8-K
Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (ANIK)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 7, 2026
Anika Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-14027 | 04-3145961 |
|---|---|---|
| (State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation) | (Commission<br>File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer<br>Identification No.) |
32 Wiggins Avenue
Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(781) 457-9000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading<br>Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange<br>on which registered |
|---|---|---|
| Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | ANIK | NASDAQ Global Select Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| Item 2.02 | Results of Operations and Financial Condition. |
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On January 8, 2026, Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release and reaffirmed guidance for the year ended on December 31, 2025. A copy of the press release is furnished with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.
As previously announced, the Company expects 2025 revenue ranges by channel as follows:
| • | Commercial Channel, unchanged, of $47 to $49.5 million, up 12% to 18% year over year. |
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| • | OEM Channel, unchanged, of $62 to $65 million, down 16% to 20% year over year. |
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In addition, the Company expects Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of revenue to be positive 3% to negative 3%.
The information contained in Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.
| Item 5.02. | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
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President and Chief Executive Officer Transition
On January 8, 2026, the Company announced that, effective February 1, 2026 (the “Transition Date”), Cheryl R. Blanchard will transition from her role as President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Blanchard will transition into the role of Executive Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”) for a period of twelve (12) months through January 31, 2027. Following her service as Executive Chair, Dr. Blanchard will serve as a Special Advisor to the Board for a period of six (6) months through July 31, 2027. Following her service as Special Advisor to the Board, Dr. Blanchard will remain as an employee of the Company for a period of six (6) months, concluding on January 31, 2028 (the “Anticipated Separation Date”), and continue to serve on the Board as a director through the 2028 Annual Meeting.
On January 8, 2026, the Company announced that Steve Griffin, currently serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed by the Board to serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective as of February 1, 2026. In connection with his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Griffin will replace Dr. Blanchard as the Company’s principal executive officer and will continue to act as the Company’s principal financial officer.
On January 7, 2026, the Company and Dr. Blanchard entered into a Transitional Services and Separation Agreement (the “Transition Agreement”). Pursuant to the Transition Agreement, Dr. Blanchard will step down from her role as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective as of the Transition Date. Dr. Blanchard will continue to serve on the Board through the Anticipated Separation Date. Pursuant to the Transition Agreement, Dr. Blanchard will receive an amount equal to eighteen (18) months of her base salary rate in effect immediately prior to the Transition Date, paid ratably in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice over twenty-four (24) months, beginning on the first payroll date following the Transition Date. Dr. Blanchard will remain eligible for continuation in Company health, dental and vision benefits, subject to her copayment of premium amounts at the active employee rate. Her equity awards granted under the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan and any other equity plan shall continue to vest throughout her service relationship, in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreements and equity plans. Dr. Blanchard will also be eligible to receive a 2025 cash incentive bonus, as and to the extent determined by the Board in its sole discretion.
On January 7, 2026, the Company and Mr. Griffin entered into an Employment Agreement (the “Griffin Agreement”) pursuant to which his employment shall commence as Chief Executive Officer on February 1, 2026. Pursuant to the Griffin Agreement, Mr. Griffin will receive an annual base salary of $690,000, and commencing with fiscal year 2026, his target annual bonus shall be 75% of his base salary. In connection with his appointment,
Mr. Griffin will be granted, effective as of the Transition Date, an equity award or awards with a target grant date fair value of $2,450,000, comprised of fifty per cent (50%) restricted stock units and fifty per cent (50%) stock appreciation rights, under the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The restricted stock units and stock appreciation rights may be settled in shares of the Company’s common stock or in cash, at the Company’s discretion, as provided in the Griffin Agreement. These awards shall vest in equal installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the Transition Date, subject to Mr. Griffin’s continuous service with the Company through the relevant vesting dates.
The foregoing descriptions of the Transition Agreement and the Griffin Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of each such agreement, which are attached as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated by reference herein.
Biographical information regarding Mr. Griffin is set forth in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2025, and such information is incorporated by reference herein. No arrangement or understanding exists between Mr. Griffin and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Griffin was selected to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer. There have been no related party transactions between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and Mr. Griffin reportable under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Mr. Griffin has no family relationships with any of the Company’s directors or executive officers.
Departure of Director
On January 7, 2026, Susan N. Vogt informed the Board of her resignation as a member of the Board and all committees of the Board, effective as of February 1, 2026. There are no disagreements between Ms. Vogt and the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.
Election of Director
On January 7, 2026, upon the recommendation of its Governance and Nominating Committee, the Board appointed Steve Griffin to join the Board, effective as of February 1, 2026. Mr. Griffin will serve as a Class III director until his term expires at the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders at which time he will stand for election by the Company’s stockholders.
Indemnification Agreements
The Company entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors. Each indemnification agreement provides for indemnification and advancements by the Company of certain expenses and costs relating to claims, suits or proceedings arising from each individual’s service to the Company as a director or, at the Company’s request, service to other entities, as applicable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
The foregoing description of the indemnification agreements is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the form of indemnification agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
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(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit<br>Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 10.1 | Transitional Services and Separation Agreement dated as of January 7, 2026, between Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and Cheryl R. Blanchard |
| 10.2 | Employment Agreement effective as of January 7, 2026, between Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and Stephen Griffin |
| 10.3 | Form of Indemnification Agreement by and between Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and each of its directors |
| 99.1 | Press release dated January 8, 2026 |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Anika Therapeutics, Inc. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date: January 8, 2026 | By: | /s/ Ian McLeod |
| Ian McLeod | ||
| Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer |
EX-10.1
Exhibit 10.1
January 7, 2026
Cheryl R. Blanchard
| Re: | Transitional Services and Separation Agreement |
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Dear Cheryl,
This letter agreement follows our conversations regarding your transition from your role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”). We appreciate your contributions and would like to work with you to make this transition as smooth as possible. Consistent with that goal, the Company is offering you an opportunity to continue your at-will employment during a Transition Period as set forth herein.
Regardless of whether you enter into this Agreement, you are subject to continuing obligations under the Employment Agreement, including without limitation the confidentiality, assignment of inventions, noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and other restrictive covenants set forth in Section 8 and 9 of the Employment Agreement (with any other confidentiality, restrictive covenant and other ongoing obligations you have to any of the Releasees (as defined below) (the “Ongoing Obligations”).
This letter proposes an agreement (the “Agreement”) between you and the Company. Except for the Ongoing Obligations or as otherwise explicitly set forth herein, this Agreement supersedes your Employment Agreement with the Company dated April 23, 2020 (the “Employment Agreement”). You and the Company further agree as follows:
1. Separation Date; Transition Period.
If you enter into and comply with this Agreement, you will continue to be employed until January 31, 2028 (the “Anticipated Separation Date”) unless you resign or are terminated by the Company prior to such date. Your last day of employment, whether it is the Anticipated Separation Date or an earlier date, shall be referred to as the “Separation Date.” The time period between the date of this letter and the Separation Date shall be referred to as the “Transition Period.” During the Transition Period, you shall be permitted to serve on other company/organization boards and/or in an independent contractor / consultant / advisor capacity to other entities (collectively, “Outside Activities”) so long as (i) such Outside Activities do not conflict with your duties to the Company and you continue to abide by your Ongoing Obligations; and (ii) to the extent any such Outside Activities constitute Board service for, or advisor, consulting or other service relationships with, other business or for-profit entities, you first obtain advance Board consent for any such outside activities (which will not be unreasonably withheld).
The Transition Period will be structured as follows:
| • | The Company is expected to announce your transition from President and Chief Executive Officer in or around<br>January 2026 (the date of such transition, the “Tranisiton Date”). You will be paid your vacation pay that is earned but unused through December 31, 2025 in a lump sum on the first payroll date following the Transition Date.<br> |
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| • | You will continue to serve, subject to the rights of the Board and the Company’s stockholders under the<br>Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws, on the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”) through the Transition Period and thereafter as set forth below. |
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| • | Effective February 1, 2026, unless another date is mutually agreed upon, (such actual first day of<br>transition, the “Transition Date”), you will transition from your role as President and Chief Executive Officer into the role of Executive Chair, which will be a W2 employment role. You will serve as Executive Chair for a period<br>of twelve (12) months, through January 31, 2027 (subject to the foregoing, the actual period of your service as Executive Chair is the “Executive Chair Period”). |
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| • | Following your service as Executive Chair, you will serve as a W2 Special Advisor to the Board of Directors (the<br>“Board”) for a period of six (6) months, through July 31, 2027. |
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| • | Following your service as Special Advisor to the Board you will remain a W2 employee of the Company, and also<br>serve on the Board, for a period of six (6) months, concluding on the Anticipated Separation Date. |
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| • | Following the Anticipated Separation Date, you will continue to serve as a 1099 member of the Board through the<br>end of your current term, which expires at the Company’s 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. |
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| • | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, as with all Company employees, your employment shall<br>remain at-will (i.e. terminable by either you or the Company without advance notice) at all times. |
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| • | Your services throughout the Transition Period and thereafter as a 1099 member of the Board will be covered by<br>the Company’s defense and indemnification provisions set forth in its by-laws, any applicable indemnification agreement and under its insurance policies, in each case subject to the terms of the<br>applicable agreement, bylaws or policies. |
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During the Transition Period, you agree to: (i) perform duties requested and commensurate with the positions above; and (ii) provide such other services as the Company reasonably requires (collectively, the “Transitional Services”). For such services, you shall be provided Transition Compensation as detailed below.
To avoid doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement does not guarantee your employment for any length of time, and your employment remains at will, subject to the severance and other compensation provisions contained herein. Following the Transition Period, so long as you remain on the Board, you shall be eligible to receive standard Board member cash compensation (but to avoid doubt, not any equity compensation) for the remainder of your Board term in accordance with the Company’s Board compensation program then in effect. You shall not be entitled to receive any cash or equity or other compensation for your Board service prior to such time.
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2. Compensation During Transition Period.
During the Transition Period, the Company shall provide you with the following benefits:
| • | The Company shall pay you an amount equal to eighteen (18) months of your base salary rate in effect<br>immediately prior to the Transition Date, paid ratably in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice over twenty-four (24) months, beginning on the first payroll date following the Transition Date,<br>subject to all applicable withholdings (the “Transition Compensation”). You understand and agree that the Transition Compensation is equal to and in lieu of any severance pay due to you under the Employment Agreement.<br> |
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| • | You shall remain eligible for continuation in Company health, dental and vision benefits, subject to your<br>copayment of premium amounts at the active employee rate. |
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| • | Following the Transition Period, you shall be eligible for eighteen (18) months of COBRA continuation<br>coverage in accordance with the Company’s standard policies and at your sole expense, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of the COBRA law. |
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| • | Your equity awards granted under the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan and any other equity plan shall<br>continue to vest throughout your service relationship during the Transition Period, in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreements and equity plans. |
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| • | You shall be eligible to receive a 2025 cash incentive bonus, as and to the extent determined by the Board in its<br>sole discretion. |
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| • | The Company shall reimburse you for reasonable legal fees incurred in connection with the negotiation and review<br>of this Agreement, up to a maximum of $10,000, following the Company’s receipt of appropriate invoicing. |
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| • | In the event that a Change in Control (as defined in your Employment Agreement) occurs during the Transition<br>Period you shall receive the same treatment of your equity as set forth in Section 6(b) of your Employment Agreement, subject in all respects to such Section 6(b). |
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| • | In the event of your Death or Disability (as defined in your Employment Agreement) during the Transition Period,<br>all of the above payments and benefits shall be provided to you and/or your estate, as applicable. |
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You acknowledge and agree that, notwithstanding anything in the Employment Agreement or otherwise, you shall not be eligible for any salary, bonus, equity, or other compensation during the Transition Period except as detailed in this Section. You further acknowledge that you will not accrue any vacation during the Transition Period.
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3. Severance Benefits in Connection with Early Termination. Your employment is and shall remain at-will. If the Company terminates your employment without Cause or if you resign for Good Reason (both as defined in the Employment Agreement), in either case during the Transition Period (i.e. prior to January 31, 2028), and provided you execute and do not revoke the Certificate attached as Exhibit A within seven (7) days following the Separation Date and such Certificate becomes effective, the Company will provide you with the following severance benefits:
| • | The Company shall pay you any remaining unpaid portion of the Transition Compensation paid as salary continuation<br>in substantially equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll dates through January 31, 2028 beginning with the first such payroll date after the Certificate Effective Date (as defined in Exhibit A below). |
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| • | Subject to applicable law and plan terms, you shall remain eligible for continuation in Company health, dental<br>and vision benefits, subject to your copayment of premium amounts at the active employee rate through January 31, 2028 and thereafter, if you elect and remain eligible for COBRA continuation coverage, the Company shall pay or reimburse (at its<br>option) the same portion of premiums that it pays for active employees for the same level of Company group health coverage as in effect for you on the Separation Date until the earlier of (i) your eligibility for comparable health insurance<br>from a subsequent employer, or (ii) the end of your eligibility under COBRA for such continuation coverage. You will be responsible for paying the remaining portion of the premiums for such coverage as if you remained employed. You authorize<br>the deduction of the portion for which you are responsible from your Severance Pay. You agree to inform the Company promptly upon your eligibility for comparable group health insurance from a subsequent employer, and you agree to respond promptly to<br>the Company’s COBRA-related inquiries. |
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| • | If (i) the Company enters into an agreement to effect a Change in Control (as defined in your Employment<br>Agreement) during the Executive Chair Period, and (ii) such Change in Control is subsequently consummated, and (iii) your termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason occurs within three months prior or twelve months following<br>the consummation of such Change in Control, then, subject to your compliance with this Agreement, effective upon any such termination, you shall also receive: (a) the equivalent of six additional months’ of your base salary added to the<br>calculation for Transition Compensation; (b) six additional months of Company continuation of health, dental and vision benefits starting on January 31, 2028; (c) an amount equal to two times your target annual bonus that was in place<br>immediately before this Agreement became effective (i.e., 85% x $750,396.66 x 2 = $1,275,674.32) added to the calculation for Transition Compensation; and (d) the same treatment to your equity as set forth in Section 6(a)(C) of your<br>Employment Agreement. |
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| • | You acknowledge and agree that if you are terminated for Cause or resign without Good Reason prior to the<br>Anticipated Separation Date, you shall forfeit any remaining unpaid portion of the Transition Compensation. For absolute clarity, if the Company terminates your employment without Cause or if you resign for Good Reason (both as defined in the<br>Employment Agreement), in either case during the Transition Period (i.e. prior to January 31, 2028) : (i) you will still remain a Board member through the end of your current term, which expires at the Company’s 2028 Annual Meeting of<br>Stockholders, subject to the |
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| <br>rights of the Board and the Company’s stockholders under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws; and (ii) during your Board service, you shall continue to vest in<br>the equity grants you currently hold and will have the same rights as other Board members concerning the treatment of your equity upon a Change in Control (as defined in your Employment Agreement). |
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4. Release of Claims
In consideration for, among other terms, your eligibility for the compensation described in this Agreement, for which you acknowledge you would otherwise not be eligible, you, on behalf of yourself and your heirs, administrators, representatives, successors and assigns (together with you, the “Releasors”), voluntarily release and forever discharge the Company, its affiliated and related entities, its and their respective predecessors, successors and assigns, its and their respective employee benefit plans and fiduciaries of such plans, and the current and former employees, officers, directors, shareholders, interest holders, managers, members, partners, investors, attorneys, accountants and agents of each of the foregoing in their official and personal capacities (collectively referred to as the “Releasees”) generally from all claims, demands, debts, damages and liabilities of every name and nature, known or unknown (“Claims”) that, as of the date when you sign this Agreement, you or any other Releasor have, ever had, now claim to have or ever claimed to have had against any or all of the Releasees. This release includes, without limitation, all Claims:
| • | relating to your employment by and termination of employment with the Company; |
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| • | of wrongful discharge or violation of public policy; |
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| • | of breach of contract; |
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| • | of defamation or other torts; |
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| • | of retaliation or discrimination under federal, state or local law; |
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| • | under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; |
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| • | under any other federal or state statute; |
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| • | under MGL c. 151B; |
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| • | for wages, bonuses, incentive compensation, commissions, stock, stock options, expenses, vacation pay or any<br>other compensation or benefits, either under the Massachusetts Wage Act, M.G.L. c. 149, §§148-150C, or otherwise, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law; and<br> |
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| • | for damages or other remedies of any sort, including, without limitation, compensatory damages, punitive damages,<br>injunctive relief and attorney’s fees; |
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provided, however, that this release shall not affect your rights under this Agreement, your rights to defense and indemnification, your rights to vested retirement/pension/deferred compensation benefits, your rights under your equity agreements and the governing equity plan, and your rights as a shareholder.
You acknowledge and represent that, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the Company has paid or provided all salary, wages, bonuses, accrued vacation/paid time off, premiums, leaves, housing allowances, relocation costs, interest, severance, outplacement costs, fees, reimbursable expenses, commissions, stock, stock options, vesting, and any and all other benefits and compensation due to you. You specifically represent that you are not due to receive any commissions or other incentive compensation from the Company.
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You agree not to accept damages of any nature, other equitable or legal remedies for your own benefit or attorney’s fees or costs from any of the Releasees with respect to any Claim released by this Agreement. As a material inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement, you represent that you have not assigned any Claim to any third party.
5. Nondisparagement.
Subject to the Protected Activities section below, you agree not to make any disparaging statements concerning the Company or any of its affiliates or current or former officers, directors, shareholders, employees or agents, and the Company agrees that its Board members will not make any disparaging statements concerning you. These nondisparagement obligations shall not in any way affect your / any Board members’ obligation to testify truthfully in any legal proceeding or otherwise have candid internal discussions concerning performance, governance and Company matters.
6. Ongoing Obligations
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Ongoing Obligations, you hereby agree that your post-employment noncompetition obligations to the Company, and your other obligations to the Company, under the Employment Agreement nevertheless are in full effect and are fully enforceable, regardless of the circumstances of your termination; and are incorporated herein as if newly entered-into. You agree that your eligibility for compensation under this Agreement constitutes mutually agreed upon, fair and reasonable consideration for each of the Ongoing Obligations that is independent from your employment with the Company. You agree that you had the opportunity to review the Ongoing Obligations and this Agreement with the legal counsel of your choosing. You agree that you would not be eligible for consideration under this Agreement absent your agreement to this Section.
7. Other Obligations
To the extent you have not assigned any developments or intellectual property rights to the Company that are related to the Company’s business activities or were made using the Company’s time, equipment or resources, you hereby assign such developments and intellectual property rights to the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law. You agree to promptly return all Company property to the Company; not to disclose or use any Company confidential information at any time; not to represent yourself as currently employed or engaged by the Company after the Separation Date; subject to the “Protected Activities” Section below, to cooperate with the Company in any future dispute or intellectual property matter; and to notify future employers of your Ongoing Obligations.
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8. Resignations from Other Positions; Transition of Information and Access
If you are terminated or resign, for any reason, prior to the expiration of your current board term, you agree you shall (i) resign from any officer or other positions you occupy at the Company, or any of its affiliates, effective as of the Separation Date or as of such earlier date as the Company requires; (ii) agree to execute such documentation as the Company or its applicable affiliate reasonably requires to effectuate such resignations; and (iii) take such steps as the Company (or its applicable affiliate) reasonably requests to ensure the transition of any account access, systems access, password access, customer access, confidential information, Company property, customer information or customer relationships to the Company or its applicable affiliate.
9. ProtectedActivities
Nothing contained in this Agreement or in any other agreement with the Company limits your ability to: (i) file a charge or complaint with any federal, state or local governmental agency or commission, including without limitation the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission (a “Government Agency”); (ii) communicate with any Government Agency or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency; (iii) exercise any rights you may have under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, including any rights you may have under such provision to assist co-workers with or discuss any employment issue, dispute or term or condition of employment as part of engaging in concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid or protection; (iv) discuss or disclose information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that you have reason to believe is unlawful; or (v) testify truthfully in a legal proceeding, in any event with or without notice to or approval of the Company so long as such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law and the information disclosure was not obtained through a communication that was subject to the attorney client privilege (unless disclosure of that information would otherwise be permitted consistent with such privilege). If you file any charge or complaint with any Government Agency and if the Government Agency pursues any claim on your behalf, or if any other third party pursues any claim on your behalf, you waive any right to monetary or other individualized relief (either individually or as part of any collective or class action) but the Company will not limit any right you may have to receive an award by an order of a Government Agency pursuant to the whistleblower provisions of any applicable law or regulation for providing information to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other Government Agency.
10. Defend Trade Secrets Act Notice.
You understand that pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, you shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (A) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.
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11. Ongoing Obligations; Restrictive Covenants.
You acknowledge and agree that the Ongoing Obligations set forth in the Employment Agreement, including without limitation your confidentiality, assignment of inventions, noncompetition, nonsolicitation obligations shall remain in full force and effect throughout the Transition Period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Employment Agreement, the twelve (12) month post-employment restricted periods applicable to your noncompetition and nonsolicitation covenants shall not commence until the Separation Date, and shall run for a period of twelve (12) months following the Separation Date. For the avoidance of doubt, your continued employment during the Transition Period shall not be deemed to trigger the commencement of any post-employment restricted period under the Employment Agreement.
12. Other Provisions
(a) Termination and Return of Payments; Certain Remedies. If an arbitrator determines that you materially breached any of your obligations under this Agreement, including without limitation your Ongoing Obligations, in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies it may have for such breach (including without limitation injunctive relief), the Company shall have the right to terminate and/or enforce the return of its payments to you or for your benefit under this Agreement. The termination and/or return of such payments in the event of your breach will not affect your continuing obligations under this Agreement or your release of claims under this Agreement. Without limiting the Company’s remedies hereunder, if you or the Company prevail in any action to enforce this Agreement or in any other action between you and the Company, then the prevailing party shall be liable to the other party for reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with such action.
(b) Enforceability; Taxes. If any portion or provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, any portion or provision of any section of this Agreement) shall to any extent be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such portion or provision in circumstances other than those as to which it is so declared illegal or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each portion and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. All compensation and benefits provided or referred to hereunder shall be subject to taxes as required by applicable law.
(c) Waiver; Absence of Reliance. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the waiving party. The failure of a party to require the performance of any term or obligation of this Agreement, or the waiver by a party of any breach of this Agreement, shall not prevent any subsequent enforcement of such term or obligation or be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach. In signing this Agreement, you are not relying upon any promises or representations made by anyone at or on behalf of the Company.
(d) Arbitration of Disputes. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Ongoing Obligations and the Equity Documents, you and the Company hereby agree that Section 9 (Arbitration of Disputes) of the Employment Agreement shall be incorporated into this Agreement concerning any disputes hereunder and shall remain in full force and effect.
(e) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Equity Documents if applicable, and the Ongoing Obligations and other provisions of the Employment Agreement specifically referenced herein (which are incorporated herein by reference) constitute the entire agreement between you and the Company and supersede any previous agreements or understandings between you and the Company.
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(f) Time for Consideration; Effective Date. You acknowledge that you have been given the opportunity to consider this Agreement for twenty-one (21) days before signing it (the “Consideration Period”) and that you have knowingly and voluntarily entered into this Agreement. You acknowledge that the above release of claims expressly includes without limitation claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. You are advised to consult with an attorney before signing this Agreement. To accept this Agreement, you must return a signed original or a signed PDF copy of this Agreement so that it is received by the undersigned at or before the expiration of the Consideration Period. If you sign this Agreement before the end of the Consideration Period, you acknowledge by signing this Agreement that such decision was entirely voluntary and that you had the opportunity to consider this Agreement for the entire Consideration Period. For the period of seven (7) business days from the date when you sign this Agreement (the “Revocation Period”), you have the right to revoke this Agreement by written notice to the undersigned. For such a revocation to be effective, it must be delivered so that it is received by the undersigned at or before the expiration of the Revocation Period. This Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable during the Revocation Period. It will become effective on the day after the Revocation Period ends.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts. When all counterparts are signed, they shall be treated together as one and the same document.
(h) Successor to Company. The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no succession had taken place. Failure of the Company to obtain an assumption of this Agreement at or prior to the effectiveness of any succession shall be a material breach of this Agreement.
(i) Section 280G. Section 6(d) of the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
Please indicate your agreement to the terms of this Agreement by signing and returning to the undersigned the original or a PDF copy of this letter within the time period set forth above.
Very truly yours,
The Company
| By: | /s/ John Henneman | January 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| John Henneman | Date | |
| Director |
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This is a legal document. Your signature will commit you to its terms. By signing below, you acknowledge that you have carefully read and fully understand all of the provisions of this Agreement and that you are knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement.
| /s/ Cheryl Blanchard | January 7, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Cheryl Blanchard | Date |
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE UPDATING RELEASE OF CLAIMS
(THIS SHOULD NOT BE SIGNED AT THE SAME TIME THE TRANSITION AGREEMENT IS SIGNED. IT SHOULD BE SIGNED INSTEAD WITHIN THE 7 DAYS FOLLOWING THESEPARATION DATE)
I, hereby acknowledge and certify that I entered into the Transitional Services and Separation Agreement with the Company to which this Agreement is attached. Capitalized but undefined terms in this Certificate are defined in the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, I am required to sign this “Certificate,” which updates the release of claims in the Agreement, in order to receive the severance benefits described in the Agreement. For this Certificate to become effective and for me to receive such severance benefits, I must sign this Certificate after the Separation Date butno later than seven days after the Separation Date. I will not sign this Certificate before the Separation Date. Subject to the foregoing, the date I sign this Certificate is the “Certificate Effective Date.” I further agree as follows:
| 1. | A copy of this Certificate was attached as an Exhibit to the Agreement. |
|---|---|
| 2. | In consideration of the benefits described in the Agreement, for which I become eligible only if I sign this<br>Certificate, I hereby extend the release of claims set forth in the Agreement to any and all claims that arose after the date I signed the Agreement through the date I signed this Certificate, subject to all other exclusions and terms set forth in<br>the Agreement. |
| --- | --- |
| 3. | I have carefully read and fully understand all of the provisions of this Certificate, I knowingly and<br>voluntarily agree to all of the terms set forth in this Certificate, and I acknowledge that in entering into this Certificate, I am not relying on any representation, promise or inducement made by the Company or its officers, directors, employees,<br>agents or other representatives with the exception of those promises expressly contained in this Certificate and the Agreement. |
| --- | --- |
| 4. | I also represent that I have not been subject to any retaliation or any other form of adverse action by the<br>released parties for any action taken by me as an employee or resulting from my exercise of or attempt to exercise any statutory rights recognized under federal, state or local law. I agree that I have been paid all unpaid wages and other<br>compensation owed to me of the Separation Date. I also agree that and that none of my rights have been violated under any statute, common law or Company policy, program or agreement. I represent that I have reported any and all workplace injuries<br>that I suffered during my employment, if any, to the Company before executing this Certificate. |
| --- | --- |
| 5. | I agree that this Certificate is part of the Agreement. |
| --- | --- |
Accepted and Agreed:
| Cheryl Blanchard | Date |
|---|
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EX-10.2
Exhibit 10.2
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) shall be effective as of February 1, 2026 between Anika Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Steve Griffin (the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Executive is currently serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive are currently party to an Executive Retention Agreement, dated December 12, 2024 (the “Prior Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ the Executive and the Executive desires to be employed by the Company on the terms contained herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
Employment. The Executive’s employment under this Agreement shall commence on February 1, 2026 unless another date is mutually agreed upon (such actual first day of employment, the “Start Date”). As used herein, “Term” shall mean the period of Executive’s employment with the Company under this Agreement and shall end upon any termination of Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.
Position, Duties and Related Matters. Effective as of the Start Date, and during the Term, the Executive shall serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and, as such shall have such duties as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) may from time to time determine. The Executive shall devote his full working time and efforts to the business and affairs of the Company and shall not engage in any outside activities for the Company; provided that the foregoing shall not prevent the Executive from: (i) serving on the boards of directors of charitable organizations with the prior written approval of the Board, which shall not be unreasonably withheld; (ii) participating in charitable, civic, educational, professional, community or industry affairs; and (iii) managing the Executive’s or any family member’s passive personal investments or serving as a trustee to any family trust, in each case so long as such activities in the aggregate do not interfere or conflict with the Executive’s duties hereunder or create a potential business or fiduciary conflict. It is expected that the Executive will serve as a member of the Board during the Term. The Executive shall not be entitled to receive any cash or equity or other compensation for such Board service. The Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s Bedford, Massachusetts headquarters, or such other headquarters as the Company establishes, subject to applicable Company-related business travel.
Compensation and Related Matters.
(a) Base Salary. Effective as of the Start Date, the Executive’s annual base salary rate shall be $690,000. The Executive’s base salary rate shall be redetermined annually by the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”). The base salary in effect at any given time is referred to herein as “Base Salary.” The Base Salary shall be payable in such installments as the Company determines, consistent with its payroll practices in effect from to time.
(b) Incentive Compensation. The Executive shall be eligible to receive cash incentive compensation as approved by the Board or the Compensation Committee from time to time in its sole discretion. Commencing with fiscal year 2026, the Executive’s target annual bonus shall be 75% percent of his Base Salary. Any cash incentive compensation earned with respect to a fiscal year shall be paid no later than March 15 of the succeeding year. Except as provided in the severance benefit section (Section 5(b)) below, to earn any cash incentive compensation, Executive must continue to be employed with the Company through the bonus payment date.
(c) Equity Awards.
(i) The Company acknowledges the Executive’s existing equity grant(s) from the Company, which shall remain subject to the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “2017 Plan”) and the applicable written “LTI Agreement” between the Executive and the Company (collectively, the “LTIDocuments”).
(ii) Effective as of the Start Date, the Executive shall be granted, pursuant to 2017 Plan, an equity award or award(s) covering the Company’s common stock (collectively, the “LTI Grant”) and, each such applicable award agreement (a “LTI Grant Agreement”). The LTI Grant shall have a target grant date fair value for accounting purposes of $2,450,000 (the “LTI Grant Value”) The LTI Grant shall be comprised of fifty percent (50%) restricted stock units and fifty percent (50%) stock appreciation rights, each of which may be settled in shares of the Company’s common stock or cash, at the Company’s sole discretion, using, as applicable and as determined by the Company, a 30-day volume-weighted average stock price as of February 1, 2026 (i.e., the portion to be granted in restricted stock units shall be equal to 50% of the LTI Grant Value divided by such volume-weighted average stock price) and/or (if applicable as determined by the Company) a restricted stock unit-to-option conversion ratio determined consistent with the Company’s past practice and using such volume-weighted average stock price (i.e., the portion to be granted in stock appreciation rights shall be equal to 50% of the LTI Grant Value divided by such volume-weighted average stock price and adjusted pursuant to the restricted stock unit-to-option conversion ratio described above). The LTI Grant Agreements for both the stock appreciation rights and the restricted stock units comprising the LTI Grant shall provide that such awards shall vest in equal installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the Start Date, subject to the Executive’s continuous service with the Company through the relevant vesting dates. The LTI Grant shall be in lieu of any other long-term or equity incentive awards for which Executive might be eligible in respect of fiscal year 2026 and, subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement, shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and the applicable LTI Grant Agreement provided by the Company.
(d) Expenses; Certain Legal Fees. The Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred by him in performing services hereunder during the Term, in accordance with the policies and procedures then in effect and established by the Company for its senior executive officers. In addition, the Company shall pay, promptly following receipt of appropriate invoicing after the execution of this Agreement, the reasonable legal fees and expenses incurred by the Executive for one legal counsel representing the Executive in connection with the negotiation and review of this Agreement in an amount of up to $20,000.
(e) Other Benefits. During the Term, the Executive shall be eligible to continue to participate in or receive benefits under all of the Company’s employee benefit plans in effect from time to time.
(f) Vacations. The Executive shall be eligible for flexible, nonaccrual paid time off in accordance with the Company’s flexible vacation policy for executives, which shall not be subject to accrual. The use of vacation time shall be subject to the Company’s vacation policy in effect from time to time. The Executive shall also be entitled to all paid holidays given by the Company to its executives.
- Termination. The Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated without any breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances:
(a) Death. The Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate upon his death.
(b) Disability. The Company or the Executive may terminate the Executive’s employment if he is disabled and unable to perform the essential functions of the Executive’s then existing position or positions under this Agreement with or without reasonable accommodation for a period of 180 days (which need not be consecutive) in any 12-month period. If any question shall arise as to whether during any period the Executive is disabled so as to be unable to perform the essential functions of the Executive’s then existing position or positions with or without
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reasonable accommodation, the Executive may, and at the request of the Company shall, submit to the Company a certification in reasonable detail by a physician selected by the Company to whom the Executive or the Executive’s guardian has no reasonable objection as to whether the Executive is so disabled or how long such disability is expected to continue, and such certification shall for the purposes of this Agreement be conclusive of the issue. The Executive shall cooperate with any reasonable request of the physician in connection with such certification. If such question shall arise and the Executive shall fail to submit such certification, the Company’s determination of such issue shall be binding on the Executive. Nothing in this Section 4(b) shall be construed to waive the Executive’s rights, if any, under existing law including, without limitation, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §2601 et seq. and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.
(c) Termination by Company for Cause. At any time during the Term, the Company may terminate the Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause if at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose, a majority of the Board, exclusive of the Executive, determines in good faith that the Executive is guilty of conduct that constitutes “Cause” as defined herein. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean: (i) conduct by the Executive constituting a material act of willful misconduct in connection with the performance of his duties, including, without limitation, misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates other than the occasional, customary and de minimis use of Company property for personal purposes; (ii) the commission (as determined by the Board in reasonable good faith) by the Executive of (A) any felony or (B) any misdemeanor that (in the case of (B) only) would reasonably be expected to result in material injury to the Company or any of its subsidiaries and affiliates (which, to avoid doubt, may include reputational injury) if he were retained in his position; (iii) continued, willful and deliberate non-performance by the Executive of his duties hereunder (other than by reason of the Executive’s physical or mental illness, incapacity or disability) which has continued for more than 30 days following written notice of such non-performance from the Board; (iv) a material breach by the Executive of any of the provisions contained in Section 8 of this Agreement; (v) an intentional violation by the Executive of the Company’s employment policies which has continued for more than 15 days following written notice of such violation from the Board, if curable, or (vi) willful failure to cooperate with a bona fide internal investigation or an investigation by regulatory or law enforcement authorities, after being instructed by the Company to cooperate, or the willful destruction or failure to preserve documents or other materials known to be relevant to such investigation or the willful inducement of others to fail to cooperate or to produce documents or other materials in connection with such investigation. For purposes of (iii) and (vi) hereof, no act, or failure to act, on the Executive’s part shall be deemed “willful” unless done or omitted to be done, by the Executive without reasonable belief that Executive’s act or failure to act, was in the best interest of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Prior to any termination for Cause becoming effective pursuant to (i), (iv), (v) or (vi) above, the Executive shall be provided written notice specifying in reasonable detail the grounds for Cause and a period of no less than fifteen (15) days to cure such grounds, if curable.
(d) Termination Without Cause. At any time during the Term, the Company may terminate the Executive’s employment hereunder without Cause. Any termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment under this Agreement which does not constitute a termination for Cause under Section 4(c) and does not result from the death or disability of the Executive under Section 4(a) or (b) shall be deemed a termination without Cause.
(e) Termination by the Executive. At any time during the Term, the Executive may terminate his employment hereunder for any reason, including but not limited to Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean that the Executive has complied with the “Good Reason Process” (hereinafter defined) following the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) a material diminution in the Executive’s responsibilities, authority or duties as President and CEO; (ii) a material diminution in the Executive’s Base Salary except for across-the-board salary reductions based on the Company’s financial performance similarly affecting all or substantially all senior management employees of the Company; (iii) a material change in the geographic location at which the Executive provides services to the Company, which is a relocation of more than 50 miles from the Company’s Bedford, Massachusetts headquarters; or (iv) the material breach by the Company of this Agreement or any other written agreement between the Executive and the Company. “Good ReasonProcess” shall mean that (i) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a “Good Reason” condition has occurred; (ii) the Executive notifies the Company in writing of the occurrence of the Good Reason condition within 60 days of the occurrence of such condition; (iii) the Executive cooperates in good faith with the Company’s efforts, for a period not less than 30 days following such notice (the “Cure Period”), to remedy the condition; (iv) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason condition continues to exist; and (v) the Executive terminates his employment within 60 days after the end of the Cure Period. If the Company cures the Good Reason condition during the Cure Period, Good Reason shall be deemed not to have occurred.
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(f) Notice of Termination. Except for termination as specified in Section 4(a), any termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company or any such termination by the Executive shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon.
(g) Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” shall mean: (i) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by his death, the date of his death; (ii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated on account of disability under Section 4(b) or by the Company for Cause under Section 4(c), the date on which Notice of Termination is given; (iii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company under Section 4(d), the date on which a Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive under Section 4(e) without Good Reason, 30 days after the date on which a Notice of Termination is given; (v) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive under Section 4(e) with Good Reason, the date on which a Notice of Termination is given after the end of the Cure Period; and if the Executive’s employment is terminated pursuant to non-renewal of the Term in accordance with Section 1, the date on which the then-current Initial Term or Extended Term, as applicable, terminates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Executive gives a Notice of Termination to the Company, the Company may unilaterally accelerate the Date of Termination and such acceleration shall not result in a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. In connection with the termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, he agrees to: (i) resign from any officer position or other position he has with the Company or any Company affiliate, effective as of the Date of Termination, and execute any document reasonably requested by the Company to effectuate such resignation(s); (ii) transition, or assist in transitioning, all Company accounts, passwords, access, signatory authority, systems. information, business relationships and customers, in each case (in the case of (ii) only) to the extent reasonably requested by the Company ((i) and (ii), the “Transition Obligations”).
- Compensation Upon Termination.
(a) Termination Generally. If the Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated for any reason during the Term, the Company shall pay or provide to the Executive (or to his authorized representative or estate) any earned but unpaid base salary, incentive compensation earned but not yet paid, unpaid expense reimbursements, and any vested benefits the Executive may have under any employee benefit plan of the Company (the “Accrued Benefit”) within 30 days of the Executive’s Date of Termination. Any severance or termination pay or benefits under this Agreement, including under Section 6 of this Agreement and including acceleration of equity awards, other than Accrued Benefits, shall be contingent on (i) the Executive signing a general release of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates and service providers in a form and manner satisfactory to the Company within the time required by such release and not revoking such release during the revocation period under such release and (ii) Executive’s compliance with the covenants (including those that apply after the termination of the Executive employment with the Company) set forth in this Agreement; provided, that, such release shall not: (A) require the Executive to waive the Executive’s vested rights under any equity-based award or as an equity holder of the Company in each case subject to the LTI Documents, (B) require the Executive to waive the Executive’s rights under the Indemnification Agreement (as defined below) or to coverage under any Directors & Officers liability insurance policy maintained by the Company, or (C) impose any additional restrictive covenants upon the Executive’s activities after termination (other than nondisparagement and confidentiality of release and separation terms), but the release may include a reaffirmation of the Executive’s then-existing covenants as described in this Agreement. If the Executive breaches any of the provisions contained in this Agreement (including those that apply after the termination of the Executive employment with the Company), any unpaid severance or unpaid termination pay or benefits under this Agreement, including under Section 6 of this Agreement and including unvested equity awards, shall immediately cease and be forfeited.
(b) Termination by the Company Without Cause or by the Executive with Good Reason. If the Executive’s employment is terminated the Company without Cause as provided in Section 4(d), or by the Executive for Good Reason as provided in Section 4(e), then the Company shall, through the Date of Termination, pay the Executive his Accrued Benefit. In addition,
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(i) the Company shall pay the Executive an amount (the “SeveranceAmount”) equal to 18 months’ of the Executive’s then-current Base Salary. The Severance Amount shall be paid out in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice over 18 months, beginning within 60 days after the Date of Termination; provided, however, that if the 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in a second calendar year, the Severance Amount will commence to be paid in the second calendar year. Solely for purposes of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), each installment payment under this Agreement is considered a separate payment; and
(ii) subject to the Executive’s copayment of premium amounts at the active employees’ rate (the “ActiveEmployee Premiums”) and eligibility at all times under COBRA, the Executive may continue to participate in the Company’s group health, dental and vision programs (and, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall pay the employer portion of the COBRA premium and all other necessary COBRA administrative fees under such programs in excess of the Active Employee Premiums) until the earliest of: (1) 18 months following the Separation Date; and (2) the Executive’s eligibility for group medical benefits from a subsequent employer; provided, however, that the continuation of health benefits under this Section shall reduce and count against the Executive’s rights under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”); provided, however, that if the Company determines necessary to avoid any adverse tax or other consequences for the Executive or the Company, the Company may instead pay to the Executive on a monthly basis during the period covered by this Section 5(b)(ii) an amount equal to the difference between the applicable COBRA premium and the applicable active employees’ rate for the coverage (plus, to the extent the payment of any such reimbursement results in taxable income to the Executive (without any offsetting deduction), an amount to the Executive equal to an additional amount such that the net after-tax proceeds to the Executive of such reimbursement and such additional amount (at the Executive’s then-current combined state and federal marginal income tax rates, taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for federal income tax purposes) is equal to the amount of the expense incurred that is being reimbursed). The Executive consents to the Company withholding the Active Employee Premiums from the Severance Amount.
(iii) If the Date of Termination occurs after the end of a fiscal year but before the Company has paid an annual bonus for such fiscal year, the Company shall pay the Executive any annual bonus that the Board determines would have been earned if the Executive had remained employed with the Company through the bonus payment date for such year, with the amount of the bonus otherwise determined consistent with, and subject to, this Agreement, and paid when the Company pays bonuses to its executives generally.
- Change in Control Payment. The provisions of this Section 6 set forth certain terms of an agreement reached between the Executive and the Company regarding the Executive’s rights and obligations in connection with the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company, as defined herein. These provisions are intended to assure and encourage in advance the Executive’s continued attention and dedication to his assigned duties and his objectivity during the pendency and after the occurrence of any such event. These provisions shall apply in lieu of, and expressly supersede, the provisions of Section 5(b) regarding severance pay and benefits upon a termination of employment, if such termination of employment occurs within 3 months prior to or 12 months after the occurrence of the first event constituting a Change in Control, provided that such first event occurs during the Term. These provisions shall terminate and be of no further force or effect beginning 12 months after the occurrence of such first event, in which case the provisions of Section 5(b) shall once again become applicable.
(a) Termination in Connection with a Change in Control. (i) If within 3 months prior to or 12 months after a Change in Control, the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause as provided in Section 4(d) or the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason as provided in Section 4(e), then
(i) the Company shall pay the Executive cash in an amount (the “Change in Control Severance Amount”) equal to 2 times the sum of (A) the Executive’s then-current Base Salary (or the Executive’s Base Salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, if higher) plus (B) the Executive’s target annual bonus for the current fiscal year (or if higher, the target annual bonus for the fiscal year immediately prior to the Change in Control). The Change in Control Severance Amount shall commence to be paid within 60 days after the Date of Termination; provided, however, that if the 60-day period begins in one calendar year and
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ends in a second calendar year, the Change in Control Severance Amount will commence to be paid in the second calendar year. If the Date of Termination occurs prior to a Change in Control, payment shall be made in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices over 18 months, but amounts shall be increased after the Change in Control to reflect the higher level of severance provided by this Section 6. If the Date of Termination occurs upon or after a Change in Control, payment shall be made in a lump sum; and
(ii) subject to the Executive’s copayment of premium amounts at the active employees’ rate (the “Active Employee Premiums”) and eligibility at all times under COBRA, the Executive may continue to participate in the Company’s group health, dental and vision programs (and, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall pay the employer portion of the COBRA premium and all other necessary COBRA administrative fees under such programs in excess of the Active Employee Premiums) until the earliest of: (1) 18 months following the Separation Date; and (2) the Executive’s eligibility for group medical benefits from a subsequent employer; provided, however, that the continuation of health benefits under this Section shall reduce and count against the Executive’s rights under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”); provided, however, that if the Company determines necessary to avoid any adverse tax or other consequences for the Executive or the Company, the Company may instead pay to the Executive on a monthly basis during the period covered by this Section an amount equal to the difference between the applicable COBRA premium and the applicable active employees’ rate for the coverage (plus, to the extent the payment of any such reimbursement results in taxable income to the Executive (without any offsetting deduction), an amount to the Executive equal to an additional amount such that the net after-tax proceeds to the Executive of such reimbursement and such additional amount (at the Executive’s then-current combined state and federal marginal income tax rates, taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for federal income tax purposes) is equal to the amount of the expense incurred that is being reimbursed).
(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any applicable option agreement or stock-based award agreement, all stock options and other stock-based awards held by the Executive shall immediately accelerate and become fully exercisable or nonforfeitable as of the Date of Termination or, if later, the effective date of such Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any applicable award agreement, in case the Date of Termination occurs prior to a Change in Control, all such awards shall remain outstanding for at least three months (or, if earlier, the occurrence of a Change in Control) in order to give effect to the immediately preceding sentence if applicable (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, no additional vesting shall occur during that three month period unless or until a Change in Control occurs on or prior to the expiration of such three-month period). For any award with a performance metric-based vesting condition , such vesting shall be based on the greater of assumed target performance or actual performance measured through the Date of Termination. For any such award that is determined to be deferred compensation that is subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, settlement of the vested portion of the award shall be accelerated only to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent not permitted, settlement shall occur at the time otherwise provided by the award agreement as if employment had not terminated. For the avoidance of any doubt, the provisions of this Section 6(a)(i)(C) shall supersede the provisions contained in the applicable award agreements, provided that the provisions of the award agreements will control to the extent such provisions are more favorable to the Executive.
(iv) If the Date of Termination occurs after the end of a fiscal year but before the Company has paid an annual bonus for such fiscal year, the Company shall pay the Executive any annual bonus that the Board determines would have been earned if the Executive had remained employed with the Company through the bonus payment date for such year, with the amount of the bonus otherwise determined consistent with, and subject to, this Agreement, and paid when the Company pays bonuses to its executives generally.
(b) To the extent not “assumed” or “substituted” (as each such term is defined and described in Section 15.2(b) of the 2017 Plan) in connection with a Change in Control, all equity awards held by Executive (including the awards granted as of the Start Date) would immediately accelerate and become fully exercisable or nonforfeitable as of the date of the Change in Control. For each award that includes a performance-based vesting condition, such performance-based vesting shall be based on the greater of assumed target performance or actual performance measured through the date of the Change in Control. For any such award that is determined to be deferred
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compensation that is subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, settlement of the vested portion of the award shall be accelerated only to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent not permitted, settlement shall occur at the time otherwise provided by the award agreement as if employment had not terminated. For the avoidance of any doubt, the provisions of this Section 6(b) shall supersede the provisions contained in the applicable award agreements, provided that the provisions of the award agreements will control to the extent such provisions are more favorable to the Executive.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, it is expressly understood by the parties hereto that so long as, after a Change in Control, the Executive retains primary management responsibilities for the business conducted by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control, “Good Reason” shall not exist under Section 4(e)(i).
(d) Section 280G. If any of the payments or benefits received or to be received by the Executive (including, without limitation, any payment or benefits received in connection with a Change in Control or the Executive’s termination of employment, whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other plan, arrangement or agreement, or otherwise) (all such payments collectively referred to herein as the “280G Payments”) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and would, but for this Section 6(b), be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then prior to making the 280G Payments, a calculation shall be made comparing (i) the Net Benefit (as defined below) to the Executive of the 280G Payments after payment of the Excise Tax to (ii) the Net Benefit to the Executive if the 280G Payments are limited to the extent necessary to avoid being subject to the Excise Tax. Only if the amount calculated under (i) above is less than the amount under (ii) above will the 280G Payments be reduced to the minimum extent necessary to ensure that no portion of the 280G Payments is subject to the Excise Tax. “Net Benefit” shall mean the present value of the 280G Payments net of all federal, state, local, foreign income, employment, and excise taxes. Any calculation or reduction made pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be made in a manner determined by the Company that is consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(e) For purposes of this Section 6, “Change in Control” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the 2017 Plan.
- Section 409A.
(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, the Company determines that the Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then to the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement would be considered deferred compensation subject to the 20 percent additional tax imposed pursuant to Section 409A(a) of the Code as a result of the application of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such payment shall not be payable and such benefit shall not be provided until the date that is the earlier of (A) six months and one day after the Executive’s separation from service, or (B) the Executive’s death. If any such delayed cash payment is otherwise payable on an installment basis, the first payment shall include a catch-up payment covering amounts that would otherwise have been paid during the six-month period but for the application of this provision, and the balance of the installments shall be payable in accordance with their original schedule. Any such delayed cash payment shall earn interest at an annual rate equal to the applicable federal short-term rate published by the Internal Revenue Service for the month in which the date of separation from service occurs, from such date of separation from service until the payment.
(b) The parties intend that this Agreement will be administered in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that any provision of this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the provision shall be read in such a manner so that all payments hereunder comply with Section 409A of the Code. The parties agree that this Agreement may be amended, as reasonably requested by either party, as may be necessary to fully comply with Section 409A of the Code and all related rules and regulations in order to preserve the payments and benefits provided hereunder without additional cost to either party.
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(c) To the extent any payment or benefit that the Executive becomes entitled to under this Agreement would be considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, the determination of whether and when a separation from service has occurred shall be made in accordance with the presumptions set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). To the extent required by Section 409A of the Code, each reimbursement or in-kind benefit provided under the Agreement shall be provided in accordance with the following: (i) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits provided, during each calendar year cannot affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year, (ii) any reimbursement of an eligible expense shall be paid to the Executive promptly after it is submitted for reimbursement, but in any event on or before the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the expense was incurred, and (iii) any right to reimbursements or in-kind benefits under the Agreement shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
(d) The Company makes no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, such Section.
- Confidential Information, Noncompetition and Cooperation.
(a) Confidential Information. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means information belonging to the Company which is of value to the Company in the course of conducting its business and the disclosure of which could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to the Company. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, financial information, reports, and forecasts; inventions, improvements and other intellectual property; trade secrets; know-how; designs, processes or formulae; software; market or sales information or plans; customer lists; and business plans, prospects and opportunities (such as possible acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or facilities) which have been discussed or considered by the management of the Company. Confidential Information includes information developed by the Executive in the course of the Executive’s employment by the Company, as well as other information to which the Executive may have access in connection with the Executive’s employment. Confidential Information also includes the confidential information of others with which the Company has a business relationship. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information does not include information in the public domain, unless due to breach of the Executive’s duties under Section 8(b).
(b) Confidentiality. The Executive understands and agrees that the Executive’s employment creates a relationship of confidence and trust between the Executive and the Company with respect to all Confidential Information. At all times, both during the Executive’s employment with the Company and after its termination, the Executive will keep in confidence and trust all such Confidential Information, and will not use or disclose any such Confidential Information without the written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the ordinary course of performing the Executive’s duties to the Company.
(c) Assignment of Inventions. The Executive understands that the Company is now and may hereafter be subject to non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with third persons which require the Company to protect or refrain from use of Confidential Information. The Executive agrees to be bound by the terms of such agreements in the event the Executive has access to such Confidential Information.
(d) Developments.
(i) The Executive will make full and prompt disclosure to the Company of all inventions, discoveries, designs, developments, methods, modifications, improvements, processes, algorithms, databases, computer programs, formulae, techniques, trade secrets, graphics or images, and audio or visual works and other works of authorship (collectively “Developments”), whether or not patentable or copyrightable, that are created, made, conceived or reduced to practice by him (alone or jointly with others) or under his direction during the period of his employment. The Executive acknowledges that all work performed by him is on a “work for hire” basis, and the Executive does hereby assign and transfer to the Company and its successors and assigns all his right, title and interest in all Developments that (a) relate to the business of the Company or any customer of or supplier to the Company or any of the products or services being researched, developed, manufactured or sold by the Company or which may be used with such products or services; or (b) result from tasks assigned to him by the Company; or (c) result from the use of premises or personal property (whether tangible or intangible) owned, leased or contracted for by the Company (“Company- RelatedDevelopments”), and all related patents, patent applications, trademarks and trademark applications, copyrights and copyright applications, and other intellectual property rights in all countries and territories worldwide and under any international conventions (“Intellectual Property Rights”).
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(ii) To preclude any possible uncertainty, the Executive has set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto a complete list of Developments that he has, alone or jointly with others, conceived, developed or reduced to practice prior to the commencement of his employment with the Company that he considers to be his property or the property of third parties and that he wishes to have excluded from the scope of this Agreement (“Prior Inventions”). If disclosure of any such Prior Invention would cause him to violate any prior confidentiality agreement, he understands that he is not to list such Prior Inventions in Exhibit A but is only to disclose a cursory name for each such invention, a listing of the party(ies) to whom it belongs and the fact that full disclosure as to such inventions has not been made for that reason. The Executive has also listed on Exhibit A all patents and patent applications in which he is named as an inventor, other than those which have been assigned to the Company (“Other PatentRights”). If no such disclosure is attached, the Executive represents that there are no Prior Inventions or Other Patent Rights. If, in the course of his employment with the Company, he incorporates a Prior Invention into a Company product, process or machine or other work done for the Company, the Executive hereby grants to the Company a nonexclusive, royalty-free, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license (with the full right to sublicense) to make, have made, modify, use, sell, offer for sale and import such Prior Invention. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive will not incorporate, or permit to be incorporated, Prior Inventions in any Company-Related Development without the Company’s prior written consent.
(iii) This Agreement does not obligate the Executive to assign to the Company any Development which, in the sole judgment of the Company, reasonably exercised, is developed entirely on the Executive’s own time and does not relate to the business efforts or research and development efforts in which, during the period of his employment, the Company actually is engaged or reasonably would be engaged, and does not result from the use of premises or equipment owned or leased by the Company. However, the Executive will also promptly disclose to the Company any such Developments for the purpose of determining whether they qualify for such exclusion. The Executive understands that to the extent this Agreement is required to be construed in accordance with the laws of any state which precludes a requirement in an employee agreement to assign certain classes of inventions made by an employee, this paragraph will be interpreted not to apply to any invention which a court rules and/or the Company agrees falls within such classes. The Executive also hereby waives all claims to any moral rights or other special rights which the Executive may have or accrue in any Company-Related Developments.
(e) Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. The Executive will cooperate fully with the Company, both during and after his employment with the Company, with respect to the procurement, maintenance and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Company-Related Developments. The Executive will sign, both during and after the term of this Agreement, all papers, including without limitation copyright applications, patent applications, declarations, oaths, assignments of priority rights, and powers of attorney, which the Company may deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Company-Related Development. If the Company is unable, after reasonable effort, to secure the Executive’s signature on any such papers, the Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints each officer of the Company as his agent and attorney-in-fact to execute any such papers on his behalf, and to take any and all actions as the Company may deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Company-Related Development.
(f) Documents, Records, etc. All documents, records, data, apparatus, equipment and other physical property, whether or not pertaining to Confidential Information, which are furnished to the Executive by the Company or are produced by the Executive in connection with the Executive’s employment will be and remain the sole property of the Company. The Executive will return to the Company all such materials and property as and when requested by the Company. In any event, the Executive will return all such materials and property immediately upon termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason. The Executive will not retain with the Executive any such material or property or any copies thereof after such termination.
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(g) Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation.
(i) During the Term and for 12 months thereafter, the Executive (i) will not, directly or indirectly, whether as owner, partner, shareholder, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest in any Competing Business (as hereinafter defined); (ii) will refrain from directly or indirectly employing, attempting to employ, recruiting or otherwise soliciting, inducing or influencing any person to leave employment with the Company (other than terminations of employment of subordinate employees undertaken in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company); and (iii) will refrain from directly or indirectly calling upon, soliciting or encouraging any customer, potential customer or supplier to terminate or otherwise modify adversely its business relationship with the Company. The Executive understands that the restrictions set forth in this Section 8(g) are intended to protect the Company’s interest in its Confidential Information and established employee, customer and supplier relationships and goodwill, and agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and appropriate for this purpose. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Competing Business” shall mean a business conducted in the Restricted Territory, which markets any products or services, or performs any services or engages in any research or development activities, that are competitive with the products, services or research or development activities of the Company, or the products, services or research or development activities that the Company has under development or active planning during the employment of the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive: (A) may own up to one percent (1%) of the outstanding stock of a publicly held corporation which constitutes or is affiliated with a Competing Business; or (B) passively invest in any mutual funds, exchange traded funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds or similar multi-asset investment or alternative investment vehicles (excluding any “single asset” or similar such funds or investment vehicles that invest or plan to invest a majority of their assets in a Competing Business), where such investment represents not more than 5% of the total interests in such vehicle. “Restricted Territory” means (I) any U.S. state in which the Executive, or any employees the Executive supervised, conducted any business for the Company during the Executive’s employment with the Company; (II) the remaining states of the United States in which the Company engaged in business activity, or actively planned to engage in business activity, during the Executive’s employment with the Company; and (III) any other country in which the Company does business as of the last day of the Executive’s employment with the Company. The Executive shall be considered to provide services in the Restricted Territory if the Executive is physically present in the Restricted Territory while performing services or if the Executive’s activities have a material effect on business activities within the Restricted Territory.
(ii) The Executive shall not be subject to the post-employment noncompetition restrictions of Section (g)(i) after his employment with the Company ends if the Company terminates his employment without Noncompete Cause or lays him off. If Executive resigns or is terminated by the Company for Noncompete Cause, he will be subject to the restrictions of Section (g)(i). For purposes of this Agreement, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other agreement between the Company and the Executive, “Noncompete Cause” shall mean a reasonable and good faith basis for the Company to be dissatisfied with the Executive’s job performance, conduct, or behavior.
(iii) The Executive understands and agrees that the equity, cash incentive, and severance compensation (individually and collectively, the “Noncompete Additional Consideration”) for which the Company has made Executive eligible under this Agreement constitutes (in each case and independent of the other) sufficient, mutually agreed-upon, fair and reasonable consideration for this Agreement (including without limitation the noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions of this Agreement) that is independent of his employment with the Company. To avoid all doubt, the Executive agrees that his eligibility for any one of the above, or his eligibility for any combination of one or more of the above, constitutes such Noncompete Additional Consideration.
(iv) The Executive expressly understands and agrees that: (i) the Company would not make him eligible for any Noncompete Additional Consideration absent his agreement to and compliance with all of the restrictions contained in this Agreement (specifically including, as applicable, any noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions contained herein); (ii) one of the Company’s express purposes in rendering him eligible for any Noncompete Additional Consideration is to ensure the enforceability of his noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions hereunder; and (iii) compliance with all such provisions is a critical and essential precondition to his eligibility for any applicable Noncompete Additional Consideration.
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(h) Third-Party Agreements and Rights. Except as disclosed to the Board prior to the effective date of this Agreement, the Executive represents to the Company that the Executive’s execution of this Agreement, the Executive’s employment with the Company and the performance of the Executive’s proposed duties for the Company will not violate any obligations the Executive may have to any previous employer or other party. In the Executive’s work for the Company, the Executive will not disclose or make use of any information in violation of any agreements with or rights of any such previous employer or other party, and the Executive will not bring to the premises of the Company any copies or other tangible embodiments of non-public information belonging to or obtained from any such previous employment or other party.
(i) Litigation and Regulatory Cooperation. During and after the Executive’s employment, the Executive shall cooperate fully with the Company in the defense or prosecution of any claims or actions now in existence or which may be brought in the future against or on behalf of the Company which relate to events or occurrences that transpired while the Executive was employed by the Company. The Executive’s full cooperation in connection with such claims or actions shall include, but not be limited to, being available to meet with counsel to prepare for discovery or trial and to act as a witness on behalf of the Company at mutually convenient times. During and after the Executive’s employment, the Executive also shall cooperate fully with the Company in connection with any investigation or review of any federal, state or local regulatory authority as any such investigation or review relates to events or occurrences that transpired while the Executive was employed by the Company. The Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the Executive’s performance of obligations pursuant to this Section 8(i).
(j) Injunction. The Executive agrees that it would be difficult to measure any damages caused to the Company which might result from any breach by the Executive of the promises set forth in this Section 8, and that in any event money damages would be an inadequate remedy for any such breach. Accordingly, subject to Section 9 of this Agreement, the Executive agrees that if the Executive breaches, or proposes to breach, any portion of this Agreement, the Company shall be entitled, in addition to all other remedies that it may have, to an injunction or other appropriate equitable relief to restrain any such breach without showing or proving any actual damage to the Company.
Arbitration of Disputes. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the breach thereof or otherwise arising out of the Executive’s employment or the termination of that employment (including, without limitation, any claims of unlawful employment discrimination whether based on age or otherwise) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be settled by arbitration in any forum and form agreed upon by the parties or, in the absence of such an agreement, under the auspices of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in Boston, Massachusetts in accordance with the Employment Dispute Resolution Rules of the AAA, including, but not limited to, the rules and procedures applicable to the selection of arbitrators; provided, that, the Company and the Executive will evenly split the cost of the arbitrator. In the event that any person or entity other than the Executive or the Company may be a party with regard to any such controversy or claim, such controversy or claim shall be submitted to arbitration subject to such other person or entity’s agreement. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof and the arbitrator may elect to, but shall not be required to, award legal fees. This Section 9 shall be specifically enforceable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 9 shall not preclude either party from pursuing a court action for the sole purpose of obtaining a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction in circumstances in which such relief is appropriate; provided that any other relief shall be pursued through an arbitration proceeding pursuant to this Section 9.
Consent to Jurisdiction. To the extent that any court action is permitted consistent with or to enforce Section 9 of this Agreement, the parties hereby consent to the jurisdiction of the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Accordingly, with respect to any such court action, the Executive (a) submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts; (b) consents to service of process; and (c) waives any other requirement (whether imposed by statute, rule of court, or otherwise) with respect to personal jurisdiction or service of process.
Key Man Life Insurance. During the Term, the Company may procure and maintain key man life insurance with respect to the Executive in such amounts and with such terms as may be determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and the Executive shall assist and cooperate with the Company in procuring, maintaining and renewing such key man life insurance. The Company shall be the sole beneficiary of any such key man life insurance policy, and neither the Executive nor the heirs or personal representatives of the Executive shall have any interest in or to any proceeds, cash surrender value or other payments associated with any such key man life insurance policy.
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Integration; Prior Agreement. This Agreement, the existing Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreement between the Executive and the Company (which agreement remains in full effect), and the applicable LTI Documents constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede the Prior Agreement and all other prior agreements. Effective as of the Start Date, the Prior Agreement shall be considered void and of no effect. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall cause the Executive to waive or forfeit any compensation or benefits that have become vested or earned (or, in the case of any equity-based awards, granted) prior to the Start Date.
Withholding. All payments made by the Company to the Executive under this Agreement shall be net of any tax or other amounts required to be withheld by the Company under applicable law.
Successor to the Executive. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s personal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. In the event of the Executive’s death after his termination of employment but prior to the completion by the Company of all payments due him under this Agreement, the Company shall continue such payments to the Executive’s beneficiary designated in writing to the Company prior to his death (or to his estate, if the Executive fails to make such designation).
Enforceability. If any portion or provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, any portion or provision of any section of this Agreement) shall to any extent be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such portion or provision in circumstances other than those as to which it is so declared illegal or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each portion and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Waiver. No waiver of any provision hereof shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the waiving party. The failure of any party to require the performance of any term or obligation of this Agreement, or the waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement, shall not prevent any subsequent enforcement of such term or obligation or be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach.
Notices. Any notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for by this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing and delivered in person or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Executive at the last address the Executive has filed in writing with the Company or, in the case of the Company, at its main offices, attention of the Board.
Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written instrument signed by the Executive and by a duly authorized representative of the Company.
Governing Law. This is a Massachusetts contract and shall be construed under and be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles of such Commonwealth. With respect to any disputes concerning federal law, such disputes shall be determined in accordance with the law as it would be interpreted and applied by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be taken to be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same document.
Successor to Company. The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no succession had taken place. Failure of the Company to obtain an assumption of this Agreement at or prior to the effectiveness of any succession shall be a material breach of this Agreement.
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Gender Neutral. Wherever used herein, a pronoun in the masculine gender shall be considered as including the feminine gender unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Indemnification; D&O Insurance. The Executive shall be provided with rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and limitation of liability to the fullest extent permitted under the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement, attached as Exhibit B. In addition, the Executive shall be covered under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ insurance policy to the same extent as other directors and officers of the Company.
Certifications. BY SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT, THE EXECUTIVE CERTIFIES THAT: (I) (A) HE IS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY AND HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH THIS AGREEMENT AT LEAST TEN (10) BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE DATE ON WHICH THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS SET FORTH HEREIN ARE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE; AND (II) HE HAS BEEN ADVISED BY THE COMPANY THAT HE HAS THE RIGHT TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE UNDERSIGNED HAS EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT AS A SEALED INSTRUMENT AND IT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON THE LATER OF (I) THE FULL EXECUTION BY BOTH PARTIES; OR (II) TEN (10) BUSINESS DAYS AFTER THE COMPANY PROVIDED THE EXECUTIVE WITH NOTICE OF THIS AGREEMENT.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement effective on the date and year first above written.
| ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ John Henneman |
| Name: | John Henneman |
| Title: | Director |
| EXECUTIVE | |
| /s/ Steve Griffin | |
| Steve Griffin |
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Exhibit A
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Exhibit B: Indemnification Agreement
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INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of ________________ by and between Anika Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ____________ (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to provide or continue to provide services to the Company, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law;
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and the Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”);
WHEREAS, the Charter, the Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining highly qualified persons such as Indemnitee is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable and prudent for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, regardless of any amendment or revocation of the Charter or the Bylaws, so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Charter, the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by law), in which event the Company
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shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee.
Section 2. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement:
(a) “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that no Person who is a director or officer of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate or an Associate of any other director or officer of the Company solely as a result of his or her position as director or officer of the Company.
(b) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” and have “Beneficial Ownership” of, any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, Beneficially Owns (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the Rules under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has: (A) the legal, equitable or contractual right or obligation to acquire (whether directly or indirectly and whether exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time, compliance with regulatory requirements, satisfaction of one or more conditions (whether or not within the control of such Person) or otherwise) upon the exercise of any conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); or (C) the right to dispose of pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary arrangements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities);
(iii) which are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any securities of the Company; or
(iv) that are the subject of a derivative transaction entered into by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, including, for these purposes, any derivative security acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates that gives such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates the economic equivalent of ownership of an amount of securities due to the fact that the value of the derivative security is explicitly
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determined by reference to the price or value of such securities, or that provides such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates an opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or to share in any profit derived from any change in the value of such securities, in any case without regard to whether (A) such derivative security conveys any voting rights in such securities to such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates; (B) the derivative security is required to be, or capable of being, settled through delivery of such securities; or (C) such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may have entered into other transactions that hedge the economic effect of such derivative security;
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities shall be deemed the Beneficial Owner of any securities acquired through such Person’s participation as an underwriter in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined above), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities unless the change in relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, provided that a Change of Control shall be deemed to have occurred if subsequent to such reduction such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of any additional securities of the Company conferring upon such Person any additional voting power;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(c)(i), 2(c)(iii) or 2(c)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving or successor entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving or successor entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving or successor entity;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale, lease, exchange or other transfer by the Company, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and
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(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person as a current or former director of the Company or current or former director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any other Enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Enforcement Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other out-of-pocket disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with an action to enforce indemnification or advancement rights, or an appeal from such action. Expenses, however, shall not include fees, salaries, wages or benefits owed to Indemnitee.
(f) “Enterprise” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company), partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, limited liability company or other legal entity of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee.
(g) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other out-of-pocket disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding or an appeal resulting from a Proceeding. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee, the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee or fees, salaries, wages or benefits owed to Indemnitee.
(h) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member or shareholder) of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of Delaware corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any Enterprise or Indemnitee in any matter material to any such party; or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
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(i) “Person” shall mean (i) an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a business trust, a government or political subdivision, any unincorporated organization or any other association or entity including any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereof or thereto, and (ii) a “group” as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.
(j) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative nature, and whether formal or informal, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any Enterprise or by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any action taken on his or her part while acting as a director of the Company or while serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement; provided, however, that the term “Proceeding” shall not include any action, suit or arbitration, or part thereof, initiated by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement as provided for in Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the extent set forth in this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the extent set forth in this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Delaware Court”) shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the Delaware Court shall deem proper.
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Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement and except as provided in Section 7, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in any Proceeding and is successful in such Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Reimbursement for Expenses of a Witness or in Response to a Subpoena. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, (i) is a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party and is not threatened to be made a party or (ii) receives a subpoena with respect to any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party and is not threatened to be made a party, the Company shall reimburse Indemnitee for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement:
(a) to indemnify for amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any personal or umbrella liability insurance maintained by Indemnitee;
(b) to indemnify for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, or from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of such securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”);
(c) to indemnify with respect to any Proceeding, or part thereof, brought by Indemnitee against the Company, any legal entity which it controls, any director or officer thereof or any third party, unless (i) the Board has consented to the initiation of such Proceeding or part thereof and (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law; provided, however, that this Section 7(c) shall not apply to (A) counterclaims or affirmative defenses asserted by Indemnitee in an action brought against Indemnitee or (B) any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company in the suit for which indemnification or advancement is being sought as described in Section 12; or
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(d) to provide any indemnification or advancement of expenses that is prohibited by applicable law (as such law exists at the time payment would otherwise be required pursuant to this Agreement).
Section 8. Advancement of Expenses. Subject to Section 9(b), the Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (including any invoices received by Indemnitee, which such invoices may be redacted as necessary to avoid the waiver of any privilege accorded by applicable law) from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s (i) ability to repay the expenses, (ii) ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement and (iii) entitlement to and availability of insurance coverage, including advancement, payment or reimbursement of defense costs, expenses or covered loss under the provisions of any applicable insurance policy (including, without limitation, whether such advancement, payment or reimbursement is withheld, conditioned or delayed by the insurer(s)). Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement which shall constitute an undertaking providing that Indemnitee undertakes to the fullest extent required by law to repay the advance if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. No other form of undertaking shall be required. The right to advances under this paragraph shall in all events continue until final disposition of any Proceeding, including any appeal therein. Nothing in this Section 8 shall limit Indemnitee’s right to advancement pursuant to Section 12(e) of this Agreement.
Section 9. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor specifying the basis for the claim, the amounts for which Indemnitee is seeking payment under this Agreement, and all documentation related thereto as reasonably requested by the Company.
(b) In the event that the Company shall be obligated hereunder to provide indemnification for or make any advancement of Expenses with respect to any Proceeding, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, or any claim, issue or matter therein, with counsel approved by Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of the Company’s election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees or expenses of separate counsel subsequently employed by or on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding; provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of separate counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the
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Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of such defense, (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Proceeding or (D) a Change in Control shall have occurred, then the fees and expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee with respect to his or her separate counsel shall be Expenses hereunder.
(c) In the event that the Company does not assume the defense in a Proceeding pursuant to paragraph (b) above, then the Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(d) The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the fact that an insurer under an applicable insurance policy delays or is unwilling to consent to such settlement or is or may be in breach of its obligations under such policy, or the fact that directors’ and officers’ liability insurance is otherwise unavailable or not maintained by the Company, may not be taken into account by the Company in determining whether to provide its consent. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), enter into any settlement which (i) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, any non-monetary remedy imposed on Indemnitee or any monetary damages for which Indemnitee is not wholly and actually indemnified hereunder or (ii) with respect to any Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee may be or is made a party or may be otherwise entitled to seek indemnification hereunder, does not include the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Proceeding.
Section 10. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), a determination, if such determination is required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification hereunder shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods: (x) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board; or (y) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred: (i) by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum; (ii) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum; or (iii) if there are no disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board. For purposes hereof, disinterested directors are those members of the Board who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought. In the case that such determination is made by Independent Counsel, a copy of Independent Counsel’s written opinion shall be delivered to Indemnitee and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within thirty (30) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Independent Counsel or the Company, as applicable, in making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such counsel or the Company, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary
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to such determination. The Company shall likewise cooperate with Indemnitee and Independent Counsel, if applicable, in making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such counsel and Indemnitee, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to the Company and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any out-of-pocket costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Independent Counsel or the Company shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 10(a), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board if a Change in Control shall not have occurred or, if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Indemnitee. Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after written notice of such selection, deliver to the Company or Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of (i) submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected without objection, either Indemnitee or the Company may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee or the Company to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate. The person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 10(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the determination of entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be made without regard to the Indemnitee’s entitlement to and availability of insurance coverage, including advancement, payment or reimbursement of defense costs, expenses or covered loss under the provisions of any applicable insurance policy (including, without limitation, whether such advancement, payment or reimbursement is withheld, conditioned or delayed by the insurer(s)).
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Section 11. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) To the extent permitted by applicable law, in making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, it shall be presumed that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 9(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence to overcome that presumption in connection with the making of any determination contrary to that presumption.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of guilty, nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s actions based on the records or books of account of the Company or any other Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, officers, agents or employees of the Company or any other Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company or any other Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Company or any other Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or any other Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 11(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(c) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
Section 12. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 12(f), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification for which a determination is to be made other than by Independent Counsel, (iv) payment of indemnification or reimbursement of expenses is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last sentence of Section 10(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor (including any invoices received by Indemnitee, which such invoices may be redacted as necessary to avoid the waiver of any privilege accorded by applicable law) or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to
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Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within thirty (30) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 12(a); provided, however, that the foregoing time limitation shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against any and all Enforcement Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Enforcement Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company in the suit for which indemnification or advancement is being sought. Such written request for advancement shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Enforcement Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law need not be included with the invoice.
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(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein.
Section 13. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement than would be afforded currently under the Charter, Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, managers, partners, officers, employees, agents or trustees of the Company or of any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. Upon request of Indemnitee, the Company shall also promptly provide to Indemnitee: (i) copies of all of the Company’s potentially applicable directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies, (ii) copies of such notices delivered to the applicable insurers and (iii) copies of all subsequent communications and correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Proceeding.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company’s obligation to provide indemnification or advancement hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement from such other Enterprise.
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Section 14. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding, including any appeal, then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
Section 15. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 16. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Charter, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
Section 17. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment, or waiver of any provision, of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall
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constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee prior to such supplement, modification or amendment.
Section 18. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification, reimbursement or advancement as provided hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company or any delay in notification shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise, unless, and then only to the extent that, the Company did not otherwise learn of the Proceeding and such delay is materially prejudicial to the Company’s ability to defend such Proceeding or matter; and, provided, further, that notice will be deemed to have been given without any action on the part of Indemnitee in the event the Company is a party to the same Proceeding.
Section 19. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (iii) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (iv) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at such address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
Anika Therapeutics, Inc.
32 Wiggins Avenue
Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 20. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee in connection with the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving rise to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transactions.
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Section 21. Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. The Company intends for this Agreement to comply with the Indemnification exception under Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) of the regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which provides that indemnification of, or the purchase of an insurance policy providing for payments of, all or part of the expenses incurred or damages paid or payable by Indemnitee with respect to a bona fide claim against Indemnitee or the Company do not provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, where such claim is based on actions or failures to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a service provider of the Company. The parties intend that this Agreement be interpreted and construed with such intent.
Section 22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) consent to service of process at the address set forth in Section 19 of this Agreement with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 23. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
Section 24. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 25. Monetary Damages Insufficient/Specific Enforcement. The Company and Indemnitee agree that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm (having agreed that actual and irreparable harm will result in not forcing the Company to specifically perform its obligations pursuant to this Agreement) and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance,
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Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by the Court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of a bond or undertaking.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC. | |
|---|---|
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| [Name of Indemnitee] |
EX-10.3
Exhibit 10.3
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of ________________ by and between Anika Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ____________ (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to provide or continue to provide services to the Company, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law;
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”) and the Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”);
WHEREAS, the Charter, the Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining highly qualified persons such as Indemnitee is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable and prudent for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, regardless of any amendment or revocation of the Charter or the Bylaws, so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Charter, the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee.
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Section 2. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement:
(a) “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that no Person who is a director or officer of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate or an Associate of any other director or officer of the Company solely as a result of his or her position as director or officer of the Company.
(b) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” and have “Beneficial Ownership” of, any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, Beneficially Owns (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the Rules under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has: (A) the legal, equitable or contractual right or obligation to acquire (whether directly or indirectly and whether exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time, compliance with regulatory requirements, satisfaction of one or more conditions (whether or not within the control of such Person) or otherwise) upon the exercise of any conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); or (C) the right to dispose of pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary arrangements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bonafide public offering of securities);
(iii) which are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any securities of the Company; or
(iv) that are the subject of a derivative transaction entered into by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, including, for these purposes, any derivative security acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates that gives such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates the economic equivalent of ownership of an amount of securities due to the fact that the value of the derivative security is explicitly determined by reference to the price or value of such securities, or that provides such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates
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an opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or to share in any profit derived from any change in the value of such securities, in any case without regard to whether (A) such derivative security conveys any voting rights in such securities to such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates; (B) the derivative security is required to be, or capable of being, settled through delivery of such securities; or (C) such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may have entered into other transactions that hedge the economic effect of such derivative security;
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities shall be deemed the Beneficial Owner of any securities acquired through such Person’s participation as an underwriter in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined above), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities unless the change in relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, provided that a Change of Control shall be deemed to have occurred if subsequent to such reduction such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of any additional securities of the Company conferring upon such Person any additional voting power;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(c)(i), 2(c)(iii) or 2(c)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving or successor entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving or successor entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving or successor entity;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale, lease, exchange or other transfer by the Company, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and
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(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person as a current or former director of the Company or current or former director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any other Enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Enforcement Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other out-of-pocket disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with an action to enforce indemnification or advancement rights, or an appeal from such action. Expenses, however, shall not include fees, salaries, wages or benefits owed to Indemnitee.
(f) “Enterprise” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company), partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, limited liability company or other legal entity of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee.
(g) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other out-of-pocket disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding or an appeal resulting from a Proceeding. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee, the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee or fees, salaries, wages or benefits owed to Indemnitee.
(h) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member or shareholder) of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of Delaware corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any Enterprise or Indemnitee in any matter material to any such party; or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
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(i) “Person” shall mean (i) an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a business trust, a government or political subdivision, any unincorporated organization or any other association or entity including any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereof or thereto, and (ii) a “group” as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.
(j) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative nature, and whether formal or informal, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any Enterprise or by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any action taken on his or her part while acting as a director of the Company or while serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement; provided, however, that the term “Proceeding” shall not include any action, suit or arbitration, or part thereof, initiated by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement as provided for in Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the extent set forth in this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the extent set forth in this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Delaware Court”) shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the Delaware Court shall deem proper.
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Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement and except as provided in Section 7, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in any Proceeding and is successful in such Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Reimbursement for Expenses of a Witness or in Response to a Subpoena. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, (i) is a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party and is not threatened to be made a party or (ii) receives a subpoena with respect to any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party and is not threatened to be made a party, the Company shall reimburse Indemnitee for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement:
(a) to indemnify for amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any personal or umbrella liability insurance maintained by Indemnitee;
(b) to indemnify for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, or from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of such securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”);
(c) to indemnify with respect to any Proceeding, or part thereof, brought by Indemnitee against the Company, any legal entity which it controls, any director or officer thereof or any third party, unless (i) the Board has consented to the initiation of such Proceeding or part thereof and (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law; provided, however, that this Section 7(c) shall not apply to (A) counterclaims or affirmative defenses asserted by Indemnitee in an action brought against Indemnitee or (B) any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company in the suit for which indemnification or advancement is being sought as described in Section 12; or
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(d) to provide any indemnification or advancement of expenses that is prohibited by applicable law (as such law exists at the time payment would otherwise be required pursuant to this Agreement).
Section 8. Advancement of Expenses. Subject to Section 9(b), the Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (including any invoices received by Indemnitee, which such invoices may be redacted as necessary to avoid the waiver of any privilege accorded by applicable law) from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s (i) ability to repay the expenses, (ii) ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement and (iii) entitlement to and availability of insurance coverage, including advancement, payment or reimbursement of defense costs, expenses or covered loss under the provisions of any applicable insurance policy (including, without limitation, whether such advancement, payment or reimbursement is withheld, conditioned or delayed by the insurer(s)). Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement which shall constitute an undertaking providing that Indemnitee undertakes to the fullest extent required by law to repay the advance if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. No other form of undertaking shall be required. The right to advances under this paragraph shall in all events continue until final disposition of any Proceeding, including any appeal therein. Nothing in this Section 8 shall limit Indemnitee’s right to advancement pursuant to Section 12(e) of this Agreement.
Section 9. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor specifying the basis for the claim, the amounts for which Indemnitee is seeking payment under this Agreement, and all documentation related thereto as reasonably requested by the Company.
(b) In the event that the Company shall be obligated hereunder to provide indemnification for or make any advancement of Expenses with respect to any Proceeding, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, or any claim, issue or matter therein, with counsel approved by Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of the Company’s election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees or expenses of separate counsel subsequently employed by or on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding; provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of separate counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the
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Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of such defense, (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Proceeding or (D) a Change in Control shall have occurred, then the fees and expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee with respect to his or her separate counsel shall be Expenses hereunder.
(c) In the event that the Company does not assume the defense in a Proceeding pursuant to paragraph (b) above, then the Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(d) The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the fact that an insurer under an applicable insurance policy delays or is unwilling to consent to such settlement or is or may be in breach of its obligations under such policy, or the fact that directors’ and officers’ liability insurance is otherwise unavailable or not maintained by the Company, may not be taken into account by the Company in determining whether to provide its consent. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), enter into any settlement which (i) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, any non-monetary remedy imposed on Indemnitee or any monetary damages for which Indemnitee is not wholly and actually indemnified hereunder or (ii) with respect to any Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee may be or is made a party or may be otherwise entitled to seek indemnification hereunder, does not include the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Proceeding.
Section 10. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), a determination, if such determination is required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification hereunder shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods: (x) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board; or (y) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred: (i) by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum; (ii) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum; or (iii) if there are no disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board. For purposes hereof, disinterested directors are those members of the Board who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought. In the case that such determination is made by Independent Counsel, a copy of Independent Counsel’s written opinion shall be delivered to Indemnitee and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within thirty (30) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Independent Counsel or the Company, as applicable, in making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such counsel or the Company, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such
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determination. The Company shall likewise cooperate with Indemnitee and Independent Counsel, if applicable, in making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such counsel and Indemnitee, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to the Company and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any out-of-pocket costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Independent Counsel or the Company shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 10(a), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board if a Change in Control shall not have occurred or, if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Indemnitee. Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after written notice of such selection, deliver to the Company or Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of (i) submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected without objection, either Indemnitee or the Company may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee or the Company to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate. The person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 10(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the determination of entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be made without regard to the Indemnitee’s entitlement to and availability of insurance coverage, including advancement, payment or reimbursement of defense costs, expenses or covered loss under the provisions of any applicable insurance policy (including, without limitation, whether such advancement, payment or reimbursement is withheld, conditioned or delayed by the insurer(s)).
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Section 11. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) To the extent permitted by applicable law, in making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, it shall be presumed that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 9(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence to overcome that presumption in connection with the making of any determination contrary to that presumption.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of guilty, nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s actions based on the records or books of account of the Company or any other Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, officers, agents or employees of the Company or any other Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company or any other Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Company or any other Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or any other Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 11(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(c) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
Section 12. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 12(f), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification for which a determination is to be made other than by Independent Counsel, (iv) payment of indemnification or reimbursement of expenses is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last sentence of Section 10(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor (including any invoices received by Indemnitee, which such invoices may be redacted as necessary to avoid the waiver of any privilege accorded by applicable law) or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to
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Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within thirty (30) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 12(a); provided, however, that the foregoing time limitation shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 12 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against any and all Enforcement Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Enforcement Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company in the suit for which indemnification or advancement is being sought. Such written request for advancement shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Enforcement Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law need not be included with the invoice.
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(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein.
Section 13. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement than would be afforded currently under the Charter, Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, managers, partners, officers, employees, agents or trustees of the Company or of any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. Upon request of Indemnitee, the Company shall also promptly provide to Indemnitee: (i) copies of all of the Company’s potentially applicable directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies, (ii) copies of such notices delivered to the applicable insurers and (iii) copies of all subsequent communications and correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Proceeding.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company’s obligation to provide indemnification or advancement hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent or trustee of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement from such other Enterprise.
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Section 14. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding, including any appeal, then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
Section 15. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 16. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Charter, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
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Section 17. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment, or waiver of any provision, of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee prior to such supplement, modification or amendment.
Section 18. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification, reimbursement or advancement as provided hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company or any delay in notification shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise, unless, and then only to the extent that, the Company did not otherwise learn of the Proceeding and such delay is materially prejudicial to the Company’s ability to defend such Proceeding or matter; and, provided, further, that notice will be deemed to have been given without any action on the part of Indemnitee in the event the Company is a party to the same Proceeding.
Section 19. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (iii) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (iv) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at such address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to:
Anika Therapeutics, Inc.
32 Wiggins Avenue
Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 20. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee in connection with the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving rise to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transactions.
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Section 21. Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. The Company intends for this Agreement to comply with the Indemnification exception under Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) of the regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which provides that indemnification of, or the purchase of an insurance policy providing for payments of, all or part of the expenses incurred or damages paid or payable by Indemnitee with respect to a bona fide claim against Indemnitee or the Company do not provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, where such claim is based on actions or failures to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a service provider of the Company. The parties intend that this Agreement be interpreted and construed with such intent.
Section 22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) consent to service of process at the address set forth in Section 19 of this Agreement with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
Section 23. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
Section 24. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 25. Monetary Damages Insufficient/Specific Enforcement. The Company and Indemnitee agree that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm (having agreed that actual and irreparable harm will result in not forcing the Company to specifically perform its obligations pursuant to this Agreement) and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance,
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Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by the Court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of a bond or undertaking.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC. | |
|---|---|
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| [Name of<br>Indemnitee] |
EX-99.1
Exhibit 99.1
Anika Therapeutics Announces Leadership Transition
| • | Stephen (Steve) Griffin, Current Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Appointed President and<br>Chief Executive Officer |
|---|---|
| • | Cheryl Blanchard to Become Executive Chair of the Board of Directors |
| --- | --- |
BEDFORD, Mass. – January 8, 2026 – Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIK), a global leader in the osteoarthritis (“OA”) pain management and regenerative solutions spaces focused on early intervention orthopedics, today announced that Stephen (Steve) Griffin, current Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective February 1, 2026. Mr. Griffin will succeed Cheryl R. Blanchard, Ph.D., who will become Executive Chair of the Board of Directors. In addition, John (Jack) B. Henneman, III, Director since 2020, has been appointed Lead Independent Director.
Mr. Griffin, who has served as Anika’s CFO since 2024 and COO since April 2025, brings a track record of successful strategic transformation and operational excellence to his next role as CEO. At Anika, he has led the divestiture of assets as the Company focused its strategy around hyaluronic acid and strengthened operations through reinvestment and process improvements. Prior to joining Anika, Mr. Griffin served as Senior Vice President and CFO at VSE Corporation, where he helped execute the strategic transformation of a 60-year-old company through business development and organic growth initiatives. Mr. Griffin spent more than a decade in various roles of increasing responsibility at General Electric, with a focus on accelerating growth, streamlining operations, and building high-performing teams.
Mr. Griffin said, “I am honored to be named Anika’s next CEO. Over the past two years, I have seen firsthand the strength of our team, the power of our technology, and the unique role Anika plays in improving patients’ lives. We have positive momentum in the business, particularly in our Commercial Channel, and my focus will be on accelerating growth, improving our operational discipline and profitability, and directing resources where they matter most to deliver exceptional value for patients, employees, healthcare professionals, and shareholders. We have the right building blocks in place, and now is the time to execute with urgency and purpose. Through Cheryl’s leadership, the Company is well positioned for its next chapter, and I look forward to partnering with her as Executive Chair to deliver on the profitable growth opportunities ahead for Anika.”
“We are thrilled to announce Steve’s appointment as our next CEO. Since joining the Company in 2024, Steve has been an exceptional, highly capable leader who has played an integral role advancing key strategic priorities, including accelerating profitability and positioning Anika to capture the significant value in our pipeline,” said Dr. Blanchard. “It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as Anika’s CEO for six years. I am proud of what our team has accomplished to restore active living for people globally as we refocused our strategy around Anika’s hyaluronic acid portfolio in both OA pain management and regenerative solutions. This includes launching the Integrity Implant System to treat tendon repairs, progressing our compelling clinical pipeline, and driving double digit growth in our commercial channel. Anika’s business has evolved, and as we work towards a new wave of regulatory approvals, we are at a natural point to transition leadership. I look forward to continuing to work with Steve in my new role as Executive Chair, and I am confident that Steve and the rest of the management team will build on our progress and bring Anika to new heights.”
Mr. Henneman said, “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Cheryl for her leadership to transform the Company. During her tenure as CEO, Anika repositioned itself as a focused leader in OA pain management and regenerative solutions with compelling innovation in areas of unmet need and substantial, growing markets and streamlined operations. Cheryl will remain on the Board as Executive Chair to support the transition, which will allow for Steve and his team and the Board to continue benefiting from her regulatory expertise and product development experience. Steve’s own background in finance and operations positions him as the right leader to drive Anika’s long-term profitable growth, and we are excited for the future.”
Finally, as Anika’s charter limits the size of its Board of Directors to nine members, the Company has accepted the resignation of Susan N. Vogt, also effective February 1, 2026.
Mr. Henneman added, “Sue has contributed enormously to the Board for the past seven years, serving as Chair on the Governance and Nominating Committee and as a designated financial expert member of the Audit Committee. She has our gratitude and will be missed.”
The Company today reaffirmed its fiscal 2025 guidance, which was previously reaffirmed on November 5, 2025, in conjunction with its third quarter 2025 financial results.
About Stephen (Steve) Griffin
Steve Griffin has served as Anika’s Chief Financial Officer since 2024 and Chief Operating Officer since April 2025. He joined the Company with more than 15 years of broad financial and operational leadership experience at large- and small-cap companies. Prior to Anika, Mr. Griffin served as Senior Vice President and CFO at VSE Corporation. In this role, he was responsible for all finance, investor relations, and corporate IT functions. Prior to his tenure with VSE Corporation, Mr. Griffin spent over a decade at General Electric in positions of increasing responsibility including Corporate Audit, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Divisional CFO roles. At GE, Mr. Griffin worked across GE Healthcare, GE Aerospace, and GE Power, and he is also a graduate of GE’s financial management program.
Mr. Griffin holds a B.S. in Finance and Accounting from Boston College and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.
About Anika
Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIK), is the global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of hyaluronic acid innovations. In partnership with clinicians, our sole focus is dedicated to delivering and advancing osteoarthritis pain management and orthopedic regenerative solutions. At our core is a passion to deliver a differentiated portfolio that improves patient outcomes around the world. Anika’s global operations are headquartered outside of Boston, Massachusetts. For more information about Anika, please visit www.anika.com.
ANIKA, ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, CINGAL, HYALOFAST, INTEGRITY, MONOVISC, ORTHOVISC, and the Anika logo are trademarks of Anika Therapeutics, Inc. or its subsidiaries or are licensed to Anika Therapeutics, Inc. for its use.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, concerning the Company’s expectations, anticipations, intentions, beliefs or strategies regarding the future which are not statements of historical fact, including statements about the planned leadership transition and statements about expectations for accelerated growth, improved profitability and operating efficiencies. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, and other factors. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from any anticipated future results, performance, or achievements described in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors including, but not limited to, (i) the Company’s ability to successfully commence and/or complete clinical trials of its products on a timely basis or at all; (ii) the Company’s ability to obtain pre-clinical or clinical data to support, or to timely file domestic and international pre-market approval applications, 510(k) applications, or new drug applications, including the PMA for Hyalofast and the NDA for Cingal; (iii) that the FDA or other regulatory bodies may not approve or clear the Company’s applications, including the Hyalofast PMA because of the failure to achieve the pre-defined primary endpoints or because the FDA may determine that achievement of secondary endpoints and/or post hoc data analyses are not sufficient to support approval; (iii) that such approvals or clearances will not be obtained in a timely manner or without the need for additional clinical trials, other testing or regulatory submissions, as applicable; (iv) the Company’s research and product development efforts and their relative success, including whether we have any meaningful sales of any new products resulting from such efforts; (v) the cost effectiveness and efficiency of the Company’s clinical studies, manufacturing operations, and production planning; (vi) the strength of the economies in which the Company operates or will be operating, as well as the political stability of any of those geographic areas; (vii) future determinations by the Company to allocate resources to products and in directions not presently contemplated; (viii) the Company’s ability to successfully commercialize its products, in the U.S. and abroad; (ix) the Company’s ability to provide an adequate and timely supply of its products to its customers; and (x) the Company’s ability to achieve its growth targets. Additional factors and risks are described in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and they are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are made based on information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release.
For Investor Inquiries:
Anika Therapeutics, Inc.
Matt Hall, 781-457-9554
Director, Corporate Development and Investor Relations
investorrelations@anika.com