Axe Compute Inc S-3, filed May 6, 2024
Axe Compute Inc. (AGPU)
Registration No. 333-
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 3, 2024
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
________________________________
Predictive Oncology Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 33-1007393 |
| (State or jurisdiction | (I.R.S. Employer |
| of incorporation or organization) | Identification No.) |
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
(412) 432-1500
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
|
Josh Blacher Interim Chief Financial Officer Predictive Oncology Inc. 91 43rd Street, Suite 110 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201 (412) 432-1500 (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service) |
Copy to: Alan Seem DLA Piper LLP (US) 3203 Hanover Street, Suite 100 Palo Alto, California 94304 (650) 833-2000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time on or after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
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, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, 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, please 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 registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a 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. (Check one)
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer ☒ | 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 Securities Act. ☐
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.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement is a replacement registration statement being filed pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to securities which remain unsold under the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255582), originally filed on April 28, 2021, declared effective on May 5, 2021, which is due to expire on May 5, 2024 (the “Prior Registration Statement”). Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(5)(ii) under the Securities Act, by filing this registration statement on Form S-3, the Company may issue and sell securities by the Prior Registration Statement until the earlier of the effective date of this registration statement or 180 days after May 5, 2024.
This registration statement contains two prospectuses:
| ● | a base prospectus, which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to $200,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and/or units consisting of some or all of these securities; and |
| ● | a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $3,696,000 of our common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”). |
The securities being registered hereby may be convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for other securities of any identified class. In addition to the securities that may be issued directly under this registration statement, there is being registered hereunder such indeterminate aggregate number or amount, as the case may be, of the securities of each identified class as may from time to time be issued upon the conversion, exchange, settlement or exercise of other securities offered hereby. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issued upon the conversion or exercise of, or in exchange for, other securities or that are issued in units.
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory
note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement
to the base prospectus. The sales agreement prospectus immediately follows the base prospectus. The $3,696,000 of common stock that may
be offered, issued and sold under the sales agreement prospectus is included in the $200,000,000 of securities that may be offered, issued
and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the sales agreement with Wainwright,
any portion of the $3,696,000 included in the sales agreement prospectus that is not sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be available
for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement, and if no shares are sold under
the Sales Agreement, the full $200,000,000 of securities may be sold in other offerings by us pursuant to the base prospectus and
a corresponding prospectus supplement.
The information in this 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 prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS, SUBJECT TO COMPLETION - DATED May 3, 2024
PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.
$200,000,000
Debt Securities
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants to Purchase Common Stock or Preferred Stock
Units
By this prospectus and an accompanying prospectus supplement, we may from time to time offer and sell, in one or more offerings, up to $200,000,000 in any combination of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, units, or subscription rights.
We will provide you with more specific terms of the securities offered by us in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.
We may offer these securities from time to time in amounts, at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering. We may offer and sell these securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, on a continuous or delayed basis.
The supplements to this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of distribution. The price to the public of the securities we offer and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “POAI”. On April 30, 2024, the closing price of our common stock as reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.41 per share.
The aggregate market value of shares of our common stock held by non-affiliates, as of the date hereof pursuant to General Instruction of I.B.6 of Form S-3 is $11,088,966, which was calculated based on 3,988,837 shares of our common stock outstanding held by non-affiliates and at a price of $2.78 per share, the closing price of our common stock on March 27, 2024. During the 12-calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus, we have not offered or sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3.
An investment in our securities may be considered speculative and involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of a substantial loss of your investment. See “Risk Factors” on page 10 for more information on the risks you should consider before buying our securities. An investment in our securities is not suitable for all investors.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities, or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024
Table of Contents
This prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time we offer securities for sale, we will provide a prospectus supplement that contains specific information about the terms of that offering. Any prospectus supplement may also add or update information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated by Reference.”
The registration statement that contains this prospectus (including the exhibits thereto) contains additional important information about us and the securities we may offer under this prospectus. Specifically, we have filed certain documents that establish the terms of the securities offered by this prospectus as exhibits to the registration statement. We will file certain other documents that establish the terms of the securities offered by this prospectus as exhibits to reports we file with the SEC. You may obtain copies of the registration statement and the other reports and documents referenced herein as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making offers to sell or solicitations to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we file or previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than the date of such document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Predictive Oncology,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” refer to Predictive Oncology Inc.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements made in this prospectus are “forward-looking statements” that indicate certain risks and uncertainties related to the Company, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth below and elsewhere in this report. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ from projections include:
| · | We may not be able to continue operating without additional financing; |
| · | Continued negative operating cash flows; |
| · | Our capital needs to accomplish our goals, including any further financing, which may be highly dilutive and may include onerous terms; |
| · | Risks related to recent and future acquisitions, including risks related to the benefits and costs of acquisition; |
| · | Risks related to our partnerships with other companies, including the need to negotiate the definitive agreements; possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of these partnerships; and costs of providing funding to our partner companies, which may never be repaid or provide anticipated returns; |
| · | Risks related to the initiation, formation, or success of our collaboration arrangements, commercialization activities and product sales levels by our collaboration partners and future payments that may come due to us under these arrangements; |
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| · | Risk that we will be unable to protect our intellectual property or claims that we are infringing on others’ intellectual property; |
| · | The impact of competition; |
| · | Acquisition and maintenance of any necessary regulatory clearances applicable to applications of our technology; |
| · | Inability to attract or retain qualified senior management personnel, including sales and marketing personnel; |
| · | Risk that we never become profitable if our products and services are not accepted by potential customers; |
| · | Possible impact of government regulation and scrutiny; |
| · | Unexpected costs and operating deficits, and lower than expected sales and revenues, if any; |
| · | Adverse results of any legal proceedings; |
| · | The volatility of our operating results and financial condition, |
| · | Management of growth; |
| · | Risk that our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected by disruptions caused by economic and geopolitical uncertainties as well as epidemics or pandemics; and |
| · | Other specific risks that may be alluded to in this report. |
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “projects”, “predicts”, “potential” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of the document containing the applicable statement.
You should read this prospectus, the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of the forward-looking statements in the foregoing documents by these cautionary statements.
This summary contains basic information about us. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the risks of investing in our securities discussed under “Risk Factors.” Some of the statements contained in this prospectus supplement, including statements under this summary and “Risk Factors” are forward-looking statements and may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We note that our actual results and future events may differ significantly based upon a number of factors. You should not put undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this document, which speak only as of the date on the cover of this prospectus. References to “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Company,” or “Predictive Oncology” refer to Predictive Oncology Inc., a Delaware corporation.
About Predictive Oncology
We are a knowledge and science-driven company that applies artificial intelligence (“AI”) to support the discovery and development of optimal cancer therapies, which can ultimately lead to more effective treatments and improved patient outcomes. We use AI and a proprietary biobank of 150,000+ tumor samples, categorized by tumor type, to provide actionable insights about drug compounds to improve the drug discovery process and increase the probability of drug compound success. We offer a suite of solutions for oncology drug development from early discovery to clinical trials.
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Our mission is to change the landscape of oncology drug discovery and enable the development of more effective therapies for the treatment of cancer. By harnessing the power of machine learning and scientific rigor, we believe that we can improve the probability of success of advancing pharmaceutical and biological drug candidates with a higher degree of confidence.
We operate in three business areas. In our first area, we provide optimized, high-confidence drug-response predictions through the application of AI using our proprietary biobank of tumor samples to enable a more informed selection of drug/tumor combinations and increase the probability of success during development. We also create and develop tumor-specific 3D cell culture models mimicking the physiological environment of human tissue enabling better-informed decision-making during development. In our second business area, we provide services and research using a proprietary self-contained and automated system that conducts high-throughput, self-interaction chromatography screens using additives and excipients commonly included in protein formulations resulting in soluble and physically stable formulations of biologics. Our third business area produces the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)-cleared STREAMWAY® System and associated products for automated medical fluid waste management and patient-to-drain medical fluid disposal. As of January 1, 2023, we changed our reportable segments to align with these business areas.
We have three reportable segments that have been delineated by location and business area:
| · | Pittsburgh segment: provides services that include the application of AI using its proprietary biobank of 150,000+ tumor samples. Pittsburgh also creates proprietary 3D culture models used in drug development. |
| · | Birmingham segment: provides contract services and research focused on solubility improvements, stability studies, and protein production. |
| · | Eagan segment: produces the FDA-cleared STREAMWAY System and associated products for automated medical fluid waste management and patient-to-drain medical fluid disposal. |
Our Industry
Drug Discovery and Development Solutions
The growing demand for the improvement in the discovery and development process of novel drug therapies is driving the demand for AI-empowered solutions. Growing partnerships and cooperation are expected to fuel global market for AI in drug development. The adoption of AI solutions in the drug development process increases efficiency, reduces cycle time, and increases the productivity and accuracy of the risky and long process. Due to these advantages, the importance of AI in drug discovery and development is expected to drive the global market. AI-powered drug discovery is an emerging approach that considers individual variability in multi-omics, including genes, disease and environment to develop effective therapies. This approach predicts more accurately which treatment, dose, and therapeutic regimen could provide the best possible clinical outcome. Biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, academia, and other stakeholders began integrating AI-based solutions in their drug development processes to enhance outcomes and curb costs.
We believe we are uniquely positioned with our PEDAL platform to provide early insights that clients can use to prioritize drugs for development and identify patient-centric indications. In addition, the PEDAL platform can be used to re-purpose previously failed drug compounds. We aim to leverage the PEDAL platform for our biopharma clients and help them prioritize their oncology portfolio. The PEDAL platform supports a biopharma client’s decision on the drug molecules with a higher likelihood of clinical success. With PEDAL, we look to improve/enhance the way that the biopharma industry carries out the development of oncology drugs. We believe our platform provides unique financial- and time-saving advantages for pharmaceutical companies.
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We believe the passage of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 will increase the use of non-animal methods to study the mechanisms of diseases and to test the effectiveness of new drugs. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 allows for alternatives to animal-testing requirements for the development of drugs and allows drug manufacturers to opt out of animal testing while utilizing other testing methods to develop drugs, such as cell-based assays, organ-on-a-chip technology, computer models, and other human biology-based test methods. We expect the market to continue to grow due to a shift towards more efficient, accurate and predictive models.
Infectious and Biohazardous Waste Management
There has long been recognition of the collective potential for ill effects to healthcare workers from exposure to infectious/biohazardous materials. Federal and state regulatory agencies have issued mandatory guidelines for the control of such materials, and particularly bloodborne pathogens. OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to adopt engineering and work practice controls that would eliminate or minimize employee exposure to hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens. In 2001, in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The revised standard clarifies and emphasizes the need for employers to select safer needle devices and to involve employees in identifying and choosing these devices. The revised standard also calls for the use of “automated controls” as it pertains to the minimization of healthcare exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Most surgical procedures produce potentially infectious materials that must be disposed of with the lowest possible risk of cross-contamination to healthcare workers. Current standards of care allow for these fluids to be retained in canisters and located in the operating room where they can be monitored throughout the surgical procedure. Once the procedure is complete these canisters and their contents are disposed using a variety of methods, all of which include manual handling and result in a heightened risk to healthcare workers for exposure to their contents. Canisters are the most prevalent means of collecting and disposing of infectious fluids in hospitals today. Traditional, non-powered canisters and related suction and fluid disposable products are exempt and do not require FDA clearance.
We expect the hospital surgery market to continue to increase due to population growth, the aging of the population, and expansion of surgical procedures to new areas (for example, use of the endoscope) which requires more medical fluid management and new medical technology.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 91 43rd Street, Suite 110 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and our telephone number is (412) 432-1500.
We were originally incorporated in Minnesota on April 23, 2002, and reincorporated in Delaware in 2013. We changed our name from Skyline Medical Inc. to Precision Therapeutics Inc. on February 1, 2018 and to Predictive Oncology Inc. on June 13, 2019. Additional information about us is available on our website at predictive-oncology.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
For a description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information regarding us, we refer you to our filings with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. For instructions on how to find copies of these documents, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
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An investment in our securities involves a number of risks. Before deciding to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks discussed under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which report is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the information and documents incorporated by reference herein, and in any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with an offering. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be harmed. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. The risks described in the documents referenced above are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business.
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Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities offered by the prospectus for general corporate purposes and working capital requirements. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to:
| · | make capital expenditures, |
| · | license or acquire intellectual property or technologies to incorporate into our products, or |
| · | fund possible investments in and acquisitions of complementary businesses, partnerships and minority investments. |
We have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds of the offerings. We have no current plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any acquisition as of the date of this prospectus.
With the exception of debt securities we may sell with no equity conversion feature and, therefore, no effect on dilution, we will set forth in a prospectus supplement the following information regarding any material dilution of the equity interests of investors purchasing securities sold by Predictive Oncology in an offering under this prospectus:
| ● | the net tangible book value per share of our equity securities before and after the offering; |
| ● | the amount of the increase in such net tangible book value per share attributable to the cash payments made by purchases in the offering; and |
| ● | the amount of the immediate dilution from the public offering price which will be absorbed by such purchasers. |
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The following description summarizes the material terms of our capital stock. This summary is, however, subject to the provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. For greater detail about our capital stock, please refer to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”). Out of the Preferred Stock, as of April 30, 2024, 2,300,000 shares have been designated Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, of which 79,246 shares were outstanding.
The outstanding shares of our Common Stock and Preferred Stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible into 16 shares of Common Stock, subject to a 4.99% beneficial ownership blocker.
Our Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock in series and, by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon. 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 outstanding shares of Common Stock without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the certificate or certificates establishing the series of Preferred Stock.
Common Stock
As of April 30, 2024, we had 4,102,004 shares of common stock outstanding held by approximately 156 stockholders of record.
Voting Rights. The holders of our Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each outstanding share of Common Stock owned by that shareholder on every matter properly submitted to the shareholders for their vote. Shareholders are not entitled to vote cumulatively for the election of directors.
Dividend Rights. Subject to the dividend rights of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, holders of our Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends and other distributions of cash or any other right or property as may be declared by our Board of Directors out of our assets or funds legally available for such dividends or distributions.
Liquidation Rights. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, holders of our Common Stock would be entitled to share ratably in our assets that are legally available for distribution to shareholders after payment of liabilities and after the satisfaction of any liquidation preference owed to the holders of any Preferred Stock.
Conversion, Redemption and Preemptive Rights. Holders of our Common Stock have no conversion, redemption, preemptive, subscription or similar rights.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Bylaws. Certain provisions of our Bylaws could have anti-takeover effects. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our corporate policies formulated by our Board of Directors. In addition, these provisions also are intended to ensure that our Board of Directors will have sufficient time to act in what our Board of Directors believes to be in the best interests of our Company and our shareholders. Nevertheless, these provisions could delay or frustrate the removal of incumbent directors or the assumption of control of us by the holder of a large block of Common Stock, and could also discourage or make more difficult a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest, even if such event would be favorable to the interest of our shareholders. These provisions are summarized below.
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Advance Notice Provisions for Raising Business or Nominating Directors. Sections 2.09 and 2.10 of our Bylaws contain advance-notice provisions relating to the ability of shareholders to raise business at a shareholder meeting and make nominations for directors to serve on our Board of Directors. These advance-notice provisions generally require shareholders to raise business within a specified period of time prior to a meeting in order for the business to be properly brought before the meeting.
Number of Directors and Vacancies. Our Bylaws provide that the exact number of directors shall be determined from time to time solely by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated: Class I, Class II and Class III (each, a “Class”). In the case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the number of directors, the number of directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, each director serves for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the annual meeting at which such director was elected; provided, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, removal or otherwise and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors may be filled solely by a majority of the directors then in office (although less than a quorum) or by the sole remaining director.
Delaware Law. We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This provision generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
| • | prior to such date, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; | |
| • | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or | |
| • | on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
| • | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; | |
| • | any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder; | |
| • | subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; | |
| • | any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or | |
| • | the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of a corporation, or an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of a corporation at any time within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status; and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.
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These statutory provisions could delay or frustrate the removal of incumbent directors or a change in control of our company. They could also discourage, impede, or prevent a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest, even if such event would be favorable to the interests of stockholders. In addition, note that while Delaware law permits companies to opt out of its business combination statute, our Certificate of Incorporation does not include this opt-out provision.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Pacific Stock Transfer.
Listing
The shares of our common stock are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “POAI.” On April 30, 2024, the last reported sale price per share for our common stock as reported by The Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.41.
Preferred Stock
Our Board of Directors has the authority, without action by our stockholders, to designate and issue up to 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series or classes and to designate the rights, preferences and privileges of each series or class, which may be greater than the rights of our common stock. The Board’s authority to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of our company, and could discourage such attempt.
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Outstanding
In connection with an offering of units that closed on August 31, 2015, we issued as part of the units 1,895,010 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock pursuant to a Certificate of Designation approved by our Board.
The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock separated from the other securities included within the units as of February 29, 2016 and are currently convertible. As of April 30, 2024, 79,246 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock remain outstanding.
The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible into sixteen (16) shares of common stock. The number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our common stock.
Upon the occurrence of a “Fundamental Transaction”, each share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock shall be automatically converted into one share of common stock of the Company, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation discussed in the next paragraph. A “Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (1) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) any other person unless the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation or merger continue to hold more than 50% of the outstanding shares of voting stock after such consolidation or merger, or (2)sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any other person, or (3) allow any other person to make a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company (not including any shares of voting stock of the Company held by the person or persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (4) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with any other person whereby such other person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company (not including any shares of voting stock of the Company held by the other person or other persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination), or (ii) any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder), other than a Permitted Holder, is or shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding voting stock of the Company. The term Permitted Holders means Josh Kornberg, Atlantic Partners Alliance and SOK Partners, LLC and each of their respective affiliates.
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The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is not convertible by the holder of such preferred stock to the extent (and only to the extent) that the holder or any of its affiliates would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the common stock of the Company. For purposes of the limitation described in this paragraph, beneficial ownership and all determinations and calculations are determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock has no voting rights, except that the holders of shares of a majority of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock will be required to effect or validate any amendment, alteration or repeal of any of the provisions of the Certificate of Designation that materially adversely affects the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, whether by merger or consolidation or otherwise; provided, however, that (i) in the event of an amendment to terms of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, including by merger or consolidation, so long as the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, or the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is converted into, preference securities of the surviving entity, or its ultimate parent, with such powers, preferences or special rights that are, in the good faith determination of the Board of the Company, taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to the holders of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock than the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in effect prior to such amendment or the occurrence of such event, taken as a whole, then such amendment or the occurrence of such event will not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and (ii) the authorization, establishment or issuance by the Corporation of any other series of preferred stock with powers, preferences or special rights that are senior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, including, but not limited to, powers, preferences or special rights with respect to dividends, distributions or liquidation preferences, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect the power, preferences or special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock, and in the case of either clause (i) or (ii), the holders shall not have any voting rights with respect thereto, and provided further that, (iii) prior to the date that is the six month anniversary of the Issuance Date, no amendment, alteration or repeal of any of the provisions of this Certificate of Designation shall be made that affects the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock in any manner, whether by merger or consolidation or otherwise. An amendment to the terms of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock only requires the vote of the holders of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.
With respect to payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon liquidation or dissolution or winding up of the Company, the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock shall rank equal to the common stock of the Company. No sinking fund has been established for the retirement or redemption of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. As such, the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is not subject to any restriction on the repurchase or redemption of shares by the Company due to an arrearage in the payment of dividends or sinking fund installments.
The Series B Convertible Preferred Stock also has no liquidation rights or preemption rights, and there are no special classifications of our Board related to the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.
The shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock have been duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid and are non-assessable. We have authorized and reserved at least that number of shares of common stock equal to the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of all outstanding Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.
THE HOLDER OF SERIES B CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK DO NOT POSSESS ANY RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER UNDER THE SHARES OF SERIES B CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK UNTIL THE HOLDER CONVERTS THE SHARES OF SERIES B CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK.
There is no established public trading market for our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, and we do not expect a market to develop. We do not intend to apply to list Series B Convertible Preferred Stock on any securities exchange. Without an active market, the liquidity of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock will be limited.
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One or More New Series of Preferred Stock
The following description of preferred stock and the description of the terms of any particular series of preferred stock that we choose to issue hereunder and that will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement are not complete. These descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the certificate of designation relating to that series. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series will be fixed by the certificate of designation relating to that series.
Our board of directors has the authority, without stockholder approval, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of the shares of preferred stock in one or more series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including, but not limited to, the following:
| • | the number of shares constituting that series; |
| • | dividend rights and rates; |
| • | voting rights; |
| • | conversion terms; |
| • | rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions); and |
| • | rights of the series in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up. |
All shares of preferred stock offered hereby will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will not have any preemptive or similar rights. Our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction that might involve a premium price for holders of the shares or which holders might believe to be in their best interests.
We will set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to the series of preferred stock being offered the following items:
| • | the title and stated value of the preferred stock; |
| • | the number of shares of the preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering price of the preferred stock; |
| • | the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation applicable to the preferred stock; |
| • | whether dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on the preferred stock will accumulate; |
| • | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, for the preferred stock; |
| • | the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, for the preferred stock; |
| • | the provision for redemption, if applicable, of the preferred stock; |
| • | any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange; |
| • | the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred stock will be convertible into common stock, including the conversion price (or manner of calculation) and conversion period; |
| • | voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock; |
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| • | a discussion of any material and/or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock; |
| • | the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; |
| • | any limitations on issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the class or series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; and |
| • | any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions of the preferred stock. |
The transfer agent and registrar for any series of preferred stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our current Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that could be issued by our Board of Directors to defend against a takeover attempt. See “Preferred Stock” above.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of our common stock or preferred stock, or a combination thereof. Warrants may be issued independently or together with our debt securities, preferred stock or common stock and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants. The warrant agent will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. This description is a summary of the certain provisions of the units, and does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of the warrant agreement that will be filed with the SEC in connection with an offering of the warrants. The particular terms of any units offered by us will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. To the extent the terms of the warrants described in the prospectus supplement differ from the terms set forth in this summary, the terms described in the prospectus supplement will supersede the terms described below.
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants to purchase our common stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following:
| • | the title of the warrants; |
| • | the offering price for the warrants, if any; |
| • | the aggregate number of warrants; |
| • | the designation and terms of the common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants; |
| • | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security; |
| • | if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable; |
| • | the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the exercise price for the warrants; |
| • | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and expire; |
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| • | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
| • | the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable; |
| • | if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; |
| • | the antidilution provisions of the warrants, if any; |
| • | the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants; |
| • | any provisions with respect to holder’s right to require us to repurchase the warrants upon a change in control or similar event; and |
| • | any additional terms of the warrants, including procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants. |
Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled:
| • | to vote, consent or receive dividends; |
| • | receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or |
| • | exercise any rights as stockholders of the Company. |
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
This description is a summary of the material provisions of the debt securities and the related indenture. We urge you to read the form of indenture filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part because the indenture, and not this description, governs your rights as a holder of debt securities. References in this prospectus to an “indenture” refer to the particular indenture under which we may issue a series of debt securities.
General
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in an officers’ certificate or by a supplemental indenture. Debt securities may be issued in separate series without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. We may specify a maximum aggregate principal amount for the debt securities of any series. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series, including any pricing supplement. The prospectus supplement will set forth specific terms relating to some or all of the following:
| • | the offering price; |
| • | the title; |
| • | any limit on the aggregate principal amount; |
| • | the person who shall be entitled to receive interest, if other than the record holder on the record date; |
| • | the date the principal will be payable; |
| • | the interest rate, if any, the date interest will accrue, the interest payment dates and the regular record dates; |
| • | the place where payments may be made; |
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| • | any mandatory or optional redemption provisions; |
| • | if applicable, the method for determining how the principal, premium, if any, or interest will be calculated by reference to an index or formula; |
| • | if other than U.S. currency, the currency or currency units in which principal, premium, if any, or interest will be payable and whether we or the holder may elect payment to be made in a different currency; |
| • | the portion of the principal amount that will be payable upon acceleration of stated maturity, if other than the entire principal amount; |
| • | any defeasance provisions if different from those described below under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance”; |
| • | any conversion or exchange provisions; |
| • | any obligation to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to a sinking fund; |
| • | whether the debt securities will be issuable in the form of a global security; |
| • | any subordination provisions, if different from those described below under “Subordination”; |
| • | any deletions of, or changes or additions to, the events of default or covenants; and |
| • | any other specific terms of such debt securities. |
Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be registered debt securities. Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates.
Exchange and Transfer
Debt securities may be transferred or exchanged at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us.
We will not impose a service charge for any transfer or exchange, but we may require holders to pay any tax or other governmental charges associated with any transfer or exchange.
In the event of any potential redemption of debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
| • | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange, any debt security of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
| • | register the transfer of or exchange any debt security of that series selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion being redeemed in part. |
We may initially appoint the trustee as the security registrar. Any transfer agent, in addition to the security registrar, initially designated by us will be named in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional transfer agents or change transfer agents or change the office of the transfer agent. However, we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
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Global Securities
The debt securities of any series may be represented, in whole or in part, by one or more global securities. Each global security will:
| • | be registered in the name of a depositary that we will identify in a prospectus supplement; |
| • | be deposited with the depositary or nominee or custodian; and |
| • | bear any required legends. |
No global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered in the name of any person other than the depositary or any nominee unless:
| • | the depositary has notified us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or has ceased to be qualified to act as depositary; |
| • | an event of default is continuing; or |
| • | the Company executes and delivers to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the global security is exchangeable. |
As long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a global security, the depositary or nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the indenture. Except in the above limited circumstances, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:
| • | will not be entitled to have the debt securities registered in their names; |
| • | will not be entitled to physical delivery of certificated debt securities; and |
| • | will not be considered to be holders of those debt securities under the indentures. |
Payments on a global security will be made to the depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global security. Some jurisdictions have laws that require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.
Institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee are referred to as “participants.” Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to participants and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. The depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown on and effected through records maintained by the depositary, with respect to participants’ interests, or any participant, with respect to interests of persons held by participants on their behalf.
Payments, transfers and exchanges relating to beneficial interests in a global security will be subject to policies and procedures of the depositary.
The depositary policies and procedures may change from time to time. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for the depositary’s or any participant’s records with respect to beneficial interests in a global security.
Payment and Paying Agent
The provisions of this paragraph will apply to the debt securities unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement. Payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date. Payment on debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of a paying agent or paying agents designated by us. However, at our option, we may pay interest by mailing a check to the record holder. The corporate trust office will be designated as our sole paying agent.
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We may also name any other paying agents in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional paying agents, change paying agents or change the office of any paying agent. However, we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All moneys paid by us to a paying agent for payment on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such payment was due will be repaid to us. Thereafter, the holder may look only to us for such payment.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets
Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, we may not consolidate with or merge into any other person, in a transaction in which we are not the surviving corporation, or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any person, unless:
| • | the successor, if any, is a U.S. corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity; |
| • | the successor assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture; |
| • | immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default shall have occurred and be continuing; and |
| • | certain other conditions are met. |
Events of Default
Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the indenture will define an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities as one or more of the following events:
| (1) | failure to pay principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series when due; |
| (2) | failure to pay any interest on any debt security of that series for 30 days when due; |
| (3) | failure to deposit any sinking fund payment when due; |
| (4) | failure to perform any other covenant in the indenture continued for 90 days after being given the notice required in the indenture; |
| (5) | our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and |
| (6) | any other event of default specified in the prospectus supplement. |
An event of default of one series of debt securities is not necessarily an event of default for any other series of debt securities.
If an event of default, other than an event of default described in clause (5) above, shall occur and be continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately.
If an event of default described in clause (5) above shall occur, the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series will automatically become immediately due and payable. Any payment by us on subordinated debt securities following any such acceleration will be subject to the subordination provisions described below under “Subordinated Debt Securities.”
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After acceleration the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all events of default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal, or other specified amount, have been cured or waived.
Other than the duty to act with the required care during an event of default, the trustee will not be obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request of the holders unless the holders shall have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity. Generally, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee.
A holder will not have any right to institute any proceeding under the indentures, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy under the indentures, unless:
| (1) | the holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default with respect to the debt securities of that series; |
| (2) | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made a written request and have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee to institute the proceeding; and |
| (3) | the trustee has failed to institute the proceeding and has not received direction inconsistent with the original request from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series within 90 days after the original request. |
Holders may, however, sue to enforce the payment of principal or interest on any debt security on or after the due date without following the procedures listed in (1) through (3) above.
Modification and Waiver
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the applicable trustee and we may make modifications and amendments to the indentures (including, without limitation, through consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, outstanding securities) and may waive any existing default or event of default (including, without limitation, through consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, outstanding securities) with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of each series affected by the modification or amendment.
However, neither we nor the trustee may make any amendment or waiver without the consent of the holder of each outstanding security of that series affected by the amendment or waiver if such amendment or waiver would, among other things:
| • | change the amount of securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; |
| • | change the stated maturity of any debt security; |
| • | reduce the principal on any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund; |
| • | reduce the principal of an original issue discount security on acceleration of maturity; |
| • | reduce the rate of interest or extend the time for payment of interest on any debt security; |
| • | make a principal or interest payment on any debt security in any currency other than that stated in the debt security; |
| • | impair the right to enforce any payment after the stated maturity or redemption date; |
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| • | waive any default or event of default in payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except certain rescissions of acceleration); or |
| • | waive a redemption payment or modify any of the redemption provisions of any debt security; |
Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any holder of outstanding securities, we and the trustee may amend or supplement the indentures:
| • | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture; |
| • | to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities; |
| • | to provide for the assumption of our obligations to holders of any debt security in the case of a merger, consolidation, transfer or sale of all or substantially all of our assets; |
| • | to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder; |
| • | to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or |
| • | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts by more than one Trustee. |
The consent of holders is not necessary under the indentures to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment.
Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
We may be discharged from our obligations on the debt securities of any series that have matured or will mature or be redeemed within one year if we deposit with the trustee enough cash to pay all the principal, interest and any premium due to the stated maturity date or redemption date of the debt securities.
Each indenture contains a provision that permits us to elect:
| • | to be discharged from all of our obligations, subject to limited exceptions, with respect to any series of debt securities then outstanding; and/or |
| • | to be released from our obligations under the following covenants and from the consequences of an event of default resulting from a breach of certain covenants, including covenants as to payment of taxes and maintenance of corporate existence. |
To make either of the above elections, we must deposit in trust with the trustee enough money to pay in full the principal and interest on the debt securities. This amount may be made in cash and/or U.S. government obligations. As a condition to either of the above elections, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the action.
If any of the above events occurs, the holders of the debt securities of the series will not be entitled to the benefits of the indenture, except for the rights of holders to receive payments on debt securities or the registration of transfer and exchange of debt securities and replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated debt securities.
Notices
Notices to holders will be given by mail to the addresses of the holders in the security register.
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Governing Law
The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed under, the law of the State of New York.
Regarding the Trustee
The indenture limits the right of the trustee, should it become a creditor of us, to obtain payment of claims or secure its claims.
The trustee is permitted to engage in certain other transactions. However, if the trustee acquires any conflicting interest, and there is a default under the debt securities of any series for which they are trustee, the trustee must eliminate the conflict or resign.
Subordination
Payment on subordinated debt securities will, to the extent provided in the indenture, be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness (except that holders of the notes may receive and retain (i) permitted junior securities and (ii) payments made from the trust described under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance”). Any subordinated debt securities also are effectively subordinated to all debt and other liabilities, including lease obligations, if any.
Upon any distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of and interest on subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of senior indebtedness. In the event of any acceleration of subordinated debt securities because of an event of default, the holders of any senior indebtedness would be entitled to payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to such holders of all senior indebtedness obligations before the holders of subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution, except for certain payments made by the trust described under “Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance.” The indenture requires us or the trustee to promptly notify holders of designated senior indebtedness if payment of subordinated debt securities is accelerated because of an event of default.
We may not make any payment on subordinated debt securities, including upon redemption at the option of the holder of any subordinated debt securities or at our option, if:
| • | a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, interest, rent or other obligations in respect of designated senior indebtedness occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable period of grace (called a “payment default”); or |
| • | a default other than a payment default on any designated senior indebtedness occurs and is continuing that permits holders of designated senior indebtedness to accelerate its maturity, and the trustee receives notice of such default (called a “payment blockage notice) from us or any other person permitted to give such notice under the indenture (called a “non-payment default”). |
If the trustee or any holder of the notes receives any payment or distribution of our assets in contravention of the subordination provisions on subordinated debt securities before all senior indebtedness is paid in full in cash, property or securities, including by way of set-off, or other payment satisfactory to holders of senior indebtedness, then such payment or distribution will be held in trust for the benefit of holders of senior indebtedness or their representatives to the extent necessary to make payment in full in cash or payment satisfactory to the holders of senior indebtedness of all unpaid senior indebtedness.
In the event of our bankruptcy, dissolution or reorganization, holders of senior indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and holders of subordinated debt securities may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors (including our trade creditors). This subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default under the indenture.
We are not prohibited from incurring debt, including senior indebtedness, under the indenture. We may from time to time incur additional debt, including senior indebtedness.
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We are obligated to pay reasonable compensation to the trustee and to indemnify the trustee against certain losses, liabilities or expenses incurred by the trustee in connection with its duties under the indenture. The trustee’s claims for these payments will generally be senior to those of noteholders in respect of all funds collected or held by the trustee.
Certain Definitions
“indebtedness” means:
(1) all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities for borrowed money, including overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts, currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans or advances from banks, or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, other than any account payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services;
(2) all reimbursement obligations and other liabilities with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances;
(3) all obligations and liabilities in respect of leases required in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles to be accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on our balance sheet;
(4) all obligations and other liabilities under any lease or related document in connection with the lease of real property which provides that we are contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased property to the lessor and our obligations under the lease or related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase the leased property;
(5) all obligations with respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or other similar instrument or agreement;
(6) all direct or indirect guaranties or similar agreements in respect of, and our obligations or liabilities to purchase, acquire or otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of others of the type described in (1) through (5) above;
(7) any indebtedness or other obligations described in (1) through (6) above secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance existing on property which is owned or held by us; and
(8) any and all refinancings, replacements, deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness, obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (1) through (7) above.
“permitted junior securities” means (i) equity interests in the Company; or (ii) debt securities of the Company that are subordinated to all senior indebtedness and any debt securities issued in exchange for senior indebtedness to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than the notes are subordinated to senior indebtedness under the indenture.
“senior indebtedness” means the principal, premium, if any, interest, including any interest accruing after bankruptcy, and rent or termination payment on or other amounts due on our current or future indebtedness, whether created, incurred, assumed, guaranteed or in effect guaranteed by us, including any deferrals, renewals, extensions, refundings, amendments, modifications or supplements to the above. However, senior indebtedness does not include:
| • | indebtedness that expressly provides that it shall not be senior in right of payment to subordinated debt securities or expressly provides that it is on the same basis or junior to subordinated debt securities; |
| • | our indebtedness to any of our majority-owned subsidiaries; and |
| • | subordinated debt securities. |
| 26 |
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
This description is a summary of the certain provisions of the units, and does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of the unit agreement that will be filed with the SEC in connection with an offering of the units. The particular terms of any units offered by us will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. To the extent the terms of the units described in the prospectus supplement differ from the terms set forth in this summary, the terms described in the prospectus supplement will supersede the terms described below.
We may issue units consisting of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement in any combination in such amounts and in such numerous distinct series as we determine.
Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security.
The terms of units described in the applicable prospectus supplement may include the following:
| • | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; | |
| • | a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; | |
| • | a description of any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and | |
| • | whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form. |
| 27 |
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus in any one or more of the following ways from time to time:
| • | directly to investors, including through a specific bidding, auction or other process; |
| • | to investors through agents; |
| • | directly to agents; |
| • | to or through brokers or dealers; |
| • | to the public through underwriting syndicates led by one or more managing underwriters; |
| • | to one or more underwriters acting alone for resale to investors or to the public; or |
| • | through a combination of any such methods of sale. |
We may also sell the securities offered by this prospectus in “at the market offerings” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act.
The prospectus supplement related to a particular offering will set forth the terms of the offering and the method of distribution and will identify any firms acting as underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering, including:
| • | the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents; |
| • | the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale; |
| • | any over-allotment options under which the underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; |
| • | any underwriting discounts and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents; |
| • | any public offering price; |
| • | any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; or |
| • | any securities exchange or market on which the securities offered in the prospectus supplement may be listed. |
Only those underwriters identified in such prospectus supplement are deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities offered in the prospectus supplement. Any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis.
The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at prices determined as the applicable prospectus supplement specifies. The securities may be sold through a rights offering, forward contracts or similar arrangements. In any distribution of subscription rights to shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.
In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters, dealers or agents may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and also may receive commissions from securities purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.
| 28 |
We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement information regarding any underwriting discounts or other compensation that we pay to underwriters or agents in connection with the securities offering, and any discounts, concessions or commissions which underwriters allow to dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the securities distribution may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions they receive and any profit they realize on the sale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.
Underwriters and their controlling persons, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification against and contribution toward specific civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, each series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than shares of our common stock, which are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. Any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to compliance with applicable Nasdaq continued listing requirements. We may elect to list any series on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any offered securities.
In connection with an offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell securities in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of securities than they are required to purchase in an offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while an offering is in progress. The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the underwriters have repurchased securities sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or short-covering transactions. These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities. As a result, the price of the securities may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued by the underwriters at any time. Underwriters may engage in over-allotment. If any underwriters create a short position in the securities in an offering in which they sell more securities than are set forth on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing the securities in the open market.
Underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in the offer of securities, or their affiliates or associates, may be customers of, have engaged or engage in transactions with, and perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they may have received or receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.
The validity of any securities offered from time to time by this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement will be passed upon by DLA Piper LLP (US), Palo Alto, California. Any underwriters will also be advised about the validity of the securities and other legal matters by their own counsel, which will be named in the prospectus supplement.
The consolidated financial statements of Predictive Oncology Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and in the Registration Statement have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of BDO USA, P.C., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The report on the consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.
| 29 |
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Baker Tilly US, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
| 30 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.
The Company’s website address is www.predictive-oncology.com. Information on the Company’s website, any subsection, page, or other subdivision of the Company’s website, or any website linked to by content on the Company’s website, is not part of this prospectus and you should not rely on that information unless that information is also in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement or documents incorporated by reference in the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement through the SEC’s website, as provided above.
| 31 |
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC: We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than information furnished in Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of such form unless such form expressly provides to the contrary):
| • | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed on March 28, 2024; |
| • | Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 4, 2024 and February 8, 2024; and |
| • | The description of the Company’s common stock filed as Exhibit 4.29 “Description of Registrant’s Securities” to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on March 28, 2024. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the “Exchange Act” in this prospectus, prior to the termination of this offering, including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. You may request a copy of this information at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or telephone number:
Predictive Oncology Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
(412) 432-1500
| 32 |
$200,000,000
PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.
Debt Securities
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants to Purchase Common Stock or Preferred Stock
Units
______________________
PROSPECTUS
______________________
, 2024
The information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying 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 prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED May 3, 2024
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Up to $3,696,000
Common Stock
We have entered into an ATM Sales Agreement (the “sales agreement”) with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”) relating to shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the sales agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $3,696,000 from time to time through Wainwright acting as our agent.
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “POAI”. On April 30, 2024, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.41 per share.
Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Wainwright is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amounts of securities but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and mutually agreed terms between Wainwright and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
The compensation to Wainwright for sales of common stock sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement will be at a fixed commission rate of 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, Wainwright will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Wainwright will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-13 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to Wainwright. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Wainwright against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
The aggregate market value of shares of our common stock held by non-affiliates as of the date hereof pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 is $11,088,966, which was calculated based on 3,988,837 shares of our common stock outstanding held by non-affiliates and at a price of $2.78 per share, the closing price of our common stock on March 27, 2024. During the 12-calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus, we have not offered or sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, which exclude the shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the Sales Agreement, which are covered by this prospectus supplement.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Please read the information contained in and incorporated by reference under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement, under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11 of the accompanying prospectus, and the risk factors described in the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as they may be amended, updated or modified periodically in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
The date of this prospectus supplement is , 2024.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement
We have not, and Wainwright has not, authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus as if we had authorized it. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any applicable free writing prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor does this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference and any applicable free writing prospectus is correct on any date after their respective dates, even though this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or an applicable free writing prospectus is delivered or securities are sold on a later date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may have changed since those dates.
| S-1 |
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a shelf registration process. The prospectus supplement describes the specific terms of this offering. The accompanying prospectus, includes the documents incorporated by reference, provides more general information. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, before buying any of the securities being offered under this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in the accompanying prospectus. To the extent that any statement that we make in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in the accompanying prospectus or any documents incorporated by reference therein filed prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, the statements made in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to modify or supersede those made in the accompanying prospectus and such documents incorporated by reference therein.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free-writing prospectus that we or the underwriters provide to you or incorporated herein by reference in this prospectus supplement and contained or incorporated therein by reference in the accompanying prospectus. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different, additional or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
We are offering to sell the securities only in jurisdictions where such offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering of the securities in certain jurisdictions or to certain persons within such jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the applicable document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus when making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents we have referred you to in the sections of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus titled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated by Reference.”
The representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference herein or in the accompanying prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs
| S-2 |
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements made in this prospectus are “forward-looking statements” that indicate certain risks and uncertainties related to the Company, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth below and elsewhere in this report. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ from projections include:
| · | We may not be able to continue operating without additional financing; |
| · | Continued negative operating cash flows; |
| · | Our capital needs to accomplish our goals, including any further financing, which may be highly dilutive and may include onerous terms; |
| · | Risks related to recent and future acquisitions, including risks related to the benefits and costs of acquisition; |
| · | Risks related to our partnerships with other companies, including the need to negotiate the definitive agreements; possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of these partnerships; and costs of providing funding to our partner companies, which may never be repaid or provide anticipated returns; |
| · | Risks related to the initiation, formation, or success of our collaboration arrangements, commercialization activities and product sales levels by our collaboration partners and future payments that may come due to us under these arrangements; |
| · | Risk that we will be unable to protect our intellectual property or claims that we are infringing on others’ intellectual property; |
| · | The impact of competition; |
| · | Acquisition and maintenance of any necessary regulatory clearances applicable to applications of our technology; |
| · | Inability to attract or retain qualified senior management personnel, including sales and marketing personnel; |
| · | Risk that we never become profitable if our products and services are not accepted by potential customers; |
| · | Possible impact of government regulation and scrutiny; |
| · | Unexpected costs and operating deficits, and lower than expected sales and revenues, if any; |
| · | Adverse results of any legal proceedings; |
| · | The volatility of our operating results and financial condition, |
| · | Management of growth; |
| · | Risk that our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected by disruptions caused by economic and geopolitical uncertainties as well as epidemics or pandemics; and |
| · | Other specific risks that may be alluded to in this report. |
| S-3 |
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “projects”, “predicts”, “potential” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of the document containing the applicable statement.
You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of the forward-looking statements in the foregoing documents by these cautionary statements.
| S-4 |
This summary highlights certain information about us, this offering and selected information contained elsewhere in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. For a more complete understanding of our company and this offering, we encourage you to read and consider carefully the more detailed information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including our financial statements and related notes and the other information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information referred to under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement beginning on page S-9 of the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated herein by reference.
About Predictive Oncology
We are a knowledge and science-driven company that applies artificial intelligence (“AI”) to support the discovery and development of optimal cancer therapies, which can ultimately lead to more effective treatments and improved patient outcomes. We use AI and a proprietary biobank of 150,000+ patient-derived primary cell tumor samples, categorized by tumor type, to provide actionable insights about drug compounds to improve the drug discovery process and increase the probability of drug compound success. We offer a suite of solutions for oncology drug development from early discovery to clinical trials.
Our mission is to change the landscape of oncology drug discovery and enable the development of more effective therapies for the treatment of cancer. By harnessing the power of machine learning, scientific rigor and biologics, we believe we can improve the probability of success and advance drug compounds with a higher degree of confidence.
We operate in three business areas: first, in the drug discovery continuum (i) the application of AI for optimized, high-confidence drug-response predictions that enables a more informed selection of drug/tumor combinations to increase the probability of success during development and (ii) the creation and development of tumor-specific 3D cell culture models; second, contract services and research focused on solubility improvements, stability studies, and protein production, and; third, production of the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)-cleared STREAMWAY® System for automated fluid waste management, direct-to-drain medical fluid disposal and associated products. As of January 1, 2023, we changed our reportable segments to align with these business areas.
We have three reportable segments that have been delineated by location and specialty:
| · | Pittsburgh segment: provides services that include the application of AI using its proprietary biobank of 150,000+ patient-derived primary cell tumor samples. Pittsburgh also utilizes 3D culture models in drug development. |
| · | Birmingham segment: provides services and research using a proprietary self-contained and automated system that conducts high-throughput, self-interaction chromatography screens, using additives and excipients commonly included in protein formulations resulting in soluble and physically stable formulations of biologics focused on solubility improvements, stability studies, and protein production. |
| · | Eagan segment: produces the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)-cleared STREAMWAY System for automated fluid waste management, direct-to-drain medical fluid disposal, and associated products. |
Our Industry
Drug Discovery and Development Solutions
The growing demand for the improvement in the discovery and development process of novel drug therapies is driving the demand for AI-empowered solutions. Growing partnerships and cooperation are expected to fuel global market for AI in drug development. The adoption of AI solutions in the drug development process increases efficiency, reduces cycle time, and increases the productivity and accuracy of the risky and long process. Due to these advantages, the importance of AI in drug discovery and development is expected to drive the global market. AI-powered drug discovery is an emerging approach that considers individual variability in multi-omics, including genes, disease and environment to develop effective therapies. This approach predicts more accurately which treatment, dose, and therapeutic regimen could provide the best possible clinical outcome. Biopharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, academia, and other stakeholders began integrating AI-based solutions in their drug development processes to enhance outcomes and curb costs.
| S-5 |
We believe we are uniquely positioned with our PEDAL platform to provide early insights that clients can use to prioritize drugs for development and identify biomarker-informed indications. In addition, the PEDAL platform can be used to re-purpose previously failed drug compounds. We aim to leverage the PEDAL platform for our biopharma clients and help them prioritize their oncology portfolio. The PEDAL platform supports a biopharma client’s decision on the drug molecules with a higher likelihood of clinical success. With PEDAL, we look to improve/enhance the way that the biopharma industry carries out the development of oncology drugs. We believe our platform provides unique financial- and time-saving advantages for pharmaceutical companies.
We believe the passage of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 will increase the use of non-animal methods to study the mechanisms of diseases and to test the effectiveness of new drugs. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 allows for alternatives to animal-testing requirements for the development of drugs and allows drug manufacturers to opt out of animal testing while utilizing other testing methods to develop drugs, such as cell-based assays, organ-on-a-chip technology, computer models, and other human biology-based test methods. We expect the market to continue to grow due to a shift towards more efficient, accurate and predictive models.
Infectious and Biohazardous Waste Management
There has long been recognition of the collective potential for ill effects to healthcare workers from exposure to infectious/biohazardous materials. Federal and state regulatory agencies have issued mandatory guidelines for the control of such materials, and particularly bloodborne pathogens. OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to adopt engineering and work practice controls that would eliminate or minimize employee exposure to hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens. In 2001, in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The revised standard clarifies and emphasizes the need for employers to select safer needle devices and to involve employees in identifying and choosing these devices. The revised standard also calls for the use of “automated controls” as it pertains to the minimization of healthcare exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Most surgical procedures produce potentially infectious materials that must be disposed of with the lowest possible risk of cross-contamination to healthcare workers. Current standards of care allow for these fluids to be retained in canisters and located in the operating room where they can be monitored throughout the surgical procedure. Once the procedure is complete these canisters and their contents are disposed using a variety of methods, all of which include manual handling and result in a heightened risk to healthcare workers for exposure to their contents. Canisters are the most prevalent means of collecting and disposing of infectious fluids in hospitals today. Traditional, non-powered canisters and related suction and fluid disposable products are exempt and do not require FDA clearance.
We expect the hospital surgery market to continue to increase due to population growth, the aging of the population, and expansion of surgical procedures to new areas (for example, use of the endoscope) which requires more fluid management and new medical technology.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 91 43rd Street, Suite 110 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and our telephone number is (412) 432-1500.
We were originally incorporated in Minnesota on April 23, 2002, and reincorporated in Delaware in 2013. We changed our name from Skyline Medical Inc. to Precision Therapeutics Inc. on February 1, 2018 and to Predictive Oncology Inc. on June 13, 2019. Additional information about us is available on our website at predictive-oncology.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
| S-6 |
For a description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information regarding us, we refer you to our filings with the SEC incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. For instructions on how to find copies of these documents, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
| S-7 |
| Common stock offered by us | Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $3,696,000. |
| Common stock outstanding immediately after this offering | Up to 6,684,129 shares, assuming that we sell the maximum dollar value of shares of our common stock available to be sold in this offering at a price of $1.41 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 30, 2024. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the sales prices under this offering.(1) |
| Plan of Distribution | “At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through our sales agent, H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. See “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus supplement. |
| Use of Proceeds | We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital, research and development, marketing and sales, and general corporate purposes. |
| Risk Factors | Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk, and the purchasers of our common stock may lose all or part of their investment. Please see “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement, as well as the other information included in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, for a discussion of risks you should carefully consider before investing in our securities. |
| Nasdaq Capital Market symbol | “POAI” |
(1) The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 4,062,853 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and excludes, as of that date:
| ● | 47,664 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options under our 2012 Equity Incentive Plan at a weighted average exercise price of $82.23 per share; |
| ● | 1,806,589 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants at a weighted average exercise price of $21.52 per share; |
| ● | 16 shares of our common stock issuable upon the conversion of our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock; and |
| ● | 94,878 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2012 Stock Incentive Plan and any other additional shares of our common stock that may become available under our 2012 Stock Incentive Plan. |
Unless otherwise specifically stated, information throughout this prospectus supplement assumes that none of our outstanding options or warrants to purchase shares of our common stock are exercised.
| S-8 |
An investment in our securities involves a number of risks. Before deciding to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, including the discussion under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be harmed. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. The risks described in the documents referenced above are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business.
Risks Related to this Offering
In making your investment decision, you should rely only on statements made in this prospectus supplement in determining whether to purchase our securities.
You should carefully evaluate all of the information in this prospectus supplement. We have in the past received, and may continue in the future to receive, media coverage, including coverage that is not directly attributable to statements made by our officers and employees, that incorrectly reports on statements made by our officers or employees or that is misleading as a result of omitting to state information provided by us or our officers or employees. You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in determining whether to purchase our securities.
Management will have broad discretion as to the use of proceeds from this offering and we may use the net proceeds in ways with which you may disagree.
We currently intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for working capital, research and development, marketing and sales, and general corporate purposes. We have not allocated specific amounts of the net proceeds from this offering for any of the foregoing purposes. Our management will have broad discretion and flexibility in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock or other securities. Accordingly, you will be relying on the judgment of our management on the use of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, delay the development of our products and cause the price of our common stock or other securities to decline.
You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.
In order to raise additional capital, we may at any time, including during the pendency of this offering, offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. We may sell shares of our common stock or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is less than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share paid by investors in this offering.
You may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share of the common stock you purchase.
The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 2,621,276 shares of our common stock are sold at a price of $1.41 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 30, 2024, for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,696,000, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, you may experience immediate dilution, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share at the time of such purchases, after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price.
| S-9 |
Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gain.
We plan to reinvest all of our earnings, to the extent we have earnings, in order to continue to develop our products, to market our products, to cover operating costs and to otherwise become and remain competitive. We do not plan to pay any cash dividends with respect to our securities in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on applicable law and then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, operating results, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. See “Dividend Policy.” As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future.
The actual number of shares of common stock we will issue under the Sales Agreement, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to Wainwright at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold by Wainwright after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period and limits we set with Wainwright. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued.
The common stock offered hereby will be sold in at the market offerings, and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices and numbers of shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
| S-10 |
We currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our common stock for general corporate purposes and working capital requirements. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to:
| · | make capital expenditures, |
| · | license or acquire intellectual property or technologies to incorporate into our products, or |
| · | fund possible investments in and acquisitions of complementary businesses, partnerships and minority investments. |
We have not determined the amounts we plan to spend on the areas listed above or the timing of these expenditures. As a result, our management will have broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds of the offerings. We have no current plans, commitments or agreements with respect to any acquisition as of the date of this prospectus.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our shares of common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the foreseeable future. Payment of cash dividends, if any, in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on applicable law and then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, operating results, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.
| S-11 |
We have entered into an ATM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”), pursuant to which we may issue and sell from time to time shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, through Wainwright, acting as our sales agent. Pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we may issue and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $3,696,000. This summary of the material provisions of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part.
Upon delivery of a placement notice and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Wainwright may sell our common stock by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other existing trading market for our common stock. We or Wainwright may suspend the offering of our common stock upon notice and subject to other conditions.
We will pay Wainwright in cash, upon each sale of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement, a commission in an amount of 3.0% of the gross sales price per share for any shares of common stock sold through Wainwright acting as our sales agent under the Sales Agreement. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. We have also agreed to reimburse Wainwright for certain specified expenses, in an aggregate amount not exceeding $50,000, including the fees and disbursements of its legal counsel. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding compensation and reimbursements payable to Wainwright under the terms of the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $265,000.
Settlement for sales of common stock will occur on the second business day following the date on which any sales are made, or on another date that is agreed upon by us and Wainwright in connection with a particular transaction, in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. Pursuant to recent amendments to Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, settlement for any securities offered under this prospectus supplement on or after May 28, 2024, may occur on the first business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. Sales of our common stock as contemplated in this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Wainwright may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Wainwright will use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its sales and trading practices, to solicit offers to purchase shares of our common stock under the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, Wainwright will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Wainwright will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Wainwright against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
The offering of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the termination of the Sales Agreement as permitted therein. We and Wainwright may each terminate the Sales Agreement at any time upon ten days’ prior notice.
We have agreed to indemnify Wainwright and specified other persons against certain liabilities relating to or arising out of Wainwright’s activities under the Sales Agreement and to contribute to payments that Wainwright may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
Wainwright and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. To the extent required by Regulation M, Wainwright will not engage in any market making activities involving our common stock while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus supplement.
| S-12 |
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Wainwright, and Wainwright may distribute this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus electronically.
The validity of any securities offered from time to time by this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement will be passed upon by DLA Piper LLP (US), Palo Alto, California. H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC is being represented in connection with this offering by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.
The consolidated financial statements of Predictive Oncology Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and in the Registration Statement have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of BDO USA, P.C., an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The report on the consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Baker Tilly US, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
| S-13 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.
The Company’s website address is www.predictive-oncology.com. Information on the Company’s website, any subsection, page, or other subdivision of the Company’s website, or any website linked to by content on the Company’s website, is not part of this prospectus and you should not rely on that information unless that information is also in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement or documents incorporated by reference in the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement through the SEC’s website, as provided above.
| S-14 |
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC: We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than information furnished in Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of such form unless such form expressly provides to the contrary):
| • | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed on March 28, 2024; |
| • | Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 4, 2024, February 8, 2024 and April 8, 2024; and |
| • | The description of the Company’s common stock filed as Exhibit 4.29 “Description of Registrant’s Securities” to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on March 28, 2024. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the “Exchange Act” in this prospectus, prior to the termination of this offering, including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. You may request a copy of this information at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or telephone number:
Predictive Oncology Inc.
Attention: Corporate Secretary
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201
(412) 432-1500
| S-15 |
PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.
Up to $3,696,000
Common Stock
______________________
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
______________________
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
, 2024
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution.
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, payable by the registrant in connection with the sale of common stock being registered. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee and the Nasdaq listing fee.
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | $ | *– | ||
| FINRA filing fee | $ | *– | ||
| Printing and engraving expenses | $ | (1) | ||
| Legal fees and expenses | $ | (1) | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses | $ | (1) | ||
| Miscellaneous | $ | (1) | ||
| Total | $ | (1) |
*The registrant previously paid a registration fee of $21,820 with respect to unsold securities that were registered pursuant to the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255582) initially filed on April 28, 2021 and declared effective by the SEC on May 5, 2021, which unsold securities are being carried over to this registration statement. No additional registration fee has been paid in reliance on Rule 415(a)(6).
| (1) | These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the sale and distribution of securities being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
We are a Delaware corporation and certain provisions of the Delaware Statutes and our bylaws provide for indemnification of our officers and directors against liabilities that they may incur in such capacities. A summary of the circumstances in which indemnification is provided is discussed below, but this description is qualified in its entirety by reference to our bylaws and to the statutory provisions.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides for, under certain circumstances, the indemnification of our officers, directors, employees and agents against liabilities that they may incur in such capacities. A summary of the circumstances in which such indemnification provided for is contained herein, but that description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the relevant Section of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
In general, the statute provides that any director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation may be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in a proceeding (including any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceeding) to which the individual was a party by reason of such status. Such indemnity may be provided if the indemnified person’s actions resulting in the liabilities: (i) were taken in good faith; (ii) were reasonably believed to have been in or not opposed to our best interest; and (iii) with respect to any criminal action, such person had no reasonable cause to believe the actions were unlawful. Unless ordered by a court, indemnification generally may be awarded only after a determination of independent members of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, by independent legal counsel or by vote of the stockholders that the applicable standard of conduct was met by the individual to be indemnified.
The statutory provisions further provide that to the extent a director, officer, employee or agent is wholly successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding to which he was a party, he is entitled to receive indemnification against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the proceeding.
| II-1 |
Indemnification in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Company in which the director, officer, employee or agent is successful is permitted only with respect to expenses, including attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense. In such actions, the person to be indemnified must have acted in good faith, in a manner believed to have been in our best interest and must not have been adjudged liable to us unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. Indemnification is otherwise prohibited in connection with a proceeding brought on behalf of the Company in which a director is adjudged liable to us, or in connection with any proceeding charging improper personal benefit to the director in which the director is adjudged liable for receipt of an improper personal benefit.
Delaware law authorizes us to reimburse or pay reasonable expenses incurred by a director, officer, employee or agent in connection with a proceeding in advance of a final disposition of the matter. Such advances of expenses are permitted if the person furnishes to us a written agreement to repay such advances if it is determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by us.
The statutory section cited above further specifies that any provisions for indemnification of or advances for expenses does not exclude other rights under our certificate of incorporation, corporate bylaws, resolutions of our stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. These indemnification provisions continue for a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such persons.
The statutory provision cited above also grants the power to the Company to purchase and maintain insurance policies that protect any director, officer, employee or agent against any liability asserted against or incurred by him in such capacity arising out of his status as such. Such policies may provide for indemnification whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to provide for it.
Article 8 of our certificate of incorporation provides that we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.
We have purchased directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in order to limit the exposure to liability for indemnification of directors and officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, we have 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.
Item 16. Exhibits.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| II-2 |
| II-3 |
| II-4 |
| II-5 |
| 4.31 | Form of Common Stock Purchase Warrant dated February 16, 2021 (Filed on February 12, 2021 as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.) | |
| 4.32 | Form of Common Stock Purchase Warrant dated February 22, 2021 (Filed on February 22, 2021 as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.) | |
| 4.41** | Form of Warrant Agreement | |
| 4.42** | Form of Warrant Agent Agreement | |
| 4.43* | Form of Indenture | |
| 4.44** | Form of Unit Agreement | |
| 4.45** | Form of Unit Agreement | |
| 4.46** | Form of Preferred Stock Certificate and Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock | |
| 5.1* | Opinion of DLA Piper LLP (US) | |
| 23.1* | Consent of BDO USA P.C. | |
| 23.2* | Consent of Baker Tilly US, LLP | |
| 23.3* | Consent of DLA Piper LLP (US) (included as part of Exhibit 5.1) | |
| 24.1* | Power of Attorney (included on signature page) | |
| 25.1*** | Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. | |
| 107* | Filing Fee Table |
* Filed herewith
** To be filed by amendment of an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference, if applicable.
***To be filed separately, if applicable, in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as amended, and the appropriate rules and regulations thereunder.
Item 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
| (a) | (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| II-6 |
| (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; |
| (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment 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. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| (4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and | |
| (ii) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), 424(b)(5), or 424(b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), 415(a)(1)(vii), or 415(a)(1)(x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
| II-7 |
| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | The undersigned registrant hereby further undertakes that, for the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement 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. | ||
| (c) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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. | ||
| (d) | 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 of 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. |
| II-8 |
| (e) | If and when applicable, the Registrant hereby further undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act. |
| II-9 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Pittsburgh, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on May 3, 2024.
| PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC. | |
| /s/ Raymond Vennare | |
| Raymond Vennare | |
| Chief Executive Officer |
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Raymond Vennare and Josh Blacher, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any and all additional registration statements pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by H.C. Wainwright hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Raymond Vennare | Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Raymond Vennare | ||||
| /s/ Josh Blacher | Interim Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Josh Blacher | ||||
| /s/ Gregory S. St. Clair, Sr. | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Gregory S. St. Clair, Sr. | ||||
| /s/ Dan Hadley | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Dan Hadley | ||||
| /s/ Chuck Nuzum | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Chuck Nuzum | ||||
| /s/ Nancy Chung-Welch | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Nancy Chung-Welch | ||||
| /s/ Matthew Hawryluk | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Matthew Hawryluk | ||||
| /s/ Veena Rao | Director | May 3, 2024 | ||
| Veena Rao |
II-10
Exhibit 1.2
Execution Version
PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.
Common Stock
(par value $0.01 per share)
ATM Sales Agreement
May 3, 2024
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Predictive Oncology Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Agent”) as follows:
1. Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through or to the Agent, as sales agent or principal, shares (the “Placement Shares”); of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”); provided however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agent such number of Placement Shares that (a) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount of Common Stock registered on the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount registered on the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below), (c) exceeds the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable) or (d) exceed the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock (less shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock) (the lesser of (a), (b), (c) and (d) the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The offer and sale of Placement Shares through the Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares.
The Company has filed or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), a registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities including the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Company will furnish to the Agent, for use by the Agent, copies of the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, (which shall be a Prospectus Supplement), with respect to the Placement Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act, or any subsequent registration statement on Form S-3 filed pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act by the Company to cover any Placement Shares, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference to the extent such information has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the Securities Act), included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such base prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with the then issued Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es), is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the most-recent effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of the Prospectus Supplement, Prospectus or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).
2. Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Agent by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective immediately upon receipt by the Agent unless and until (i) the Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder has been sold, (iii) the Company amends, suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, which suspension and termination rights may be exercised by the Company in its sole discretion, or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Agent and the Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of Sections 2 or 3 of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.
3. Sale of Placement Shares by the Agent. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period specified in a Placement Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, the Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, including sales made directly on or through the Exchange or any other existing trading market for the Common Stock, in negotiated transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at prices related to such prevailing market prices and/or any other method permitted by law. “Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the Exchange.
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4. Suspension of Sales. The Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”); provided, however, that such Suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in effect, any obligation under Sections 7(l), 7(m), and 7(n) with respect to the delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the Agent, shall be waived. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
5. Sale and Delivery to the Agent; Settlement.
a. Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Agent and the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information, the Company and the Agent agree that (i) no sale of Placement Shares will take place, (ii) the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares, and (iii) the Agent shall not be obligated to sell or offer to sell any Placement Shares.
b. Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The Agent shall notify the Company of each sale of Placement Shares no later than the opening of the Trading Day immediately following the Trading Day that the Agent sold Placement Shares. The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Agent, after deduction for (i) the Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any Governmental Authority in respect of such sales.
c. Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided the Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee and such designee’s account information at least one Trading Day prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of the Agent, then in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will (i) hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or reasonable, documented expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to the Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
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d. Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause, permit or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Placement Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the currently effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Agent in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Agent in writing.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different date or time:
a. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions set forth in Form S-3 (including General Instructions I.A. and I.B) under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement will name the Agent as the agent in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed, as applicable. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agent and its counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) to which the Agent has consented, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, or that is required by applicable law or the listing maintenance requirements of the Exchange. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is currently listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol “POAI.” The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, it is in compliance with all listing and maintenance requirements of the Commission and the Exchange.
b. No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, as of the date the Registration Statement became effective or becomes effective and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by the Agent specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
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c. Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Incorporated Documents, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.
d. Financial Information. The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses if any, 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 Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto in all material respects.
e. Conformity with EDGAR Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
f. Organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries, are, and will be, duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization. The Company and the Subsidiaries are duly licensed or qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such license or qualification, and have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, 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 or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, prevent or materially interfere with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
g. Subsidiaries. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year (each a “Subsidiary”, and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) and other than (i) those subsidiaries not required to be listed on Exhibit 21.1 by Item 601 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and (ii) those subsidiaries formed since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year. The Company owns directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive and similar rights. No Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company. If the Company has no Subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries in this Agreement shall be disregarded.
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h. No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary 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 similar agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it or any Subsidiary is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would have a Material Adverse Effect.
i. No Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein) there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or the Subsidiaries, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the capital stock (other than (A) the grant of additional options under the Company’s existing stock option plans, (B) changes in the number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, (C) as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares, (D) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company, (E) as described in a proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A or a Registration Statement on Form S-4, or (F) otherwise publicly announced) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or the Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than in each case above in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein).
j. Capitalization. The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights pursuant to the Company’s organizational documents or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than (i) the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option plans, (ii) changes in the number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, (iii) as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares, or (iv) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company) and such authorized capital stock conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The description of the securities of the Company in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects. Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as of the date referred to therein, the Company does not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of capital stock or other securities.
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k. S-3 Eligibility. At the time the Registration Statement was or will be declared effective, and at the time the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, the Company met or will meet the then applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, if applicable. As of the close of trading on the Exchange on March 27, 2024, the aggregate market value of the outstanding voting and non-voting common equity (as defined in Rule 405) of the Company held by persons other than affiliates of the Company (pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, those that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, control, or are controlled by, or are under common control with, the Company) (the “Non-Affiliate Shares”), was approximately $11,088,966 (calculated by multiplying (x) the price at which the common equity of the Company was last sold on the Exchange on March 27, 2024 times (y) the number of Non-Affiliate Shares). The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
l. Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 11 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.
m. Authorization of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive committee, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of the Agent or a purchaser), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights that have not been properly waived or complied with, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus.
n. No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any Governmental Authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications (i) as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Exchange, including any notices that may be required by the Exchange, in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by the Agent, (ii) as may be required under the Securities Act and (iii) as have been previously obtained by the Company.
o. No Preferential Rights. (i) No person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise or vesting of options or equity awards that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option plan), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal, rights of co-sale, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise, except in each case for such rights as have been waived on or prior to the date hereof.
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p. Independent Public Accountant. Baker Tilly LLP (US), which has expressed its opinion with respect to the consolidated financial statements of the Company filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”). BDO USA, LLP, the Company’s current independent auditor (the “Accountant”), is, and will be when it expresses its opinion with respect to the financial statements of the Company which will be filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB. To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant and Baker Tilly LLP (US) are not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company during the period of its engagement.
q. Enforceability of Agreements. All agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the Company on EDGAR, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, and except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
r. No Litigation. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
s. Licenses and Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess or have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits, accreditations 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 currently conducted, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Permits”). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
t. No Material Defaults. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
u. Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or would cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.
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v. Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary or any related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).
w. No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Agent or legal counsel for the Agent for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.
x. Taxes. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary which has had, or would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened against it which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
y. Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries or (ii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real or personal property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or the Subsidiaries or (B) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the properties owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries complies with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to such properties), except if and to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or except for such failures to comply that would not, individually or in the aggregate, interfere in any material respect with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or otherwise have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company or its subsidiaries has received from any Governmental Authorities any notice of any condemnation of, or zoning change affecting, the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the Company knows of no such condemnation or zoning change which is threatened, except for such that would not interfere in any material respect with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or otherwise have a Material Adverse Effect, individually or in the aggregate.
z. Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use all foreign and domestic patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, Internet domain names, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted except to the extent that the failure to own, possess, license or otherwise hold adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others threatened in writing challenging the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to any such Intellectual Property; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others threatened in writing challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property; (v) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others threatened in writing that the Company and its Subsidiaries infringe or otherwise violate, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as under development, infringe or otherwise violate any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others; (vi) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no third-party U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application which contains claims for which an Interference Proceeding (as defined in 35 U.S.C. § 135) has been commenced against any patent or patent application described in the Prospectus as being owned by or licensed to the Company; and (vii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or such Subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect, except, in the case of any of clauses (i)-(vii) above, for any such infringement by third parties or any such pending or threatened suit, action, proceeding or claim as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company’s Intellectual Property has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. To the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is or has been in violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company. To the Company’s 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 Company’s knowledge, in all foreign offices having similar requirements, all such requirements have been complied with. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications within the Intellectual Property.
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aa. Compliance with Applicable Laws. The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe, that it and each of its Subsidiaries are not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business, except where failure to be so in compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
bb. Environmental Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
cc. Compliance Program. The Company has established and administers a compliance program applicable to the Company, to assist the Company and the directors, officers and employees of the Company in complying with applicable regulatory guidelines (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA, the EMA, and any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority). Neither the Company nor any of its employees, officers, directors, or agents: (i) 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; or (ii) has been or is currently 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 would reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
dd. Clinical Studies. The preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by the Company or on behalf of the Company were, and, if still pending are, to the Company’s knowledge, being conducted in all material respects in compliance with all applicable laws and in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls generally used by qualified experts in the preclinical study and clinical trials of new drugs and biologics as applied to comparable products to those being developed by the Company; the descriptions of the results of such preclinical studies and clinical trials contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects, and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has no knowledge of any other clinical trials or preclinical studies, the results of which reasonably call into question the clinical trial or preclinical study results described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described; and the Company has not received any written notices or correspondence from the FDA, the EMA, or any other domestic or foreign governmental agency requiring the termination, suspension or modification of any preclinical studies or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
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ee. Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s 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 management’s general or specific authorization; (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; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus). The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance that material information relating to the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is made known to the certifying officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10 K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, is being prepared. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the most recent Evaluation Date, and the “disclosure controls and procedures” are effective. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S K under the Securities Act) or, to the Company’s knowledge, in other factors that could materially affect the Company’s internal controls.
ff. Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission during the past 12 months. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15.
gg. Finder’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
hh. Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
ii. Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
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jj. Operations. The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or the Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), except where the failure to be in such compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
kk. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
ll. Underwriter Agreements. Other than with respect to this Agreement, the Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
mm. ERISA. To the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and the Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and (iii) for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
nn. Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) (a “Forward-Looking Statement”) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
oo. Agent Purchases. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Agent has informed the Company that the Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Common Stock for its own account while this Agreement is in effect, provided, that the Company shall not be deemed to have authorized or consented to any such purchases or sales by the Agent.
pp. Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
qq. Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and the Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the conduct of their business.
rr. No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective employees or agents has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or the Subsidiaries, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or the Subsidiaries, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or the Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of the Company or the Subsidiaries, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or the Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company or the Subsidiaries to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or the Subsidiaries or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or the Subsidiaries or any of their respective products or services; and (vi) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or the Subsidiaries has made any payment of funds of the Company or the Subsidiaries or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
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ss. Status Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.
tt. No Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 25 below), did not, does not and will not, through the completion of the Placement or Placements for which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is issued, include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent specifically for use therein.
uu. No Conflicts. Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Placement Shares, nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
vv. OFAC.
(i) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (collectively, the “Entity”), director, or officer, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual, or entity (in this paragraph (vv), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:
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(a) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority, including, without limitation, designation on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List or OFAC’s Foreign Sanctions Evaders List (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor
(b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (including, without limitation, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria) (the “Sanctioned Countries”).
(ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:
(a) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or is a Sanctioned Country; or
(b) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for the past 5 years, it has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealing or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or is or was a Sanctioned Country.
ww. Stock Transfer Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all material stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the Company in all material respects.
xx. Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
yy. Cyber Security. (i)(x) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach or other compromise of any Company’s 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 has not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to the Company’s IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company is 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 has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Agent as to the matters set forth therein.
7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that:
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a. Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) (i) the Company will notify the Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference or amendments not related to any Placement, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the Placement or for additional information related to the Placement, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, upon the advice of the Company’s legal counsel, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares (other than an Incorporated Document) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide the Agent any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agent an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name the Agent or does not relate to the transaction herein provided; and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).
b. Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agent promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
c. Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430B and to notify the Agent promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company.
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d. Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Agent reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities, file a general consent to service of process, or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
e. Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agent and its counsel (at the reasonable expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agent’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agent to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
f. Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.
g. Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”
h. Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock during the period beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third (3rd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not apply in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options to purchase Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing to the Agent, (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a privately negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners or other investors conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock hereby and (iv) Common Stock in connection with any acquisition, strategic investment or other similar transaction (including any joint venture, strategic alliance or partnership).
i. Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice advise the Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
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j. Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent or its representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request.
k. Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company shall disclose, in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in its annual report on Form 10-K to be filed by the Company with the Commission from time to time, the number of the Placement Shares sold through the Agent under this Agreement, and the net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement during the relevant quarter or, in the case of an Annual Report on Form 10-K, during the fiscal year covered by such Annual Report and the fourth quarter of such fiscal year. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every date a filing under Rule 424(b) is made, a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through the Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
l. Representation Dates; Certificate. Each time during the term of this Agreement that the Company:
(i) amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;
(ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing amended audited financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);
(iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or
(iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act;
(Each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date.”)
the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(1) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) upon the delivery of the first Placement Notice hereunder and (ii) if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(1), then before the Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate, in conformity with this Section 7(1), dated the date of the Placement Notice.
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m. Legal Opinion. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent a written opinion and a negative assurance letter of DLA Piper LLP (US) (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent. Thereafter, within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent a negative assurance letter of Company Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent; provided that, in lieu of such negative assurance for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, counsel may furnish the Agent with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agent may rely on the negative assurance letter previously delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).
n. Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and within five (5) Trading Days after each subsequent Representation Date, other than pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii), the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish the Agent letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n) provided, that if requested by the Agent, the Company shall cause a Comfort Letter to be furnished to the Agent on the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K containing material financial information, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.
o. Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or would constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agent.
p. Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor the Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
q. No Offer to Sell. Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and the Agent in its capacity as agent hereunder pursuant to Section 23, neither of the Agent nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agent in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.
r. Blue Sky and Other Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Agent, to qualify the Placement Shares for offering and sale, or to obtain an exemption for the Placement Shares to be offered and sold, under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Agent may designate and to maintain such qualifications and exemptions in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Placement Shares have been so qualified or exempt, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification or exemption, as the case may be, in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement).
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s. Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting their assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company or the Subsidiaries is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.
t. Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the first Representation Date, the Company shall deliver to the Agent a certificate of the Secretary of the Company and attested to by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of such date, certifying as to (i) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, (ii) the Bylaws of the Company, (iii) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the Placement Shares and (iv) the incumbency of the officers duly authorized to execute this Agreement and the other documents contemplated by this Agreement. Within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Agent may reasonably request.
8. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and each Free Writing Prospectus, in such number as the Agent shall deem reasonably necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Agent of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agent, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Agent, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agent incurred in connection with (a) entering into the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in an amount not to exceed $50,000 in the aggregate, and (b) ongoing diligence arising from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in an amount not to exceed $5,000 in the aggregate per calendar quarter in which the Company has issued or intends to issue a Placement Notice; (vi) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (vii) the qualification or exemption of the Placement Shares under state securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(r) hereof, including filing fees, but excluding fees of the Agent’s counsel (viii) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares including the fees of the Agent’s counsel (subject to the cap, set forth in clause (v) above), and (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.
9. Conditions to the Agent’s Obligations. The obligations of the Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein (other than those representations and warranties made as of a specified date or time), to the due performance in all material respects by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing reasonable satisfaction (or waiver by the Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:
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a. Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.
b. No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state Governmental Authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state Governmental Authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of, or a threat to initiate, any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any Incorporated Document untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Incorporated Document so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus or any Incorporated Document, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
c. No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
d. Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would cause a Material Adverse Effect, or a downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act (a “Rating Organization”), or a public announcement by any Rating Organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a Rating Organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Agent (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
e. Company Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agent shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion and negative assurance letter are required pursuant to Section 7(m).
f. Agent Counsel Legal Opinion. Agent shall have received from Cooley LLP, counsel for the Agent, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(m), with respect to such matters as the Agent may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.
g. Comfort Letter. The Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).
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h. Representation Certificate. The Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(1) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(1).
i. Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the first Representation Date, the Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.
j. No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.
k. Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(1), the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such appropriate further information, opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agent may reasonably request and which are customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection with a securities offering of the type contemplated hereby. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof.
l. Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.
m. Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice and the Exchange shall have reviewed such application and not provided any objections thereto.
n. FINRA. If applicable, FINRA shall have raised no objection to the terms of this offering and the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Agent as described in the Prospectus.
o. No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).
10. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its affiliates and their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Agent or any affiliate within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Authority, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 10(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Authority or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above,
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provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent Information (as defined below).
(b) Indemnification by the Agent. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company 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 against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 10(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent and furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Agent has furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the eighth and ninth paragraphs under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus (the “Agent Information”).
(c) Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 10, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 10 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provisions of this Section 10 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable and documented costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict of interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 10 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an express and unconditional release of each indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
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(d) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 10(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (1) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (2) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (3) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or the Agent, the Company and the Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Agent, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and the Agent may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Agent (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Agent, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10(e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 10(e) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 10(e), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 10(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 10(e), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, any affiliates of the Agent and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Agent or any of its affiliates, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each director of the Company and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 10(e), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 10(e) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 10(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.
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11. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 10 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.
12. Termination.
a. The Agent may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would have a Material Adverse Effect that, in the sole judgment of the Agent, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 18 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12(a), the Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 13 (Notices).
b. The Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 18 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
c. The Agent shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 18 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
d. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 18 (Consent to Jurisdiction) shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to the Agent for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by the Agent under this Agreement.
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e. Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
13. Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Agent, shall be delivered to:
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Mark W. Viklund, CEO
Email: notices@hcwco.com
with a copy to:
Cooley LLP
55 Hudson Yards
New York, NY 10001
Attention: Daniel I. Goldberg, Esq.
Telephone: (212) 479 - 6722
Email: dgoldberg@cooley.com
and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:
Predictive Oncology Inc.
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Attention: Josh Blacher, Interim CFO
Telephone: (917) 880-3423
Email: jblacher@predictive-oncology.com
with a copy to:
DLA Piper LLP (US)
3203 Hanover Street, Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attention: Alan Seem
Telephone: (650) 833-2050
Email: alan.seem@us.dlapiper.com
Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally, by email, or by verifiable facsimile transmission on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.
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14. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Agent and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 10 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither the Company nor the Agent may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that the Agent may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate thereof without obtaining the Company’s consent.
15. Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.
16. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability; Waiver. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding this Section 16, the Engagement Letter, dated April 26, 2024, by and between the Company and the Agent (the “Engagement Letter”) shall remain in full force and effect pursuant to the terms thereof notwithstanding the execution or termination of this Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Engagement Letter, the terms of the Engagement Letter shall prevail. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Agent. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement. No implied waiver by a party shall arise in the absence of a waiver in writing signed by such party. No failure or delay in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power, or privilege hereunder.
17. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY AND THE AGENT EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
18. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
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19. Use of Information. The Agent may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com).
21. Construction. The section, Schedule and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. References herein to any law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any Governmental Authority shall be deemed to refer to such law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any Governmental Authority as amended, reenacted, supplemented or superseded in whole or in part and in effect from time to time and also to all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
22. Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Agent (any such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and the Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company (any such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Agent or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in Exhibit 23 hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.
23. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
a. The Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not the Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Agent has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;
b. it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
c. neither the Agent nor its affiliates have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;
d. it is aware that the Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Agent and its affiliates have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and
e. it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Agent or its affiliates for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that the Agent and its affiliates shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company, other than in respect of the Agent’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to the Agent and its counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.
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24. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date, (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and (iii) each Settlement Date.
“Governmental Authority” means (i) any federal, provincial, state, local, municipal, national or international government or governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, court, tribunal, arbitrator or arbitral body (public or private); (ii) any self-regulatory organization; or (iii) any political subdivision of any of the foregoing.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.
“Rule 164, Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agent outside of the United States.
[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agent, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agent.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Raymond Vennare | |
| Name: Raymond Vennare | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written: | ||
| H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Edward D. Silvera | |
| Name: Edward D. Silvera | ||
| Title: Chief Operating Officer | ||
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SCHEDULE 1
FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE
| From: | Predictive Oncology Inc. | |
| To: | H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC | |
| Attention: | [_____] | |
| Subject: | ATM -- Placement Notice |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the ATM Sales Agreement between Predictive Oncology Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Agent”), dated May 3, 2024, the Company hereby requests that the Agent sell up to [____] of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a minimum market price of $ per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].
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SCHEDULE 2
Compensation
The Company shall pay to the Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.
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SCHEDULE 3
Notice Parties
The Company
| Josh Blacher | jblacher@predictive-oncology.com |
The Agent
| Mark W. Viklund, CEO | notices@hcwco.com |
With a copy to atm@hcwco.com; placements@hcwco.com
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EXHIBIT 23
Permitted Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
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Exhibit 4.43
Predictive Oncology, Inc.
INDENTURE
Dated as of , 20
[__________]
Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||
| ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE | 1 | |
| Section 1.1 | Definitions | 1 |
| Section 1.2 | Other Definitions | 4 |
| Section 1.3 | Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act | 5 |
| Section 1.4 | Rules of Construction | 5 |
| ARTICLE II THE SECURITIES | 6 | |
| Section 2.1 | Issuable in Series | 6 |
| Section 2.2 | Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities | 6 |
| Section 2.3 | Execution and Authentication | 9 |
| Section 2.4 | Registrar and Paying Agent | 10 |
| Section 2.5 | Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 10 |
| Section 2.6 | Securityholder Lists | 11 |
| Section 2.7 | Transfer and Exchange | 11 |
| Section 2.8 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities | 11 |
| Section 2.9 | Outstanding Securities | 12 |
| Section 2.10 | Treasury Securities | 13 |
| Section 2.11 | Temporary Securities | 13 |
| Section 2.12 | Cancellation | 13 |
| Section 2.13 | Defaulted Interest | 13 |
| Section 2.14 | Global Securities | 13 |
| Section 2.15 | CUSIP Numbers | 15 |
| ARTICLE III REDEMPTION | 16 | |
| Section 3.1 | Notice to Trustee | 16 |
| Section 3.2 | Selection of Securities to be Redeemed | 16 |
| Section 3.3 | Notice of Redemption | 17 |
| Section 3.4 | Effect of Notice of Redemption | 18 |
| Section 3.5 | Deposit of Redemption Price | 18 |
| Section 3.6 | Securities Redeemed in Part | 18 |
| ARTICLE IV COVENANTS | 18 | |
| Section 4.1 | Payment of Principal and Interest | 18 |
| Section 4.2 | SEC Reports | 18 |
| Section 4.3 | Compliance Certificate | 19 |
| Section 4.4 | Stay, Extension and Usury Laws | 19 |
| ARTICLE V SUCCESSORS | 19 | |
| Section 5.1 | When Company May Merge, Etc | 19 |
| Section 5.2 | Successor Corporation Substituted | 20 |
| ARTICLE VI DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | 20 | |
| Section 6.1 | Events of Default | 20 |
| Section 6.2 | Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 22 |
| Section 6.3 | Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 22 |
| Section 6.4 | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 23 |
| Section 6.5 | Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities | 24 |
| Section 6.6 | Application of Money Collected | 24 |
| Page | ||
| Section 6.7 | Limitation on Suits | 24 |
| Section 6.8 | Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest | 25 |
| Section 6.9 | Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 25 |
| Section 6.10 | Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 26 |
| Section 6.11 | Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 26 |
| Section 6.12 | Control by Holders | 26 |
| Section 6.13 | Waiver of Past Defaults | 27 |
| Section 6.14 | Undertaking for Costs | 27 |
| ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE | 27 | |
| Section 7.1 | Duties of Trustee | 27 |
| Section 7.2 | Rights of Trustee | 29 |
| Section 7.3 | Individual Rights of Trustee | 30 |
| Section 7.4 | Trustee’s Disclaimer | 30 |
| Section 7.5 | Notice of Defaults | 31 |
| Section 7.6 | Reports by Trustee to Holders | 31 |
| Section 7.7 | Compensation and Indemnity | 31 |
| Section 7.8 | Replacement of Trustee | 32 |
| Section 7.9 | Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc | 33 |
| Section 7.10 | Eligibility; Disqualification | 33 |
| Section 7.11 | Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company | 33 |
| ARTICLE VIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE | 33 | |
| Section 8.1 | Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 33 |
| Section 8.2 | Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification | 34 |
| Section 8.3 | Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series | 35 |
| Section 8.4 | Covenant Defeasance | 36 |
| Section 8.5 | Repayment to Company | 37 |
| Section 8.6 | Reinstatement | 37 |
| ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS | 38 | |
| Section 9.1 | Without Consent of Holders | 38 |
| Section 9.2 | With Consent of Holders | 39 |
| Section 9.3 | Limitations | 39 |
| Section 9.4 | Compliance with Trust Indenture Act | 40 |
| Section 9.5 | Revocation and Effect of Consents | 40 |
| Section 9.6 | Notation on or Exchange of Securities | 41 |
| Section 9.7 | Trustee Protected | 41 |
| ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS | 41 | |
| Section 10.1 | Trust Indenture Act Controls | 41 |
| Section 10.2 | Notices | 41 |
| Section 10.3 | Communication by Holders with Other Holders | 42 |
| Section 10.4 | Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 43 |
| Section 10.5 | Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 43 |
| Section 10.6 | Rules by Trustee and Agents | 43 |
| Section 10.7 | Legal Holidays | 43 |
| Section 10.8 | No Recourse Against Others | 44 |
| Section 10.9 | Counterparts | 44 |
| Section 10.10 | Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction | 44 |
| Section 10.11 | No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 44 |
| Section 10.12 | Successors | 45 |
| Section 10.13 | Severability | 45 |
| Section 10.14 | Table of Contents, Headings, Etc | 45 |
| Section 10.15 | Securities in a Foreign Currency | 45 |
| Section 10.16 | Judgment Currency | 46 |
| ii |
| Page | ||
| Section 10.17 | Force Majeure | 46 |
| Section 10.18 | U.S.A. Patriot Act | 46 |
| ARTICLE XI SINKING FUNDS | 46 | |
| Section 11.1 | Applicability of Article | 46 |
| Section 11.2 | Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 47 |
| Section 11.3 | Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 47 |
| iii |
Predictive Oncology, Inc.
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture, dated as of , 20
| § 310(a)(1) | 7.10 | |
| (a)(2) | 7.10 | |
| (a)(3) | Not Applicable | |
| (a)(4) | Not Applicable | |
| (a)(5) | 7.10 | |
| (b) | 7.10 | |
| § 311(a) | 7.11 | |
| (b) | 7.11 | |
| (c) | Not Applicable | |
| § 312(a) | 2.6 | |
| (b) | 10.3 | |
| (c) | 10.3 | |
| § 313(a) | 7.6 | |
| (b)(1) | 7.6 | |
| (b)(2) | 7.6 | |
| (c)(1) | 7.6 | |
| (d) | 7.6 | |
| § 314(a) | 4.2, 10.5 | |
| (b) | Not Applicable | |
| (c)(1) | 10.4 | |
| (c)(2) | 10.4 | |
| (c)(3) | Not Applicable | |
| (d) | Not Applicable | |
| (e) | 10.5 | |
| (f) | Not Applicable | |
| § 315(a) | 7.1 | |
| (b) | 7.5 | |
| (c) | 7.1 | |
| (d) | 7.1 | |
| (e) | 6.14 | |
| § 316(a) | 2.10 | |
| (a)(1)(A) | 6.12 | |
| (a)(1)(B) | 6.13 | |
| (b) | 6.8 | |
| § 317(a)(1) | 6.3 | |
| (a)(2) | 6.4 | |
| (b) | 2.5 | |
| § 318(a) | 10.1 |
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.
Indenture dated as of , 20 between Predictive Oncology, Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), and [__________], a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States, as trustee (the “Trustee”).
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
| iv |
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section 1.1 Definitions.
“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.
“Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day” means, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a Legal Holiday in The City of New York, New York (or in connection with any payment, the place of payment) on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.
“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any time this Indenture shall be administered, which office as of the date hereof is located at the address specified in Section 10.2. With respect to presentation for transfer or exchange, conversions or principal payment, such address shall be at the address specified in Section 10.2, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by written notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by written notice to the Holders and the Company).
“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.
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“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
“Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.
“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
“GAAP” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.
“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.
“Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered on the books of the Registrar.
“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Vice President of the Company.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer that meets the requirements of Section 10.5.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The opinion may contain customary limitations, qualifications, conditions and exceptions. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
“person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.
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“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.
“Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or interest is due and payable.
“Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.
“Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are direct obligations of, or guaranteed by, The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.
Section 1.2 Other Definitions.
| TERM | DEFINED IN SECTION | |
| “Bankruptcy Law” | 6.1 | |
| “Custodian” | 6.1 | |
| “Event of Default” | 6.1 | |
| “Judgment Currency” | 10.16 | |
| “Legal Holiday” | 10.7 | |
| “mandatory sinking fund payment” | 11.1 | |
| “New York Banking Day” | 10.16 | |
| “Notice Agent” | 2.4 | |
| “optional sinking fund payment” | 11.1 | |
| “Paying Agent” | 2.4 | |
| “Registrar” | 2.4 | |
| “Required Currency” | 10.16 | |
| “Specified Courts” | 10.10 | |
| “successor person” | 5.1 |
| 3 |
Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
“Commission” means the SEC.
“indenture securities” means the Securities.
“indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.
“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.
“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.
“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.
Section 1.4 Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) “or” is not exclusive;
(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and
(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.
ARTICLE II
THE SECURITIES
Section 2.1 Issuable in Series.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
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Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.23) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate:
2.2.1. the title (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series) and ranking (including the terms of any subordination provisions) of the Series;
2.2.2. the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
2.2.3. any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);
2.2.4. the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;
2.2.5. the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
2.2.6. the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;
2.2.7. if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
2.2.8. the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
2.2.9. the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
2.2.10. if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
2.2.11. the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;
2.2.12. if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;
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2.2.13. the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
2.2.14. the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;
2.2.15. if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
2.2.16. the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
2.2.17. the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;
2.2.18. any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;
2.2.19. any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;
2.2.20. any Depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents, conversion agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;
2.2.21. the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of such Series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders thereof or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange if such Series of Securities are redeemed;
2.2.22. any other terms of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series), including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series; and
2.2.23. whether any of the Company’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries will guarantee the Securities of that Series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees.
All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate referred to above. No Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate may affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise with respect to any Series of Securities except as the Trustee may agree in writing.
Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication.
An Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.
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A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.
Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officer’s Certificate complying with Section 10.4, (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4 and (d) an Opinion of Counsel (which may be the same Opinion of Counsel referred to in the preceding clause (c)) that such Securities, when they have been duly executed, issued, and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor in the circumstances described in such Opinion of Counsel, will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then-outstanding Series of Securities.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (“Notice Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided, however, that any appointment of the Trustee as the Notice Agent shall exclude the appointment of the Trustee or any office of the Trustee as an agent to receive the service of legal process on the Company.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional notice agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Notice Agent” includes any additional notice agent. The Company or any of its Affiliates may serve as Registrar or Paying Agent.
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The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.
Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee in writing of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Securities.
Section 2.6 Securityholder Lists.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.
Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange.
Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).
Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the sending of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day such notice is sent, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
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If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by each of them to hold itself and any of its agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon receipt of a Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities.
The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
The Company may purchase or otherwise acquire the Securities, whether by open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security (but see Section 2.10 below).
In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
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Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.
Section 2.12 Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation in accordance with its customary procedures (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee) and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon written request of the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the special record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.
Section 2.14 Global Securities.
2.14.1. Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.
2.14.2. Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.
Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.
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Neither the Trustee nor any Agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.
2.14.3. Legends. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”
In addition, so long as the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) is the Depositary, each Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”
2.14.4. Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to such officer the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than such signer’s individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of such signer’s authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Global Securities or any Securities issued in certificated form shall be proved by the Registrar.
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(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
(e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.
2.14.5. Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.
2.14.6. Consents, Declaration and Directions. The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary or by the applicable procedures of such Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any change that the Company is aware of in the CUSIP numbers.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION
Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee.
The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 5 days before the notice is delivered to the Holders, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee.
Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
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Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Securities of the Series to be redeemed will be selected as follows: (a) if the Securities are in the form of Global Securities, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, (b) if the Securities are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed, or (c) if not otherwise provided for under clause (a) or (b) in the manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, including pro rata, by lot or other method, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements, subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Securities to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. Portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000 may be selected for redemption. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selected for redemption shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent by first-class mail or electronically, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed.
The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the redemption date;
(b) the redemption price (or manner of calculation if not then known);
(c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(d) if any Securities are being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date and upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Security shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Security;
(e) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(f) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date unless the Company defaults in the deposit of the redemption price;
(g) the CUSIP number, if any; and
(h) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense, provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 5 days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date, an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.
Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption.
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Once notice of redemption is sent as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate for a Series, a notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.
Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price.
On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient (as determined by the Company) to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part.
Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of each Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
Section 4.2 SEC Reports.
To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA § 314(a). Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system (or any successor system thereto) will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.2, it being understood that the Trustee shall have no responsibility whatsoever to determine if such filings have been made, and that the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of the information contained therein.
Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 4.2 are for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).
Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate.
To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officer’s Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his/her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which the Officer may have knowledge).
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Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
ARTICLE V
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.1 When Company May Merge, Etc.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:
(a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and
(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
Where the Company is not the surviving corporation, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officer’s Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Company. Neither an Officer’s Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.
Section 5.2 Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.1 Events of Default.
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“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the 30th day of such period); or
(b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or
(c) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than defaults pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) above or pursuant to a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(d) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(i) commences a voluntary case,
(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or
(v) generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or
(e) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company,
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or
(f) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18.
The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar U.S. Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
The Company will provide the Trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take in respect thereof.
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Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
The Company covenants that if
(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or
(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, if any, when and as due by the terms of a Security,
then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
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Section 6.4 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected.
Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
Third: To the Company.
Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits.
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No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;
(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Trustee in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;
it being understood, intended and expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security with every other Holder and the Trustee that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders of the applicable Series.
Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be 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 or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
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Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.12 Control by Holders.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction,
(c) subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability, and
(d) prior to taking any action as directed under this Section 6.12, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnity satisfactory to it against the losses, costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series, by written notice to the Trustee and the Company, waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).
ARTICLE VII
TRUSTEE
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Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.
(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.
(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved in a court of competent jurisdiction that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.
(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series in accordance with Section 6.12.
(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.
(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against the losses, costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest or investment on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.
(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Section and in Section 7.2, each with respect to the Trustee.
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Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without willful misconduct or negligence, and in reliance thereon.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered (and, if requested, provided) to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the losses, costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the existence of a Default or Event of Default, the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.
(i) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable to any person for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(j) The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so.
(k) No bond or surety shall be required with respect to performance of Trustee’s duties and powers.
(l) Under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Securities.
(m) Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution.
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(n) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
(o) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
Section 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
Section 7.4 Trustee’s Disclaimer.
The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, or any money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s direction under any provision of this Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be responsible for any statement herein or in the Securities or any other document in connection with the sale of the Securities other than its authentication. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no responsibility for their correctness.
Section 7.5 Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as it in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.
Section 7.6 Reports by Trustee to Holders.
Within 60 days after each , commencing , 20 , the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such anniversary date, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA § 313.
A copy of each report at the time of its sending to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each national securities exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when Securities of any Series are listed on any national securities exchange or delisted from any national securities exchange.
Section 7.7 Compensation and Indemnity.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including for the cost of defending itself) against any cost, damages, losses, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture or in connection with its acceptance of its obligations hereunder, as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder, unless and to the extent that the Company is materially prejudiced thereby. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.
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The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through willful misconduct or negligence, as finally adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction.
To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.
Section 7.8 Replacement of Trustee.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.
The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing at least 30 days prior to such removal. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series with at least 30 days written notice if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then-outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
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A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Promptly after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall send a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it for actions taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with its rights, powers and duties under this Indenture prior to such replacement.
Section 7.9 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.
If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, or national banking association, the successor corporation or national banking association without any further act shall be the successor Trustee, subject to Section 7.10.
Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b).
Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.
ARTICLE VIII
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
This Indenture shall upon Company Order be discharged with respect to the Securities of any Series and cease to be of further effect as to all Securities of such Series (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) either
(i) all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(1) have become due and payable by reason of sending a notice of redemption or otherwise, or
(2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(3) have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or
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(4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;
and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount of money or U.S. Government Obligations, which amount shall be sufficient (as determined by the Company) for the purpose of paying and discharging each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.
Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.
Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;
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(b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 7.7, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5 and 8.6; and
(c) the rights, powers, trusts and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith;
provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(d) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest and such sinking fund payments are due;
(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance.
Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 5.1 and, unless otherwise specified therein, any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.18 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities will be unaffected thereby; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
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(a) with reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;
(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;
(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm, subject to customary exclusions, that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.5 Repayment to Company.
Subject to applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person, and the Trustee shall have no further liability with respect to such money.
Section 8.6 Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 8.1 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series and under the Securities of such Series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent after payment in full to the Holders.
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ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency as evidenced by an Officer Certificate;
(b) to comply with Article V;
(c) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;
(d) to add guarantees with respect to Securities of any Series or secure Securities of any Series;
(e) to surrender any of the Company’s rights or powers under this Indenture;
(f) to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of Securities of any Series;
(g) to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;
(h) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;
(i) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;
(j) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee;
(k) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;
(l) to add to, change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such Series in accordance with the TIA, or to comply with the provisions of DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or the Trustee with respect to provisions of this Indenture or the Securities of such Series relating to transfers or exchanges of the Securities of such Series or beneficial interests in the Securities of such Series; or
(m) to conform any provision of this Indenture, in so far as it relates to the Securities of such Series, to the description of the Securities of such Series in the prospectus supplement relation to the offering of the Securities of such Series.
Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders.
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The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall send to the Holders of Securities affected thereby, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
Section 9.3 Limitations.
Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(a) reduce the principal amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;
(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;
(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;
(g) make any change in Sections 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence); or
(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, provided that such redemption is made at the Company’s option.
Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.
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Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the second immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.
Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
The Company or the Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 2.3 new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 9.7 Trustee Protected.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both complying with Section 10.4 and stating that the supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and constitutes a legal valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures upon delivery of such an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 10.2 Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission, email or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:
if to the Company:
Predictive Oncology, Inc.
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Attention: [Josh Blacher]
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with a copy to:
DLA Piper LLP (US)
3203 Hanover Street, Suite 100
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attention: Alan Seem
if to the Trustee:
[__________]
[__________]
Attention: [__________]
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. Any notice or communication delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed effective upon actual receipt thereof.
Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be sent electronically or by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.
If a notice or communication is sent or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.
If the Company sends a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall send a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.
Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
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Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and shall include:
(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 10.7 Legal Holidays.
A “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.
Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others.
A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
Section 10.9 Counterparts.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
Section 10.10 Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.
THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
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Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 10.12 Successors.
All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
Section 10.13 Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency.
Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in more than one currency, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be determined by converting any such other currency into a currency that is designated upon issuance of any particular Series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, such conversion shall be at the spot rate for the purchase of the designated currency as published in The Financial Times in the “Currency Rates” section (or, if The Financial Times is no longer published, or if such information is no longer available in The Financial Times, such source as may be selected in good faith by the Company) on any date of determination. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
All decisions and determinations provided for in the preceding paragraph shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Trustee and all Holders.
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Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.
The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a Legal Holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
Section 10.17 Force Majeure.
In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services, it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable best efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Section 10.18 U.S.A. Patriot Act.
The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
ARTICLE XI
SINKING FUNDS
Section 11.1 Applicability of Article.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series if so provided by the terms of such Securities pursuant to Section 2.2 and except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
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Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date will be selected in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and the Company shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in and in accordance with Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| Predictive Oncology, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Its: | ||
| [__________], | ||
| as Trustee | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Its: | ||
37
Exhibit 5.1
 |
DLA Piper LLP (US) 3203 Hanover Street Suite 100 Palo Alto, CA 94304-1123 www.dlapiper.com
T 650.833.2000 F 650.833.2001 |
May 3, 2024
Predictive Oncology Inc.
91 43rd Street, Suite 110
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
| Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-3 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We serve as counsel to Predictive Oncology Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and have been requested to render this opinion in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of the Company (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 3, 2024, including the preliminary prospectus included therein at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective (the “Prospectus”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for registration by the Company of up to $200,000,000 of our Securities (as defined below).
As used herein, the term “Securities” includes (i) shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) debt securities, consisting of debentures, notes, bonds and/or other evidences of indebtedness of the Company, to be issued in one or more series (the “Debt Securities”), (iv) warrants to purchase Debt Securities or shares of the Company’s Common Stock or Preferred Stock (the “Warrants”), (v) subscription rights to purchase Debt Securities or shares of the Company’s Common Stock or Preferred Stock (the “Subscription Rights”), (vi) units consisting of any combination of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities and Warrants (the “Units”), and (vii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion or exercise as the case may be of the Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, and/or Warrants. The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be offered separately or together, in separate series, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”) or any related free writing prospectus (each, a “Free Writing Prospectus”).
In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion expressed herein, we have reviewed originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):
| (a) | the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, and the form of indenture filed as Exhibit 4.43 thereto; |
| (b) | the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, together with all amendments and supplements thereto filed through the date hereof (the “Charter”), as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “SOS”), and by the Secretary of the Company to be in effect on the date hereof; |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 2 |
| (c) | the Second Amendment and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended and restated to the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), as certified by the Secretary of the Company to be in effect on the date hereof; |
| (d) | resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) on May 2, 2024, relating to, among other matters, the authorization of the filing of the Registration Statement (in the form attached to the Secretary’s Certificate); |
| (e) | a good standing certificate for the Company, dated as of May 3, 2024, issued by the SOS; and |
| (f) | a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company (the “Secretary’s Certificate”), dated as of the date hereof, as to certain factual matters therein. |
We advise you that we have also examined (i) the sales agreement prospectus supplement contained within the Registration Statement (together with the Prospectus, the “Sales Agreement Prospectus”) relating to the sale by the Company through H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as the sales agent (the “Sales Agent”), from time to time of shares of Common Stock (the “Placement Shares”) having an aggregate maximum offering price of up to $3,696,000 pursuant to the Registration Statement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus, and (ii) that certain ATM Sales Agreement, dated as of May 3, 2024, by and between the Company and the Sales Agent (the “ATM Sales Agreement”).
In examining the Documents, we have assumed, without independent investigation, the genuineness and validity of all signatures, the legal capacity of all individuals who have executed any of the aforesaid documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity with originals of all documents submitted to us as copies (and the authenticity of the originals of such copies), the absence of other agreements or understandings among the parties that would modify the terms of the proposed transactions or the respective rights or obligations of the parties thereunder and the accuracy and completeness of all public records reviewed by us. In making our examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company, we have assumed that such parties had the power and authority (corporate, trust, partnership or other) to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder, and we have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action (corporate, trust, partnership or other) and the valid execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof with respect to such parties. As to any facts material to this opinion, we have relied solely upon the Secretary’s Certificate.
We further assume that:
| (a) | The issuance, sale, amount and terms of the Securities to be offered from time to time by the Company will be authorized and determined by proper action of the Board (or where permitted, a committee of the Board) of the Company (each, a “Board Action”) in accordance with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, in each case so as not to result in a default under or breach of any instrument, document or agreement binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company. |
| (b) | The Company will not issue any Securities in excess of the number or amount authorized by a Board Action. |
| (c) | Any Debt Securities will be issued under a valid and legally binding indenture (an “Indenture”), as it may be supplemented by a valid and legally binding supplemental indenture (each a “Supplemental Indenture”), and in each case duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and, if required by the Indenture, accompanied by an officer’s certificate that conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus. |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 3 |
| (d) | To the extent that the obligations of the Company under any Indenture or Supplemental Indenture may be dependent upon such matters, the financial institution to be identified in such Indenture or Supplemental Indenture as trustee or in any other specified capacity (the “Financial Institution”) will be duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; the Financial Institution will be duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such agreement; such agreement will have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by the Financial Institution and will constitute the legally, valid and binding obligation of the Financial Institution enforceable against the Financial Institution in accordance with its terms; the Financial Institution will be in compliance, generally, with respect to acting under such agreement, with applicable laws and regulations; and the Financial Institution will have the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such agreement. |
| (e) | Appropriate debentures, notes, bonds and/or other evidences of indebtedness evidencing the Debt Securities will be executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture, as it may be supplemented by a Supplemental Indenture, and, if required by the Indenture, accompanied by an officer’s certificate delivered upon the issuance and sale of the Debt Securities, and will comply with the Indenture, any Supplemental Indenture and any accompanying officer’s certificate, the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. |
| (f) | Prior to the issuance of any shares of Preferred Stock (including Preferred Stock that is the subject of Preferred Stock Warrants or any convertible Debt Securities), or Common Stock (including Common Stock that is the subject of Common Stock Warrants or any convertible Debt Securities or convertible Preferred Stock), there will exist, under the Company’s Charter, the requisite number of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and securities of any class into which any of the Preferred Stock may be convertible), or Common Stock, as the case may be, and all actions necessary to the creation of any such Preferred Stock (and securities of any class into which any of the Preferred Stock may be convertible), whether by articles of amendment or by classification or reclassification of existing capital stock and the filing of articles supplementary with the SOS, will have been taken. |
| (g) | For shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock represented by certificates (“Certificates”), appropriate Certificates representing shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will be executed and delivered upon issuance and sale of any such shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as the case may be, and will comply with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. For shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock not represented by certificates, the applicable Board Action shall have been taken and, upon request of a stockholder of the Company, appropriate written statements (“Written Statements”) will be prepared and delivered to such stockholder upon issuance and sale of any such shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as the case may be, and will comply with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. |
| (h) | Any Warrants will be issued under a valid and legally binding warrant agreement (a “Warrant Agreement”) that conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus and will comply with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 4 |
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(i) |
To the extent that the obligations of the Company under any Warrant Agreement may be dependent upon such matters, the financial institution to be identified in such Warrant Agreement as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”) will be duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; the Warrant Agent will be duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such Warrant Agreement; such Warrant Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent and will constitute the legally valid and binding obligation of the Warrant Agent enforceable against the Warrant Agent in accordance with its terms; the Warrant Agent will be in compliance, generally, with respect to acting as Warrant Agent under such Warrant Agreement, with applicable laws and regulations; and the Warrant Agent will have the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Warrant Agreement. |
| (j) |
Any Subscription Rights will be issued under a valid and legally binding warrant agreement (a “Subscription Rights Agreement”) that conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus and will comply with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. |
| (k) | Prior to the issuance of any Units, there will exist, under the Company’s Charter, the requisite number of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and securities of any class into which any of the Preferred Stock may be convertible), or Common Stock, as the case may be, and all actions necessary to the creation of any such Units, whether by articles of amendment or by classification or reclassification of existing capital stock and the filing of articles supplementary with the SOS, will have been taken. |
| (l) | Any Units will be issued under a valid and legally binding unit agreement (a “Unit Agreement”) that conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus and will comply with the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law. |
| (m) | To the extent that the obligations of the Company under any Unit Agreement may be dependent upon such matters, the financial institution to be identified in such Unit Agreement as unit agent (the “Unit Agent”) will be duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; the Unit Agent will be duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such Unit Agreement; such Unit Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Unit Agent and will constitute the legally valid and binding obligation of the Unit Agent enforceable against the Unit Agent in accordance with its terms; the Unit Agent will be in compliance, generally, with respect to acting as Unit Agent under such Unit Agreement, with applicable laws and regulations; and the Unit Agent will have the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Unit Agreement. |
| (n) | The underwriting or other agreements for offerings of the Securities (each, an “Underwriting Agreement,” and, collectively, the “Underwriting Agreements”) will be valid and legally binding contracts that conform to the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus. |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 5 |
| (o) | The Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, will have become effective and will remain effective under the Securities Act. |
| (p) | The issuance of the Securities will not cause any person to violate the Common Stock Ownership Limit or the Preferred Stock Ownership Limit provisions of the Charter. |
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:
| (1) | Upon issuance and delivery of certificates for Debt Securities against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, such Debt Securities and the applicable Indenture, Supplemental Indenture, together with an officer’s certificate, if any, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, or upon issuance and delivery of certificates for such Debt Securities pursuant to the conversion of one or more series of Securities convertible into or exercisable for Debt Securities, the Debt Securities represented by such certificates will be duly authorized and, when duly authenticated in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company. |
| (2) | Upon an issuance of Certificates or Written Statements, if any, as the case may be, representing shares of Common Stock, against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the terms of the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, or upon issuance and delivery of Certificates or Written Statements, if any, for shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of one or more Common Stock Warrants or the conversion of one or more series of Securities convertible into Common Stock, such shares of Common Stock will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
| (3) | When a class or series of Preferred Stock (and securities of any class or series into which any of the Preferred Stock may be convertible) has been duly authorized and established in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the terms of the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, and upon issuance and delivery of Certificates or Written Statements, if any, as the case may be, representing shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock, against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the terms of the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, or upon issuance and delivery of Certificates or Written Statements, if any, representing shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of one or more series of the Preferred Stock Warrants or the conversion of one or more series of Securities convertible into Preferred Stock, such shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 6 |
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(4) |
Upon execution, issuance, and delivery of any Warrants against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, the Warrant Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, such Warrants will be duly authorized and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company. |
| (5) | Upon execution, issuance, and delivery of any Subscription Rights against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, the Subscription Rights Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, such Subscription Rights will be duly authorized and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company. |
| (6) | Upon execution, issuance, and delivery of any Units against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Board Action, the Company’s Charter, Bylaws and applicable law, the applicable Unit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, and any related Free Writing Prospectus, and, if applicable, an Underwriting Agreement, such Units will be duly authorized and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company. |
| (7) | The Placement Shares, to be issued and sold by the Company, have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued, sold and delivered for consideration (of not less than par value per share of the Common Stock) and in the manner contemplated by the ATM Sales Agreement and the Sales Agreement Prospectus and in accordance with the resolutions duly adopted and to be duly adopted by the Board and to be duly adopted by the placement committee of the Board with respect to the offer, sale and issuance of the Placement Shares, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
In addition to the qualifications set forth above, the foregoing opinion is further qualified as follows:
| (a) | The foregoing opinion is rendered as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or changes in the law which may hereafter occur. |
| (b) | We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the Delaware General Corporation Law and the New York Business Corporation Law (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the New York Constitution and the reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). This opinion concerns only the effect of such laws (exclusive of the principles of conflict of laws) as currently in effect. As to matters of such laws, we have based our opinion solely upon our examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the authorities administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial compilations. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements. |
| (c) | We express no opinion as to compliance with the securities (or “blue sky”), broker licensing, real estate syndication or mortgage lending laws of any jurisdiction. |
| (d) | The opinion stated herein relating to the validity and binding nature of obligations of the Company is subject to (i) the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). |
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Predictive Oncology Inc. May 3, 2024 Page 7 |
| (e) | This opinion is limited to the matters set forth herein, and no other opinion should be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
/s/ DLA Piper LLP (US) | |
| DLA PIPER LLP (US) |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated March 28, 2024, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Predictive Oncology Inc. (the Company) appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our report contains an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.
/s/BDO USA, P.C.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 3, 2024
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Predictive Oncology Inc. of our report dated March 21, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Predictive Oncology Inc., appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
/s/ Baker Tilly US, LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 28, 2024