Fate Therapeutics Inc S-3, filed Nov 8, 2023
Fate Therapeutics Inc (FATE)
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2023
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 65-1311552 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
(858) 875-1800
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of principal executive offices)
J. Scott Wolchko
President and Chief Executive Officer
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
(858) 875-1800
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With copies to:
Cindy Tahl, Esq.
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
(858) 875-1800
Kingsley L. Taft, Esq.
Maggie L. Wong, Esq.
Natalie T. Martirossian, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
3 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 733-6000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time or at one time as determined by the Registrant after the date this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement contains:
| ∎ | a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings with a total value of up to $300,000,000; and |
| ∎ | a sales agreement prospectus covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $100,000,000 of our common stock that may be issued and sold from time to time under a sales agreement with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies. |
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in one or more prospectus supplements to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the sales agreement with Jefferies are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus. The $100,000,000 of common stock that may be offered, issued and sold under the sales agreement prospectus is included in the $300,000,000 of securities that may be offered, issued and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination or expiration of the sales agreement with Jefferies, any portion of the $100,000,000 included in the sales agreement prospectus that is not sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus.
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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 8, 2023
PROSPECTUS
FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$300,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
From time to time, we may issue and sell, up to $300,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and/or units, in one or more series or classes. We may offer these securities individually or in combination with other securities.
This prospectus describes the general manner in which any of these securities may be offered using this prospectus. We will specify in any accompanying prospectus supplement the prices and terms of the securities being offered and other details regarding the offering thereof. See section titled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus and in the corresponding section in the applicable prospectus supplement for additional information on how we may conduct sales of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and/or units.
The securities offered by us in this prospectus may be sold directly to investors, to or through underwriters and also to other purchasers or through agents. We will set forth the names of any underwriters or agents, and any fees, conversions or discount arrangements, in any accompanying prospectus supplement. We may not sell any securities under this prospectus without delivery of the applicable prospectus supplement. We also may authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
You should carefully read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference before you invest in our securities.
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FATE.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on October 31, 2023, as reported on The Nasdaq Global Market, was $1.81 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing, if any, on The Nasdaq Global Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should review carefully the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus beginning on page 2 and any similar section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this prospectus is , 2023.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings for an aggregate initial offering price of up to $300,000,000.
This prospectus describes the general manner in which we may offer the securities described in this prospectus. Each time we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide one or more prospectus supplements that will contain more specific information about the terms of the offering. The applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in the documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between information in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the most recent applicable prospectus supplement and documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. This prospectus may not be used to offer to sell, solicit an offer to buy or consummate a sale of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, together with the additional information incorporated herein by reference as described under the sections captioned “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or in any related free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities other than the securities described in the accompanying prospectus supplement or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference and any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates and any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents.
Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this prospectus to “Fate Therapeutics”, “we”, “our”, “us” and “the Company” refer, collectively, to Fate Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries.
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Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in our subsequent filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, together with the other information contained in this prospectus and in our filings with the SEC that we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, before making an investment decision. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information about how to obtain a copy of these documents. The risks described in these documents are not the only ones we face, but those that we consider to be material. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by the materialization of any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to the materialization of any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference also contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should also carefully consider the risks and other information that may be contained in, or incorporated by reference into, any prospectus supplement relating to specific offerings of securities. Please also carefully read the section below titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains 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 (the Exchange Act). Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or to our future operating or financial performance and involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, even if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
| ∎ | our plans to research, develop and commercialize our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the initiation, progress, success, cost and timing of our clinical trials and product development activities; |
| ∎ | our ability and timing to advance our product candidates in, and to successfully initiate, conduct, enroll and complete, clinical trials; |
| ∎ | the therapeutic potential of our product candidates, and the disease indications for which we intend to develop our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the timing and likelihood of, and our ability to obtain and maintain, regulatory clearance of our Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for and regulatory approval of our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the potential of our technology platform, including our induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform, and our ability to leverage our platform in our research, development and commercialization activities for our product candidates; |
| ∎ | our ability to manufacture our product candidates for clinical development and, if approved, for commercialization, and the timing and costs of such manufacture; |
| ∎ | our ability to source clinical and, if approved, commercial materials and supplies used to manufacture our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the performance of third parties in connection with the development and manufacture of our product candidates, including third parties conducting our clinical trials as well as third-party suppliers and manufacturers; |
| ∎ | our ability to attract and retain strategic collaborators with development, regulatory and commercialization expertise; |
| ∎ | the potential benefits of strategic collaboration agreements and our ability, and the ability of our collaborators, to successfully develop product candidates under the respective collaborations; |
| ∎ | our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to initiate and complete clinical trials of our product candidates; |
| ∎ | our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities, whether alone or with actual or potential collaborators, to commercialize our product candidates, if approved; |
| ∎ | our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates, if approved; |
| ∎ | the size and growth of the potential markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets; |
| ∎ | regulatory developments and approval pathways in the United States and foreign countries for our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the potential scope and value of our intellectual property rights; |
| ∎ | our ability, and the ability of our licensors, to obtain, maintain, defend and enforce intellectual property rights protecting our product candidates, and our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties; |
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| ∎ | our ability to recruit and retain key personnel; |
| ∎ | the accuracy of our projections and estimates regarding our revenues, expenses, capital requirements, cash utilization and need for additional financing; |
| ∎ | our ability to compete with rapidly evolving cell therapy technologies and respond to other developments relating to our competitors and our industry; and |
| ∎ | other risks and uncertainties, including those described or incorporated by reference under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement that we may file. |
Any forward-looking statements in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, reflect our current views with respect to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those referenced in the section “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus and the documents that we incorporate by reference herein and therein. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date the statements were made, and while we believed such information formed a reasonable basis for such statements at the time they were made, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future. Thus, you should not assume that our silence over time means that actual events are bearing out as expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business, and the markets for certain diseases, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. We qualify all of the forward-looking statements in the foregoing documents by these cautionary statements. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market and other data from reports, research surveys, studies and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data and similar sources.
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The following highlights information about the Registrant and our business contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. It is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in any of our securities. You should carefully read this prospectus together with the more detailed information incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Overview
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of programmed cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders. Our development of first-in-class cell therapy product candidates is based on a simple notion: we believe that better cell therapies start with better cells.
To create better cell therapies, we have pioneered a therapeutic approach that we generally refer to as cell programming: we create and engineer human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function; we generate a clonal master iPSC line for use as a renewable source of cell manufacture; and we direct the fate of the clonal master iPSC line to produce our first-in-class cell therapy product candidate. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, we believe clonal master iPSC lines can be used to mass produce multiplexed-engineered cellular immunotherapies which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be stored in inventory for off-the-shelf availability, can be combined and administered with other therapies, and can have broader patient reach.
Utilizing this therapeutic approach, we are advancing a cell therapy pipeline comprised of off-the-shelf, multiplexed-engineered, iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) and T-cell product candidates that are selectively designed, incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function, and are intended to deliver multiple mechanisms of therapeutic importance to patients for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. We have a deep pipeline of iPSC-derived, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-targeted NK and T-cell product candidates currently under development with multiple clinical trials ongoing:
| PROGRAM |
INDICATION |
CAR TARGET(S) |
# OF SYNTHETIC CONTROLS |
DEVELOPMENT STAGE |
PARTNER | |||||
| CAR NK Cell Programs | ||||||||||
| FT576 |
Multiple Myeloma | BCMA | 4 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| FT522 |
B-cell Lymphoma | CD19; 41BB | 5 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| Autoimmune Disorders | CD19; 41BB | 5 | Preclinical | |||||||
| CAR T-cell Programs |
||||||||||
| FT819 |
B-cell Lymphoma | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | |||||||
| Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | |||||||
| FT825 |
Solid Tumors | HER2 | 7 | Phase 1 | Ono | |||||
| Other CAR-targeted Programs |
||||||||||
| Undisclosed |
Solid Tumors | Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
Preclinical | Ono | |||||
Corporate History and Information
We were incorporated in Delaware in 2007, and are headquartered in San Diego, California. Our principal executive office is located at 12278 Scripps Summit Drive, San Diego, California 92131 and our telephone number is (858) 875-1800. Our corporate website address is www.fatetherapeutics.com. We do not incorporate by reference the information contained on, or accessible through, our website into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website a part of this prospectus. You should not rely on any such information in making your decision whether to purchase our securities.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available,
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free of charge, on or through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports and amendments are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding our filings at www.sec.gov.
For additional information about our Company, please refer to other documents we have filed with the SEC and that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as listed under the heading “Incorporation by Reference.”
Trademarks
We own various U.S. federal trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including the following marks referred to in this document: Fate Therapeutics®, and our corporate logo. All other trademarks or trade names referred to in this document are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this document are referred to without the symbols ® and ™, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.
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We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us under this prospectus for working capital and general corporate purposes, including for research and development, clinical trials, and manufacturing expenses associated with the development of our product candidates, and for general and administrative and capital expenditures, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The amounts and timing of our use of the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered under this prospectus will depend on a number of factors, such as the timing and progress of our and our strategic partners’ clinical trials of our product candidates and our development efforts, the timing and progress of any partnering efforts, technological advances and the competitive environment for our product candidates. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from any securities offered under this prospectus. Accordingly, our management will have broad discretion in the timing and application of any net proceeds.
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We may offer shares of common or preferred stock, various series of senior or subordinated debt securities, warrants, or units consisting of combinations of the foregoing, in each case from time to time under this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering. This prospectus contains summary descriptions of the securities we may offer from time to time. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. At the time we offer a particular type or series of securities, we will provide an applicable prospectus supplement describing the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
| ∎ | designation or classification; |
| ∎ | aggregate principal amount or aggregate offering price; |
| ∎ | voting or other rights; |
| ∎ | rates and times of payment of interest, dividends or other payments, if any; |
| ∎ | liquidation preference; |
| ∎ | original issue discount, if any; |
| ∎ | maturity date, if applicable; |
| ∎ | ranking; |
| ∎ | restrictive covenants, if any; |
| ∎ | redemption, conversion, exercise, exchange, settlement or sinking fund terms, including prices or rates, if any, and, if applicable, any provisions for changes to or adjustments in such prices or rates and in the securities or other property receivable upon conversion, exercise, exchange or settlement; |
| ∎ | any securities exchange or market listing arrangements; and |
| ∎ | important U.S. federal income tax considerations, if any. |
This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell securities unless accompanied by an applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should read the prospectus supplement related to any securities being offered.
We may sell the securities directly to or through underwriters, dealers or agents. We and our underwriters, dealers or agents reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities through underwriters or agents, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement (i) the names of the underwriters or agents and applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them; (ii) details regarding over-allotment options, if any; and (iii) net proceeds to us.
The following descriptions are not complete and may not contain all the information you should consider before investing in any securities we may offer hereunder; they are summarized from, and qualified by reference to, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and the other documents referred to in the descriptions, all of which are or will be publicly filed with the SEC, as applicable. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
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The following summary description of our common stock and preferred stock, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of our capital stock. The following description of our capital stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (certificate of incorporation) and amended and restated bylaws (bylaws), which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by applicable law. The terms of our common stock and preferred stock may also be affected by the applicable provisions of the of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL).
Authorized Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (common stock), and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (preferred stock). 2,819,549 shares of our authorized preferred stock have been designated as Class A Convertible Preferred Stock. Except as otherwise provided in the certificate of designation of any series of preferred stock we may issue, the number of authorized shares of common stock or preferred stock may from time to time be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares of such class outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our capital stock irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
As of September 30, 2023, we had 98,585,750 shares of common stock outstanding and 2,761,108 shares of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding. Unless stated otherwise, the following discussion summarizes the terms and provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws.
Common Stock
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of our common stock do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors (Board) out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any outstanding shares of our preferred stock. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription rights or redemption rights and no sinking fund provisions are applicable to our common stock.
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after the payment of all our debts and other liabilities and subject to any liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock then outstanding. All outstanding shares are fully paid and nonassessable.
When we issue shares of common stock under this prospectus, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable and will not have, or be subject to, any preemptive or similar rights.
Exchange Listing
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FATE.” As of September 30, 2023, we had approximately 22 stockholders of record of our common stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
Preferred Stock
Undesignated Preferred Stock
Our Board was initially authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. As a result of the designation and issuance of 2,819,549 shares of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock described below, our Board is authorized to designate and issue up to 2,180,451 remaining shares of preferred stock. Our Board may determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of the shares of each
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series of preferred stock, any or all of which may be more favorable than the rights of our common stock. The issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon our liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or other corporate action.
The purpose of authorizing our Board to issue preferred stock in one or more series and determine the number of shares in the series and its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. Examples of rights and preferences that the Board may fix are:
| ∎ | dividend rights; |
| ∎ | dividend rates; |
| ∎ | conversion rights; |
| ∎ | voting rights; |
| ∎ | terms of redemption; and |
| ∎ | liquidation preferences. |
The existence of authorized but unissued shares of undesignated preferred stock may enable our Board to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our Board were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of us or our stockholders, our Board could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer, stockholder or stockholder group. The rights of holders of our common stock described above, will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of any preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future. The issuance of shares of undesignated preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.
Class A Convertible Preferred Stock
We filed a Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of Delaware on November 22, 2016 (the Certificate of Designation), pursuant to which we designated 2,819,549 shares of authorized and unissued preferred stock as Class A Convertible Preferred Stock (the Preferred Shares). Each Preferred Share is convertible into five shares of common stock (subject to adjustment for stock dividends, stock splits, combinations and the like). The holders of the Preferred Shares, which currently consist of entities affiliated with Redmile Group, LLC (Redmile), are prohibited from converting the Preferred Shares into shares of common stock if, as a result of such conversion, Redmile, together with its affiliates, would own more than 9.99% of the shares of our common stock then issued and outstanding (the Redmile Percentage Limitation), which percentage may change at Redmile’s election upon 61 days’ notice to us to (i) any other number less than or equal to 19.99% or (ii) subject to approval of our stockholders to the extent required in accordance with the Nasdaq Global Market rules, any number in excess of 19.99%. On May 2, 2017, our stockholders approved the issuance of up to an aggregate of 14,097,745 shares of common stock upon the conversion of the 2,819,549 outstanding Preferred Shares. As a result, Redmile has the right to increase the Redmile Percentage Limitation to any percentage in excess of 19.99% at its election upon 61 days’ notice to us. In April 2023, we filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock, which amended the definition of Beneficial Ownership Limitation to be 14.99% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of common stock pursuant to a Notice of Conversion. Additionally, in the event of certain fundamental transactions, including (i) any merger or consolidation of our company with or into another entity; (ii) our sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets; (iii) the acceptance by holders of 35% or more of our outstanding common stock of any purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer pursuant to which such holders are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property; (iv) any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of our common stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which our common stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for
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other securities, cash or property; or (v) any other business combination pursuant to which a third party acquires more than 50% of our outstanding shares of common stock, each Preferred Share outstanding immediately prior to such fundamental transaction will automatically convert into shares of common stock at the applicable conversion ratio then in effect.
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of Preferred Shares will participate pari passu with the holders of our common stock in any distribution of proceeds, pro rata based on the number of shares held by each such holder. The Preferred Shares generally have no voting rights. Holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to receive, on an as-converted-to-common-stock basis, dividends that are equal to dividends actually paid on shares of common stock, when, as and if such dividends are paid on shares of common stock.
Additional Series of Preferred Stock
We will incorporate by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement, which includes this prospectus, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of any additional series of preferred stock we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This description and the applicable prospectus supplement will include:
| ∎ | the title and stated value; |
| ∎ | the number of shares authorized; |
| ∎ | the liquidation preference per share; |
| ∎ | the purchase price; |
| ∎ | the dividend rate, period and payment date, and method of calculation for dividends; |
| ∎ | whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate; |
| ∎ | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any; |
| ∎ | the provisions for a sinking fund, if any; |
| ∎ | the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights; |
| ∎ | any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market; |
| ∎ | whether our preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock, and, if applicable, the conversion price, or how it will be calculated, and the conversion period; |
| ∎ | whether our preferred stock will be exchangeable into debt securities, and, if applicable, the exchange price, or how it will be calculated, and the exchange period; |
| ∎ | voting rights, if any, of our preferred stock; |
| ∎ | preemptive rights, if any; |
| ∎ | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
| ∎ | whether interests in our preferred stock will be represented by depositary shares; |
| ∎ | a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to our preferred stock; |
| ∎ | the relative ranking and preferences of our preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; |
| ∎ | any limitations on issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and |
| ∎ | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, our preferred stock. |
When we issue shares of preferred stock under this prospectus, the shares will fully be paid and nonassessable and will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
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Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
Certain provisions of the DGCL and of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions are also designed in part to encourage anyone seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our Board. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. However, we believe that the advantages gained by protecting our ability to negotiate with any unsolicited and potentially unfriendly acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging such proposals, including those priced above the then-current market value of our common stock, because, among other reasons, the negotiation of such proposals could improve their terms.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law. We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:
| ∎ | before the stockholder became interested, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| ∎ | upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or |
| ∎ | at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
| ∎ | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; |
| ∎ | any sale, transfer, lease, pledge, exchange, mortgage or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation; |
| ∎ | subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; |
| ∎ | subject to exceptions, any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or |
| ∎ | the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.
Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us and encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to
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negotiate with our Board rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.
Board Composition and Filling Vacancies. Our certificate of incorporation provides for the division of our Board into three classes serving staggered three-year terms, with one class being elected each year. Our certificate of incorporation also provides that directors may be removed only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of the holders of 75% or more of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Furthermore, any vacancy on our Board, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our Board, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office even if less than a quorum.
No Written Consent of Stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation provides that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting.
Meetings of Stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that only a majority of the members of our Board then in office may call special meetings of stockholders and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.
Advance Notice Requirements. Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. Our bylaws specify the requirements as to form and content of all stockholders’ notices.
Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. As required by the Delaware General Corporation Law, any amendment of our certificate of incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our Board, and if required by law or our certificate of incorporation, must thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment and a majority of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to stockholder action, Board composition, limitation of liability and the amendment of our certificate of incorporation must be approved by not less than 75% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than 75% of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class. Our bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, subject to any limitations set forth in the bylaws; and may also be amended by the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, or, if our Board recommends that the stockholders approve the amendment, by the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, in each case voting together as a single class.
Undesignated Preferred Stock. Our certificate of incorporation provides for 5,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, of which 2,819,549 shares have been designated as Class A Convertible Preferred Stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of undesignated preferred stock may enable our Board to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our Board were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of our stockholders, our Board could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our certificate of incorporation grants our Board broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.
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Exclusive Forum. Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any state law claims for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine. In addition, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Our bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to these exclusive forum provisions. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware or federal securities law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, these provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. In addition, these forum selection provisions may impose additional litigation costs for stockholders who determine to pursue any such lawsuits against us. The enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation and bylaws have been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could rule that these provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws are inapplicable for a particular claim or action or that such provisions are unenforceable. In particular, while the Delaware Supreme Court and other state courts have upheld the validity of federal forum selection provisions purporting to require claims under the Securities Act be brought in federal court, there is uncertainty as to whether other state or federal courts will enforce the federal forum provision in our bylaws.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
This section describes the general terms and provisions of our debt securities that we may issue from time to time. We may issue debt securities, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future debt securities we may offer under this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the specific terms of any debt securities offered through that prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The terms of any debt securities we offer under a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may differ from the terms we describe below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the “indentures,” we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
We will issue any senior debt securities under the senior indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue any subordinated debt securities under the subordinated indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act. We use the term “trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable.
The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete applicable indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:
| ∎ | the title; |
| ∎ | the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; |
| ∎ | any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
| ∎ | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, and, if so, the terms and who the depository will be; |
| ∎ | the maturity date; |
| ∎ | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
| ∎ | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
| ∎ | whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
| ∎ | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
| ∎ | the place where payments will be payable; |
| ∎ | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
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| ∎ | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
| ∎ | the date, if any, after which, the conditions upon which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions; |
| ∎ | the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option, to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
| ∎ | whether the indenture will restrict our ability or the ability of our subsidiaries to: |
| ∎ | incur additional indebtedness; |
| ∎ | issue additional securities; |
| ∎ | create liens; |
| ∎ | pay dividends or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or the capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
| ∎ | redeem capital stock; |
| ∎ | place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets; |
| ∎ | make investments or other restricted payments; |
| ∎ | sell or otherwise dispose of assets; |
| ∎ | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
| ∎ | engage in transactions with stockholders or affiliates; |
| ∎ | issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or |
| ∎ | effect a consolidation or merger; |
| ∎ | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; |
| ∎ | a discussion of certain material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
| ∎ | information describing any book-entry features; |
| ∎ | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
| ∎ | the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge; |
| ∎ | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; |
| ∎ | the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; and |
| ∎ | the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; and any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities. |
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party). We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party) that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
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Consolidation, Merger or Sale
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indentures will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of ours or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
Events of Default Under the Indenture
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
| ∎ | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended; |
| ∎ | if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase or otherwise, and the time for payment has not been extended; |
| ∎ | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and |
| ∎ | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur. |
We will describe in each applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus any additional events of default relating to the relevant series of debt securities.
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the unpaid principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
| ∎ | the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and |
| ∎ | subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
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A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:
| ∎ | the holder has given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
| ∎ | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense or to be incurred in compliance with instituting the proceeding as trustee; and |
| ∎ | the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities, or other defaults that may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.
We will periodically file statements with the trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
Subject to the terms of the indenture for any series of debt securities that we may issue, we and the trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to the following specific matters:
| ∎ | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; |
| ∎ | to comply with the provisions described above under “Description of Our Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger or Sale;” |
| ∎ | to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; |
| ∎ | to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in the indenture; |
| ∎ | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided under “Description of Our Debt Securities—General,” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities; |
| ∎ | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee; |
| ∎ | to provide for uncertificated debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; |
| ∎ | to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the holders, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default or to surrender any right or power conferred to us in the indenture; or |
| ∎ | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, subject to the terms of the indenture for any series of debt securities that we may issue or as otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
| ∎ | extending the stated maturity of the series of debt securities; |
| ∎ | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption or repurchase of any debt securities; or |
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| ∎ | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver. |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that, subject to the terms of the indenture and any limitation otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:
| ∎ | register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series; |
| ∎ | replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; |
| ∎ | maintain paying agencies; |
| ∎ | hold monies for payment in trust; |
| ∎ | recover excess money held by the trustee; |
| ∎ | compensate and indemnify the trustee; and |
| ∎ | appoint any successor trustee. |
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company or another depository named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus with respect to that series.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will make no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series. If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
| ∎ | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
| ∎ | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
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Information Concerning the Trustee
The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will designate the corporate trust office of the trustee as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.
Ranking of Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated debt securities that we may issue. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment to all our other senior unsecured debt. The senior indenture does not limit the amount of senior debt securities that we may issue. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
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The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement, which includes this prospectus.
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities.
We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue under a separate warrant agreement. We will enter into the warrant agreement with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:
| ∎ | the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
| ∎ | the currency for which the warrants may be purchased; |
| ∎ | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
| ∎ | if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
| ∎ | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; |
| ∎ | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
| ∎ | the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants; |
| ∎ | the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
| ∎ | any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
| ∎ | the periods during which, and places at which, the warrants are exercisable; |
| ∎ | the manner of exercise; |
| ∎ | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
| ∎ | the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified; |
| ∎ | federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; |
| ∎ | the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and |
| ∎ | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
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We may issue units comprised of shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock, debt securities and warrants in any combination. We may issue units in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we wish. This section outlines certain provisions of the units that we may issue. If we issue units, they will be issued under one or more unit agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or other financial institution, as unit agent. The information described in this section may not be complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to the unit agreement with respect to the units of any particular series. The specific terms of any series of units offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If so described in a particular supplement, the specific terms of any series of units may differ from the general description of terms presented below. We urge you to read any prospectus supplement related to any series of units we may offer, as well as the complete unit agreement and unit certificate that contain the terms of the units. If we issue units, forms of unit agreements and unit certificates relating to such units will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement, which includes this prospectus.
Each unit that we may issue will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date. The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:
| ∎ | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
| ∎ | any provisions of the governing unit agreement; |
| ∎ | the price or prices at which such units will be issued; |
| ∎ | the applicable United States federal income tax considerations relating to the units; |
| ∎ | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and |
| ∎ | any other terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units. |
The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to the securities included in each unit, to the extent relevant and as may be updated in any prospectus supplements.
Issuance in Series
We may issue units in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we wish. This section summarizes terms of the units that apply generally to all series. Most of the financial and other specific terms of a particular series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Unit Agreements
We will issue the units under one or more unit agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or other financial institution, as unit agent. We may add, replace or terminate unit agents from time to time. We will identify the unit agreement under which each series of units will be issued and the unit agent under that agreement in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The following provisions will generally apply to all unit agreements unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement:
Modification without Consent
We and the applicable unit agent may amend any unit or unit agreement without the consent of any holder:
| ∎ | to cure any ambiguity; any provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described below; |
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| ∎ | to correct or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision; or |
| ∎ | to make any other change that we believe is necessary or desirable and will not adversely affect the interests of the affected holders in any material respect. |
We do not need any approval to make changes that affect only units to be issued after the changes take effect. We may also make changes that do not adversely affect a particular unit in any material respect, even if they adversely affect other units in a material respect. In those cases, we do not need to obtain the approval of the holder of the unaffected unit; we need only obtain any required approvals from the holders of the affected units.
Modification with Consent
We may not amend any particular unit or a unit agreement with respect to any particular unit unless we obtain the consent of the holder of that unit, if the amendment would:
| ∎ | impair any right of the holder to exercise or enforce any right under a security included in the unit if the terms of that security require the consent of the holder to any changes that would impair the exercise or enforcement of that right; or |
| ∎ | reduce the percentage of outstanding units or any series or class the consent of whose holders is required to amend that series or class, or the applicable unit agreement with respect to that series or class, as described below. |
Any other change to a particular unit agreement and the units issued under that agreement would require the following approval:
| ∎ | If the change affects only the units of a particular series issued under that agreement, the change must be approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding units of that series; or |
| ∎ | If the change affects the units of more than one series issued under that agreement, it must be approved by the holders of a majority of all outstanding units of all series affected by the change, with the units of all the affected series voting together as one class for this purpose. |
These provisions regarding changes with majority approval also apply to changes affecting any securities issued under a unit agreement, as the governing document.
In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent.
Unit Agreements Will Not Be Qualified under Trust Indenture Act
No unit agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no unit agent will be required to qualify as a trustee, under the Trust Indenture Act. Therefore, holders of units issued under unit agreements will not have the protections of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to their units.
Mergers and Similar Transactions Permitted; No Restrictive Covenants or Events of Default
The unit agreements will not restrict our ability to merge or consolidate with, or sell our assets to, another corporation or other entity or to engage in any other transactions. If at any time we merge or consolidate with, or sell our assets substantially as an entirety to, another corporation or other entity, the successor entity will succeed to and assume our obligations under the unit agreements. We will then be relieved of any further obligation under these agreements.
The unit agreements will not include any restrictions on our ability to put liens on our assets, nor will they restrict our ability to sell our assets. The unit agreements also will not provide for any events of default or remedies upon the occurrence of any events of default.
Governing Law
The unit agreements and the units will be governed by Delaware law.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue each unit in global—i.e., book-entry—form only. Units in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary, which will be the holder of all the units represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in a unit will do so through participants in the depositary’s
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system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. We will describe book-entry securities, and other terms regarding the issuance and registration of the units in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Each unit and all securities comprising the unit will be issued in the same form.
If we issue any units in registered, non-global form, the following will apply to them.
The units will be issued in the denominations stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Holders may exchange their units for units of smaller denominations or combined into fewer units of larger denominations, as long as the total amount is not changed.
| ∎ | Holders may exchange or transfer their units at the office of the unit agent. Holders may also replace lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated units at that office. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourselves. |
| ∎ | Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their units, but they may be required to pay for any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange, and any replacement, will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership. The transfer agent may also require an indemnity before replacing any units. |
| ∎ | If we have the right to redeem, accelerate or settle any units before their maturity, and we exercise our right as to less than all those units or other securities, we may block the exchange or transfer of those units during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of exercise and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers of or exchange any unit selected for early settlement, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unsettled portion of any unit being partially settled. We may also block the transfer or exchange of any unit in this manner if the unit includes securities that are or may be selected for early settlement. |
Only the depositary will be entitled to transfer or exchange a unit in global form, since it will be the sole holder of the unit.
Payments and Notices
In making payments and giving notices with respect to our units, we will follow the procedures as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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We may sell the offered securities in and outside the United States:
| ∎ | through underwriters; |
| ∎ | through dealers; |
| ∎ | through agents; |
| ∎ | directly to one or more purchasers, including to a limited number of institutional purchasers, to a single purchaser or to our affiliates and stockholders; |
| ∎ | in “at the market offerings,” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise; or |
| ∎ | through a combination of any of these methods or any other method permitted by law. |
In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase securities, or agents may be designated to solicit such offers. In the prospectus supplement relating to such offering, we will name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act and describe any commissions that we must pay to any such agent. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm commitment basis. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including:
| ∎ | at a fixed price, or prices, which may be changed from time to time; |
| ∎ | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
| ∎ | at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or |
| ∎ | at negotiated prices. |
Each prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.
The prospectus supplement with respect to the securities of a particular series will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including the following:
| ∎ | the terms of the offerings; |
| ∎ | the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents; |
| ∎ | the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters; |
| ∎ | the public offering or purchase price of the securities; |
| ∎ | the net proceeds from the sale of securities; |
| ∎ | any delayed delivery arrangements; |
| ∎ | any discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to the underwriters, dealers or agents; |
| ∎ | all other items constituting underwriting compensation; |
| ∎ | any discounts and commissions to be allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; |
| ∎ | any commissions paid to agents; and |
| ∎ | any exchanges on which the securities will be listed. |
If any underwriters or agents are used in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter into an underwriting agreement, sales agreement or other agreement with them at the time of sale to them, and we will set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering the names of the underwriters or agents and the terms of the related agreement with them.
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In connection with the offering of securities, we may grant to the underwriters an option to purchase additional securities with an additional underwriting commission, as may be set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement. If we grant any such option, the terms of such option will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for such securities.
If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities in respect of which the prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer, who may be deemed to be an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the Securities Act, may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale.
If we offer securities in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders, we may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with dealers, acting as standby underwriters. We may pay the standby underwriters a commitment fee for the securities they commit to purchase on a standby basis. If we do not enter into a standby underwriting arrangement, we may retain a dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us.
Agents, underwriters, dealers and other persons may be entitled under agreements which they may enter into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.
If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in the prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to such contracts shall not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but shall in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that:
| ∎ | the purchase by an institution of the securities covered under that contract shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which that institution is subject; and |
| ∎ | if the securities are also being sold to underwriters acting as principals for their own account, the underwriters shall have purchased such securities not sold for delayed delivery. The underwriters and other persons acting as our agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of delayed delivery contracts. |
Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with their remarketing of offered securities.
Certain agents, underwriters and dealers, and their associates and affiliates, may be customers of, have borrowing relationships with, engage in other transactions with, or perform services, including investment banking services, for us or one or more of our respective affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may over allot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain
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the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.
We may engage in at the market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. In addition, we may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.
Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. The applicable prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than three scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the third business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than three scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
The securities may be new issues of securities and may have no established trading market. The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. We can make no assurance as to the liquidity of or the existence of trading markets for any of the securities.
In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of the proceeds from any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
The specific terms of any lock-up provisions in respect of any given offering will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business for which they receive compensation.
Each underwriter, dealer and agent participating in the distribution of any of the securities that are issuable in bearer form will agree that it will not offer, sell or deliver, directly or indirectly, securities in bearer form in the United States or to United States persons, other than qualifying financial institutions, during the restricted period, as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7).
The anticipated date of delivery of offered securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each offer.
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Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter LLP, San Francisco, California. Any underwriters, dealers or agents will also be advised about the validity of the securities and other legal matters by their own counsel, which will be named in the prospectus supplement.
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Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of the registration statement on Form S-3 we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the reference may not be complete and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement or the exhibits to the reports or other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a copy of such contract, agreement or other document.
Because we are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, we file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at www.fatetherapeutics.com. The information contained in or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus.
We have the authority to designate and issue more than one class or series of stock having various preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption. See “Description of Capital Stock.” We will furnish a full statement of the relative rights and preferences of each class or series of our stock which has been so designated and any restrictions on the ownership or transfer of our stock to any stockholder upon written or oral request and without charge. Written requests for such copies should be directed to Fate Therapeutics, Inc., 12278 Scripps Summit Drive, San Diego, CA 92131, Attention: Secretary, or by telephone request to (858) 875-1800. Our website is located at www.fatetherapeutics.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and, therefore, is not part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.
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The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information from other documents and reports we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to these documents. You should read the information incorporated by reference because it is an important part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We incorporate by reference the following information or documents that we have filed with the SEC:
| ∎ | Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023, or the 2022 Form 10-K; |
| ∎ | the information specifically incorporated by reference into our 2022 Form 10-K from our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2023; |
| ∎ | the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2023, August 8, 2023 and November 8, 2023, respectively; |
| ∎ | the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 5, 2023, April 19, 2023, June 7, 2023, June 8, 2023, June 9, 2023, and September 1, 2023 (except, with respect to each of the foregoing, for portions of such reports which were deemed to be furnished and not filed); and |
| ∎ | the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A (SEC No. 001-36076), filed with the SEC on September 17, 2013, and any other amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and deemed to be part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
Any statement contained in any document incorporated by reference herein filed before the date of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, but not delivered with the prospectus or any prospectus supplement, other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus or any prospectus supplement incorporates. You should direct written requests to: Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., 12278 Scripps Summit Drive, San Diego, CA 92131, Attention: Secretary, or you may call us at (858) 875-1800. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and, therefore, is not part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
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FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
PROSPECTUS
, 2023
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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 8, 2023
We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any information or represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus does not offer to sell any securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is unlawful. Neither the delivery of this prospectus, nor any sale made hereunder, shall create any implication that the information in this prospectus is correct after the date hereof.
PROSPECTUS
(To Prospectus dated , 2023)
Up to $100,000,000
FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Common Stock
We have entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated November 8, 2023, or the sales agreement, with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies, relating to the sale of shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the sales agreement, under this prospectus, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies, acting as our sales agent.
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FATE.” On October 31, 2023, the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market was $1.81 per share.
Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Subject to the terms of the sales agreement, Jefferies is not required to sell any specific amount of securities, but will act as a sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us, consistent with normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between Jefferies and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Jefferies will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate of 3.0% of the aggregate gross sales price per share sold by it under the sales agreement. In connection with the sale of our common stock on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Jefferies with respect to certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-10 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to Jefferies.
INVESTING IN OUR COMMON STOCK INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION, YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER ALL OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS, THE ACCOMPANYING BASE PROSPECTUS AND THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE HEREIN AND THEREIN. SEE “RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE S-4 OF THIS PROSPECTUS AND UNDER SIMILAR HEADINGS IN THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THIS PROSPECTUS.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Jefferies
, 2023
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This prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus are part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may from time to time offer shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 under this prospectus at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering.
This prospectus describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus that was filed with the SEC before the date of this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
This prospectus relates to the offering of our common stock. Before you invest, you should carefully read this prospectus, together with the information incorporated by reference as described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference” in this prospectus. These documents contain important information you should consider when making your investment decision. This prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in the accompanying prospectus.
To the extent that any statement that we make in this prospectus is inconsistent with statements made in any documents incorporated by reference herein filed before the date of this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed to modify or supersede those made in such documents incorporated by reference.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering. Neither we nor Jefferies have authorized anyone to provide you any information other than that contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and Jefferies take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are not, and Jefferies is not, making an offer to sell, nor soliciting an offer to purchase, shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which, or to or from any person from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation of an offer.
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus and the offering of the common stock in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, the accompanying base prospectus or the documents incorporated herein or therein by reference is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates. We do not imply or represent by delivering this prospectus that Fate Therapeutics, Inc., or its business, financial condition or results of operations, are unchanged after the date on the front of this prospectus or that the information in this prospectus and the base accompanying prospectus is correct as of any time after such date.
This prospectus and the information incorporated herein by reference include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
In this prospectus, unless the context specifies or implies otherwise, the terms “Fate,” “Fate Therapeutics,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” and similar names refer to Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
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This summary highlights selected information appearing elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common stock. This prospectus includes information about the shares we are offering as well as information regarding our business and financial data. For a more complete understanding of our company and this offering, we encourage you to read and consider carefully the more detailed information in this prospectus and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the information included in any free writing prospectus we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, including the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus on page S-4 and any related free writing prospectus, and in any other documents incorporated herein or therein (including in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings we make with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act), along with our condensed consolidated financial statements and notes to those condensed consolidated financial statements and the other documents incorporated herein by reference.
Our Company
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing a first-in-class pipeline of programmed cellular immunotherapies to patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders. Our development of first-in-class cell therapy product candidates is based on a simple notion: we believe that better cell therapies start with better cells.
To create better cell therapies, we have pioneered a therapeutic approach that we generally refer to as cell programming: we create and engineer human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function; we generate a clonal master iPSC line for use as a renewable source of cell manufacture; and we direct the fate of the clonal master iPSC line to produce our first-in-class cell therapy product candidate. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, we believe clonal master iPSC lines can be used to mass produce multiplexed-engineered cellular immunotherapies which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be stored in inventory for off-the-shelf availability, can be combined and administered with other therapies, and can have broader patient reach.
Utilizing this therapeutic approach, we are advancing a cell therapy pipeline comprised of off-the-shelf, multiplexed-engineered, iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) and T-cell product candidates that are selectively designed, incorporate novel synthetic controls of cell function, and are intended to deliver multiple mechanisms of therapeutic importance to patients for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. We have a deep pipeline of iPSC-derived, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-targeted NK and T-cell product candidates currently under development with multiple clinical trials ongoing:
| PROGRAM |
INDICATION |
CAR TARGET(S) |
# OF SYNTHETIC CONTROLS |
DEVELOPMENT STAGE |
PARTNER | |||||
| CAR NK Cell Programs | ||||||||||
| FT576 |
Multiple Myeloma | BCMA | 4 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| FT522 |
B-cell Lymphoma | CD19; 41BB | 5 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| Autoimmune Disorders | CD19; 41BB | 5 | Preclinical | |||||||
| CAR T-cell Programs | ||||||||||
| FT819 |
B-cell Lymphoma | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | ||||||
| Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | |||||||
| Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | CD19 | 2 | Phase 1 | |||||||
| FT825 |
Solid Tumors | HER2 | 7 | Phase 1 | Ono | |||||
| Other CAR-targeted Programs | ||||||||||
| Undisclosed |
Solid Tumors | Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
Preclinical | Ono | |||||
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Corporate History and Information
We were incorporated in Delaware in 2007, and are headquartered in San Diego, California. Our principal executive office is located at 12278 Scripps Summit Drive, San Diego, California 92131 and our telephone number is (858) 875-1800. Our website address is www.fatetherapeutics.com. We do not incorporate the information on or accessible through our website into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed through, our website a part of this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein. For further information regarding us and our financial information, you should refer to our recent filings with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
We own various U.S. federal trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including the following marks referred to in this document: Fate Therapeutics®, and our corporate logo. All other trademarks or trade names referred to in this document are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this document are referred to without the symbols ® and ™, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.
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THE OFFERING
Common stock offered by us: Shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000.
Common stock to be outstanding after this offering: Up to 153,834,368 shares (as more fully described in the notes following this table), assuming sales of 55,248,618 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $1.81 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on October 31, 2023. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the sales price under this offering.
Plan of Distribution: “At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through Jefferies. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-10.
Use of Proceeds: Our management will retain broad discretion regarding the allocation and use of the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered under this prospectus. We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, if any, for working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” on page S-8.
Risk Factors: You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement beginning on page S-4 and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to purchase shares of our common stock.
The Nasdaq Global Market Symbol: “FATE”
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding following this offering is based on 98,585,750 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2023. The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding as used throughout this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, excludes, in each case, as of such date:
| ∎ | 13,805,540 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of 2,761,108 shares of our Class A convertible preferred stock; |
| ∎ | 10,336,936 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding at a weighted-average exercise price of $14.17 per share; |
| ∎ | 3,368,325 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of outstanding restricted stock units (RSUs) under our equity incentive plans at a weighted-average grant date fair value of $37.77 per share; |
| ∎ | 7,711,947 shares of common stock available for issuance under our Amended and Restated 2022 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, or 2022 Plan; and |
| ∎ | 863,292 shares of common stock available for issuance under our Amended and Restated Inducement Equity Plan, or Inducement Plan. |
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Any investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described below and discussed under the section captioned “Risk Factors” and “Risk Factors Summary” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, each of which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus in their entirety, together with other information in this prospectus and accompanying base prospectus, and the information and documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, before you make a decision to invest in our common stock. If any of the events described in the risk factors below or incorporated by reference in this prospectus actually occur, our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties described below and incorporated by reference in this prospectus are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. Please also carefully read the section below titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Risks Relating To This Offering
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.
We cannot specify with certainty the particular uses of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering. Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled “Use of Proceeds.” Accordingly, you will have to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of the proceeds, with only limited information concerning management’s specific intentions. Our management may spend a portion or all of the net proceeds from this offering in ways that our stockholders may not desire or that may not yield a favorable return. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.
You may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value per share of the common stock you purchase in this offering.
Because the price per share of our common stock being offered may be substantially higher than the book value per share of our common stock, you may suffer immediate and substantial dilution by purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering. The shares sold in this offering, if any, will be sold from time to time at various prices. See the section below titled “Dilution” for a more detailed discussion of the dilution you may incur if you purchase common stock in this offering.
You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.
To raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. We may sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is less than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share paid by investors in this offering.
We do not expect to pay any dividends for the foreseeable future and, therefore, investors in this offering may never obtain a return on their investment.
You should not rely on an investment in our common stock to provide dividend income. We have never declared or paid dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Instead, we plan to retain any earnings to maintain and expand our existing operations. In addition, any future credit facility may contain terms prohibiting or limiting the amount of dividends that may be declared or paid on our common stock. Accordingly, investors will likely be required to rely on sales of their common stock after price
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appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment. As a result, investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase shares of our common stock.
The actual number of shares of common stock we will issue under the sales agreement and the gross proceeds resulting from those sales, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver instruction to the sales agent, Jefferies, to sell on our behalf shares of our common stock at any time throughout the term of the sales agreement, and Jefferies will be obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to sell the shares. The number of shares that are sold by Jefferies after we request that sales be made will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period and limits we set with Jefferies. Because the price per share of the common stock sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares of common stock that will ultimately be issued by us under the sales agreement or the gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
The shares of common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at-the-market offerings,” and investors who buy shares of common stock at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares of common stock in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and therefore they may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and number of shares sold. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares of common stock as a result of sales of common stock made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains 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. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or to our future operating or financial performance and involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, even if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
| ∎ | our plans to research, develop and commercialize our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the initiation, progress, success, cost and timing of our clinical trials and product development activities; |
| ∎ | our ability and timing to advance our product candidates in, and to successfully initiate, conduct, enroll and complete, clinical trials; |
| ∎ | the therapeutic potential of our product candidates, and the disease indications for which we intend to develop our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the timing and likelihood of, and our ability to obtain and maintain, regulatory clearance of our Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for and regulatory approval of our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the potential of our technology platform, including our induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform, and our ability to leverage our platform in our research, development and commercialization activities for our product candidates; |
| ∎ | our ability to manufacture our product candidates for clinical development and, if approved, for commercialization, and the timing and costs of such manufacture; |
| ∎ | our ability to source clinical and, if approved, commercial materials and supplies used to manufacture our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the performance of third parties in connection with the development and manufacture of our product candidates, including third parties conducting our clinical trials as well as third-party suppliers and manufacturers; |
| ∎ | our ability to attract and retain strategic collaborators with development, regulatory and commercialization expertise; |
| ∎ | the potential benefits of strategic collaboration agreements and our ability, and the ability of our collaborators, to successfully develop product candidates under the respective collaborations; |
| ∎ | our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to initiate and complete clinical trials of our product candidates; |
| ∎ | our ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities, whether alone or with actual or potential collaborators, to commercialize our product candidates, if approved; |
| ∎ | our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates, if approved; |
| ∎ | the size and growth of the potential markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets; |
| ∎ | regulatory developments and approval pathways in the United States and foreign countries for our product candidates; |
| ∎ | the potential scope and value of our intellectual property rights; |
| ∎ | our ability, and the ability of our licensors, to obtain, maintain, defend and enforce intellectual property rights protecting our product candidates, and our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties; |
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| ∎ | our ability to recruit and retain key personnel; |
| ∎ | the accuracy of our projections and estimates regarding our revenues, expenses, capital requirements, cash utilization and need for additional financing; |
| ∎ | our ability to compete with rapidly evolving cell therapy technologies and respond to other developments relating to our competitors and our industry; and |
| ∎ | other risks and uncertainties, including those described or incorporated by reference under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement that we may file. |
Any forward-looking statements in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, reflect our current views with respect to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those referenced in the section “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus and the documents that we incorporate by reference herein and therein. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date the statements were made, and while we believed such information formed a reasonable basis for such statements at the time they were made, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future. Thus, you should not assume that our silence over time means that actual events are bearing out as expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business, and the markets for certain diseases, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. We qualify all of the forward-looking statements in the foregoing documents by these cautionary statements. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market and other data from reports, research surveys, studies and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data and similar sources.
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We may issue and sell shares of our common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $100,000,000. The amount of proceeds from this offering will depend upon the number of shares of our common stock sold and the market price at which they are sold. There can be no assurance that we will be able to sell any shares under or fully utilize the sales agreement with Jefferies as a source of financing. Therefore, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.
We intend to use the net proceeds, if any, from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including expenses associated with research and development, clinical trials, and manufacturing and general and administrative and capital expenditures.
The amounts and timing of our use of the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered under this prospectus will depend on a number of factors, such as the timing and progress of our and our strategic partners’ clinical trials of our product candidates and our development efforts, the timing and progress of any partnering efforts, technological advances and the competitive environment for our product candidates. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to us from any securities offered under this prospectus. Accordingly, our management will have broad discretion in the timing and application of any such proceeds.
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If you invest in our common stock, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.
Net tangible book value per share represents our total tangible assets, including operating lease right-of-use assets of $543.8 million, less total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of outstanding common stock as of September 30, 2023, or 98,585,750 shares. Our net tangible book value as of September 30, 2023 was approximately $402.8 million, or $4.09 per share.
After giving effect to the sale and issuance of 55,248,618 shares of our common stock in this offering (at an assumed offering price of $1.81 per share, which was the closing price of our common stock as reported on The Nasdaq Global Market on October 31, 2023), after deducting offering commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, resulting in net proceeds of $96.8 million, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of September 30, 2023 would have been approximately $499.5 million, or $3.25 per share.
This represents an immediate decrease in net tangible book value of $0.84 per share to our existing stockholders and immediate accretion in net tangible book value of $1.44 per share to investors participating in this offering. While you will experience immediate accretion under the assumed offering price of $1.81 per share, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on October 31, 2023, if you purchase shares at a price that is above the net tangible book value per share, you will experience immediate dilution. Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the assumed offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis to investors participating in this offering:
| Assumed offering price per share |
$ | 1.81 | ||||||
| Historical net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2023 |
$ | 4.09 | ||||||
| Decrease in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors in offering |
$ | (0.84 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|||||||
| As adjusted net tangible book value per share as of September 30, 2023, after giving effect to the offering |
$ | 3.25 | ||||||
|
|
|
|||||||
| Accretion per share to investors participating in this offering |
$ | 1.44 |
The information above is supplied for illustrative purposes only and will adjust based on the actual public offering price and the actual number of shares that we sell in the offering.
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding following this offering is based on 98,585,750 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2023, and excludes, in each, case, as of such date:
| ∎ | 13,805,540 shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of 2,761,108 shares of our Class A convertible preferred stock; |
| ∎ | 10,336,936 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding at a weighted-average exercise price of $14.17 per share; |
| ∎ | 3,368,325 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of outstanding RSUs under our equity incentive plans at a weighted-average grant date fair value of $37.77 per share; |
| ∎ | 7,711,947 shares of common stock available for issuance under our 2022 Plan; and |
| ∎ | 863,292 shares of common stock available for issuance under our Inducement Plan. |
To the extent that any of the outstanding options and warrants are exercised or restricted stock units vest, there would be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.
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We have entered into a sales agreement with Jefferies, under which we may offer and sell up to $100 million of our shares of common stock from time to time through Jefferies acting as sales agent. Sales of our shares of common stock, if any, under this prospectus will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act.
Each time we wish to issue and sell our shares of common stock under the sales agreement, we will notify Jefferies of the number of shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of shares to be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made. Once we have so instructed Jefferies, unless Jefferies declines to accept the terms of such notice, Jefferies has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares up to the amount specified on such terms. The obligations of Jefferies under the sales agreement to sell our shares of common stock are subject to a number of conditions that we must meet. We or Jefferies may suspend the offering of common stock upon notice and subject to other conditions.
The settlement of sales of shares between us and Jefferies is generally anticipated to occur on the second trading day following the date on which any sales were made. Sales of our shares of common stock as contemplated in this prospectus will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Jefferies may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
We will pay Jefferies a commission equal to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds we receive from each sale of our shares of common stock under the sales agreement. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse Jefferies for the reasonable fees and disbursements of its counsel, payable upon execution of the sales agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000, in addition to certain ongoing disbursements of its legal counsel. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding any commissions or expense reimbursement payable to Jefferies under the terms of the sales agreement, will be approximately $250,000. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any other transaction fees, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such shares.
Jefferies will provide written confirmation to us before the open on The Nasdaq Global Market on the day following each day on which our shares of common stock are sold under the sales agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the aggregate gross proceeds of such sales and the proceeds to us.
In connection with the sale of our shares of common stock on our behalf, Jefferies may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to indemnify Jefferies against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
The offering of our shares of common stock pursuant to the sales agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all shares of common stock subject to the sales agreement and (ii) the termination of the sales agreement as permitted therein. We and Jefferies may each terminate the sales agreement at any time upon ten trading days’ prior notice.
This summary of the material provisions of the sales agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the sales agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Jefferies and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. In the course of its business, Jefferies may actively trade our securities for its own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, Jefferies may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities.
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This prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Jefferies, and Jefferies may distribute the prospectus and the accompanying base prospectus electronically.
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Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of the registration statement on Form S-3 we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act and does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the reference may not be complete and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement or the exhibits to the reports or other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a copy of such contract, agreement or other document.
We file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at www.fatetherapeutics.com. The information contained in or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information from other documents and reports we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to these documents. You should read the information incorporated by reference because it is an important part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following information or documents that we have filed with the SEC:
| ∎ | Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023, or the 2022 Form 10-K; |
| ∎ | the information specifically incorporated by reference into our 2022 Form 10-K from our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2023; |
| ∎ | the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2023, August 8, 2023 and November 8, 2023, respectively; |
| ∎ | the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 5, 2023, April 19, 2023, June 7, 2023, June 8, 2023, June 9, 2023, and September 1, 2023 (except, with respect to each of the foregoing, for portions of such reports which were deemed to be furnished and not filed); and |
| ∎ | the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A (SEC No. 001-36076), filed with the SEC on September 17, 2013, and any other amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and deemed to be part of this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
Any statement contained in any document incorporated by reference herein filed before the date of this prospectus supplement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, but not delivered with the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the documents that this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus incorporates. You should direct written requests to: Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., 12278 Scripps Summit Drive, San Diego, CA 92131, Attention: Secretary, or you may call us at (858) 875-1800. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and, therefore, is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
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Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
Up to $100,000,000
Common Stock
Jefferies
, 2023
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Part II—INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The expenses payable by Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (the Registrant or the Company) in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered (other than underwriting discounts and commissions, if any) are set forth below. Each item listed is estimated, except for the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) registration fee.
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee(1) |
$ | 44,280 | ||
| Legal fees and expenses |
* | |||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
* | |||
| Printing fees and expenses |
* | |||
| Transfer agent and trustee fees |
* | |||
| Miscellaneous |
* | |||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
* |
| (1) | Represents registration fee applicable to amount included in prospectus for $300.0 million in shares of common stock. Additional registration fees deferred in reliance upon Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act. |
| * | These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated amount of expenses of any offering of securities. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.
Section 145 of the DGCL authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that they have served or are currently serving as a director or officer to a corporation. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys’ fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Consequently, a director or officer will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:
| ∎ | any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
| ∎ | any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| ∎ | any unlawful payments related to dividends or unlawful stock purchases, redemptions or other distributions; or |
| ∎ | any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
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These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission.
In addition, our bylaws provide that:
| ∎ | we will indemnify our directors, officers and, in the discretion of our board of directors, certain employees to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended; and |
| ∎ | we will advance reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to our directors and, in the discretion of our board of directors, to our officers and certain employees, in connection with legal proceedings relating to their service for or on behalf of us, subject to limited exceptions. |
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and certain of our executive officers. These agreements provide that we will indemnify each of our directors, certain of our executive officers and, at times, their affiliates, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. We will advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees (but excluding judgments, fines and settlement amounts), to each indemnified director, executive officer or affiliate in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available and we will indemnify our directors and executive officers for any action or proceeding arising out of that person’s services as a director or officer brought on behalf of us and/or in furtherance of our rights. We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with any new directors and executive officers in the future.
Additionally, certain of our directors may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance provided by their affiliates, which indemnification relates to and might apply to the same proceedings arising out of such director’s services as a director referenced herein. Nonetheless, we have agreed in the indemnification agreements that our obligations to those same directors are primary and any obligation of the affiliates of those directors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the expenses or liabilities incurred by those directors are secondary.
We also maintain a general liability insurance policy which covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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Item 16. Exhibits
| * | To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement, including a Current Report on Form 8-K, if applicable. |
| ** | To be filed pursuant to the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and Rule 5b-3 thereunder, if applicable. |
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Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(a)(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(l)(i), (a)(l)(ii) and (a)(l)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement. |
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering; |
| (4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
| (ii) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(l)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; |
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| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser; |
| (6) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; |
| (7) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue; and |
| (8) | To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in City of San Diego, State of California, on November 8, 2023.
| FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ J. Scott Wolchko | |
| J. Scott Wolchko | ||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby severally constitutes and appoints each of J. Scott Wolchko, Edward J. Dulac III and Cindy R. Tahl, and each of them singly, as such person’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) to this registration statement (or any registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| SIGNATURE |
TITLE |
DATE | ||
| /s/ J. Scott Wolchko J. Scott Wolchko |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Edward J. Dulac III Edward J. Dulac III |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ William H. Rastetter William H. Rastetter, Ph.D. |
Chairman of the Board and Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ John D. Mendlein John D. Mendlein, Ph.D., J.D. |
Vice Chairman of the Board and Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Shefali Agarwal Shefali Agarwal, M.D. |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Timothy P. Coughlin Timothy P. Coughlin |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Robert S. Epstein Robert S. Epstein, M.D., M.S. |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
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| SIGNATURE |
TITLE |
DATE | ||
| /s/ Robert Hershberg Robert Hershberg, M.D., Ph.D. |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Karin Jooss Karin Jooss, Ph.D. |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Michael Lee Michael Lee |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
| /s/ Yuan Xu Yuan Xu, Ph.D. |
Director |
November 8, 2023 | ||
Exhibit 1.2
OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM
November 8, 2023
JEFFERIES LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Fate Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).
Section 1. DEFINITIONS
(a) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:
“Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first-mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which
| SM | “Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service mark of Jefferies LLC |
in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.
“Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.
“Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer.
“Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
“Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.
“Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (defined below).
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.
“Principal Market” means the Nasdaq Global Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including the Shares, are then listed.
“Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Selling Commission” means three percent (3%) of the aggregate gross proceeds from Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.
“Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.
“Shares” means the Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.
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“Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.
Section 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that, unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies otherwise, as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) with respect to which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) and (5) each Time of Sale (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date:
(a) Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and has filed or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act, with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain the Base Prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares, including pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (any such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. The Registration Statement at the time it was or will be originally declared effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
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mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date. The Company’s obligations under this Agreement to furnish, provide or deliver or make available (and all other references of like import) copies of any report or statement shall be deemed satisfied if the same is filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).
At the time the Registration Statement was or will be originally declared effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, if later, the Company met or will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act specified in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Conduct Rule 5110(B)(7)(C)(i). During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have each been or will each be declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.
The Prospectus when filed complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was or will be identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it was or will be declared effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
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information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in Section 6 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said rule.
(c) Ineligible Issuer Status. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act will be filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of, or used or referred to by, the Company will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to the Agent before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Agent’s prior written consent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, do not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, and any Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Forward-looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
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(g) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(h) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed and is validly existing and in good standing (where such concept exists) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to acquire, own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing (where such concept exists) in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through other wholly-owned subsidiaries, is owned free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens, or encumbrances. None of the outstanding capital stock or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K.
(i) No Private Placements. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any subsidiary has sold, issued or distributed any Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans, or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(j) Stock Options. The description of the Company’s stock options, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements (each, a “Company Stock Plan”), and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, accurately and fairly presents, in all material respects, the information required to be shown with respect to such Company Stock Plan, stock options and rights.
(k) Authorization of Shares. The Shares and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized shares of capital stock of the
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Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Shares have been issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and the Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the information in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to the description of such Shares contained in the Prospectus; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights of any security holder. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no (i) equity or debt securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, (ii) restrictions upon the voting or transfer of (other than pursuant to Securities Laws (as defined below)) or (iii) options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company. “Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”), the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) and, as applicable, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market (the “Exchange Rules”).
(l) No Finder’s Fee. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(m) No Applicable Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act (collectively, “Registration Rights”).
(n) Certain Agreements. There is no document, contract or other agreement required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to any of the foregoing which is not described or filed as required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. Each description of a contract, document or other agreement in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus accurately reflects in all material respects the terms of the underlying contract, document or other agreement. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written communication regarding termination of, or suspension of, any of the contracts or agreements described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or filed as an exhibit to any of the foregoing, for convenience or default, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such termination or suspension is pending or threatened.
(o) Related Party Transactions. To the Company’s knowledge, no transaction has occurred between or among the Company and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any of the Company’s officers,
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directors or 5% stockholders or any Affiliate or Affiliates of any such officer, director or 5% stockholder that is required to be described that is not so described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to, or for the benefit of, any of the directors or executive officers of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective family members. All transactions by the Company with officers or control persons of the Company have been duly approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), or duly appointed committees or officers thereof, if and to the extent required under U.S. law.
(p) Margin Securities. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries own any “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of the sale of the Shares will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Shares to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
(q) Restrictions on Subsidiary Payments to the Company. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(r) [Reserved]
(s) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares in connection with letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 or 5121 is, to the Company’s knowledge with respect to all other persons except for the Company, true, correct and complete, in all material respects, as of the date hereof. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its Affiliates (within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121(f)(1)) directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is an associated person (within the meaning of Article I, Section 1(ee) of the By-laws of FINRA) of, any member firm of FINRA.
(t) Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and are listed on the Principal Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from the Principal Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Principal Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable listing requirements of the Principal Market.
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(u) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with (each an “Authorization”), any person (including any governmental agency or body, regulatory authority, or any court, domestic or foreign (collectively, a “Governmental Agency”)) is required to be obtained or made by or on behalf of the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws or the Securities Act; and no event has occurred that allows or results in, or after notice or lapse of time or both would allow or result in, revocation, suspension, termination or invalidation of any such Authorization or any other impairment of the rights of the holder or maker of any such Authorization.
(v) Title to Properties. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real or personal property owned by them, which are material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as a whole, in each case free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens or other encumbrances and defects that would materially impair the value thereof or the use made or proposed to be made of them as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Any real or personal property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the foregoing, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased premises under any such lease.
(w) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Shares, will not conflict with, result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any law or statute, rule, regulation or order of any Governmental Agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, including any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or loan agreement, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) where such breach, violation or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below); a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(x) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
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instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries, individually and on a consolidated basis, are not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur on each Settlement Date, will not be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 1(bb), “Insolvent” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the present fair saleable value of such Person’s assets is less than the amount required to pay such Person’s total indebtedness, (ii) such Person is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, (iii) such Person intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond its ability to pay as such debts mature or (iv) such Person has unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted.
(y) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(z) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all certificates, authorizations, licenses and permits (“Licenses”), including, without limitation, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and equivalent foreign regulatory authorities, in each case that are necessary to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to be conducted by them, except where the failure to so possess or be in compliance with would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) have not received notification of any revocation, material modification, suspension, termination or invalidation (or proceedings related thereto) of any Licenses. To the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred that allows or results in, or after notice or lapse of time or both would allow or result in, revocation, material modification, suspension, termination or invalidation (or proceedings related thereto) of any such License and the Company has no reason to believe that any such License will not be renewed. All such Licenses are (i) valid and in full force and effect, except where the validity or failure to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) free and clear of any restriction or condition that are materially different from those normally applicable to similar licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits held by biopharmaceutical companies similarly situated with the Company.
(aa) Absence of Labor Dispute; Compliance with Occupational Laws. There is (A) no significant unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any subsidiary before the National Labor Relations Board, and no significant grievance or significant arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened and (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is imminent. The Company does not have any obligations under any collective bargaining agreement with any union and no organization efforts are underway with respect to Company employees.
(bb) ERISA and Employee Benefits Matters. To the knowledge of the Company, no “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA (as defined herein) or Section 4975 of the Code (as defined herein) and not exempt under ERISA Section 408 and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan
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(as defined herein) which would have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Employee Benefit Plan is and has been operated in material compliance with its terms and all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and no condition exists that would subject the Company to any material tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable law. Each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Code Section 401(a) is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred since the date of any such determination or opinion letter that is reasonably likely to cause the loss of such qualification. As used in this Agreement, “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; “Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, including, without limitation, all stock purchase, stock option, stock-based severance, employment, change-in-control, medical, disability, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, employee loan and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA, under which (1) any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or its subsidiaries has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by the Company or any of its respective subsidiaries or (2) the Company or any of its subsidiaries has had or has any present or future obligation or liability; and “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
(cc) Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms sufficient rights to all trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets, inventions, technology, know-how and other intellectual property and similar rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary or material to the business now conducted or proposed to be conducted in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any material respect with any such valid Intellectual Property Rights of others, provided that the foregoing representation is made only to the Company’s knowledge as it concerns third party patent rights, trade secrets and trademarks. The Intellectual Property Rights of the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there are no rights of third parties to any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned or purported to be owned by the Company or its subsidiaries other than rights that may be granted to the U.S. government pursuant to applicable law other than as disclosed in Schedule 2(cc) hereto; (ii) there is no known material infringement, misappropriation, breach, default or other violation by any third party of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (iii) there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ rights in or to, or the violation of any of the terms of, any of their Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any other claim; (v) there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights
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of any third party, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of such claim, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (vi) none of the Intellectual Property Rights used or held for use by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in their businesses has been obtained or is being used or held for use by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including but not limited to any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or in violation of any rights of any third party; and (vii) the Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all Intellectual Property Rights the value of which to the Company or any subsidiary is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, except in each case covered by clauses (i) and (vi) such as would not, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) Environmental Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any Governmental Agency relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Change; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may reasonably be expected to otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability that would result in a Material Adverse Change. In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on the business and assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which the Company identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or Licenses issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). The Company has not identified any such associated costs and liabilities that would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(ee) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the captions “Risks Related to the Discovery, Development and Regulation of Our Product Candidates,” “Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties,” “Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property,” “Risks Related to the Commercialization of Our Product Candidates,” “Risks Related to Our Business and Industry,” “Risks Related to Our Financial Condition and the
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Ownership of Our Common Stock,” “Business,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Units” and “Plan of Distribution,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate in all material respects and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.
(ff) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.
(gg) Statistical and Market-Related Data. All statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
(hh) Internal Controls and Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company, its subsidiaries and the Board are in compliance with applicable provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley and all applicable Exchange Rules. The Company maintains a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act) (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the Company’s initial public offering, the Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the audit committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”) or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, negative change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company has carried out evaluations
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of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(jj) Books and Records. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have made and keep books, records and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries in all material respects. The minute books of the Company have been made available to counsel for the Agent, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the Board (including each committee thereof) and stockholders of the Company since the time of its initial public offering through the date of the latest meeting and action and (ii) accurately, in all material respects, reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes.
(kk) Litigation. There are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any Governmental Agency) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Change; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any Governmental Agency) are to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated.
(ll) Auditor Certification. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certificated certain financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of Article 2-01 of Regulation S-X and the PCAOB.
(mm) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis; and the assumptions used in preparing the pro forma financial information included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma columns therein reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with Regulation S-X. No other financial statements or supporting schedules or exhibits are required by Regulation S-X to be described or included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The summary and selected financial data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein as at the respective dates and for the respective periods specified and are derived from the consolidated financial statements set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Any information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as defined in Regulation G) complies in all material respects with Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K, to the extent applicable.
(nn) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial
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statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in (A) the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole that is material and adverse or (B) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or perform its obligations hereunder (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”), (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, (iii) there has been no change in the capital stock (other than a change in the number of outstanding Shares due to the issuance of Shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, vesting and settlement of restricted stock units or conversion of convertible securities, as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus), or any change in the short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness (other than as a result of the conversion of convertible securities, as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus), net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iv) the Company has not sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance.
(oo) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(pp) Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in Rule 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(c)(ii) hereof.
(qq) Taxes. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have (i) timely filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof, (ii) have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and (iii) no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and to the Company’s knowledge, is any proposed against any of them, except in each of the cases described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The accruals and reserves on the books and records of the Company and its subsidiaries in respect of tax liabilities for any taxable period not yet finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments and related liabilities for any such period.
(rr) Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All such insurance is fully in force on the date hereof and will be fully in force as of each Settlement Date; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no material claims by the Company or any of its
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subsidiaries under any of the Company’s insurance policies or instruments as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
(ss) PFIC Status. The Company was not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) as defined in Section 1297 of the Code for its most recently completed taxable year and, based on the Company’s current projected income, assets and activities, the Company does not expect to be classified as a PFIC for any subsequent taxable year.
(tt) Compliance with Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(uu) Sarbanes-Oxley. There is, and has been, no material failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of Sarbanes-Oxley and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(vv) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(ww) Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, Affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken any act in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or public international organization, or any political party, party official, or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act 2010, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, authorized, requested, or taken any act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s Affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably
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expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein.
(xx) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(yy) Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers, or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, Affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any U.S. sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the so called Donetsk People’s Republic and the so called Luhansk People’s Republic located in Ukraine (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of unlawfully funding or financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding or financing, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of applicable Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have not engaged in and are not now engaged in any unlawful dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(zz) Cybersecurity. The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, and to the Company’s knowledge, are free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintain commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data, including “Personal Data,” used in connection with their businesses. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license
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number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; and (iii) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person as defined or described in applicable Privacy Laws (as defined below). There have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability, nor are there any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable Privacy Laws, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries (i) conduct any operations in the European Union or the European Economic Area or maintain any “personal data”, as defined by the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679) within either the European Union or the European Economic Area or (ii) is a covered entity, business associate, or otherwise receives any protected health information as such terms are defined under HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.
(aaa) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are in material compliance with all applicable data privacy and security laws and regulations (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). The Company and its subsidiaries have complied and are presently in compliance in all material respects with their respective policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling and processing of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company and its subsidiaries have at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by Privacy Laws, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any Privacy Laws in any material respect. The Company further certifies that neither it nor any subsidiary: (i) has received any written notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any material investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order or decree that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.
(bbb) Regulatory Matters: Products and Product Candidates. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) currently operate their respective businesses in compliance in all material respects with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, storage, import, export or disposal of any of the Company’s product candidates or any product manufactured or distributed by or for the Company, including, without limitation, requirements under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and rules and regulations thereunder, including regulations relating to Good Clinical Practices, Good Tissue Practices, and Good Laboratory Practices, and the U.S. Animal Welfare Act and rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, “Applicable Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) have not received any Form FDA 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any Governmental Agency alleging or asserting non-compliance with (A) any Applicable Laws or (B) any Licenses and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws. To the Company’s knowledge, the
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Company’s product candidates described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (“Product Candidates”) are manufactured or processed in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws.
(ccc) Regulatory Matters: Clinical Trials. None of the Company’s Product Candidates have received marketing approval from any regulatory authority. All clinical trials and preclinical studies conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (collectively, “Company Trials”), were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all Applicable Laws, and accepted professional scientific standards, except where the failure to so conduct would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the results of any Company Trials are accurate and non-misleading descriptions in all material respects; the Company has no knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the results of which reasonably contradict in any material respect the results of the Company Trials described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; the Company has not received any written notices, correspondence, or other communication from the FDA or any other Governmental Agency requiring the termination, material modification or suspension of any Company Trials, where such termination, material modification or suspension would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company Trials involved any investigator who has been disqualified as a clinical investigator or has been found by the FDA to have engaged in scientific misconduct.
(ddd) Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all times have been, in compliance in all material respects with all Health Care Laws. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) licensure, quality, safety and accreditation requirements under applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws or regulatory bodies; (iii) all other applicable local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws relating to the regulation of the Company or its subsidiaries; and (iv) the directives and regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S.
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federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
(eee) No Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock. The issuance and sale of the securities as contemplated hereby will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred stock of the Company.
(fff) Other Underwriting Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with an issuance of Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.
The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(p) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section 3. ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES
(a) Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.
(b) Mechanics of Issuances.
(i) Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5(a) and Section 5(b) shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e-mail to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time.
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(ii) Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.
(iii) Method of Offer and Sale. The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (B) as block transactions; or (C) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence, and (except as specified in clauses (A) and (B) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.
(iv) Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.
(v) Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon by the parties at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).
(vi) Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in any applicable Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as
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incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(vii) No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.
(viii) Material Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information.
(c) Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.
(d) Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper” and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated
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with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed (A) $50,000 in connection with the execution of this Agreement, and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).
Section 4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:
(a) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Agency Period, the Company shall (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) either, in the Company’s sole discretion, (A) include in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual reports on Form 10-K, a summary detailing, for the relevant reporting period, (1) the number of Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the net proceeds received by the Company from such sales or (B) prepare a prospectus supplement containing, or include in such other filing permitted by the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each, an “Interim Prospectus Supplement”), such summary information and, at least once a quarter and subject to this Section 4, file such Interim Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B under the Securities Act).
(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission in relation to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, or any Free Writing Prospectus; (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective; and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings
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made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Sections 4(d) and 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission (including by filing a document incorporated by reference therein) and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 4(d) and 4(f). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to file such amendment or supplement if there is no pending Issuance Notice and the Company believes that it is in its best interest not to file such amendment or supplement.
(d) Agent’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement insofar as such proposed amendment or supplement relates to the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior written consent, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(e) Use of Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).
(f) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Company
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shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such Free Writing Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such Free Writing Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented Free Writing Prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented Free Writing Prospectus without the Agent’s consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
(g) Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(h) Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus. After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to
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prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, including filing a document incorporated by reference therein (it being acknowledged that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement if, in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company); provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.
(i) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(k) Listing; Reservation of Shares. (a) The Company will maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market; and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.
(l) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.
(m) Due Diligence. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or virtually, as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time.
(n) Representations and Warranties. The Company acknowledges that each delivery of an Issuance Notice and each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
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or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such Issuance Notice or of such Settlement Date, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such date, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto); and (ii) an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such Issuance Notice, as though made at and as of each such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).
(o) Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:
(A) the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus;
(B) the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company; or
(C) the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion;
(any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate as of the Triggering Event Date, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, (A) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct, (B) that the Company has performed all of its obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the date of such certificate and as to the matters set forth in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, and (C) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be waived for (i) any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date and (ii) the initial filing of the Prospectus on the date hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the
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Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Shares are issued.
(p) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, a negative assurances letter and the written legal opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Company, Perkins Coie LLP, counsel to the Agent, and Greenberg Traurig LLP, intellectual property counsel to the Company, each dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that the Company shall be required to furnish no more than one set of opinions hereunder per calendar quarter. In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date).
(q) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into a Prospectus. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent on the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. Subject to the foregoing, after the initial comfort letter is furnished on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice, the Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per calendar quarter.
(r) Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery (i) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
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consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such certificate, (ii) certifying and attesting to the office, incumbency, due authority and specimen signatures of each Person who executed this Agreement for or on behalf of the Company, and (iii) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request.
(s) Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account. The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.
(t) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
(u) Market Activities. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its Affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its Affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.
(v) Notice of Other Sale. Without the written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice; and will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction to offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) issuance or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting and settlement of restricted stock units or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director stock option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under Exchange Rules or other compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries described in the Registration
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Statement and the Prospectus, (ii) issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, (iii) issuance, grant or sale of Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations, joint ventures, strategic alliances and other business transactions (including, without limitation, collaborations or arrangements involving research, development and/or commercialization activities) occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not used primarily for capital raising purposes; provided that in the case of this clause (iii), such issuances shall not be greater than 5% of the total outstanding shares of the Company immediately following the issuance of such shares, and (iv) modification of any outstanding options, warrants or any other rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares.
Section 5. CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT
(a) Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares. The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, of each of the following conditions:
| (i) | Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company. The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in Section 4(p), Section 4(q) and Section 4(r). |
| (ii) | No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. |
| (iii) | Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any event or series of events that would either individually or in the aggregate constitute a Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the |
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| direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act. |
| (iv) | No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events. The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Principal Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets. There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market or trading in securities generally on the Principal Market shall either have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York, authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in the United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. |
(b) Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date. The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate as required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in the Issuance Notice).
(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
(a) Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent
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within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all documented expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
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made, not misleading; but, for each of (i) and (ii) above, only to the extent arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information set forth in the first sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus, and to reimburse the Company and each such director, officer and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the Company) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company or such officer, director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Agent or the Company may otherwise have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agent (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(b) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement
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of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total Selling Commissions received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
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The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(c), any reasonable and documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(c) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(e).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the agent fees received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 6(e), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 7. TERMINATION & SURVIVAL; TERMINATION OF PRIOR AGREEMENT
(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.
(b) Termination; Survival Following Termination.
| (i) | Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. |
| (ii) | In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf |
35
| of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement. |
(c) Termination of Prior Agreement. The Agent and the Company hereby acknowledge and agree that upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated November 4, 2021, by and between the Agent and the Company (the “Prior Agreement”) shall be automatically terminated and superseded by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and the Prior Agreement shall be of no further force or effect (except with respect to the provisions of the Prior Agreement that, by its terms, survive the termination or expiration thereof).
Section 8. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules and except for the disclosure required pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Agreement in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or annual reports on Form 10-K. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.
(b) No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company
36
has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
(c) Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Agent:
Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Perkins Coie LLP
1900 Sixteenth Street
Suite 1400
Denver, Colorado 80202
Attention: Ned A. Prusse
If to the Company:
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, California 92131
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Goodwin Procter LLP
Three Embarcadero Center
28th Floor
San Francisco, California 94111
Attention: Maggie Wong
37
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this Section 8(d).
(e) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.
(f) Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
(g) Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(h) General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com). This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
[Signature Page Immediately Follows]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms
| Very truly yours, | ||
| FATE THERAPEUTICS, INC. | ||
| By: |
/s/ J. Scott Wolchko | |
| Name: J. Scott Wolchko | ||
| Title: President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.
| JEFFERIES LLC | ||
| By: |
/s/ Donald Lynaugh | |
| Name: Donald Lynaugh | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature Page to 2023 ATM Sales Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
ISSUANCE NOTICE
[Date]
Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: [__________]
Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of November 8, 2023. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.
Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)):
_______________________
Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):
|
$ |
||||
| Number of days in selling period: |
|
|||
| First date of selling period: |
|
|||
| Last date of selling period: |
|
|||
| Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement: |
||||
|
|
||||
Floor Price (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $ ____ per share
Comments:
| Fate Therapeutics, Inc. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
A-1
Schedule A
Notice Parties
The Company
J. Scott Wolchko
Edward J. Dulac III
The Agent
Donald Lynaugh
Michael Magarro
Schedule 2(cc)
Co-Owned Intellectual Property
The following patents and patent applications are co-owned by the Company and the third parties, as listed opposite each patent and patent application:
| Title |
Provisional Patent Number |
Application Date |
Status |
Country |
Applicants | |||||
| COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR IMMUNE CELL MODULATION IN ADOPTIVE IMMUNOTHERAPIES | 16/631,781 | 2018-07-19 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Juno Therapeutics, Inc. | |||||
| CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR FOR TUMOR TARGETING | 18/346,130 | 2023-06-30 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | |||||
| CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR FOR TUMOR TARGETING | PCT/US23/65537 | 2023-04-07 | Pending | Patent Cooperation Treaty | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | |||||
| OFF-THE-SHELF THERAPEUTIC CELLS WITH MULTIPLEX GENOMIC | 63/382,081 | 2022-11-02 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Janssen Biotech, Inc. | |||||
| ENGINEERING FOR TARGETING CD79b | ||||||||||
| OFF-THE-SHELF THERAPEUTIC CELLS WITH MULTIPLEX GENOMIC ENGINEERING FOR TARGETING GPRC5D | 63/382,090 | 2022-11-02 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Janssen Biotech, Inc. | |||||
| OFF-THE-SHELF THERAPEUTIC CELLS WITH MULTIPLEX GENOMIC ENGINEERING FOR TARGETING GPRC5D | 63/385,602 | 2022-11-30 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Janssen Biotech, Inc. | |||||
| OFF-THE-SHELF THERAPEUTIC CELLS WITH MULTIPLEX GENOMIC ENGINEERING FOR TARGETING KALLIKREIN-2 | 63/381,903 | 2022-11-01 | Pending | United States of America | Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Janssen Biotech, Inc. | |||||
B-2
|
Goodwin Procter LLP Three Embarcadero Center 24th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111
goodwinlaw.com +1 415 733 6000 |
Exhibit 5.1
November 8, 2023
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
Re: Securities Being Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-3
We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration by Fate Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), of up to $300,000,000 of any combination of (i) common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company, (ii) preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Preferred Stock”), (iii) debt securities of the Company (“Debt Securities”), (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities or Units (as defined below) (“Warrants”), and (v) units comprised of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants and other securities in any combination (“Units”). The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants and Units are sometimes referred to collectively herein as the “Securities.” Securities may be issued in an unspecified number (with respect to Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Warrants and Units) or in an unspecified principal amount (with respect to Debt Securities). The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be offered separately or together, in separate series, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements (each a “Prospectus Supplement”) to the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.
We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.
The opinions set forth below are limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law and the law of New York.
For purposes of the opinions set forth below, without limiting any other exceptions or qualifications set forth herein, we have assumed that (i) each of the Debt Securities, Warrants and Units, and the indentures, warrant agreements, unit agreements and other agreements
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
November 8, 2023
Page 2
governing Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement will be governed by the internal law of New York and (ii) after the issuance of any Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement, the total number of issued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, together with the total number of shares of such stock issuable upon the exercise, exchange, conversion or settlement, as the case may be, of any exercisable, exchangeable or convertible security (including without limitation any Unit), as the case may be, then outstanding, will not exceed the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, then available for issuance under the Company’s certificate of incorporation as then in effect (the “Charter”).
For purposes of the opinions set forth below, we refer to the following as the “Future Approval and Issuance” of Securities:
| • | with respect to any of the Securities, (a) the approval by the Company of the amount, terms and issuance of such Securities (the “Approval”) and (b) the issuance of such Securities in accordance with the Approval upon the receipt by the Company of the consideration (which, in the case of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, is not less than the par value of such shares) to be paid in accordance with the Approval; |
| • | with respect to Preferred Stock, (a) the establishment of the terms of such Preferred Stock by the Company in conformity with the Charter and applicable law and (b) the execution, acknowledgement and filing with the Delaware Secretary of State, and the effectiveness of, a certificate of designations to the Charter setting forth the terms of such Preferred Stock in accordance with the Charter and applicable law; |
| • | with respect to Debt Securities, (a) the approval, execution and delivery of the indenture or a supplemental indenture relating to such Securities by the Company and the trustee and/or (b) the establishment of the terms of such Securities by the Company in conformity with the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and applicable law, and (c) the execution, authentication and issuance of such Securities in accordance with the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and applicable law; and |
| • | with respect to Warrants or Units, (a) the approval, execution and delivery by the Company and any other parties thereto of any agreement under which such Securities are to be issued, and (b) the establishment of the terms of such Securities and the issuance of such Securities in conformity with those terms, the terms of any applicable agreement under which such Securities are to be issued and applicable law. |
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
November 8, 2023
Page 3
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:
1. Upon the Future Approval and Issuance of shares of Common Stock, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
2. Upon the Future Approval and Issuance of shares of Preferred Stock, such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3. Upon the Future Approval and Issuance of Debt Securities, such Debt Securities will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.
4. Upon the Future Approval and Issuance of Warrants, such Warrants will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.
5. Upon the Future Approval and Issuance of Units, such Units will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.
The opinions expressed above are subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and to general principles of equity.
This opinion letter and the opinions it contains shall be interpreted in accordance with the Core Opinion Principles as published in 74 Business Lawyer 815 (Summer 2019).
We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Goodwin Procter LLP
GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
|
|
Goodwin Procter LLP Three Embarcadero Center 24th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111
goodwinlaw.com +1 415 733 6000 |
Exhibit 5.2
November 8, 2023
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
12278 Scripps Summit Drive
San Diego, CA 92131
Re: Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-3
We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) filed on November 8, 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by Fate Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), of up to $300,000,000 of any combination of securities of the types specified therein. We are delivering this supplemental opinion letter in connection with the sales agreement prospectus (the “Prospectus”) contained in the Registration Statement. The Prospectus relates to the offering by the Company of up to $100,000,000 in shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), covered by the Registration Statement. The Shares are being offered and sold by the sales agent named in, and pursuant to, the sales agreement among the Company and such sales agent (the “Sales Agreement”).
We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinion set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinion set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.
For purposes of the opinion set forth below, we have assumed that the Shares are issued for a price per share equal to or greater than the minimum price authorized by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof prior to the date hereof (the “Minimum Price”) and that no event occurs that causes the number of authorized shares of Common Stock available for issuance by the Company to be less than the number of then unissued Shares that may be issued for the Minimum Price.
For purposes of the opinion set forth below, we refer to the following as “Future Approval and Issuance”: (a) the approval by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee of the board of directors, or an authorized officer of the Company, of the issuance of
Fate Therapeutics, Inc.
November 8, 2023
Page 2
the Shares (the “Approval”) and (b) the issuance of the Shares in accordance with the Approval and the Sales Agreement and the receipt by the Company of the consideration (which shall not be less than the par value of such Shares) to be paid in accordance with the Approval.
The opinion set forth below is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, upon Future Approval and Issuance, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
This opinion letter and the opinions it contains shall be interpreted in accordance with the Core Opinion Principles as published in 74 Business Lawyers 815 (Summer 2019).
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.2 to the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Goodwin Procter LLP
GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in the Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Fate Therapeutics, Inc. for the registration of shares of its common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and units and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports dated February 28, 2023, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Fate Therapeutics, Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Fate Therapeutics, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
San Diego, California
November 8, 2023