Akari Therapeutics Plc S-3, filed Sep 6, 2024
Akari Therapeutics Plc (AKTX)
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 6, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| England and Wales | 98-1034922 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
22 Boston Wharf Road FL 7
Boston, MA 02210
(929) 274-7510
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
Samir R. Patel, M.D.
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Akari Therapeutics, Plc
22 Boston Wharf Road FL 7
Boston, MA 02210
(929) 274-7510
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Rachael M. Bushey, Esq.
Jennifer L. Porter, Esq.
Justin Platt, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
2005 Market Street, 32nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(445) 207-7805
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
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, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
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 Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
| PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION | DATED SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 |
AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC
21,564,862,000 Ordinary Shares
Represented by 10,782,431 American Depositary Shares
This prospectus relates to the resale, by the selling shareholders identified in this prospectus, of up to an aggregate of 10,782,431 American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, representing up to an aggregate of 21,564,862,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share of Akari Therapeutics, Plc, or ordinary shares, consisting of (i) 947,868 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement, or the December Private Placement, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated December 27, 2023, by and among us and the investors listed therein, or the December SPA; (ii) 1,320,614 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement, or the March Private Placement, pursuant to an amended and restated securities purchase agreement, dated March 26, 2024, by and among us and the investors listed therein, or the March SPA; (iii) 132,061 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants issued in connection with the March Private Placement; (iv) 4,029,754 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement, or the May Private Placement, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated May 29, 2024, by and among us and the investors listed therein, or the May SPA; (v) 4,029,754 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued pursuant to the May SPA; and (vi) 322,380 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants issued in connection with the May Private Placement.
The selling shareholders are identified in the table commencing on page 10. Each ADS represents 2,000 ordinary shares. No ADSs are being registered hereunder for sale by us. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the ADSs by the selling shareholders. All net proceeds from the sale of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs covered by this prospectus will go to the selling shareholders. However, we may receive the proceeds from any exercise of warrants or placement agent warrants. See “Use of Proceeds.”
The selling shareholders may sell all or a portion of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs from time to time in market transactions through any market on which our ADSs are then traded, in negotiated transactions or otherwise, and at prices and on terms that will be determined by the then prevailing market price or at negotiated prices directly or through a broker or brokers, who may act as agent or as principal or by a combination of such methods of sale. See “Plan of Distribution”.
Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX”. On September 3, 2024, the closing price of our ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market was $3.675 per ADS.
Investing in these securities involves a high degree of risk. Please carefully consider the risks discussed in this prospectus under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 and in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are incorporated by reference herein for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state or other foreign securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. As permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC, the registration statement filed by us includes additional information not contained in this prospectus. You may read the registration statement and the other reports we file with the SEC at the SEC’s website or its offices described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”.
You should rely only on the information that is contained in this prospectus or that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is in addition to or different from that contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
This prospectus is not an offer to sell, nor is it seeking an offer to buy, these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of this prospectus unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the securities offered hereby. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date. We do not take any responsibility for, nor do we provide any assurance as to the reliability of, any information other than the information in this prospectus. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor the sale of the ADSs means that information contained in this prospectus is correct after the date of this prospectus.
Throughout this prospectus, unless otherwise designated, the terms “we”, “us”, “our”, “Akari”, “the Company” and “our Company” refer to Akari Therapeutics, Plc and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. References to “ordinary shares”, “ADSs”, and “share capital” refer to the ordinary shares, ADSs, and share capital, respectively, of Akari.
Market data and certain industry data and forecasts used in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus were obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, including market research databases, publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys. We have relied on certain data from third-party sources, including internal surveys, industry forecasts and market research, which we believe to be reliable based on our management’s knowledge of the industry. Forecasts are particularly likely to be inaccurate, especially over long periods of time. In addition, we do not necessarily know what assumptions regarding general economic growth were used in preparing the third-party forecasts we cite. Statements as to our market position are based on the most currently available data. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the industry data presented in this prospectus, our estimates involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. Our historical results do not necessarily indicate our expected results for any future periods.
Certain figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
We have obtained the statistical data, market data and other industry data and forecasts used in this prospectus and in our SEC filings incorporated herein by reference from publicly available information. We have not sought the consent of the sources to refer to the publicly available reports in this prospectus.
We have not taken any action to permit a public offering of the ADSs outside the United States or to permit the possession or distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to the offering of the ADSs and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.
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This summary description about us and our business highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. It does not contain all the information you should consider before investing in our securities. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, including the risks of investing in our securities discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Overview
We are a biotechnology company focused on developing advanced therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases involving the C5 and LTB4 pathways. Each of these pathways has scientifically well-supported causative roles in the diseases we are targeting. We believe that blocking early mediators of inflammation will prevent initiation and continual amplification of the processes that cause certain diseases. Our activities since inception have consisted of performing research and development activities and raising capital.
Our lead product candidate, nomacopan, is a recombinant small protein (16,769 Da) derived from a protein originally discovered in the saliva of the Ornithodoros moubata tick, which modulates the host immune system to allow the parasite to feed without alerting the host to its presence or provoking an immune response. Nomacopan is a second-generation complement inhibitor which has been shown to act on complement C5, preventing release of C5a and formation of C5b-9 (also known as the membrane attack complex, or MAC), and also independently and specifically inhibit LTB4 activity, both elements that are often co-located as part of the immune/inflammatory response. We believe the importance of nomacopan’s therapeutic potential is twofold. First, its dual inhibitory action may be able to prevent inflammatory and prothrombotic activities of two key pathways, and second, nomacopan’s bio-physical properties may allow it to be used in a variety of formulations and routes of administration, including subcutaneous, intravenous, topical to eye, inhaled and intravitreous.
Up until May 2024, we were conducting a clinical trial of subcutaneous nomacopan for the treatment of hematopoietic stem cell transplant-related thrombotic microangiopathy, or HSCT-TMA, in pediatrics. Following completion of a portfolio prioritization review, we announced that our HSCT-TMA program will be suspended, as more fully described below. We are currently investigating long-acting PASylated-nomacopan, or PAS-nomacopan, for treatment of Geographic Atrophy, or GA, secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration, or dry AMD, in preclinical studies and expect to file an Investigational New Drug, or IND, application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, in 2025.
December 2023 Private Placement
On December 27, 2023, we entered into the December SPA with certain of the selling shareholders pursuant to which we agreed to sell and issue in a private placement an aggregate of 947,868 ADSs at a purchase price of $2.11 per ADS. The December Private Placement closed on December 29, 2023. The December SPA also contains representations, warranties, indemnification and other provisions customary for transactions of this nature. Pursuant to the December SPA, we agreed to prepare and file a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, no later March 31, 2024 to register the resale of the ADSs purchased pursuant to the December SPA. The foregoing summary of the terms of the December SPA is subject to, and qualified in its entirety to the full text of the December SPA, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 herewith.
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March 2024 Private Placement
On March 11, 2024, we entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain of the selling shareholders pursuant to which we agreed to sell and issue in a private placement approximately $1.6 million of ADSs. Subsequently, on March 26, 2024, we entered into an amended and restated securities purchase agreement with certain of the selling shareholders pursuant to which we sold an aggregate of 1,320,614 ADSs at a purchase price of $1.48 per ADS. In connection with the March Private Placement, we agreed to issue to Paulson Investment Company, LLC, or Paulson, which acted as placement agent for the March Private Placement, warrants, or the March PA Warrants to purchase 132,061 ADSs at an exercise price of $1.85 per ADS (representing 125% of the price per ADS in the March Private Placement). The March PA Warrants expire on March 27, 2029. The March Private Placement closed on March 28, 2024. The March SPA also contains representations, warranties, indemnification and other provisions customary for transactions of this nature. Pursuant to the March SPA, we agreed to prepare and file a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC no later March 31, 2024 to register the resale of the ADSs (including ADSs issuable upon exercise of the March PA Warrants) purchased pursuant to the March SPA.
The foregoing summary of the terms of the March SPA is subject to, and qualified in its entirety to the full text of the March SPA, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 11, 2024 and is incorporated by reference herein. The foregoing summary of the terms of the March PA Warrant is subject to, and qualified in its entirety to the full text of the March PA Warrant, which is filed as Exhibit 4.9 herewith.
May 2024 Private Placement
On May 29, 2024, we entered into the May SPA with certain of the selling shareholders pursuant to which we agreed to sell and issue in a private placement an aggregate of 4,029,754 ADSs and Series C warrants to purchase ADSs to purchase up to 4,029,754 ADSs, or the Series C Warrants, at a per unit price of $1.885 per ADS and Series C Warrant. The Warrants have a term of 3 years from the closing date of the Private Placement and have cashless exercise provisions. The Series C Warrants (other than those issued to Dr. Ray Prudo and Dr. Samir R. Patel) have an exercise price of $1.76 per ADS, which is equal to the official closing price of our ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 29, 2024. The Series C Warrants issued to Dr. Ray Prudo and Dr. Samir R. Patel have an exercise price of $1.79 per ADS, which is equal to the price at which our ADSs were last sold on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 29, 2024. The Series C Warrants expire on May 29, 2027. In connection with the May Private Placement, we agreed to issue to Paulson, which acted as placement agent for the May Private Placement, warrants, or the May PA Warrants to purchase 322,380 ADSs at an exercise price of $1.885 per ADS. The May PA Warrants expire on May 29, 2029.
At the first closing of the May Private Placement on May 31, 2024, we issued and sold 3,817,553 ADSs and Series C Warrants to purchase up to 3,817,553 ADSs, and the remaining 212,201 ADSs and Warrants to purchase up to 212,201 ADSs at the second closing on June 20, 2024. The May SPA also contains representations, warranties, indemnification and other provisions customary for transactions of this nature. Pursuant to the May SPA, we agreed to prepare and file a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC no later June 28, 2024 to register the resale of the ADSs (including ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants) purchased pursuant to the May SPA, which deadline was subsequently extended by amendment to September 1, 2024.
The foregoing summaries of the terms of the May SPA, Series C Warrant and May PA Warrant are subject to, and qualified in their entirety to the full text of the May SPA, Series C Warrant and May PA Warrant, which are filed as Exhibits 10.1, 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 4, 2024 and is incorporated by reference herein.
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Recent Developments
Peak Bio Merger
As previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 11, 2024, on March 4, 2024, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, or the Merger Agreement, with Peak Bio and Pegasus Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiary, or Pegasus Merger Sub, pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, Pegasus Merger Sub will be merged with and into Peak Bio, or the Merger, with Peak Bio surviving the Merger as our wholly-owned subsidiary.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, at the effective time of the Merger, or the Effective Time, each issued and outstanding share of Peak Bio common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, or the Peak Common Stock (other than (i) shares of Peak Common Stock held by Peak Bio as treasury stock, or shares of Peak Common Stock owned by us, Pegasus Merger Sub or any of our direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries and (ii) Dissenting Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement), will be converted into the right to receive our ADSs representing a number of ordinary shares equal to an exchange ratio calculated in accordance with the Merger Agreement, or the Exchange Ratio, each such share duly and validly issued against the deposit of the requisite number of ordinary shares in accordance with the Deposit Agreement (as defined in the Merger Agreement). The Exchange Ratio will be calculated such that the total number of ADSs to be issued as merger consideration for the Peak Common Stock will be expected to be, upon issuance, approximately 50% of the outstanding shares of our ADSs (provided, certain adjustments to this ratio will be made in respect of the net cash, as determined in accordance with the Merger Agreement, of each of us and Peak Bio at the close of business one business day prior to the anticipated consummation of the Merger). The Merger Agreement provides that, under certain circumstances, additional ADSs may be issued to the holders of shares of Peak Common Stock following the consummation of the Merger equal to an exchange ratio calculated in accordance with the Merger Agreement, or the Additional Exchange Ratio.
Consummation of the Merger is subject to various conditions, including, among others, (i) approval of the Merger Agreement and Merger by Peak Bio stockholders, (ii) our shareholders authorizing our board of directors to allot the ordinary shares to be issued in connection with the Merger (to be represented by ADSs), (iii) the absence of any law or order prohibiting consummation of the Merger, (iv) our Registration Statement on Form S-4 (to be filed in connection with the Merger) having been declared effective, (v) the ADSs issuable to Peak Bio stockholders having been authorized for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, (vi) accuracy of the other party’s representations and warranties (subject to certain materiality standards set forth in the Merger Agreement), (vii) compliance by the other party in all material respects with such other party’s obligations under the Merger Agreement; (viii) the absence of a material adverse effect on the other party, (ix) the other party’s net cash being greater than negative $13.5 million and (x) the PIPE Investment (as defined in the Merger Agreement) shall have been consummated simultaneously with, and conditioned only upon, the occurrence of the closing, and shall result in net proceeds to us of at least $10 million.
Either we or Peak Bio may terminate the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances, including if (i) the Merger is not completed by December 2, 2024, (ii) the other party’s board of directors withdraws, modifies or qualifies its recommendation in favor of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or approves or recommends an alternative transaction or (iii) our or Peak Bio’s board of directors, as applicable, resolves to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a superior proposal prior to obtaining approval of the ADS issuance or Merger, as applicable, from our shareholders or Peak Bio’s stockholders, as applicable.
The foregoing summary of the terms of the Merger Agreement is subject to, and qualified in its entirety to the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 11, 2024, as amended by a Side Letter, by and among us, Pegasus Merger Sub, Inc. and Peak
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Bio, which is filed as Exhibit 10.5 to a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 19, 2024, each of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Corporate Information
Our principal office is located at 22 Boston Wharf Road FL 7, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, and our telephone number is (929) 274-7510. Our website address is www.akaritx.com. The information contained on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our securities.
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Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making a decision to invest in our securities, in addition to the other information contained in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein or therein, you should carefully consider the risks set forth below and the risks described under “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our subsequent Quarterly Reports, as well as any amendments thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus in their entirety, together with other information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering. See the section titled “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Our auditor’s report on our consolidated financial statements states that our recurring operating losses, negative cash flows and dependence on additional financial support raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, which may have a detrimental effect on our ability to obtain additional funding.
The report of our U.S. independent registered public accounting firm on our consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2023, includes an explanatory paragraph raising substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern as a result of our recurring losses from operations and net capital deficiency. Our future is dependent upon our ability to obtain financing in the future. This opinion could materially limit our ability to raise funds. If we fail to raise sufficient capital when needed, we will not be able to complete our business plan. As a result, we may have to liquidate our business and investors may lose their investment in our ADSs.
We will require additional capital to fund our operations, and if we are unable to obtain such capital, we will be unable to successfully develop and commercialize any product candidates.
As of June 30, 2024, we had cash of approximately $4.2 million. We believe we do not have sufficient funds to fund our operations for the next twelve months as of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We will require additional capital in order to develop and commercialize our current product candidates or any product candidates that we acquire, if any. There is no assurance that additional funds will be available when we need them on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all. If adequate funds are not available on a timely basis, we may be required to terminate or delay development for one or more of our product candidates, which raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The report from our U.S. independent registered public accounting firm for our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included an emphasis of matter paragraph expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The inclusion of this going concern emphasis of matter paragraph could materially limit our ability to raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or debt securities or otherwise.
The amount and timing of any expenditure needed will depend on numerous factors, some of which are outside our control, including:
| • | the type, number, scope, progress, expansion costs, results of and timing of our preclinical studies and clinical trials of PAS-nomacopan in GA, or any other indications or other product candidates which we are pursuing or may choose to pursue in the future as a result of the Merger; |
| • | the costs associated with completion of the Merger and integration of Peak Bio’s business; |
| • | the costs of obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our patents and other intellectual property rights; |
| • | the costs and timing of obtaining or maintaining manufacturing for PAS-nomacopan for GA, or any other product candidates we may pursue following the Merger, including commercial manufacturing if any product candidate is approved; |
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| • | the costs and timing of establishing sales, marketing, and reimbursement capabilities; |
| • | the costs and timing of enhanced internal controls over financial reporting; |
| • | the terms and timing of establishing and maintaining collaborations, license agreements and other partnerships; |
| • | costs associated with any new product candidates that we may develop, in-license or acquire; |
| • | the effect of competing technological and market developments; and |
| • | the costs associated with being a public company. |
We have not sold any products, and we do not expect to sell or derive revenue from any product sales for the foreseeable future. We may seek additional funding through future debt and equity financing, as well as potential additional collaborations or strategic partnerships with other companies or through non-dilutive financings. Additional funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. General market conditions may make it difficult for us to seek financing from the capital markets. We may be required to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us, in order to raise additional funds through alliance, joint venture or licensing arrangements. In addition, the terms of any financing may adversely affect the holdings or the rights of our shareholders and the issuance of additional shares by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our shares to decline.
If we are unable to obtain funding on a timely basis, we will be delayed or unable to complete ongoing and future preclinical studies and future clinical trials for PAS-nomacopan or other product candidates we may pursue following the Merger, and we may be required to significantly curtail some or all of our activities. We also could be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborative partners or otherwise that may require us to relinquish rights to our product candidates or some of our technologies or otherwise agree to terms unfavorable to us.
A substantial number of ADSs may be sold in this offering, which could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.
We are registering for resale 4,484,195 ADSs, representing 8,968,390,000 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants held by certain of the selling shareholders and 6,298,236 ADSs, representing 12,596,472,000 ordinary shares, issued directly to certain of the selling shareholders in the December Private Placement, March Private Placement and May Private Placement. This sale and any future sales of a substantial number of ADSs in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the price of the ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of those ADSs or the availability of those ADSs for sale will have on the market price of the ADSs.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of the ADSs by our existing shareholders in the public market could cause our share price to fall.
Sales of a substantial number of our ADSs in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur, could significantly reduce the market price of our ADSs and impair our ability to raise adequate capital through the sale of additional equity securities.
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NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains or incorporates by reference forward-looking statements and readers are cautioned that our actual results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives of management and expected market growth are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Words such as “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes” and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements represent management’s present judgment regarding future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward- looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
| • | our needs for additional capital to fund our operations; |
| • | our ability to continue as a going concern; |
| • | uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; |
| • | recent adjustments to our operating plans, including our pipeline prioritization; |
| • | an inability or delay in conducting preclinical activities, clinical trials and obtaining required marketing authorizations for PAS-nomacopan and any other product candidates, which may result in unexpected cost expenditures; |
| • | our ability to obtain orphan drug designation in additional indications; |
| • | risks inherent in drug development in general; |
| • | uncertainties in obtaining successful clinical results for PAS-nomacopan and any other product candidates and unexpected costs that may result therefrom; |
| • | our ability to attract and retain key employees; |
| • | difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical trials; |
| • | our ability to enter into collaborative, licensing, and other commercial relationships and on terms commercially reasonable to us; |
| • | our ability to complete a divestiture or secure a strategic partnership for nomacopan; |
| • | failure to realize any value of PAS-nomacopan and any other product candidates developed and being developed in light of inherent risks and difficulties involved in successfully bringing product candidates to market; |
| • | our ability to consummate our planned merger with Peak Bio and our ability to successfully integrate operations with Peak Bio following the merger, if consummated; |
| • | inability to develop new product candidates and support existing product candidates; |
| • | the approval by the FDA, MHRA and EMA and any other similar foreign regulatory authorities of other competing or superior products brought to market; |
| • | risks resulting from unforeseen side effects; |
| • | risk that the market for our products, if approved, may not be as large as expected; |
| • | risks associated with our disclosure controls and procedures may not be effective due to a material weakness; |
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| • | inability to obtain, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights or the unexpected costs associated with such enforcement or litigation; |
| • | inability to obtain and maintain commercial manufacturing arrangements with third party manufacturers or establish commercial scale manufacturing capabilities; |
| • | the inability to timely source adequate supply of our active pharmaceutical ingredients from third party manufacturers on whom we depend; |
| • | unexpected cost increases and pricing pressures; |
| • | the volatility of capital markets and other macroeconomic factors, including due to inflationary pressures, banking instability, geopolitical tensions or the outbreak of hostilities or war; and |
| • | other risks and uncertainties, including those described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by our subsequent periodic reports we file with the SEC. |
We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this prospectus, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance, or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur at all. You should refer to the section titled “Risk factors” this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein 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 this prospectus by these cautionary statements.
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs by the selling shareholders. All net proceeds from the sale of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs, the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants covered by this prospectus will go to the selling shareholders. We expect that the selling shareholders will sell their ordinary shares represented by ADSs as described under “Plan of Distribution”.
We may receive proceeds from the exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants. If all of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants mentioned above were exercised for cash in full, the proceeds would be approximately $8.0 million. We intend to use the net proceeds of such warrant exercises, if any, for research and development, general and administrative expenses, and for working capital purposes. Pending such uses, we intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing, investment grade securities or as otherwise pursuant our customary investment policies. We can make no assurances that any of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants or May PA Warrants will be exercised, or if exercised, that they will be exercised for cash, the quantity which will be exercised or in the period in which they will be exercised.
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The ordinary shares represented by ADSs being offered by the selling shareholders are (i) those ordinary shares represented by ADSs, (ii) those ordinary shares represented by ADSs issuable upon exercise of the March PA Warrants, (iii) those ordinary shares represented by ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Series C Warrants, and (iv) those ordinary shares represented by ADSs issuable upon exercise of the May PA Warrants, in each case, previously issued in connection with the December Private Placement, March Private Placement and May Private Placement, together, the Private Placements.
For additional information regarding the issuance of the ADSs, the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants to purchase ADSs, see “Prospectus Summary – December 2023 Private Placement – March 2024 Private Placement and – May 2024 Private Placement” above. We are registering the ordinary shares represented by ADSs in order to permit the selling shareholders to offer the ordinary shares represented by ADSs for resale from time to time. Other than with respect to (i) Paulson, which acted as our placement agent a registered direct offering in March 2023, a private placement in September 2023, the December Private Placement, March Private Placement and May Private Placement; (ii) Dr. Samir R. Patel, who currently serves as our interim Chief Executive Officer and President and a director on our board of directors; and (iii) Dr. Ray Prudo, who is the chairman of our board of directors, the selling shareholders have not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below lists the selling shareholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs by each of the selling shareholders. The second column lists the number of ordinary shares represented by ADSs beneficially owned by each selling shareholder, based on its ownership of ADSs and March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants or May PA Warrants, as of August 31, 2024, assuming exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants or May PA Warrants to purchase ADSs held by the selling shareholders on that date, without regard to any limitations on conversions or exercises. The third column lists the maximum number of ordinary shares represented by ADSs being offered in this prospectus by the selling shareholders. The fourth and fifth columns list the amount of ordinary shares represented by ADSs owned after the offering, by number of ordinary shares represented by ADSs and percentage of outstanding ordinary shares, assuming in both cases the sale of all of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs offered by the selling shareholders pursuant to this prospectus, and without regard to any limitations on conversions or exercises.
Under the terms of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants, a selling shareholder may not exercise such warrants to the extent the exercise would cause such selling shareholder, together with its affiliates, to beneficially own a number of ordinary shares which would exceed 4.99% or 9.99% of our then outstanding ordinary shares following such exercise, excluding for purposes of such determination ordinary shares not yet issuable upon exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants which have not been exercised. The number of shares does not reflect this limitation. The selling shareholders may sell all, some or none of their ordinary shares represented by ADSs or warrants in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Information about the selling shareholders may change over time. Any changed information will be set forth in an amendment to the registration statement or supplement to this prospectus, to the extent required by law. Unless otherwise noted below, the address of each selling shareholder listed on the table is c/o Akari Therapeutics, Plc., 22 Boston Wharf Road FL 7, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
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The beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares is based on 24,289,232,698 ordinary shares outstanding on August 31, 2024.
| Selling Shareholder | Number of Ordinary Shares Owned Prior to Offering |
Maximum Number of Ordinary Shares to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus |
Number of Ordinary Shares Owned After the Offering |
Percentage of Ordinary Shares Owned After the Offering |
||||||||||||
| Michael Chieco(1) |
65,304,200 | 53,048,000 | 12,256,200 | * | ||||||||||||
| Aleksandr Simma(2) |
53,048,000 | 53,048,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| Joseph P. Errico(3) |
425,562,000 | 246,364,000 | 179,198,000 | * | ||||||||||||
| McCallum Family Ventures LLC(4) |
212,200,000 | 212,200,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| Matthew Joseph Nachtrab Revocable Trust dtd 12/18/14(5) |
4,244,028,000 | 4,244,028,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| Thomas Mollick(6) |
2,509,727,000 | 1,939,382,000 | 570,345,000 | 2.34 | % | |||||||||||
| Joe Nachtrab(7) |
63,660,000 | 63,660,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| PranaBio Investments LLC(8) |
5,318,423,500 | 3,600,384,000 | 1,718,039,500 | 6.93 | % | |||||||||||
| Dr. Ray Prudo(9) |
6,128,263,400 | 3,600,384,000 | 2,527,879,400 | 10.28 | % | |||||||||||
| Tapper Ventures Inc.(10) |
636,604,000 | 636,604,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| Charles & Kathryn Theofilos(11) |
4,244,028,000 | 4,244,028,000 | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
| Martin Krytus(12) |
1,408,104,000 | 970,438,000 | 437,666,000 | 1.79 | % | |||||||||||
| TT Insurance(13) |
424,508,000 | 424,508,000 | 37,500,000 | * | ||||||||||||
| Richard Jeanneret(14) |
158,714,300 | 135,134,000 | 23,580,300 | * | ||||||||||||
| Paul M. & Mary Jo Arnold(15) |
391,102,000 | 270,270,000 | 120,832,000 | * | ||||||||||||
| Hazem Algendi(16) |
104,987,400 | 92,090,000 | 12,897,400 | * | ||||||||||||
| Amal Amin(17) |
13,539,700 | 12,896,000 | 643,700 | * | ||||||||||||
| Christopher Clark(18) |
61,323,400 | 42,836,000 | 18,487,400 | * | ||||||||||||
| Trent Davis(19) |
19,264,700 | 16,066,000 | 3,198,700 | * | ||||||||||||
| Thomas Parigian(20) |
61,323,400 | 42,836,000 | 18,487,400 | * | ||||||||||||
| Robert Setteducati(21) |
61,323,400 | 42,836,000 | 18,487,400 | * | ||||||||||||
| Harry Striplin(22) |
5,780,100 | 4,820,000 | 960,100 | * | ||||||||||||
| Malcolm Alexander Winks(23) |
19,264,700 | 16,066,000 | 3,198,700 | * | ||||||||||||
| Donald Wojnowski(24) |
768,881,400 | 470,590,000 | 298,291,400 | 1.22 | % | |||||||||||
| Marta Wypych(25) |
22,291,400 | 18,178,000 | 4,113,400 | * | ||||||||||||
| Paulson Investment Company, LLC(26) |
174,099,200 | 149,668,000 | 24,431,200 | * | ||||||||||||
| * | Denotes less than 1% |
| (1) | Includes (i) 26,524,000 ordinary shares represented by 13,262 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement, (ii) 26,524,000 ordinary shares represented by 13,262 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement, (iii) 9,000,000 ordinary shares represented by 4,500 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (iv) 3,256,200 ordinary shares represented by 1,628 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (2) | Includes (i) 26,524,000 ordinary shares represented by 13,262 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement and (ii) 26,524,000 ordinary shares represented by 13,262 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. |
| (3) | Includes (i) 123,182,000 ordinary shares represented by 61,591 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement, (ii) 123,182,000 ordinary shares represented by 61,591 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement, (iii) 119,998,000 ordinary shares represented by 59,999 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (iv) 59,200,000 ordinary shares represented by 29,600 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
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| (4) | Represents (i) 106,100,000 ordinary shares represented by 53,050 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement and (ii) 106,100,000 ordinary shares represented by 53,050 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. The address for McCallum Family Ventures LLC is 11512 Hammock Oaks Ct, Lithia, FL 33547. |
| (5) | Includes (i) 2,122,014,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,061,007 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May 2024 Private Placement and (ii) 2,122,014,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,061,007 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. The address for the Matthew Joseph Nachtrab Revocable Trust dtd 12/18/14 is 116 Adalia Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606. |
| (6) | Includes (i) 530,502,000 ordinary shares represented by 265,251 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement, (ii) 530,502,000 ordinary shares represented by 265,251 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement, (iii) 878,378,000 ordinary shares represented by 439,189 ADSs acquired in the March Private Placement, (iv) 480,940,000 ordinary shares represented by 240,470 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (v) 89,405,000 ordinary shares represented by 44,703 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (7) | Includes (i) 31,830,000 ordinary shares represented by 15,915 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May 2024 Private Placement and (ii) 31,830,000 ordinary shares represented by 15,915 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. |
| (8) | Includes (i) 1,326,258,000 ordinary shares represented by 663,129 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May 2024 Private Placement, (ii) 1,326,258,000 ordinary shares represented by 663,129 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement, (iii) 947,868,000 ordinary shares represented by 473,934 ADSs acquired in the December Private Placement, (iv) 1,228,765,500 ordinary shares represented by 614,382 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (v) 489,274,000 ordinary shares represented by 244,637 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. The address for PranaBio Investments LLC is 1701 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702. |
| (9) | Includes (i) 1,326,258,000 ordinary shares represented by 663,129 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May 2024 Private Placement, (ii) 1,326,258,000 ordinary shares represented by 663,129 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement, (iii) 947,868,000 ordinary shares represented by 473,934 ADSs acquired in the December Private Placement, (iv) 2,223,188,800 ordinary shares represented by 1,111,594 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (v) 304,690,600 ordinary shares represented by 152,345 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. The shares are held by Dr. Prudo, either in his individual capacity or as sole manager and member of RPC Pharma Limited, a Maltese corporation, or RPC, and Praxis Trustees Limited As trustee of the Sonic Healthcare Holding Company, or Praxis, respectively. Voting and investment decisions with respect to such shares are controlled by Dr. Prudo. Dr. Prudo disclaims beneficial ownership of the warrants and securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants. |
| (10) | Includes (i) 318,302,000 ordinary shares represented by 159,151 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May 2024 Private Placement and (ii) 318,302,000 ordinary shares represented by 159,151 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. The address for Tapper Ventures Inc. is 11601 Calf Path Dr., Tampa, FL 33626. |
| (11) | Includes (i) 2,122,014,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,061,007 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued in the May Private Placement and (ii) 2,122,014,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,061,007 ADSs acquired in the May Private Placement. |
| (12) | Includes (i) 970,438,000 ordinary shares represented by 485,219 ADSs acquired in the March Private Placement, (ii) 306,666,000 ordinary shares represented by 153,333 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (iii) 131,000,000 ordinary shares represented by 65,500 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (13) | Includes (i) 387,008,000 ordinary shares represented by 193,504 ADSs acquired in the March Private Placement and (ii) 37,500,000 ordinary shares represented by 18,750 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. The address for TT Insurance is 4631 W El Prado Blvd., Tampa, FL 33629. |
| (14) | Includes (i) 135,134,000 ordinary shares represented by 67,567 ADSs acquired in the March Private Placement, and (ii) 23,580,300 ordinary shares represented by 11,790 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
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| (15) | Includes 270,270,000 ordinary shares represented by 135,135 ADSs acquired in the March Private Placement, (ii) 110,832,000 ordinary shares represented by 55,416 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (iii) 10,000,000 ordinary shares represented by 5,000 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (16) | Represents (i) 92,090,000 ordinary shares represented by 46,045 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement and (ii) 12,897,400 ordinary shares represented by 6,448 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (17) | Represents (i) 9,726,000 ordinary shares represented by 4,863 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 3,170,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,585 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 643,700 ordinary shares represented 321 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (18) | Represents (i) 25,932,000 ordinary shares represented by 12,966 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 16,904,000 ordinary shares represented by 8,452 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 18,487,400 ordinary shares represented by 9,243 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (19) | Represents (i) 9,726,000 ordinary shares represented by 4,863 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 6,340,000 ordinary shares represented by 3,170 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 3,198,700 ordinary shares represented by 1,599ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (20) | Represents (i) 25,932,000 ordinary shares represented by 12,966 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 16,904,000 ordinary shares represented by 8,452 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 18,487,400 ordinary shares represented by 9,243 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (21) | Represents (i) 25,932,000 ordinary shares represented by 12,966 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 16,904,000 ordinary shares represented by 8,452 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 18,487,400 ordinary shares represented by 9,243 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (22) | Represents (i) 2,918,000 ordinary shares represented by 1,459 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 1,902,000 ordinary shares represented by 951 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 960,100 ordinary shares represented by 480 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (23) | Represents (i) 9,726,000 ordinary shares represented by 4,863 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 6,340,000 ordinary shares represented by 3,170 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 3,198,700 ordinary shares represented by 1,599 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (24) | Represents (i) 345,286,000 ordinary shares represented by 172,643 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 125,304,000 ordinary shares represented by 62,652 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, (iii) 180,000,000 ordinary shares represented by 90,000 ADSs held prior to the Private Placements and (iv) 118,291,400 ordinary shares represented by 59,145 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (25) | Represents (i) 12,896,000 ordinary shares represented by 6,448 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 5,282,000 ordinary shares represented by 2,641 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private |
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| Placement, and (iii) 4,113,400 ordinary shares represented by 2,056 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. |
| (26) | Represents (i) 84,596,000 ordinary shares represented by 42,298 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the May Private Placement, (ii) 65,072,000 ordinary shares represented by 32,536 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants acquired in the March Private Placement, and (iii) 24,431,200 ordinary shares represented by 12,215 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants held prior to the Private Placements. The address for Paulson Investment Company, LLC is 40 Wall St., 39th Fl., New York, NY 10005. |
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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
General
Our securities include (a) our ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (b) our ADSs, each representing 2,000 ordinary shares. Our ordinary shares are registered under the Exchange Act not for trading, but only in connection with the listing of the ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the trading symbol “AKTX.”
The following is a description of the rights of (i) the holders of ordinary shares and (ii) ADS holders. Ordinary shares underlying the outstanding ADSs are held by Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as our depositary.
Issued Share Capital
Our board of directors, or the Board, is generally authorized to allot our shares and to grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any of our securities into shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of $4,512,232 until June 30, 2028, without seeking shareholder approval, subject to certain limitations.
Ordinary Shares
In accordance with our Amended Articles of Association, or as amended from time to time, the Articles, the following summarizes the rights of holders of, and attaching to, holders of our ordinary shares:
| • | each holder of our ordinary shares is entitled to one vote per ordinary share on all matters to be voted on by shareholders generally; |
| • | the holders of our ordinary shares shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at our general meetings; and |
| • | holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to receive such dividends as are recommended by the directors and declared by the shareholders, to be justified by our distributable profits. |
Articles of Association
A summary of certain key provisions of the Articles is set out below. The summary below is not a complete copy of the terms of the Articles. For further information, please refer to the full version of the Articles filed as Exhibit 3.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024.
The Articles contain no specific restrictions on our purpose as a company and therefore, by virtue of section 31(1) of the Companies Act 2006, our purpose is unrestricted.
The Articles contain, among other things, provisions to the following effect:
Share Capital
Our share capital currently consists of ordinary shares. The Board may, in accordance with section 551 of the Companies Act 2006, allot, grant options over, issue warrants to subscribe, offer or otherwise deal with or dispose of any of our shares to such persons, at such times and generally on such terms and conditions as they may determine, including issuing shares with such preferred or deferred rights as resolved in our general meetings.
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Voting
Holders of ordinary shares have one vote for each ordinary share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders. These voting rights may be affected by the grant of any special voting rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in the future.
Modification of Rights
Whenever our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the special rights attached to any class may be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of at least three-fourths in nominal value of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of that class, but not otherwise. The quorum at any such meeting is two or more persons holding, or representing by proxy, at least one-third in nominal value of the issued shares in question.
Dividends
The Board may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 and the Articles, from time to time, pay to the members such interim dividends as appear to the Board to be justified by our distributable profits.
Any dividend which has remained unclaimed for a period of twelve (12) years from the date on which such dividend becomes due for payment will, if the Board so resolve, be forfeited and cease to remain owing by us and will from then on belong to us absolutely. No dividend will bear interest as against us.
Liquidation
If we are wound up, whether the liquidation is voluntary, under supervision or by the court, the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution, divide among the members (excluding any holding shares or treasury shares) in specie the whole or part of our assets, whether or not the assets consist of property of one kind or of different kinds. For those purposes, the liquidator may set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property and may determine how such division will be effected as between the members or different classes of members. If any such division is carried out otherwise than in accordance with the existing rights of the members, every member will have the same right of dissent and other ancillary rights as if such resolution were a special resolution passed in accordance with the Articles, Insolvency Act 1986. The liquidator may, with the same authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of members as the liquidator, with the same authority, thinks fit and our liquidation would be complete and we would be dissolved. No member will be compelled to accept any shares in respect of which there is a liability.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Each of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her shares which are in certificated form by means of an instrument of transfer in any usual form or in any other form which the Board may approve. The instrument must be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and (except in the case of a share which is fully paid up) by or on behalf of the transferee but need not be under seal.
Subject to applicable law, the Board may refuse to register a transfer or a certified share unless the instrument of transfer:
| • | is in respect of only one class of shares; |
| • | is in favor of not more than four joint transferees; |
| • | is duly stamped (if required); |
| • | is in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations; and |
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| • | is lodged at our registered office or such other place as the Board may decide accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates (except in the case of a transfer by a recognized person to whom no certificate was issued) and such other evidence (if any) as the Board may reasonably require to prove the title of the transferor and the due execution by him or her of the transfer or, if the transfer is executed by some other person on their behalf, the authority of that person to do so. |
The Board may in its absolute discretion and without giving any reasons, refuse to register any transfer of a certificated share which is not fully paid, but this discretion may not be exercised in such a way as to prevent dealings in the shares from taking place on an open and proper basis.
Preemptive Rights
There are no rights of preemption under the Articles in respect of transfers of issued ordinary shares. In certain circumstances, our shareholders have preemptive rights with respect to new issuances of equity securities. However our Board is generally authorized to allot equity securities for cash without triggering shareholder preemptive rights, provided that this power shall (i) be limited to the allotment of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of $4,512,232; and (ii) expire (unless previously revoked or varied by us) on June 30, 2028.
Alteration of Share Capital
We may, in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, by ordinary resolution:
| • | consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of larger nominal value than its existing shares; |
| • | subdivide its shares, or any of them, into shares of smaller nominal value subject nevertheless to the Companies Act 2006 and all other statutes and secondary legislation for the time being in force relating to companies to the extent that they apply to us, or the Statutes, and reclassify them, and so that the resolution by which any share is subdivided may determine that, as between the holders of the shares resulting from such subdivision, one or more of the shares may have any such preferred or other special rights over or may have such deferred rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared with the others, as we have power to attach to new shares; and |
| • | cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken, or agreed to be taken, by any person, and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled. |
We may from time to time by special resolution reduce its share capital, any redenomination reserve, capital redemption reserve or share premium account, and (if permitted by the Statutes) any other non-distributable reserves in any manner authorized by the Statutes and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
Board of Directors
Appointment of Directors
Our directors are categorized into three classes: Class A directors, who are appointed for a one-year term, Class B directors, who are appointed for a two-year term, and Class C directors, who are appointed for a three-year term. Unless otherwise determined by us in a general meeting, the number of directors is not subject to a maximum but must not be fewer than three directors.
We may from time to time by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the number of directors and may also determine in what rotation such increased or reduced number is to go out of office. We may, by ordinary resolution, appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director.
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We and the Board, in general meetings, each have power at any time, and from time to time, to appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director, but so that the total number of directors does not at any time exceed the maximum number, if any, fixed by or in accordance with the Articles at any time. Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and of the Articles, any director so appointed by the directors holds office only until the conclusion of the next following annual general meeting and is eligible for reappointment at that meeting. Any director who retires under this regulation is not taken into account in determining the directors who are to retire by rotation at such meeting.
Each director shall retire at the next general meeting after the term of their office ends. A director retiring at a general meeting, if he or she is not re-appointed, retains office until the meeting appoints someone in their place or, if it does not do so, until the end of that meeting. The directors to retire in every year include, so far as necessary to obtain the required number, any director who wishes to retire and not to offer himself or herself for re-election. Any further directors so to retire are those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment but, as between persons who became or were last re-appointed directors on the same day, those to retire are determined by the Board at the recommendation of the chairman of the Board. A retiring director is eligible for re-appointment, subject as set out in the Articles.
In any two year period, a majority of the directors must stand for re-election or replacement. In the event that this majority has not been met and the number of directors eligible for retirement by rotation under the provisions of the Articles are not met, any further directors so to retire are those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or re-appointment but, as between persons who became or were last re-appointed directors on the same day, those to retire are determined by the Board at the recommendation of the chairman of the Board. A retiring director is eligible for re-appointment, subject as set out in the Articles.
Proceedings of Directors
Subject to the provisions of the Articles, the Board may regulate their proceedings as they deem appropriate. A director may, and the secretary at the request of a director shall, call a meeting of the directors.
No business may be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. Except as otherwise provided in the Articles, two persons entitled to vote at the meeting each being a member or a proxy for a member or a representative of a corporation which is a member, duly appointed as such in accordance with the Statutes, holding in the aggregate at least one-third (33 1/3 percent) of our outstanding share capital, shall constitute a quorum. If at any time we only have one member, such member in person, by proxy or if a corporation by its representative, shall constitute a quorum.
Questions arising at any meeting are determined by a majority of votes. In case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a casting vote.
General Meetings
We must convene and hold annual general meetings once a year in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. Under the Companies Act 2006, an annual general meeting must be called by notice of at least 21 clear days and a general meeting must be called by notice of at least 14 clear days. The notice is exclusive of the day on which it is served, or deemed to be served, and of the day for which it is given.
No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business, but the absence of a quorum shall not preclude the choice or appointment of a chairperson of the meeting, which shall not be treated as part of the business of the meeting. Save as otherwise provided by the Articles, two persons entitled to vote at the meeting each being a member or a proxy for a member or a representative of a corporation which is a member, duly appointed as such in accordance with the Statutes, holding in the aggregate at least one-third (33 1/3 percent) of our outstanding share capital, shall constitute a quorum. If at any time we only have one member, such member in person, by proxy or if a corporation by its representative, shall constitute a quorum.
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Borrowing Powers
Subject to the Articles and the Companies Act 2006, the Board may:
| • | exercise all of our powers as a company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital, or any part of it, and subject to the provisions of the Statutes, to issue debentures and other securities whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of ours or of any third party; |
| • | secure or provide for the payment of any money to be borrowed or raised by a mortgage of or charge upon all or any part of the undertaking or property of ours, both present and future, and upon any capital remaining unpaid upon our shares whether called up or not, or by any other security; |
| • | confer upon any mortgagees or persons in whom any debenture or security is vested such rights and powers as they think necessary or expedient; |
| • | vest any of our property in trustees for the purpose of securing any money so borrowed or raised and confer upon the trustees, or any receiver to be appointed by them, or by any debenture holder, such rights and powers as the Board may think necessary or expedient in relation to the undertaking or our property or its management or realization, or the making, receiving, or enforcing of calls upon the members in respect of unpaid capital, and otherwise; |
| • | make and issue debentures to trustees for the purpose of further security and we may remunerate any such trustees; |
| • | give security for the payment of any money payable by us in the same manner as for the payment of money borrowed or raised. |
Capitalization of Profits
The directors may, with the authority of an ordinary resolution of ours:
| • | resolve to capitalize any of our undivided profits (including profits standing to the credit of any reserve), whether or not they are available for distribution, or any sum standing to the credit of our share premium account, redenomination reserve or capital redemption reserve; |
| • | appropriate the profits or sum resolved to be capitalized to the members in proportion to the nominal amount of ordinary shares, whether or not fully paid, held by them respectively, and apply such profits or sum on their behalf, either in or towards paying up the amounts, if any, for the time being unpaid on any shares held by such members respectively, or in paying up in full shares or debentures of ours of a nominal amount equal to such profits or sum, and allot and distribute such shares or debentures credited as fully paid up, to and amongst such members, or as they may direct, in due proportion, or partly in one way and partly in the other; |
| • | resolve that any shares allotted under this regulation to any member in respect of a holding by him or her of any partly paid ordinary shares will, so long as such ordinary shares remain partly paid, rank for dividends only to the extent that such partly paid ordinary shares rank for dividend; |
| • | make such provisions by the issue of fractional certificates or by payment in cash or otherwise as the Board think fit for the case of shares or debentures becoming distributable under this regulation in fractions; and |
| • | authorize any person to enter on behalf of all the members concerned into an agreement with us providing for the allotment to them respectively, credited as fully paid up, of any shares or debentures to which they may be entitled upon such capitalization and any agreement made under such authority being effective and binding on all such members. |
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Uncertificated Shares
Under and subject to the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3755), or the Uncertificated Securities Regulations, the Board may permit title to shares of any class to be evidenced otherwise than by certificate and title to shares of such a class to be transferred by means of a relevant system and may make arrangements for a class of shares (if all shares of that class are in all respects identical) to become a participating class. Title to shares of a particular class may only be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate where that class of shares is at the relevant time a participating class. The Board may also, subject to compliance with the Uncertificated Securities Regulations, determine at any time that title to any class of shares may from a date specified by the Board no longer be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate or that title to such a class shall cease to be transferred by means of any particular relevant system.
| • | In relation to a class of shares which is a participating class and for so long as it remains a participating class, no provision of the Articles shall apply or have effect to the extent that it is inconsistent in any respect with: |
| • | the holding of shares of that class in uncertificated form; |
| • | the transfer of title to shares of that class by means of a relevant system; or |
| • | any provision of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations; and, without prejudice to the generality of this article, no provision of the Articles shall apply or have effect to the extent that it is in any respect inconsistent with the maintenance, keeping or entering up by the operator so long as that is permitted or required by the Uncertificated Securities Regulations, of an operator register of securities in respect of that class of shares in uncertificated form. |
Shares of a class which is at the relevant time a participating class may be changed from uncertificated to certificated form, and from certificated to uncertificated form, in accordance with and subject as provided in the Uncertificated Securities Regulations.
If, under the Articles or the Statutes, we are entitled to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, forfeit, re-allot, accept the surrender of or otherwise enforce a lien over an uncertificated share, then, subject to the Articles and the Statute, such entitlement shall include the right of the Board to: (i) require the holder of the uncertificated share by notice in writing to change that share from uncertificated to certificated form within such period as may be specified in the notice and keep it as a certificated share for as long as the Board requires; (ii) appoint any person to take such other steps, by instruction given by means of a relevant system or otherwise, in the name of the holder of such share as may be required to effect the transfer of such share and such steps shall be as effective as if they had been taken by the registered holder of that share; and (iii) take such other action that the Board considers appropriate to achieve the sale, transfer, disposal, forfeiture, re-allotment or surrender of that share or otherwise to enforce a lien in respect of that share.
Unless the Board determines otherwise, shares which a member holds in uncertificated form shall be treated as separate holdings from any shares which that member holds in certificated form but a class of shares shall not be treated as two classes simply because some shares of that class are held in certificated form and others in uncertificated form.
DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
Stock Exchange Listing
Our ADSs have been listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AKTX” since September 21, 2015.
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American Depositary Shares
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as our depositary, registers and delivers the ADSs. Each ADS represents ownership of 2,000 ordinary shares deposited with Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch with its principal office at Winchester House, 1 Great Winchester Street, London EC2N 2DB, U.K., as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS also represents ownership of any other securities, cash or other property, which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs are administered is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019, USA.
The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.
We do not treat ADS holders as shareholders and accordingly, ADS holders, do not have shareholder rights. English law governs shareholder rights. The depositary or its custodian is the holder of the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs. A holder of ADSs only has ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and the ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit agreement and the ADSs.
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement.
Holding the ADSs
Each holder of ADSs may hold their ADSs either (1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in the name of the holder, or (b) by holding ADSs in the DRS, or (2) indirectly through each holder’s broker or other financial institution. If one holds ADSs directly, then they are an ADS holder. The description set forth herein assumes that each holder holds their ADSs directly. If a holder holds the ADSs indirectly, they must rely on the procedures of their broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. Each holder of ADSs should consult with their broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depositary has agreed to pay to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. The holder of ADSs receives these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares their ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record date for our ordinary shares) set by the depositary with respect to the ADSs.
| • | Cash. The depositary converts any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the ordinary shares or any net proceeds from the sale of any ordinary shares, rights, securities or other entitlements into U.S. dollars if it can do so on a reasonable basis, and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or lawful or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. The depositary holds the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. The depositary does not invest the foreign currency and is not liable for any interest. |
| • | Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution to the extent reasonably practicable and permissible under law. The depositary only distributes whole ADSs. It will try to sell ordinary shares which would require it to |
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| deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed ordinary shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution. |
| • | Other Distributions. Subject to receipt of timely notice from us with the request to make any such distribution available to ADS holders, and provided the depositary has determined such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable and feasible and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice: it may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash; or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution. |
| • | Rights to Purchase Additional Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such distribution by us, make these rights available to ADS holders. We must first instruct the depositary to make such rights available to ADS holders and furnish the depositary with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary allows rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, ADS holders receive no value for them. If the depositary makes rights available to ADS holders, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on ADS holders’ behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to ADS holders. The depositary only exercises rights if ADS holders pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require that ADS holders to pay. U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, ADS holders may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place. |
| • | Elective Distributions in Cash or Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option to receive dividends in either cash or shares, the depositary, after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such elective distribution by us, has discretion to determine to what extent such elective distribution will be made available to ADS holders. We must first instruct the depositary to make such elective distribution available to ADS holders and furnish it with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. The depositary could decide it is not legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to ADS holders, or it could decide that it is only legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to some but not all holders of the ADSs. In such case, the depositary shall, on the basis of the same determination as is made in respect of the ordinary shares for which no election is made, distribute either cash in the same way as it does in a cash distribution, or additional ADSs representing ordinary shares in the same way as it does in a share distribution. The depositary is not obligated to make available to ADS holders a method to receive the elective dividend in shares rather than in ADSs. There can be no assurance that ADS holders will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary shares. |
The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of
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ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that ADS holders may not receive the distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to ADS holders.
Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
The depositary will deliver ADSs if an ADS holder or its broker deposits ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names the ADS holder requests and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto.
You may turn in your ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, if feasible.
The depositary may refuse to accept for surrender ADSs only in the case of (i) temporary delays caused by closing our transfer books or those of the depositary or the deposit of our ordinary shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges and (iii) compliance with any laws or governmental regulations relating to depositary receipts or to the withdrawal of deposited securities. Subject thereto, in the case of surrender of a number of ADSs representing other than a whole number of our ordinary shares, the depositary will cause ownership of the appropriate whole number of our ordinary shares to be delivered in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement and will, at the discretion of the depositary, either (i) issue and deliver to the person surrendering such ADSs a new ADS representing any remaining fractional ordinary share or (ii) sell or cause to be sold the fractional ordinary shares represented by the ADSs surrendered and remit the proceeds of such sale (net of applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the depositary and taxes and/or governmental charges) to the person surrendering the ADS.
You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.
Voting Rights
As an ADS holder, you may instruct the depositary how to vote the deposited shares your ADSs represent. Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if you withdraw the ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary shares.
If we ask for your instructions and upon timely notice from us as described in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how you may instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs as you direct.
We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out your voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out your voting
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instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may have no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we are required to give the depositary 30 days’ advance notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date, and the depositary will mail you a notice.
Fees and Expenses
As a holder of ADSs, you will be required to pay the following fees to the depositary under the terms of the deposit agreement:
| Service: |
Fee: | |
| Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property | Up to $0.05 per ADS issued | |
| Cancellation of ADSs, including in the case of termination of the deposit agreement | Up to $0.05 per ADS cancelled | |
| Distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions | Up to $0.02 per ADS held | |
| Distribution of ADSs pursuant to share dividends, free share distributions or exercise of rights | Up to $0.05 per ADS held | |
| Operation and maintenance costs in administering the ADSs | An annual fee of $0.02 per ADS held | |
| Inspections of the relevant share register maintained by the local registrar and/or performing due diligence on the central securities depository for England and Wales | An annual fee of $0.01 per ADS held (such fee to be assessed against holders of record as at the date or dates set by the depositary as it sees fit and collected at the sole discretion of the depositary by billing such holders for such fee or by deducting such fee from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions) | |
Payment of Taxes
As an ADS holder, you will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of our and their respective agents, directors, employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising from any tax benefit obtained for you.
Amendment and Termination
We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices
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a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until thirty (30) days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by virtue of continuing to hold your ADSs, to have agreed to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.
The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least 90 days prior to termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign and we have not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.
After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability
Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:
| • | are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without gross negligence or willful misconduct; |
| • | are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement, including, without limitation, requirements of any present or future law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority or share exchange of any applicable jurisdiction, any present or future provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, on account of possible civil or criminal penalties or restraint, any provisions of or governing the deposited securities or any act of God, war or other circumstances beyond our control as set forth in the deposit agreement; |
| • | are not liable if either of us exercises, or fails to exercise, discretion permitted under the deposit agreement; |
| • | have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf, as an ADS holder, or on behalf of any other party; |
| • | may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party; |
| • | disclaim any liability for any action/inaction in reliance on the advice or information of legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting ordinary shares for deposit, holders and beneficial owners (or authorized representatives) of ADSs, or any person believed in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information; |
| • | disclaim any liability for inability of any holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit made available to holders of deposited securities but not made available to holders of ADSs; and |
| • | disclaim any liability for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages. |
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The depositary and any of its agents also disclaim any liability for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in which any vote is cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement, the failure or timeliness of any notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution to you, as an ADS holder, or for any inaccuracy of any translation thereof, any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited securities, the validity or worth of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, or for any tax consequences that may result from ownership of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities.
In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary will issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares, the depositary may require:
| • | payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any ordinary shares or other deposited securities and payment of the applicable fees, expenses and charges of the depositary; |
| • | satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and |
| • | compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents. |
The depositary may refuse to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it is necessary or advisable to do so.
Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs
You have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:
| • | when temporary delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (2) the transfer of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (3) we are paying a dividend on our ordinary shares; |
| • | when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or |
| • | when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of ordinary shares or other deposited securities. |
This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Direct Registration System
In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register such transfer.
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In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on, and compliance with, instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile system and in accordance with the deposit agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.
Pre-release of ADSs
The deposit agreement permits the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying ordinary shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADSs. The depositary may also deliver ordinary shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are cancelled before the pre-release transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying ordinary shares are delivered to the depositary. The depositary may receive ADSs instead of ordinary shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release ADSs only under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is being made represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer (a) owns the ordinary shares or ADSs to be deposited, (b) assigns all beneficial rights, title and interest in such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary for the benefit of the owners, (c) will not take any action with respect to such ordinary shares or ADSs that is inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial ownership, (d) indicates the depositary as owner of such ordinary shares or ADSs in its records, and (e) unconditionally guarantees to deliver such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary or the custodian, as the case may be; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized with cash or other collateral that the depositary considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the pre-release on not more than five business days’ notice. Each pre-release is subject to further indemnities and credit regulations as the depositary considers appropriate. In addition, the depositary will normally limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding at any time as a result of pre-release to 30% of the aggregate number of ADSs then outstanding, although the depositary, in its sole discretion, may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so, including (1) due to a decrease in the aggregate number of ADSs outstanding that causes existing pre-release transactions to temporarily exceed the limit stated above or (2) where otherwise required by market conditions. The depositary may also set limits with respect to the number of ADSs and shares involved in pre-release transactions with any one person on a case-by-case basis as it deems appropriate.
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We are registering the ordinary shares represented by ADSs issued and the ordinary shares represented by ADSs issuable upon exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants to permit the resale of these ordinary shares represented by ADSs by the holders of these ADSs and the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling shareholders of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs other than proceeds from the cash exercise of the March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the ordinary shares represented by ADSs.
The selling shareholders may sell all or a portion of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs beneficially owned by them and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the ordinary shares represented by ADSs are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the selling shareholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions. The ordinary shares represented by ADSs may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions,
| • | on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; |
| • | in the over-the-counter market; |
| • | in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market; |
| • | through the writing of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; |
| • | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
| • | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| • | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
| • | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
| • | privately negotiated transactions; |
| • | short sales; |
| • | sales pursuant to Rule 144; |
| • | broker-dealers may agree with the selling security holders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; |
| • | a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
| • | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
If the selling shareholders effect such transactions by selling ordinary shares represented by ADSs to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling shareholders or commissions from purchasers of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved). In connection with sales of ordinary shares represented by ADSs or otherwise, the selling shareholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The selling shareholders may also sell ordinary shares represented by ADSs short and deliver ordinary shares represented by ADSs covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling shareholders may also loan or pledge ordinary shares represented by ADSs to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares.
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The selling shareholders may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the ADSs, March PA Warrants, Series C Warrants and May PA Warrants owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the ordinary shares represented by ADSs from time to time pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, amending, if necessary, the list of selling shareholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling shareholders under this prospectus. The selling shareholders also may transfer and donate the ordinary shares represented by ADSs in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
The selling shareholders and any broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed to, any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offering of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs is made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate amount of ordinary shares represented by ADSs being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the selling shareholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to broker-dealers.
Under the securities laws of some states ordinary shares represented by ADSs may be sold in such states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states ordinary shares represented by ADSs may not be sold unless such ordinary shares have been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.
There can be no assurance that any selling shareholder will sell any or all of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
The selling shareholders and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs by the selling shareholders and any other participating person. Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs to engage in market-making activities with respect to the ordinary shares represented by ADSs. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the ordinary shares represented by ADSs.
We will pay all expenses of the registration of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs, estimated to be $70,624 in total, including, without limitation, Securities and Exchange Commission filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws; provided, however, that a selling shareholder will pay all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any.
Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the ordinary shares represented by ADSs will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.
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Certain legal matters of United States federal law will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter, LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The validity of the ordinary shares represented by ADSs and certain other matters as to English law will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter, LLP, London, England.
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The consolidated financial statements of Akari Therapeutics, Plc (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended incorporated by reference in this Prospectus 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 Peak Bio, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Marcum LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The report on the consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt about the ability of Peak Bio, Inc. to continue as a going concern.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of the registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the reference may not be complete and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement or the exhibits to the reports or other documents incorporated herein by reference for a copy of such contract, agreement or other document.
We are currently subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to you on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and in the “Investor Relations” section of our website at www.akaritx.com. Our website and the information contained on that site, or connected to that site, are not incorporated into and are not a part of this prospectus.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC:
| (1) | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024; |
| (2) | Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024 and August 19, 2024, respectively; |
| (3) | Our current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on January 2, 2024; March 5, 2024; March 11, 2024; March 11, 2024; May 1, 2024; May 7, 2024; June 4, 2024; June 5, 2024, July 1, 2024, August 23, 2024 and September 6, 2024; and |
| (4) | The description of our ordinary shares contained in Exhibit 4.7 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024, and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purposes of updating the description. |
We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than any filings or portions of such reports that are not deemed “filed” under the Exchange Act in accordance with the Exchange Act and applicable SEC rules, including current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits furnished on such form that are related to such items unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, including those made after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the securities made by this prospectus, and will become a part of this prospectus from the date that such documents are filed with the SEC. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus. Any statements in any such future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements.
We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Akari Therapeutics, Plc, 22 Boston Wharf Road FL 7, Boston, MA 02210, Attention: Samir R. Patel, M.D.
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ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS
We are incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Several of our directors and officers reside outside the United States, and a portion of our assets and all or a substantial portion of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to serve legal process on us or certain of our directors and executive officers or have any of them appear in a U.S. court.
It may be difficult for U.S. investors to bring and/or effectively enforce suits against our company in England. Although English courts do recognize U.S. judgments unless there is an overriding jurisdictional or public policy reason not to do so, if a judgment is obtained in the U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws against us, difficulties may arise in enforcing the judgment against us in the English courts. The enforceability of any U.S. judgment in the United Kingdom will depend on the particular facts of the case as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The United States and the United Kingdom do not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters. It may similarly be difficult for U.S. investors to bring an original action in the English courts to enforce liabilities based on U.S. federal securities laws.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth an estimate of the fees and expenses payable by us in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered by this registration statement. None of the expenses listed below are to be borne by any of the selling shareholders named in the prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement. All the amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.
| SEC registration fee |
$ | 5,624 | ||
| Printing expenses |
$ | 5,000 | ||
| Legal fees and expenses |
$ | 40,000 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
$ | 20,000 | ||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
$ | 70,624 | ||
|
|
|
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Registrant’s articles of association provide that, subject to the Companies Act 2006, every director or other officer (excluding an auditor) of the Registrant may be indemnified out of the assets of the Registrant against all costs, charges, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by him in performing his duties or the exercise of his powers or otherwise in relation to or in connection with his duties, powers or office.
The Registrant also maintains directors and officers insurance to insure such persons against certain liabilities.
The expenses listed above do not include expenses of preparing prospectus supplements and other expenses relating to offerings of particular securities.
Item 16. Exhibits
The following exhibits are attached hereto:
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| * | Filed Herewith. |
The agreements included as exhibits to this registration statement contain representations and warranties by each of the parties to the applicable agreement. These representations and warranties were made solely for the benefit of the other parties to the applicable agreement and (i) were not intended to be treated as categorical statements of fact, but rather as a way of allocating the risk to one of the parties if those statements prove to be inaccurate; (ii) may have been qualified in such agreement by disclosures that were made to the other party in connection with the negotiation of the applicable agreement; (iii) may apply contract standards of “materiality” that are different from “materiality” under the applicable securities laws; and (iv) were made only as of the date of the applicable agreement or such other date or dates as may be specified in the agreement.
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The Registrant acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, the registrant is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this registration statement not misleading.
Item 17. Undertakings
(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(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;
(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, any increase or decrease in the 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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(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;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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 under the Securities Act 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), (b)(5), or (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), (vii), or (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
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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.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for 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 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.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Boston, Massachusetts on this September 6, 2024.
| AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Samir R. Patel, M.D. | |
| Samir R. Patel, M.D. | ||
| Interim President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
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KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each director and officer of AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Samir R. Patel, M.D. his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution or re-substitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign on such person’s behalf, individually and in each capacity stated below, any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, and to sign any and all additional registration statements relating to the same offering of securities of the Registration Statement that are filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue 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:
| Name |
Title |
Date | ||
| /s/ Samir R. Patel, M.D. Samir R. Patel, M.D. |
Interim President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive officer) |
September 6, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Wendy DiCicco Wendy DiCicco |
Interim Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer and principal accounting officer) |
September 6, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Dr. Ray Prudo Dr. Ray Prudo |
Chairman |
September 6, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Donald Williams Donald Williams |
Director |
September 6, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Michael Grissinger Michael Grissinger |
Director |
September 6, 2024 | ||
| /s/ Wa’el Hashad Wa’el Hashad |
Director |
September 6, 2024 | ||
2
Exhibit 4.9
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”) AND ARE “RESTRICTED SECURITIES” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 PROMULGATED UNDER THE ACT. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED, OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED OR TRANSFERRED EXCEPT (i) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT OR (ii) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT, AND, IN THE CASE OF A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION, UNLESS THE COMPANY AND DEPOSITARY HAVE RECEIVED AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM THAT SUCH TRANSACTION DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT.
PLACEMENT AGENT
WARRANT TO PURCHASE ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC.
| Warrant No.: [ ] | Initial Exercise Date: [ ], 2024 | |
| Issuance Date: [ ], 2024 |
Number of American Depositary Shares: [ ]
THIS PLACEMENT AGENT WARRANT TO PURCHASE ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, Amal Amin or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date set forth above (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on [ ], 2029 (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Akari Therapeutics, Plc., a public company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “Company”), up to [ ] Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant Shares”) represented by [ ] American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), as subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Warrant ADSs”). The purchase price of one Warrant ADS under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant is issued pursuant to the Placement Agent Agreement, dated December 13, 2023, as amended, by and between the Company and Paulson Investment Company, LLC.
Section 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated [ ], 2024, and the purchasers signatory thereto.
Section 2. Exercise.
a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company) and the Depositary of a duly executed facsimile copy (or .pdf copy via e- mail) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid the Holder shall deliver to the Company the aggregate Exercise Price of the Warrant ADSs specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank. or, if available, pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below.. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant ADSs available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant ADSs available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant ADSs purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant ADSs purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant ADSs purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant ADSs hereunder, the number of Warrant ADSs available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
b) Exercise Price. Subject to Section 2(c) hereof, the exercise price per ADS under this Warrant shall be $1.85, subject to adjustment hereunder (or, if higher, the aggregate nominal value of the Ordinary Shares underlying an ADS at the time of issue) (the “Exercise Price”).
c) Cashless Exercise. If at any time after the 6-month anniversary of the Issuance Date there is no effective registration statement registering with a current prospectus available for the resale of the Warrant ADSs by the Holder, then this Warrant may (if permitted by applicable law and the Company’s articles of association) also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall, upon payment to the Company of a reduced Exercise Price per Warrant ADS actually to be issued pursuant to the cashless exercise equal to the aggregate nominal value of the Ordinary Shares underlying an ADS (i.e., at the Issuance Date, £1), be entitled to receive a number of Warrant ADSs equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
| (A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the ADSs on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; | |||
| (B) = | the Exercise Price of this Warrant for cash exercise, as adjusted hereunder; and | |||
| (X) = | the number of Warrant ADSs that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. | |||
“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the ADSs for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the VWAP of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADSs are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the ADSs so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADSs as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the ADSs not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the ADSs are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
d) Mechanics of Exercise.
i. Delivery of Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. Subject to the Company’s receipt of the Exercise Price, the Company shall deposit the Warrant Shares subject to such exercise with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, the Depositary for the ADSs (the “Depositary”) and instruct the Depositary to credit the account of the Holder’s in book entry format at American Stock Transfer and Trust bearing the restrictive legend in Section 5. If eligible the Depositary may credit the Holder’s prime broker with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Depositary is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement with a current prospectus registering for resale of the Warrant Shares represented by the Warrant ADSs by the Holder or (B) the Warrant Shares represented by the Warrant ADSs are eligible for resale by the Holder without the current information requirements, or the volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and the Warrant ADSs have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by electronic (registered in book-entry format) or physical delivery to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise, in each case (provided that the whole Exercise Price payable has been received by the Company) by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”). If the Warrant ADSs can be delivered via DWAC, then in addition to the delivery of the Warrant Shares to the Depositary, within one (1) Trading Day of the applicable exercise, the Depositary shall have received from the Company any legal opinions or other documentation required by the Depositary to deliver such ADSs without legend and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Depositary shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Warrant ADSs (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Warrant ADSs shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Warrant ADS’s upon a cashless exercise of this Warrant if the Warrant ADSs are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(1)). The Holder (or other person named in the Notice of Exercise as recipient of the Warrant ADSs) shall be treated by the Company as if it were the beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares represented by the Warrant ADSs subject to a Notice of Exercise for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the applicable Exercise Price and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2(d)(vi) prior to the issuance of such Warrant ADSs having been made.
ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant ADSs, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant ADSs called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Depositary to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise in respect of the untransmitted Warrant ADSs (with the effect that the Holder’s right to acquire such Warrant ADSs pursuant to this Warrant shall be restored) and the Company shall return to the Holder the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Warrant ADSs.
iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the ADSs so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant ADSs that the Company failed to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue by (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant in respect of the Warrant ADSs for which such exercise was not honored and return any amount received by the Company in respect of the Exercise Price for those Warrant ADSs (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of ADSs that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases ADSs having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of the Warrant with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the
Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver ADSs upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional Warrant Shares or Warrant ADSs shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of an ADS which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole ADS; provided, however, the fraction of an ADS shall not be rounded up to the next whole ADS if such rounding results in the issue price being lower than the nominal value of the ADS.
vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. The issuance of Warrant Shares and delivery of Warrant ADSs shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of Warrant ADSs, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant ADSs shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant ADSs are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Depositary fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic issuance and delivery of the Warrant ADSs.
vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be deemed or construed to limit any rights of the Depositary under the terms and provisions of the deposit agreement among, inter alia, the Company and the Depositary.
e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares underlying ADSs held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares underlying ADSs issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares underlying ADSs which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 3(e). For purposes of this Section 3(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of Ordinary Shares underlying ADSs the Holder may acquire upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F or Form 10-K, Current Report on Form 8- K or other public filing with the Commission, as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other written notice by the Company setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 2(e), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant ADSs to be purchased pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such purchase is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within one (1) Trading Day confirm orally and in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number
was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), the Company and the Holder shall use commercially reasonable efforts to procure that the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) are repurchased by the Company (out of its distributable reserves pursuant to a contract duly authorized in accordance with the law, or as it may otherwise be legally permitted from time to time) for a price equal to the applicable Exercise Price, and pending such repurchase the Holder agrees it shall not exercise any rights relating to the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase (with such increase not effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after delivery of such notice) or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the Exchange Act. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3(e) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 2(e) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant. “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the issuance date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
f) Call Provision. Subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) and this Section 2(f), if, after the Initial Exercise Date, (i) the VWAP for each of 10 consecutive Trading Days (the “Measurement Period,” which 10 consecutive Trading Day period shall not have commenced until after the Initial Exercise Date) exceeds $10.00 (subject to adjustment for forward and reverse stock splits, recapitalizations, stock dividends and the like after the Initial Exercise Date), (ii) the average daily volume for such Measurement Period exceeds $100,000 per Trading Day (subject to adjustment for forward and reverse stock splits, recapitalizations, stock dividends and the like after the Initial Exercise Date) and (iii) the Holder is not in possession of any information that constitutes, or might constitute, material non-public information which was provided by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates, then the Company may, within 1 Trading Day of the end of such Measurement Period, call for cancellation of all or any portion of this Warrant for which a Notice of Exercise has not yet been delivered (such right, a “Call”) for consideration equal to $0.001 per Warrant Share. To exercise this right, the Company must deliver to the Holder an irrevocable written notice (a “Call Notice”), indicating therein the portion of unexercised portion of this Warrant to which such notice applies. If the conditions set forth below for such Call are satisfied from the period from the date of the Call Notice through and including the Call Date (as defined below), then any portion of this Warrant subject to such Call Notice for which a Notice of Exercise shall not have been received by the Call Date will be cancelled at 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the tenth Trading Day after the date the Call Notice is received by the Holder (such date and time, the “Call Date”). Any unexercised portion of this Warrant to which the Call Notice does not pertain will be unaffected by such Call Notice. In furtherance thereof, the Company covenants and agrees that it will honor all Notices of Exercise with respect to Warrant Shares subject to a Call Notice that are tendered through 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Call Date. The parties agree that any Notice of Exercise delivered following a Call Notice which calls less than all of the Warrants shall first reduce to zero the number of Warrant Shares subject to such Call Notice prior to reducing the remaining Warrant Shares available for purchase under this Warrant. For example, if (A) this Warrant then permits the Holder to acquire 100 Warrant Shares, (B) a Call Notice pertains to 75 Warrant Shares, and (C) prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Call Date the Holder tenders a Notice of Exercise in respect of 50 Warrant Shares, then (x) on the Call Date the right under this Warrant to acquire 25 Warrant Shares will be automatically cancelled, (y) the Company, in the time and manner required under this Warrant, will have issued and delivered to the Holder 50 Warrant Shares in respect of the exercises following receipt of the Call Notice, and (z) the Holder may, until the Termination Date, exercise this Warrant for 25 Warrant Shares (subject to adjustment as herein provided and subject to subsequent Call Notices). Subject again to the provisions of this Section 2(f), the Company may deliver subsequent Call Notices for any portion of this Warrant for which the Holder shall not have delivered a Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Warrant, the Company may not deliver a Call Notice or require the cancellation of this Warrant (and any such Call Notice shall be void), unless, from the beginning of the Measurement Period through the Call Date, (1) the Company shall have honored in
accordance with the terms of this Warrant all Notices of Exercise delivered by 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Call Date, and (2) a registration statement shall be effective as to all Warrant Shares and the prospectus thereunder available for use by the Company for the sale of all such Warrant Shares to the Holder, and (3) the ADSs shall be listed or quoted for trading on the Trading Market, and (4) the directors of the Company have authority to allot a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs and underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant, and (5) the issuance of all Warrant Shares subject to a Call Notice shall not cause a breach of any provision of Section 2(e) herein. The Company’s right to call the Warrants under this Section 2(f) shall be exercised ratably among the Holders based on each Holder’s initial purchase of Warrants.
Section 3. Certain Adjustments.
a) Share Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a share dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on its Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Ordinary Shares or ADSs (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any ADSs issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), as applicable, (ii) subdivides outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a larger number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse share split) outstanding Ordinary Shares or ADSs into a smaller number of shares or ADSs, as applicable, (iv) redesignates any other securities as Ordinary Shares or ADSs or (v) issues Ordinary Shares or ADSs by way of capitalization of profits or reserves, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of ADSs (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of ADSs outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted so that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date or (if there is no record date) the effective date of the transaction giving rise to the adjustment.
b) [RESERVED]
c) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Ordinary Share Equivalents or rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Ordinary Shares or ADSs (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such ADSs as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Maximum Percentage).
d) Pro Rata Distributions. Except to the extent that the adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above apply, during such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to receive at the time such Distribution is made the amount of cash or assets that are distributed in the Distribution per Ordinary Share or ADS multiplied by the number of Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares or ADSs are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that the Holder shall not be entitled to receive any Ordinary Shares or ADSs pursuant to the foregoing right to the extent that this would result in the Holder exceeding the Maximum Percentage, and any such Ordinary Shares or ADSs shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Maximum Percentage).
e) Fundamental Transactions. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or
exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Ordinary Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Ordinary Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares (not including any Ordinary Shares 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) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and/or any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration “) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of Ordinary Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one Ordinary Share in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Ordinary Shares are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an Exercise price which applies the Exercise Price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/2000th of an ADS, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of Ordinary Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
g) Notice to Holder.
i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant ADSs and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Ordinary Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Ordinary Shares or ADSs, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Ordinary Shares or ADSs rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with a Fundamental Transaction, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number
or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Ordinary Shares or ADSs of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Ordinary Shares or ADS of record shall be entitled to exchange their Ordinary Shares or ADS for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
g) Change in ADS Ratio.. If after the Issuance Date the ratio of ADSs to Ordinary Shares is increased or reduced, then the number of Warrant ADSs to be delivered upon exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price per Warrant ADS will each be proportionately adjusted so that the aggregate Exercise Price remains unchanged.
Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.
a) Transferability. Subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Section 4(d) hereof and to the provisions of Section 4.1 of the Purchase Agreement, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant ADSs without having a new Warrant issued.
b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the Issue Date and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant ADSs issuable pursuant thereto.
c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
d) Transfer Restrictions. If, at the time of the surrender of this Warrant in connection with any transfer of this Warrant, the transfer of this Warrant shall not be either (i) registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or (ii) eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or current public information requirements pursuant to Rule 144, the Company may require, as a condition of allowing such transfer, that the Holder or transferee of this Warrant, as the case may be, comply with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, including Section 4.13 thereof.
e) Representation by the Holder. The Holder, by the acceptance hereof, represents and warrants that it is acquiring this Warrant and, upon any exercise hereof, will acquire the Warrant ADSs issuable upon such exercise, for its own account
and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Warrant ADSs or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act.
Section 5. Miscellaneous.
a) Legends. The Holder agrees to the provisions of section 4.1 of the Purchase Agreement, including the restrictive legends and restrictions on transfer.
b) No Rights as Shareholder Until Exercise; No Cash Settlement. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a shareholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to Section 2(c) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) and Section 2(d)(iv) herein, in no event shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.
c) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant ADSs, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
d) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.
e) Authorized Shares.
The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, its directors will have authority to allot a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs and underlying Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant ADSs may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the applicable Trading Market upon which the Ordinary Shares and ADSs may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant ADSs in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof. Unless required by law, the Company shall not do anything that would require the Exercise Price to be adjusted to an amount that is less than the aggregate nominal value of the Ordinary Shares underlying an ADS at that time.
f) Jurisdiction. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
g) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant, and the Warrant Shares and the Warrant ADSs acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
h) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding the fact that all rights hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. If the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
i) Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
j) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant ADSs, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or as a shareholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
k) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
l) Depositary. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Depositary’s rights and obligations with respect to the Company and the ADSs (including the Warrant ADSs) shall be as set forth in, and subject to, the terms and provisions of the deposit agreement among, inter alia, the Company and the Depositary and in no event shall this Warrant be deemed or construed to impose any additional obligations or liabilities on the Depositary.
m) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant ADSs.
n) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.
o) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
p) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
********************
(Signature Page Follows)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.
| AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to PA Warrant – March 2024]
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
| TO: | AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC |
| DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS DEPOSITARY |
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase Warrant ADSs of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
☐ in lawful money of the United States; or
☐ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant ADSs as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant ADSs purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).
(3) Please register and issue said Warrant ADSs in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
For Warrant ADSs not bearing a restrictive legend
DTC Participant name and number:
Contact of DTC Participant:
Telephone Number of Participant Contact:
For Warrant ADSs bearing a restrictive legend
Name:
Address:
Tax ID:
Telephone Number of Holder:
(4) Accredited Investor. If the Warrant is being exercised via cash exercise, the undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity:
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:
Name of Authorized Signatory:
Title of Authorized Signatory:
Date:
EXHIBIT B
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase Warrant ADSs.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to
| Name: |
| |
| (Please Print) | ||
| Address: |
| |
| (Please Print) | ||
| Dated: , | ||
| Holder’s Signature: | ||
| Holder’s Address: | ||
Exhibit 5.1
|
Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP Sancroft 10-15 Newgate Street London EC1A 7AZ United Kingdom goodwinlaw.com +44 (0) 20 7447 4200 |
6 September 2024
Akari Therapeutics, plc
Highdown House, Yeoman Way, Worthing
West Sussex, United Kingdom, BN99 3HH
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Akari Therapeutics, plc – Registration Statement on Form S-3 – Exhibit 5.1
We have acted as English law advisers to Akari Therapeutics, plc, a public limited company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (company no.: 05252842) (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing on the date hereof with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), including a prospectus (the “Prospectus”) pursuant to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “US Securities Act”).
The Registration Statement covers the resale by certain selling securityholders of up to an aggregate of 10,782,431 American Depositary Shares of the Company (“ADSs”) representing up to an aggregate of 21,564,862,000 ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”), consisting of:
| (i) | 947,868 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement (the “December Private Placement”), pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated 27 December 2023, by and among the Company and the investors listed therein (the “December SPA”); |
| (ii) | 1,320,614 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement (the “March Private Placement”), pursuant to an amended and restated securities purchase agreement, dated 26 March 2024, by and among the Company and the investors listed therein (the “March SPA”); |
| (iii) | 132,061 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants issued in connection with the March Private Placement (the “March Placement Agent Warrants”); |
| (iv) | 4,029,754 ADSs issued to certain of the selling shareholders in a private placement (the “May Private Placement”), pursuant to a securities purchase agreement dated 29 May 2024, by and among the Company and the investors listed therein (the “May SPA”); |
| (v) | 4,029,754 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued pursuant to the May SPA (the “Series C Warrants”); and |
| (vi) | 322,380 ADSs issuable upon the exercise of placement agent warrants issued in connection with the May Private Placement (the “May Placement Agent Warrants”). |
(the Ordinary Shares underlying the ADSs referenced at (i) to (vi) together, the “Shares”).
We understand that the existing issued Ordinary Shares are not, and are not intended to be, admitted to trading on any market or exchange, or otherwise listed, in the United Kingdom.
Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC362294. Its registered office is at Sancroft, 10-15 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AZ. A list of the names of the members of Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP is available for inspection at the registered office. Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP is affiliated with Goodwin Procter LLP, which operates in the United States of America.
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 2
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
In connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, to which this letter is attached as an exhibit, with the SEC pursuant to the US Securities Act we have been asked to provide opinions on certain matters, as set out below. We have taken instruction in this regard solely from the Company.
1.2 Defined terms and headings
In this letter:
| (a) | capitalised terms used without definition in this letter or the schedules hereto have the meanings assigned to them in the Registration Statement unless a contrary indication appears; and |
| (b) | headings are for ease of reference only and shall not affect interpretation. |
1.3 Legal review
For the purpose of issuing this letter, we have examined such questions of law as we have considered appropriate. We have reviewed only the following documents and conducted only the following enquiries and searches:
| (a) | an online search at Companies House in respect of information available for inspection on the Company’s file conducted on 6 September 2024 at 10:04 am BST ; |
| (b) | an enquiry of the Central Index of Winding Up Petitions, London on 6 September 2024 at 10:07 am BST ((a) and (b) together, the “Searches”); |
| (c) | a certificate dated 6 September 2024 signed by the Interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company (the “Certificate”) relating to certain factual matters as at the date of the Certificate and having annexed thereto copies (certified by the Interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company as being true, complete, accurate and up-to-date in each case) of the following documents: |
| a. | a PDF copy of the written resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) dated May 24, 2024 approving, inter alia, the filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC; |
| b. | a PDF copy of the signed minutes of the annual general meeting of the Company on 30 June 2023 including, inter alia, shareholders’ resolutions authorising the directors of the Company to allot (and grant rights to subscribe for) Ordinary Shares for the purposes of section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 (the “Companies Act”) and conferring power on the directors of the Company to do so without the application of pre-emption rights pursuant to section 570 of the Companies Act (the “Shareholders’ Resolutions”); |
| c. | a PDF copy of the current articles of association of the Company adopted on 8 December 2020, as amended by a special resolution of the Company passed on 30 June 2023 (the “Articles”); and |
| d. | PDF copies of the certificate of incorporation of the Company dated 7 October 2004 and the Company’s certificate of incorporation on re-registration of the Company as a public limited company dated 15 February 2005, each as available for free online viewing by the public on the website of Companies House; |
| (d) | a draft copy of the Registration Statement (which for the avoidance of doubt includes the Prospectus) in the form to be filed with the SEC on the date hereof; and |
| (e) | PDF executed copies of the: |
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 3
| a. | December SPA; |
| b. | March SPA; |
| c. | May SPA; |
| d. | March Placement Agent Warrants; |
| e. | Series C Warrants; and |
| f. | May Placement Agent Warrants, |
together the “Documents” and each a “Document”. We express no opinion as to any agreement, instrument or document other than the Documents and then only as expressly specified in this letter.
1.4 Applicable law
This letter, the opinions given in it, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with this letter and/or the opinions given in it, are governed by, and to be construed in accordance with, English law as in force on the date of this letter and relate only to English law as applied by the English courts as at today’s date. In particular:
| (a) | we have not investigated the laws of any country other than England and we express no opinion in this letter on the laws of any jurisdiction other than England and we assume that no foreign law affects any of the opinions given below. It is assumed that no foreign law which may apply to the matters contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Company, any document or any other matter contemplated by any document would or might affect this letter and/or the opinions given in it; |
| (b) | we do not undertake or accept any obligation to update this letter and/or the opinions given in it to reflect subsequent changes in English law or factual matters; and |
| (c) | we express no opinion in this letter on the laws of any jurisdiction other than England. It is assumed that no foreign law which may apply to the matters contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Company, any document or any other matter contemplated by any document would or might affect this letter and/or the opinions given in it. |
1.5 Assumptions and reservations
The opinions given in this letter are given on the basis of each of the assumptions set out in Schedule 1 (Assumptions) to this letter and are subject to each of the reservations set out in Schedule 2 (Reservations) to this letter. The opinions given in this letter are strictly limited to the matters stated in paragraph 2 (Opinions) below and do not extend, and should not be read as extending, by implication or otherwise, to any other matters.
It should be understood that we have not been responsible for investigating or verifying the accuracy of any facts or the reasonableness of any statement of opinion or intention contained in or relevant to any Document.
2. OPINIONS
Subject to paragraph 1 (Introduction) and the other matters set out in this letter and its schedules, we are of the opinion that as at today’s date:
| (a) | the Company is a public limited company duly incorporated under English law, noting the Searches revealed no order or resolution for the winding-up of the Company and no notice of the appointment of a receiver or administrator in respect of it or any of its assets; and |
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 4
| (b) | the Shares represented by ADSs, when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any future Prospectus supplement(s) and in accordance with the respective terms of the Documents, will be duly and validly authorised and issued, fully paid or credited as fully paid and will not be subject to any call for payment of further capital. |
3. EXTENT OF OPINIONS
We express no opinion as to any agreement, instrument or other document other than as specified in this letter or as to any liability to tax or duty which may arise or be suffered as a result of or in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby.
This letter only applies to those facts and circumstances which exist as at today’s date and we assume no obligation or responsibility to update or supplement this letter to reflect any facts or circumstances which may subsequently come to our attention, any changes in laws which may occur after today, or to inform the addressee of any change in circumstances happening after the date of this letter which would alter our opinion.
4. DISCLOSURE AND RELIANCE
This letter is addressed to you in connection with the Registration Statement. We consent to the filing of this letter with the SEC as an exhibit to the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the US Securities Act. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the US Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
Other than for the purpose set out in the prior paragraph, this letter may not be relied upon, or assigned, for any purpose, without our prior written consent, which may be granted or withheld in our discretion.
Yours faithfully
/s/ Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP
Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 5
SCHEDULE 1
ASSUMPTIONS
The opinions in this letter have been given on the basis of the following assumptions:
| (a) | the genuineness of all signatures (including electronic signatures), stamps and seals on all documents, the authenticity and completeness of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies; |
| (b) | that each of the individuals who signs as, or otherwise claims to be, an officer of the Company is the individual whom they claim to be and holds the office they claim to hold; |
| (c) | the accuracy as to factual matters of each document we have reviewed; |
| (d) | that, where a document has been examined by us in draft or specimen form, it will be or has been duly executed in the form of that draft or specimen, and that each of the signed documents examined by us has been duly executed and, where applicable, delivered on behalf of the Company; |
| (e) | that there is no agreement or arrangement which modifies, supersedes or is inconsistent with any Document; |
| (f) | that the Articles remain in full force and effect and no alteration has been made or will be made to such articles of association, in each case prior to the date of the allotment and issue of the Shares (the “Allotment Date”); |
| (g) | on the Allotment Date, the Company will comply with all applicable laws, and will have all necessary corporate and other power, authority and capacity, in order to allot and issue the Shares and the Company will receive such amounts as are necessary to fully pay the nominal value of the Shares and any applicable share premium; |
| (h) | that all documents, forms and notices which should have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in respect of the Company have been so delivered, that information revealed by the Searches was complete and accurate in all respects and has not, since the time of the Searches, been altered and that the results of the Searches will remain complete and accurate as at the date of the Registration Statement; |
| (i) | that the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus), as finally amended, has become effective under the US Securities Act; |
| (j) | that the contents of the Certificate were true and not misleading when given and remain true and not misleading as at the date of this letter and there is no fact or matter not referred to in the Certificate which could make any of the information in the Certificate inaccurate or misleading; |
| (k) | that the Shares are not, and are not intended to be, admitted to trading on any market or exchange, or otherwise listed, in the United Kingdom; |
| (l) | that all documents, forms and notices which should have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in respect of the Company have been so delivered, that information revealed by the Searches was complete and accurate in all respects and has not, since the time of the Searches, been altered and that the results of the Searches will remain complete and accurate as at the Allotment Date; |
| (m) | prior to the issuance and/or allotment of any Shares, an appropriate Prospectus supplement with respect to the relevant Shares will be prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the US Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; |
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 6
| (n) | that any allotment of Shares which occurs after the date of this letter is done in accordance with any terms and limits prescribed by the Shareholder Resolutions or such other shareholder resolutions relating to Company in force at the time of such allotment; |
| (o) | that any minutes of the meetings of the Board or the written resolutions of the Board provided to us in connection with the giving of this letter or otherwise contemplated in connection with the matters referred to herein were duly passed as resolutions of the Board, all constitutional, statutory and other formalities were and/or will be observed and such resolutions have not been, and will not be, revoked or varied and remain in full force and effect as at the date of this letter; |
| (p) | that the resolutions set out in the Shareholder Resolutions were validly passed and have not been and will not be revoked or varied and remain in full force and effect and will remain so as at the date of this letter, the Company has not allotted shares or granted rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares pursuant to the Shareholder Resolutions which would, when aggregated with the allotment of the Shares set forth in the Registration Statement, result in the Directors exceeding the limits set out in the Shareholder Resolutions; |
| (q) | that in relation to the allotment and issue of the Shares, the directors of the Company will act in the manner required by section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 (Duty to promote the success of the Company), and there has not been and will not be any bad faith, breach of trust, fraud, coercion, duress or undue influence on the part of any of the directors of the Company; |
| (r) | the Shares will be sold or issued in accordance with a duly authorised, executed and delivered purchase, underwriting or similar agreement; |
| (s) | that the Shares when issued will be accurately and properly completed, duly authorised, executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and authenticated, issued and paid for and registered in the register of holders of Shares maintained for this purpose, in accordance with the then operative Articles and all applicable laws (for the avoidance of doubt, as in force at all relevant times); |
| (t) | prior to the Allotment Date, the directors of the Company, including the pricing committee or other appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company will have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the allotment and issue of the Shares and related matters; |
| (u) | that the directors of the Company will act in accordance with sections 171 to 174 of the Companies Act 2006 in approving the board resolutions and that all actions to be carried out by the Company are or will be in its commercial interests, in each case in connection with the allotment and issue of the Shares and related matters; |
| (v) | that there are no facts or circumstances (and no documents, agreements, instruments or correspondence) which are not apparent from the face of the documents listed in paragraph 1.3 or which have not been disclosed to us that may affect the validity or enforceability of the documents listed in paragraph 1.3 or any obligation therein or otherwise affect the opinions expressed in this letter; |
| (w) | that no Shares or rights to subscribe for Shares have been or shall be offered to the public in the United Kingdom in breach of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) or of any other United Kingdom laws or regulations concerning offers of securities to the public, and no communication has been or shall be made in relation to the Shares in breach of section 21 of the FSMA or any other United Kingdom laws or regulations relating to offers or invitations to subscribe for, or to acquire rights to subscribe for or otherwise acquire, shares or other securities; |
| (x) | that no Shares shall be allotted or issued, or are or shall be committed to be allotted or issued, at a discount to their nominal value (whether in dollars or equivalent in any other currency); |
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 7
| (y) | that the Company has not taken, nor will it take, any corporate or other action nor have any steps been taken or legal proceedings been started against the Company for the liquidation, winding up, dissolution, reorganisation or bankruptcy of, or for the appointment of a liquidator, receiver, trustee, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer of, the Company or all or any of its assets (or any analogous proceedings in any jurisdiction) and the Company is not unable to pay its debts as they fall due within the meaning of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986, as amended and will not become unable to pay its debts within the meaning of that section as a result of any of the transactions contemplated herein, is not insolvent and has not been dissolved or declared bankrupt (although the Searches gave no indication that any winding-up, dissolution or administration order or appointment of a receiver, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer has been made with respect to the Company); and |
| (z) | the Company is not, nor will be, engaging in criminal, misleading, deceptive or unconscionable conduct or seeking to conduct any relevant transaction or any associated activity in a manner or for a purpose which might render any transaction contemplated under any corporate approvals or any associated activity illegal, void or voidable. |
Akari Therapeutics, plc
6 September 2024
Page 8
SCHEDULE 2
RESERVATIONS
The opinions in this letter are subject to the following reservations:
| (a) | the Searches are not capable of revealing conclusively whether or not a winding-up or administration petition or order has been presented or made, a receiver appointed, a company voluntary arrangement proposed or approved or any other insolvency proceeding commenced, and the available records may not be complete or up-to-date. In particular, the Central Registry of Winding-Up Petitions in England may not contain details of administration applications filed, or appointments recorded in or orders made by, district registries and county courts outside London. Searches at Companies House and at the Central Registry of Winding Up Petitions in England are not capable of revealing whether or not a winding up petition or a petition for the making of an administration order has been presented and, further, notice of a winding up order or resolution, notice of an administration order and notice of the appointment of a receiver may not be filed at Companies House immediately and there may be a delay in the relevant notice appearing on the file of the company concerned. Further, not all security interests are registrable, such security interests have not in fact been registered or such security interests have been created by an individual or an entity which is not registered in England. We have not made enquiries of any District Registry or County Court in England; |
| (b) | the opinions set out in this letter are subject to: (i) any limitations arising from applicable laws relating to insolvency, bankruptcy, administration, reorganisation, liquidation, moratoria, schemes or analogous circumstances; and (ii) an English court exercising its discretion under section 426 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (co-operation between courts exercising jurisdiction in relation to insolvency) to assist the courts having the corresponding jurisdiction in any part of the United Kingdom or any relevant country or territory; |
| (c) | if any agreement is entered into for a purpose prohibited by sections 678 and 679 of the Companies Act 2006, it will be void; |
| (d) | we express no opinion as to matters of fact; |
| (e) | we express no opinion as to taxation matters; |
| (f) | save for the matters set out in the Certificate, we have made no enquiries of any individual connected with the Company and have relied entirely on the facts, statements and confirmations contained in the Certificate and we have not undertaken any independent investigation or verification of the matters referred to in the Certificate; |
| (g) | a certificate, documentation, notification, opinion or the like might be held by the English courts not to be conclusive if it can be shown to have an unreasonable or arbitrary basis or in the event of a manifest error; and |
| (h) | it should be understood that we have not been responsible for investigating or verifying (i) the accuracy of the facts, including statements of foreign law, or the reasonableness of any statements of opinion, contained in the Registration Statement; or (ii) that no material facts have been omitted from it. |
Exhibit 10.3
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of December 27, 2023, between Akari Therapeutics, Plc, a public company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”).
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:
“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).
“ADS(s)” means American Depositary Shares issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement (as defined below), each representing 2,000 Ordinary Shares.
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Placed ADSs and Pre- Funded Warrants pursuant to Section 2.1.
“Closing Date” means the Trading Date on which all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, provided that the Closing Date shall not be prior to the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date hereof.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company UK Counsel” means Greenberg Traurig, LLP, with offices located at The Shard, Level 8, 32 London Bridge Street London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom.
“Company US Counsel” means Greenberg Traurig, LLP with offices located at One Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
“Deposit Agreement” means the Deposit Agreement dated as of December 7, 2012 (as amended December 24, 2013, September 9, 2015 and August 17, 2023), among the Company, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Depositary, and the owners and holders of ADSs from time to time, as such agreement may be amended or supplemented.
“Depositary” means Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas.
“Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules of the Company delivered concurrently herewith.
“Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(s).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
“FDA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).
“FDCA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).
“Federal Reserve” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(ll).
“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).
“Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).
“Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.
“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(b).
“Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(n).
“Money Laundering Laws” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(mm).
“Ordinary Share(s)” means the ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be
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reclassified or changed, as represented by ADSs issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, each ADS representing 2,000 Ordinary Shares, issued and issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.
“Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares or ADSs, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares or ADSs.
“Per Placed ADS Purchase Price” equals $2.11, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of ADSs and/or Ordinary Shares that occur after the date of this Agreement, representing $0.001055 per Placed Share.
“Per Warrant Purchase Price” $1.91 (representing the Per Placed ADS Purchase Price minus $0.20, the exercise price of each Pre-Funded Warrant for the issuance of one Pre-Funded Warrant ADS).
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Pharmaceutical Product” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).
“Placed ADSs” means the ADSs deliverable and delivered at Closing pursuant to this Agreement.
“Placed Shares” means the Ordinary Shares underlying the Placed ADSs.
“Placement Agent” means Paulson Investment Company, LLC., a Delaware limited liability company, in its capacity as placement agent pursuant to the Placement Agency Agreement.
“Placement Agency Agreement” means that certain Placement Agency Agreement dated as of December 13, 2023 between the Company and the Placement Agent.
“Pre-Funded Warrants” means, collectively, the ADS purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Pre-Funded Warrants shall be exercisable immediately upon issuance, at an exercise price of $0.20 per Pre-Funded Warrant ADS, and shall expire when exercised in full, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.
“Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs” means ADSs representing the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares.
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“Pre-Funded Warrant Shares” means the Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed in respect of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424.
“Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.8. “Registration Statement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.15(a).
“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h). “Securities” means the Placed ADSs, the Placed Shares, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs and the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include locating and/or borrowing Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs).
“Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for ADSs, each ADS representing 2,000 Ordinary Shares, and Pre-Funded Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds (minus, if applicable, a Purchaser’s aggregate exercise price of the Pre-Funded Warrants, which exercise price shall be paid as and when such Pre- Funded Warrants are exercised).
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“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a), and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the ADSs are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Placement Agency Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE
2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, an aggregate of approximately $2,000,000 of ADSs, at the Per Placed ADS Purchase Price; provided that to the extent a Purchaser determines, in its sole discretion, that such Purchaser (together with such Purchaser’s Affiliates, and any Person acting as a group together with such Purchaser or any of such Purchaser’s Affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, or as such Purchaser may otherwise choose, in lieu of purchasing ADSs, such Purchaser may elect upon execution of this Agreement to purchase Pre-Funded Warrants in such manner to result in the same aggregate purchase price being paid by such Purchaser to the Company. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, at the election of the Purchaser at Closing, 9.99%) of the number of ADSs outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities on the Closing Date. In each case, the election to receive Pre- Funded Warrants is solely at the option of the Purchaser. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company, pursuant to the instructions delivered by the Company, via wire transfer or a certified check, immediately available funds equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser within one (1) Trading Day of the date hereof, which Subscription Amount shall be held in escrow until the Closing Date, and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrants, as applicable, as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur remotely via the electronic exchange of all closing deliverables, or as the parties shall otherwise mutually agree.
2.2 Deliveries.
(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;
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(ii) a legal opinion of Company UK Counsel and Company US Counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Placement Agent, Purchasers and the Depositary;
(iii) subject to the last sentence of Section 2.1, the Company shall have provided each Purchaser with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer;
(iv) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Depositary instructing the Depositary to deliver, on an expedited basis, a certificate evidencing a number of Placed ADSs equal to (i) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount less (x) the Per Warrant Purchase Price multiplied by (y) the number of Pre-Funded Warrants to which such Purchaser is entitled hereunder, if applicable, divided by (ii) the Per Placed ADS Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser, or, at the election of such Purchaser, evidence of the issuance of such Purchaser’s Shares hereunder as held in DRS book-entry form by the Depositary and registered in the name of such Purchaser, which evidence shall be reasonably satisfactory to such Purchaser; and
(v) for each Purchaser of Pre-Funded Warrants, a Pre-Funded Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of ADSs equal to the portion of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount applicable to Pre-Funded Warrants divided by the Per Warrant Purchase Price, subject to adjustment therein.
(vi) an Officer’s Certificate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent; and
(vii) a Secretary’s Certificate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent.
(b) On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and
(ii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount to the Company pursuant to Section 2.1.
| 2.3 | Closing Conditions. |
(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers
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contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and
(iii) the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.
(b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;
(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and
(v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the ADSs and Ordinary Shares shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market, and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.
ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the
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corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:
(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.
(b) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and, if such concept is applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of association, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document, (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s shareholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
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(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of association, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement and Prospectus pursuant to Section 4.15, (iii) application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, (iv) filings with Companies House in the United Kingdom in relation to the Placed Shares, (v) if applicable, the filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws and (vi) such consents, waivers and authorizations, each as set forth on Schedule 3.1(e), that shall be obtained prior to Closing (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(f) Issuance of the Securities. The Placed Shares, Placed ADSs and Pre- Funded Warrants are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions provided for in the Transaction Documents (including pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof) or imposed by applicable securities laws. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement, including with respect to issuance of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants (without taking into account any limitations on the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants).
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(g) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company as of the date hereof is as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g), which Schedule 3.1(g) shall also include the number of ADSs and Ordinary Shares. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.1(g), the Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of ADSs and Ordinary Shares to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Ordinary Share Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.1(g), no Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any ADSs and Ordinary Shares or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional ADSs, Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue ADSs and Ordinary Shares or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no shareholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s shareholders.
(h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the one year preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any
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such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(i) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.
(j) Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule (j), there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability
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of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) would have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule (j), neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. Except as set forth on Schedule (j), there has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company that would have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any outstanding registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
(k) Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved
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thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply or the failure of such receipt could not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit which would reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Title to Assets. Except where the failure to possess could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries, and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance except where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and for which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by
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another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.
(r) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(r), none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, shareholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(s) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in material compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system 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, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d- 15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports 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. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
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and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(t) Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Placement Agency Agreement, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(v) Registration Rights. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(v), no Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.
(w) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The ADSs are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of ADSs under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the ADSs or Ordinary Shares are or have been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. Except as set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, the Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The ADSs are currently eligible for electronic transfer through The Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to The Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.
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(x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s articles of association (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.
(y) Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and as set forth in Schedule 3(y), the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct in all material respects and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.
(z) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.
(aa) Solvency. Except as set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the
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Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. Schedule 3.1(aa) sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business),
(y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
(bb) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.
(cc) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.
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(dd) Accountants. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is BDO USA, LLP. To the current knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) will express its opinion with respect to the financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
(ee) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.
(ff) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.13 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Ordinary Shares and/or ADSs, and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares deliverable with respect to the Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing shareholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
(gg) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed
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to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Company’s placement agent in connection with the placement of the Securities pursuant to the Placement Agency Agreement.
(hh) FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (“FDCA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each such product, a “Pharmaceutical Product”), such Pharmaceutical Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule (hh), there is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Pharmaceutical Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Pharmaceutical Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company.
(ii) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Ordinary Shares on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
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(jj) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).
(kk) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.
(ll) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(mm) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its 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, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action 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 or any Subsidiary, threatened.
(nn) Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(oo) No General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any Person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.
(pp) No Disqualification Events. With respect to the Securities to be offered and sold hereunder in reliance on Rule 506 under the Securities Act, none of the Company, any
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of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person” and, together, “Issuer Covered Persons”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Purchasers a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.
(qq) Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Purchasers in writing, prior to the Closing Date of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person.
(rr) Other Covered Persons. The Company is not aware of any person (other than any Issuer Covered Person) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any Securities.
3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):
(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
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(b) Understandings or Arrangements. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. Such Purchaser is acquiring such Securities as principal for its own account, not as nominee or agent, and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell such Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, if applicable, or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws).
(c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Pre-Funded Warrants, it will be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. Such Purchaser has completed and duly executed the questionnaire confirming “accredited investor” status set forth on Exhibit B hereto (the “Accredited Investor Questionnaire,” has delivered such questionnaire to the Company and hereby represents the information contained therein is true, complete and accurate. Each Purchaser shall furnish any additional information requested by the Company or any of its affiliates to assure compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities, including an executed copy of an Accredited Investor Questionnaire and (x) a written confirmation with respect to such Purchaser’s accredited investor status, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, has been provided from an (i) a licensed attorney who is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction(s) in which he or she is admitted to practice law or (ii) a certified public accountant who is duly registered and in good standing under the laws of the place of his or her residence or principal office on or prior to the Closing Date, or (y) such other confirmation from an independent source regarding the Purchaser’s status as an “accredited investor” deemed appropriate by the Company. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act. If the Purchaser is in the United Kingdom, it was, and as of the date hereof, it is (i) a certified high net worth individual within Article 48 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended and/or (ii) otherwise a person to whom the investment activity to which this Agreement relates may lawfully be communicated in the United Kingdom.
(d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
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(e) Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports and has been afforded, (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment. Such Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate of the Placement Agent has provided such Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Securities and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it. In connection with the issuance of the Securities to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.
(f) Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. In addition to the foregoing, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any Short Sales of the securities of the Company during the period commencing 60 days prior to the date hereof and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for such Purchaser (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.
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(g) No General Solicitation. Such Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented ay any seminar or any other general solicitation or general advertisement.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Transfer Restrictions, Legends.
(a) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act.
(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting (or book entry notation), so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:
“NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS,
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AND, IN THE CASE OF A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION, UNLESS THE COMPANY AND DEPOSITARY HAVE RECEIVED AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM THAT SUCH TRANSACTION DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.”
The Placed Shares, Placed ADSs, Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs shall be imprinted with any such legend (or book entry notation) if (i) a Registration Statement covering the resale of such security is not effective under the Securities Act, (ii) they are not eligible for sale under Rule 144, or (iii) if otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission).
(c) The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities.
(d) Certificates evidencing the Placed Shares, Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such securities is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following any sale of such securities pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming, with respect to the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs, cashless exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants), (iii) if such securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144 (assuming, with respect to the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs, cashless exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants), or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Depositary or the Purchaser promptly if required by the Depositary to effect the removal of the legend hereunder, or if requested by a Purchaser. If all or any portion of an Pre- Funded Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs, or if such securities may be sold under Rule 144 (assuming, with respect to the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs, cashless exercise of the Pre-Funded
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Warrants) or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 4.1(d), the Company will, no later than the earlier of (i) two Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined below) following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company of a certificate representing Placed Shares or Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such date, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such ADSs that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 4. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the ADSs Shares as in effect on the date of delivery of a certificate representing Placed Shares, Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares or Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs issued with a restrictive legend.
(e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees with the Company that such Purchaser will only sell any Securities pursuant to either a registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if the Securities are sold pursuant to a registration statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Placed Shares, Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance upon this understanding.
4.2 Furnishing of Information. Until no Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.
4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner (i) that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities or (ii) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.
4.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall (a) as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing Date, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) file a Report on Form 6-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto, with the Commission within the time required by the
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Exchange Act. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior written notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).
4.5 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “acquiring person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.
4.6 Reserved.
4.7 Use of Proceeds. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes and shall not use such proceeds: (a) for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s debt (other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the Company’s business and prior practices), (b) for the redemption of any Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents, (c) for the settlement of any outstanding litigation or (d) in violation of FCPA or OFAC regulations.
4.8 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Party in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any shareholder of the Company who is not an
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Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such shareholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (x) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (y) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (z) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (1) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (2) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.8 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.
4.9 Authority to Allot Ordinary Shares. As of the date hereof, the directors of the Company have authority to allot a sufficient number of Ordinary Shares and ADSs to enable the Company to issue the Placed ADSs and Placed Shares pursuant to this Agreement and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.
4.10 Listing of Shares. The Company hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the ADSs on the Trading Market on which it is currently listed, and concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall apply to list or quote all of the Placed Shares, Placed ADSs, Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs on such Trading Market and promptly secure the listing of all of the Placed Shares, Placed ADSs, Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs on such Trading Market following the date the Commission declares the Registration Statement effective. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the ADSs traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrant ADSs, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the ADSs to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its ADSs on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the ADSs and Ordinary Shares for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.
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4.11 Form D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company shall timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and shall provide a copy thereof promptly upon request of any Purchaser or the Placement Agent. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser or the Placement Agent.
4.12 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Disclosure Schedules.
4.13 Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Pre-Funded Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrants. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Pre-Funded Warrants and shall deliver Pre-Funded Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants.
4.14 Registration Rights.
(a) On or prior to the March 31, 2024, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (any such registration statement filed pursuant to this Section 4.14, a “Registration Statement”) covering the resale of all of the Placed Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, and shall keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date on which all of the Placed Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares have been sold by the Purchaser under the Registration Statement. The Company shall notify the Purchasers via facsimile or by e-mail of the effectiveness of such a Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company telephonically confirms effectiveness with the Commission, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of such Registration Statement, and the Company shall, by 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day after the effective date of such Registration Statement, file the Prospectus with the Commission as required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Company may require each Purchaser to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of ADSs and/or Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by such Purchaser and, if required by the
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Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over the shares. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of, or compliance with, this Section 4.14 by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the Company be permitted to name any Purchaser or Affiliate of a Purchaser as any “underwriter” in any registration statement filed pursuant to this Section 4.14 without the prior written consent of such Purchaser.
(b) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents, investment advisors and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each person who controls any such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees) and expenses, as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Section 4.14, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Purchaser furnished in writing to the Company by such Purchaser expressly for use therein.
ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date hereof; provided, however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).
5.2 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Depositary fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company to issue ADSs), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers.
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5.3 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.
5.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd)Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.
5.5 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and holders of at least a majority of the aggregate amount of Ordinary Shares issued hereunder, including shares issuable under the Pre-Funded Warrants (without regard to any restriction or limitation on the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants contained therein) or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Purchaser (or group of Purchasers), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Purchaser (or group of Purchasers) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Purchaser relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Purchasers shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Purchaser. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company.
5.6 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
5.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Ordinary Shares or ADSs, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Ordinary Shares or ADSs, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”
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5.8 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. The Placement Agent shall be the third party beneficiary of the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 3.1 and the representations and warranties of the Purchasers in Section 3.2. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8 and this Section 5.8.
5.9 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) 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 other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.8, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.
5.10 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.
5.11 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
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5.12 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
5.13 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in respect of the securities or other matter to which the default relates without prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided, however, that in the case of a rescission of an exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any Ordinary Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently (if such shares were delivered to the applicable Purchaser) with the return of such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Pre-Funded Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).
5.14 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.
5.15 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
5.16 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any
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bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.17 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non- performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, each Purchaser and its respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through the legal counsel of the Placement Agent. The legal counsel of the Placement Agent does not represent any of the Purchasers and only represents the Placement Agent. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.
5.18 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.
5.19 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and ADSs or Ordinary Shares in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the ADSs or Ordinary Shares that occur after the date of this Agreement.
5.20 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.
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(Signature Pages Follow)
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
| AKARI THERAPEUTICS, PLC | Address for Notice: | |||
| By: | Fax: | |||
| Name: | E-mail: | |||
| Title: | ||||
| With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice): | ||||
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
Name of Purchaser:
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:
Name of Authorized Signatory:
Title of Authorized Signatory:
Email Address of Authorized Signatory:
Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory:
Address for Notice to Purchaser: Name:
Address:
Address for Delivery of Placed ADSs and Pre-Funded Warrants (if applicable) to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):
Subscription Amount:
Placed ADSs:
Number of Pre-Funded Warrants:
EIN Number:
☐ Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, by checking this box (i) the obligations of the above-signed to purchase the securities set forth in this Agreement to be purchased from the Company by the above-signed, and the obligations of the Company to sell such securities to the above-signed, shall be unconditional and all conditions to Closing shall be disregarded, (ii) the Closing shall occur by the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of this Agreement and (iii) any condition to Closing contemplated by this Agreement (but prior to being disregarded by clause (i) above) that required delivery by the Company or the above-signed of any agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) shall no longer be a condition and shall instead be an unconditional obligation of the Company or the above-signed (as applicable) to deliver such agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) to such other party on the Closing Date.
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 29, 2024, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Akari Therapeutics, Plc (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.
New York, New York
September 6, 2024
Exhibit 23.2
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Akari Therapeutics, Plc. on Form S-3 of our report of Peak Bio, Inc. dated August 5, 2024, which includes an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt about the ability of Peak Bio, Inc. to continue as a going concern, with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Peak Bio, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended appearing in Form 8-K of Akari Therapeutics, Plc. dated September 6, 2024. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
New York, NY
September 6, 2024