent Awards. For the avoidance of doubt, a Non-Employee Director elected for the first time to the Board at an annual meeting of the Companys stockholders shall only receive an Initial Award in connection with such election, and shall not receive any Subsequent Award on the date of such meeting as well.
(c) Termination of Employment of Employee Directors. Members of the Board who are employees of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company who subsequently terminate their employment with the Company and any parent or subsidiary of the Company and remain on the Board will not receive an Initial Award pursuant to Section 2(a) above, but to the extent that they are otherwise entitled, will receive, after termination from employment with the Company and any parent or subsidiary of the Company, Subsequent Awards as described in Section 2(b) above.
(d) Terms of Awards Granted to Non-Employee Directors
(i) Purchase Price. The per share exercise price of each option granted to a Non-Employee Director shall equal the Fair Market Value of a share of common stock on the date the
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option is granted.
(ii) Vesting. Each Initial Award shall vest and become exercisable in thee substantially equal annual installments on each of the first three (3) anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to the Non-Employee Director continuing in service on the Board through each such vesting date. Each Subsequent Award shall vest and/or become exercisable on the first to occur of (A) the first anniversary of the date of grant or (B) the next occurring annual meeting of the Companys stockholders, subject to the Non-Employee Director continuing in service on the Board through such vesting date. Unless the Board otherwise determines, no portion of an Initial Award or Subsequent Award which is unvested and/or exercisable at the time of a Non-Employee Directors termination of service on the Board shall become vested and/or exercisable thereafter. Upon a Change in Control, all outstanding equity awards granted under the Equity Plan, and any other equity incentive plan maintained by the Company, that are held by a Non-Employee Director shall become fully vested and/or exercisable, irrespective of any other provisions of the Plan or any award agreement.
(iii) Term. The term of each stock option granted to a Non-Employee Director shall be ten (10) years from the date the option is granted.
3. Compensation Limits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Program, all compensation payable under this Program will be subject to any limits on the maximum amount of Non-Employee Director compensation set forth in the Equity Plan, as in effect from time to time.
4. Reimbursements. The Company shall reimburse each Non-Employee Director for all reasonable, documented, out-of-pocket travel and other business expenses incurred by such Non-Employee Director in the performance of his or her duties to the Company in accordance with the Companys applicable expense reimbursement policies and procedures as in effect from time to time.
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Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
San Diego, California
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated May 2, 2018 (except for the Reverse Stock Split paragraph of Note 7, as to which the date is July 9, 2018), relating to the consolidated financial statements of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is contained in that Prospectus.
We also consent to the reference to us under the caption Experts in the Prospectus.
/s/BDO USA, LLP
San Diego, California
July 9, 2018