BeOne Medicines Ltd 8-K, filed Jun 15, 2023
BeOne Medicines Ltd. (ONC)
8-K
2023-06-15
For: 2023-06-09
View Original
Added on
April 06, 2026
About this 8-K
BeOne Medicines Ltd filed this 8-K on June 15, 2023, reporting on events of June 9, 2023.
Items reported
- Item 3.03: Change to shareholders' rights
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 5.07: Shareholder vote results
- Item 8.01: Other events
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_____________________
Form 8-K
______________________
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event Reported): June 9, 2023
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
c/o Mourant Governance Services (Cayman) Limited
94 Solaris Avenue, Camana Bay
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
+1 (345) 949-4123
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share* | 06160 | The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*Included in connection with the registration of the American Depositary Shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The ordinary shares are not listed for trading in the United States but are listed for trading on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
See the disclosure set forth in Item 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.03. Amendment to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
On June 15, 2023, at the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of BeiGene, Ltd. (the “Company”), the Company’s shareholders approved the Seventh Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (the “Seventh Restated Articles”), which amended the Sixth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (the “Existing Articles”) to comply with the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (the “HK Listing Rules”).
The Seventh Restated Articles include the following key changes to the Existing Articles:
Inspection of Register of Members
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles such that any register held in Hong Kong shall during normal business hours (subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) may impose) be open to inspection by a member on payment of a fee of such amount not exceeding the maximum amount as may from time to time be permitted under the HK Listing Rules as the Board of Directors may determine for each inspection, provided that the Company may close the register in terms equivalent to section 632 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) of Hong Kong.
Annual Meeting
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles to require that, to the extent required by the rules of the stock exchanges on which the Company lists its securities as applicable from time to time, the Company hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting for each financial year.
Proceedings at General Meetings
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles such that subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any class or classes of shares, every shareholder of the Company present has the right to speak at any general meeting.
Votes of Members
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles such that to the extent a shareholder is required to abstain from voting on a resolution or is restricted to voting only for or only against a resolution, any votes cast by or on behalf of such shareholder in contravention of that requirement or restriction are not counted to the Company’s knowledge.
Term for Directors
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles such that, to the extent required by applicable HK Listing Rules, any director appointed to fill a vacancy arising from the resignation of a former director or as an addition to the existing board, shall only hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election at that meeting.
Auditor
In the Seventh Restated Articles, the Company amended the Existing Articles such that, to the extent required by the applicable HK Listing Rules, at every annual general meeting the Members shall appoint, by Ordinary Resolution, an auditor or auditors to hold office until the next annual general meeting. The removal of an auditor before the expiration of such term shall require the approval of an Ordinary Resolution. The remuneration of the auditors shall be fixed by Ordinary Resolution at the annual general meeting at which they are appointed; provided that, with respect to any year, the Members may, by Ordinary Resolution, delegate the fixing of such remuneration to the Board of Directors at the annual general meeting.
The Seventh Restated Articles also contain additional changes to implement the above amendments.
The foregoing description of the terms of the Seventh Restated Articles and the changes to the Existing Articles are qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Seventh Restated Articles, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
On June 15, 2023, the Company held its Annual Meeting. As disclosed in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement”), there were 1,362,652,101 ordinary shares entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting as of the record date of April 17, 2023 (the “Record Date”), including ordinary shares in the form of American Depositary Shares, each representing 13 ordinary shares, and ordinary shares listed on the STAR Market and traded in RMB (“RMB shares”).
At the Annual Meeting, of the ordinary shares entitled to vote, 1,053,001,788 ordinary shares, including ordinary shares represented by ADSs, or approximately 77.3% of the outstanding ordinary shares on the Record Date, were present and voted in person or by proxy (including abstentions) for Resolutions 1 through 7 and Resolutions 9 through 16; and 1,047,577,788 ordinary shares, including ordinary shares represented by ADSs, or approximately 76.9% of the outstanding ordinary shares on the Record Date, were present and voted in person or by proxy (including abstentions) for Resolution 8. In accordance with the Company’s Existing Articles, (a) the quorum required for a general meeting of shareholders at which an ordinary resolution is proposed consists of such shareholders present in person or by proxy who together hold shares carrying the right to at least a simple majority of all votes capable of being exercised on a poll, and (b) the quorum required for a general meeting at which a special resolution is proposed consists of such shareholders present in person or by proxy who together hold shares carrying the right to at least two-thirds of all votes capable of being exercised on a poll.
The matters set forth below were voted on by the Company’s shareholders as of the Record Date at the Annual Meeting. Detailed descriptions of these matters and the voting procedures applicable to these matters at the Annual Meeting are contained in the Proxy Statement. Set forth below are the total number of shares voted for and against each matter, as well as the total number of abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to each matter.
(1) Ordinary resolution: to re-elect Dr. Margaret Dugan to serve as a Class I director until the 2026 annual general meeting of shareholders and until her successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to her earlier resignation or removal:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non-Votes | ||||||||
| 1,043,071,109 | 9,915,997 | 14,682 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, Dr. Margaret Dugan was re-elected to serve as a Class I director.
(2) Ordinary resolution: to re-elect John V. Oyler to serve as a Class I director until the 2026 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,040,325,525 | 12,461,780 | 214,483 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, John V. Oyler was re-elected to serve as a Class I director.
(3) Ordinary resolution: to re-elect Dr. Alessandro Riva to serve as a Class I director until the 2026 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,029,761,599 | 23,222,127 | 18,062 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, Dr. Alessandro Riva was re-elected to serve as a Class I director.
The proposals for the election of directors related solely to the election of Class I directors nominated by the Board of Directors. The terms of the following directors continued after the Annual Meeting: Donald W. Glazer, Michael Goller, Anthony C. Hooper, Ranjeev Krishana, Thomas Malley, Dr. Corazon (Corsee) D. Sanders, Dr. Xiaodong Wang and Qingqing Yi.
(4) Ordinary resolution: to approve and ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP, Ernst & Young and Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP as the Company’s reporting accounting firms for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,052,805,024 | 172,917 | 23,847 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the selection of Ernst & Young LLP, Ernst & Young and Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP as the Company’s reporting accounting firms was approved and ratified.
(5) Ordinary resolution: to authorize the Board of Directors to fix the auditors’ remuneration for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,052,931,046 | 57,900 | 12,842 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the Board of Directors was authorized to fix the auditors’ remuneration for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023.
(6) Ordinary resolution: within the parameters of the HK Listing Rules, to approve the granting of a share issue mandate to the Board of Directors to issue, allot or deal with (i) unissued ordinary shares (excluding our RMB Shares) and/or ADSs not exceeding 20% of the total number of issued ordinary shares (excluding RMB shares) of the Company and/or (ii) unissued RMB shares not exceeding 20% of the total number of issued RMB shares of the Company, each as of the date of passing of such ordinary resolution up to the next annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company, subject to the conditions described in the Proxy Statement (the “General Mandate to Issue Shares”):
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 840,972,117 | 211,977,909 | 51,762 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the General Mandate to Issue Shares was approved.
(7) Ordinary resolution: within the parameters of the HK Listing Rules, to approve the granting of a share repurchase mandate to the Board of Directors to repurchase an amount of ordinary shares (excluding RMB shares) and/or ADSs, not exceeding 10% of the total number of issued ordinary shares (excluding RMB shares) of the Company as of the date of passing of such ordinary resolution up to the next annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company, subject to the conditions described in the Proxy Statement (the “General Mandate to Repurchase Shares”):
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,051,315,803 | 1,653,723 | 32,262 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the General Mandate to Repurchase Shares was approved.
(8) Ordinary resolution: to authorize the Company and its underwriters, in their sole discretion, to allocate to each of Baker Bros. Advisors LP and Hillhouse Capital Management, Ltd. and parties affiliated with each of them (the “Existing Shareholders”), up to a maximum amount of shares in order to maintain the same shareholding percentage of each of the Existing Shareholders (based on the then-outstanding share capital of the Company) before and after the allocation of the corresponding securities issued pursuant to an offering conducted pursuant to the general mandate set forth above for a period of five years, which period will be subject to an extension on a rolling basis each year (the “Connected Person Placing Authorization I”):
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 469,735,693 | 301,461,113 | 276,380,982 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the Connected Person Placing Authorization I was approved.
(9) Ordinary resolution: to authorize the Company and its underwriters, in their sole discretion, to allocate to Amgen Inc. (“Amgen”) up to a maximum amount of shares in order to maintain the same shareholding percentage of Amgen (based on the then- outstanding share capital of the Company) before and after the allocation of the corresponding securities issued pursuant to an offering conducted pursuant to the general mandate set forth above for a period of five years, which period will be subject to an extension on a rolling basis each year, conditional on the approval of the shareholders who are not Amgen (the “Connected Person Placing Authorization II”):
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 531,543,287 | 282,998,210 | 238,460,291 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the Connected Person Placing Authorization II was approved.
(10) Ordinary resolution: to approve the grant of an option to acquire shares to Amgen to allow Amgen to subscribe for additional shares under a specific mandate in an amount necessary to enable it to increase (and subsequently maintain) its ownership at approximately 20.6% of the Company’s outstanding share capital, up to an aggregate of 75,000,000 ordinary shares during the option term, pursuant to the terms of the Restated Amendment No. 2 dated September 24, 2020 (the “Restated Second Amendment”) to the Share Purchase Agreement dated October 31, 2019, as amended, by and between the Company and Amgen:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 706,984,455 | 107,598,758 | 238,418,575 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the grant of an option to acquire shares to Amgen pursuant to the terms of the Restated Second Amendment was approved.
(11) Ordinary resolution: to approve the grant of restricted share units (“RSUs”) with a grant date fair value of US$5,500,000 to Mr. John V. Oyler under the Second Amended and Restated 2016 Share Option and Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2016 Plan”), according to the terms and conditions described in the Proxy Statement:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 922,909,883 | 79,685,760 | 50,406,145 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the grant of RSUs to Mr. John V. Oyler under the 2016 Plan was approved.
(12) Ordinary resolution: to approve the grant of RSUs with a grant date fair value of US$1,333,333 to Dr. Xiaodong Wang under the 2016 Plan, according to the terms and conditions described in the Proxy Statement:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 959,826,464 | 82,102,726 | 11,072,598 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the grant of RSUs to Dr. Xiaodong Wang under the 2016 Plan was approved.
(13) Ordinary resolution: to approve the grant of RSUs with a grant date fair value of US$200,000 to each of the independent non-executive directors, Dr. Margaret Dugan, Mr. Donald W. Glazer, Mr. Michael Goller, Mr. Anthony C. Hooper, Mr. Ranjeev Krishana, Mr. Thomas Malley, Dr. Alessandro Riva, Dr. Corazon (Corsee) D. Sanders, and Mr. Qingqing Yi, under the 2016 Plan, according to the terms and conditions described in the Proxy Statement:
Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 968,887,884 | 80,929,272 | 3,184,632 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the grant of RSUs to each of the independent non-executive directors, Dr. Margaret Dugan, Mr. Donald W. Glazer, Mr. Michael Goller, Mr. Anthony C. Hooper, Mr. Ranjeev Krishana, Mr. Thomas Malley, Dr. Alessandro Riva, Dr. Corazon (Corsee) D. Sanders, and Mr. Qingqing Yi, under the 2016 Plan, was approved.
(14) Ordinary resolution: non-binding, advisory vote on the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the Proxy Statement:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 896,391,976 | 156,162,133 | 447,679 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the Proxy Statement, was approved.
(15) Special resolution: to adopt the Seventh Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company as described in the Proxy Statement:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 1,052,519,947 | 35,904 | 445,937 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the Seventh Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, was adopted.
(16) Ordinary resolution: to approve the adjournment of the Annual Meeting by the chairman, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting to approve any of the proposed resolutions 1 to 15:
| Votes For | Votes Against | Abstentions | Broker Non- Votes | ||||||||
| 949,045,011 | 103,527,421 | 429,356 | — | ||||||||
Accordingly, the adjournment of the Annual Meeting by the chairman, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting, to approve any of the proposed resolutions 1 to 15, was approved.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On June 9, 2023, the Company announced the presentation of new data from its broad blood cancer portfolio of approved therapies and promising early-stage pipeline products at the 2023 European Hematology Association Hybrid Congress. The full text of this press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
On June 13, 2023, Pharmacyclics LLC (“Pharmacyclics”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against the Company and its subsidiary, BeiGene USA, Inc., alleging that BRUKINSA® infringes a Pharmacyclics’ patent issued on June 13, 2023. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the claims.
On June 15, 2023, the Company announced that it will present data on its Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma. The full text of this press release is filed as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 3.1 | Seventh Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press release titled “BeiGene Highlights Promising Data from Blood Cancer Portfolio and Pipeline at the European Hematology Association Hybrid Congress” issued by BeiGene, Ltd. on June 9, 2023 | |||||||
| 99.2 | Press release titled “BeiGene Highlights Significant BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) Data at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma” issued by BeiGene, Ltd. on June 15, 2023 | |||||||
| 104 | The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL | |||||||
Exhibit Index
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 3.1 | ||||||||
| 99.1 | ||||||||
| 99.2 | ||||||||
| 104 | The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL | |||||||
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
BEIGENE, LTD. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date: June 15, 2023 | By: | /s/ Chan Lee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name: | Chan Lee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President, General Counsel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exhibit 3.1
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED) OF THE
CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BEIGENE, LTD.
百济神州有限公司
(Adopted by special resolution passed on June 15, 2023)
1
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED) OF THE
CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BEIGENE, LTD.
百济神州有限公司
(Adopted by special resolution passed on June 15, 2023)
1.The English name of the Company is BeiGene, Ltd. and the Chinese name of the Company is 百济神州有限公司.
2.The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Mourant Governance Services (Cayman) Limited, 94 Solaris Avenue, Camana Bay, PO Box 1348, Grand Cayman, KY1-1108, Cayman Islands, or at such other place within the Cayman Islands as the Directors may decide.
3.The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the laws of the Cayman Islands.
4.The Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit as provided by the Law.
5.The Company will not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this section shall be construed as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands.
6.The liability of each Member is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on such Member’s shares.
7.The authorised share capital of the Company is US$1,000,000 divided into (i) 9,500,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and (ii) 500,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each of such a class or classes (howsoever designated) as the Board of Directors may determine in accordance with Article 9 and 10 of the Articles of Association provided always that subject to the Law and the Articles of Association the Company shall have power to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to sub-divide or consolidate the said shares or any of them and to issue all or any part of its capital whether original, redeemed, increased or reduced with or without any preference, priority, special privilege or other rights or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions whatsoever and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly provide every issue of shares whether stated to be ordinary, preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers on the part of the Company hereinbefore provided.
8.The Company has the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.
2
9.Capitalised terms that are not defined in this Memorandum of Association bear the respective meanings given to them in the Articles of Association of the Company.
3
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED) OF THE
CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BEIGENE, LTD.
百济神州有限公司
(Adopted by special resolution passed on June 15, 2023)
INTERPRETATION
1.In these Articles, Table A in the First Schedule to the Law does not apply and, unless there is something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith:
ADS | means an American Depositary Share representing the Ordinary Shares. | |||||||||||||
Articles | means these articles of association of the Company as amended or amended and restated from time to time. | |||||||||||||
Auditor | means the person for the time being performing the duties of auditor of the Company (if any). | |||||||||||||
Board or Board of Directors or Directors | means the directors of the Company for the time being, or as the case may be, the directors assembled as a board or as a committee thereof. | |||||||||||||
Cayman Islands | means the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory. | |||||||||||||
Chairman | means the chairman of the Board. | |||||||||||||
Class or Classes | means any class or classes of Shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company. | |||||||||||||
Class I | means the group of Directors that serves until the first annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date and for each successive three year term thereafter. | |||||||||||||
4
Class II | means the group of Directors that serves until the second annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date and for each successive three year term thereafter. | |||||||||||||
Class III | means the group of Directors that serves until the third annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date and for each successive three year term thereafter. | |||||||||||||
Commission | means the United States of America Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency for the time being administering the Securities Act. | |||||||||||||
Company | means the above named company. | |||||||||||||
Company’s Website | means the main corporate and investor relations website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to Members. | |||||||||||||
Designated Stock Exchanges | means the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC in the United States for so long as the Company’s Shares or ADSs are there listed, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited for so long as the Company’s Shares are there listed, the Shanghai Stock Exchange for so long as the Company’s Shares are there listed and any other stock exchange on which the Company’s Shares or ADSs are listed for trading. | |||||||||||||
Designated Stock Exchange Rules | means the relevant code, rules and regulations, as amended, from time to time, applicable as a result of the original and continued listing of any Shares or ADSs on the Designated Stock Exchanges. | |||||||||||||
Directors | means the directors for the time being of the Company. | |||||||||||||
Effectiveness Date | means February 8, 2016. | |||||||||||||
Electronic Record | has the same meaning as in the Electronic Transactions Act. | |||||||||||||
electronic communication | means electronic posting to the Company’s Website, transmission to any number, address or internet website or other electronic delivery methods as otherwise decided and approved upon by vote of the Board of Directors. | |||||||||||||
Electronic Transactions Act | means the Electronic Transactions Act of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time. | |||||||||||||
Hong Kong Listing Rules | means the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. | |||||||||||||
5
Indemnified Person | means every Director (including any alternate Director appointed pursuant to the provisions of these Articles), Secretary, assistant secretary, or other officer for the time being and from time to time of the Company (but not including the Company’s Auditors) and the personal representatives of the same. | |||||||||||||
Independent Director | means a Director who is an independent director defined in the Designated Stock Exchange Rules as determined by the Board of Directors. | |||||||||||||
Interested Director | means a Director who has a direct or indirect interest in any contract, business or arrangement in which the Company or its affiliates is a party or becomes a party to. | |||||||||||||
Law | means the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands as amended from time to time. | |||||||||||||
Mainland China | means the mainland of the People’s Republic of China, for the purpose of these Articles, excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan Region. | |||||||||||||
Member | has the same meaning as in the Law. | |||||||||||||
Memorandum | means the memorandum of association of the Company, as amended or amended and restated from time to time. | |||||||||||||
month | means calendar month. | |||||||||||||
Operational Currency | in relation to each Class, such currency as the Directors may determine in accordance with these Articles; | |||||||||||||
Ordinary Resolution | means a resolution: (a)passed by a simple majority of the votes cast by Members who, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company, and in computing a majority, regard shall be had to the number of votes to which each Member is entitled; or (b)approved in writing by all of the Members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Members and the effective date of the resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. | |||||||||||||
6
Ordinary Share | means an ordinary share of US$0.0001 par value each, in the capital of the Company having the rights, benefits and privileges set out in these Articles. | |||||||||||||
paid up | means paid up as to the par value in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid up. | |||||||||||||
Person | means any natural person, firm, company, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association or other entity (whether or not having a separate legal personality) or any of them as the context so requires. | |||||||||||||
Register of Members | means the register of Members maintained in accordance with the Law and includes (except where otherwise stated) any duplicate register of Members. | |||||||||||||
Registered Office | means the registered office for the time being of the Company. | |||||||||||||
RMB | means Renminbi, the lawful currency of the People’s Republic of China. | |||||||||||||
Seal | means the common seal of the Company (if adopted) and includes every duplicate seal. | |||||||||||||
Secretary | means any Person appointed by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary of the Company. | |||||||||||||
Securities Act | means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time. | |||||||||||||
Share | means a share in the Company and includes a fraction of a share in the Company. | |||||||||||||
Share Premium Account | means the share premium account established in accordance with these Articles and the Law. | |||||||||||||
signed | means bearing a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means or an electronic symbol or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic communication and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic communication. | |||||||||||||
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Special Resolution | means a special resolution of the Company passed in accordance with the Law, being a resolution: (a)passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of such Members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given, regard being had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Member is entitled; or (b)approved in writing by all of the Members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Members and the effective date of the Special Resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. | |||||||||||||
Treasury Share | means a Share held in the name of the Company as a treasury share in accordance with the Law. | |||||||||||||
United States | means the United States of America, its territories, its possessions and all areas subject to its jurisdiction. | |||||||||||||
year | means calendar year. | |||||||||||||
2.In these Articles:
(a)words importing the singular number include the plural number and vice versa;
(b)words importing the masculine gender include the feminine gender;
(c)words importing persons include any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association or any other entity;
(d)“written” and “in writing” include all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form, including in the form of an Electronic Record;
(e)“shall” shall be construed as imperative and “may” shall be construed as permissive;
(f)references to provisions of any law or regulation shall be construed as references to those provisions as amended, modified, re-enacted or replaced;
(g)any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular” or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms;
(h)the term “and/or” is used herein to mean both “and” as well as “or”. The use of “and/or” in certain contexts in no respects qualifies or modifies the use of the terms “and” or “or” in others. The term “or” shall not be interpreted to be exclusive and the term “and” shall not be interpreted to require the conjunctive (in each case, unless the context otherwise requires);
(i)headings are inserted for reference only and shall be ignored in construing these Articles;
(j)sections 8 and 19 of the Electronic Transactions Act shall not apply;
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(k)the term “clear days” in relation to the period of a notice means that period excluding the day when the notice is received or deemed to be received and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; and
(l)the term “holder” in relation to a Share means a person whose name is entered in the Register of Members as the holder of such Share.
3.Subject to the two preceding Articles, any words defined in the Law shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles.
PRELIMINARY
4.The business of the Company may be conducted as the Directors see fit.
5.The Registered Office shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time determine. The Company may in addition establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places as the Directors may from time to time determine.
6.The expenses incurred by the Company in the formation of the Company and in connection with the offer for subscription and issue of Shares shall be paid by the Company. Such expenses may be amortised over such period as the Directors may determine and the amount so paid shall be charged against income and/or capital in the accounts of the Company as the Directors shall determine.
7.The Directors shall keep, or cause to be kept, the Register of Members at such place as the Directors may from time to time determine and, in the absence of any such determination, the Register of Members shall be kept at the Registered Office; provided that during such times as the Shares are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange the Register of Members shall be kept in accordance with such Designated Stock Exchange Rules as may be applicable from time to time.
SHARES
8.Subject to the provisions of the Memorandum and these Articles, the Directors may allot, issue, grant options over or otherwise dispose of Shares (including fractions of a Share) with or without preferred, deferred or other rights or restrictions, whether in regard to Dividend or other distribution, voting, return of capital or otherwise and to such persons, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper, and may also (subject to the Law and these Articles) vary such rights. For the avoidance of doubt, the Directors may in their absolute discretion and without approval of the existing Members, issue Shares, grant rights over existing Shares or issue other securities in one or more Classes as they deem necessary and appropriate and determine designations, powers, preferences, privileges, the Operational Currency of each Class (if applicable) and other rights, including dividend rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers and rights associated with the Shares held by existing Members, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper.
9.The Directors may provide, out of the unissued Shares (other than unissued Ordinary Shares), for Classes of preferred shares in their absolute discretion and without approval of the existing Members. Before any preferred shares of any such Class are issued, the Directors shall fix, by resolution or resolutions, the following provisions of such Class:
(a)the designation of such Class and the number of preferred shares to constitute such Class;
(b)whether the shares of such Class shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by Law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited;
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(c)the dividends, if any, payable on such Class, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any Shares of any other Class or any other Class of preferred shares;
(d)whether the preferred shares of such Class shall be subject to redemption by the Company, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions of such redemption;
(e)the amount or amounts payable upon preferred shares of such Class upon, and the rights of the holders of such Class in, a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or upon any distribution of the assets, of the Company;
(f)whether the preferred shares of such Class shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the preferred shares of such Class for retirement or other corporate purposes and the terms and provisions relative to the operation of the retirement or sinking fund;
(g)whether the preferred shares of such Class shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other Class of preferred shares or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other terms and conditions of conversion or exchange;
(h)the limitations and restrictions, if any, to be effective while any preferred shares of such Class are outstanding upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company of, the existing Shares or any other Class of Shares or any other Class of preferred shares;
(i)the conditions or restrictions, if any, upon the creation of indebtedness of the Company or upon the issue of any additional Shares, including additional shares of such Class or of any other Class of Shares or any other Class of preferred shares; and
(j)any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of such Class or of any other Class of Shares or any other Class of preferred shares.
10.The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each Class of preferred shares, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other Classes at any time outstanding. All Shares of any one Class of preferred shares shall be identical in all respects with all other Shares of such Class, except that Shares of any one Class issued at different times may differ as to the dates from which dividends on Shares of that Class shall be cumulative.
11.The Company may insofar as may be permitted by law, pay a commission to any Person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any Shares. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgment of fully or partly paid-up Shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also pay such brokerage as may be lawful on any issue of Shares.
12.The Directors may refuse to accept any application for Shares, and may accept any application in whole or in part, for any reason or for no reason.
13.The Company shall not issue Shares to bearer.
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14.The Directors may, before declaring any dividends or distributions, set aside such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company and pending such application may, at the like discretion, be employed in the business of the Company.
MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS
15.Whenever the capital of the Company is divided into different Classes the rights attached to any such Class may, subject to any rights or restrictions then applicable to any Class, only be materially adversely varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued Shares of that Class or with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares of that Class. To every such separate meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company or to the proceedings thereat shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, except that the necessary quorum shall be one or more Persons at least holding or representing by proxy two-thirds of the issued Shares of the relevant Class (but so that if at any adjourned meeting of such holders a quorum as above defined is not present, those Members who are present shall form a quorum) and that, subject to any rights or restrictions then applicable to the Shares of that Class, every Member of the Class shall have one vote for each Share of the Class held by him. For the purposes of this Article the Directors may treat all the Classes or any two or more Classes as forming one Class if they consider that all such Classes would be affected in the same way by the proposals under consideration, but in any other case shall treat them as separate Classes.
16.The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any Class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions then applicable to the Shares of that Class, be deemed to be materially adversely varied or abrogated by, among other things, the creation, allotment or issue of further Shares ranking equally with or in priority or subsequent to such existing Class or the redemption or purchase of any Shares of any Class by the Company. The rights of the holders of Shares shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied or abrogated by the creation or issue of Shares with preferred or other rights including, without limitation, the creation of Shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights.
CERTIFICATES
17.A Member shall only be entitled to a share certificate if the Directors resolve that share certificates shall be issued. Share certificates representing Shares, if any, shall be in such form as the Directors may determine. Share certificates shall be signed by one or more Directors or other person authorised by the Directors. The Directors may authorise certificates to be issued with the authorised signature(s) affixed by mechanical process. All certificates for Shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified and shall specify the Shares to which they relate. All certificates surrendered to the Company for transfer shall be cancelled and subject to these Articles no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate representing a like number of relevant Shares shall have been surrendered and cancelled.
18.Every share certificate of the Company shall bear legends to the extent required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act.
19.Any two or more certificates representing Shares of any one Class held by any Member may at the Member’s request be cancelled and a single new certificate for such Shares issued in lieu of payment (if the Directors shall so require) of US$1.00 or such smaller sum as the Directors shall determine.
20.If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same Shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request subject to delivery up of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit.
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21.In the event that Shares are held jointly by several Persons, any request may be made by any one of the joint holders and if so made shall be binding on all of the joint holders.
FRACTIONAL SHARES
22.The Directors may issue fractions of a Share and, if so issued, a fraction of a Share shall be subject to and carry the corresponding fraction of liabilities (whether with respect to nominal or par value, premium, contributions, calls or otherwise), limitations, preferences, privileges, qualifications, restrictions, rights (including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, voting and participation rights) and other attributes of a whole Share. If more than one fraction of a Share of the same Class is issued to or acquired by the same Member such fractions shall be accumulated.
LIEN
23.The Company has a first and paramount lien on every Share (whether or not fully paid) for all amounts (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that Share. The Company also has a first and paramount lien on every Share registered in the name of a Person indebted or under liability to the Company (whether he is the sole registered holder of a Share or one of two or more joint holders) for all amounts owing by him or his estate to the Company (whether or not presently payable). The Directors may at any time declare a Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The Company’s lien on a Share extends to any amount payable in respect of it.
24.The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors in their absolute discretion think fit, any Share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless an amount in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until the expiration of 14 days after a notice in writing, demanding payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, has been given to the registered holder for the time being of the Share, or the Persons entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.
25.For giving effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise some Person to transfer the Shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale.
CALLS ON SHARES
26.Subject to the terms of the allotment, the Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any amounts unpaid on their Shares by giving notice to such Members at least 14 days prior to the specified time of payment, and each Member shall pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on such Shares.
27.The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof.
28.If a sum called in respect of a Share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of 8% per annum from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part.
29.The provisions of these Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the amount of the Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
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30.The Directors may make arrangements on the issue of partly paid Shares for a difference between the Members, or the particular Shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment.
31.The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any partly paid Shares held by him, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (not exceeding, without the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution, 8% per annum) as may be agreed upon between the Member paying the sum in advance and the Directors.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
32.If a Member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call in respect of partly paid Shares on the day appointed for payment, the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued.
33.The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of 14 days from the date of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
34.If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any Share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect.
35.A forfeited Share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit, and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit.
36.A Person whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited Shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the Shares forfeited, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of the amount unpaid on the Shares forfeited.
37.A certificate in writing under the hand of a Director of the Company that a Share has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the declaration as against all Persons claiming to be entitled to the Share.
38.The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for a Share on any sale or disposition thereof pursuant to the provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture and may execute a transfer of the Share in favour of the Person to whom the Share is sold or disposed of and that Person shall be registered as the holder of the Share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the disposition or sale.
39.The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which by the terms of issue of a Share becomes due and payable, whether on account of the amount of the Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
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TRANSFER OF SHARES
40.The instrument of transfer of any Share shall be in writing and in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may, in their absolute discretion, approve and be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and if in respect of a nil or partly paid up Share, or if so required by the Directors, shall also be executed on behalf of the transferee and shall be accompanied by the certificate (if any) of the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfer of any Shares through electronic transfer as recognized by the Designated Stock Exchanges shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement for form of instrument of transfer hereunder. The transferor shall be deemed to remain a Member until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register of Members in respect of the relevant Shares.
41.The Directors may in their absolute discretion decline to register any transfer of Shares that are not fully paid up or on which the Company has a lien.
42.The Directors may also, but are not required to, decline to register any transfer of any Share unless:
(a)the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied by the certificate (if any) for the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;
(b)the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one Class of Shares;
(c)the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;
(d)in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four;
(e)the Shares transferred are fully paid and free of any lien in favour of the Company; and
(f)any applicable fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchanges may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require, related to the transfer is paid to the Company.
43.The registration of transfers may, on 14 days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers, by electronic means or by any other means in accordance with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, be suspended and the Register of Members closed at such times and for such periods as the Directors may, in their absolute discretion, from time to time determine, provided always that such registration of transfer shall not be suspended nor the Register of Members closed for more than 30 days in any year. Any branch register of Members maintained in Hong Kong shall during normal business hours (subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Directors may impose) be open to inspection by a Member on payment of a fee of such amount not exceeding the maximum amount as may from time to time be permitted under the Hong Kong Listing Rules as the Directors may determine for each inspection, provided that the Company may close such register in terms equivalent to section 632 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) of Hong Kong.
44.All instruments of transfer that are registered shall be retained by the Company. If the Directors refuse to register a transfer of any Shares, they shall within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged with the Company send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of the refusal.
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TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
45.The legal personal representative of a deceased sole holder of a Share shall be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share. In the case of a Share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors or survivor, or the legal personal representatives of the deceased survivor, shall be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share.
46.Any Person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member shall upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered as a Member in respect of the Share or, instead of being registered himself, to make such transfer of the Share as the deceased or bankrupt Person could have made; but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the deceased or bankrupt Person before the death or bankruptcy.
47.A Person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of a Member shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered Member, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the Share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company, provided, however, that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such Person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the Share, and if the notice is not complied with within 90 days, the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all dividends, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the Share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS
48.The Company shall be entitled to charge a fee not exceeding one dollar (US$1.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration, certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, or other instrument.
ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL
49.The Company may by Ordinary Resolution:
(a)increase its share capital by such sum as the Ordinary Resolution shall prescribe and with such rights, priorities and privileges annexed thereto, as the Company in general meeting may determine;
(b)consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing Shares;
(c)convert all or any of its paid-up Shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into paid-up Shares of any denomination;
(d)by subdivision of its existing Shares or any of them divide the whole or any part of its share capital into Shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum or into Shares without par value; and
(e)cancel any Shares that at the date of the passing of the Ordinary Resolution have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any Person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled.
50.All new Shares created in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Article shall be subject to the same provisions of these Articles with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the Shares in the original share capital.
51.Subject to the provisions of the Law and the provisions of these Articles as regards the matters to be dealt with by Ordinary Resolution, the Company may by Special Resolution:
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(a)change its name;
(b)alter or add to these Articles;
(c)alter or add to the Memorandum with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein; and
(d)reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve fund.
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES
52.Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Company may issue Shares that are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Member or the Company. The redemption of such Shares shall be effected in such manner and upon such terms as the Board may determine before the issue of such Shares.
53.Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Company may, by agreement with the relevant Member, repurchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) provided that the manner and terms of such purchase have been approved by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution (provided further that no repurchase may be made contrary to the terms or manner recommended by the Directors).
54.The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or repurchase of its own Shares in any manner permitted by the Law, including out of capital.
55.The Directors may accept the surrender for no consideration of any fully paid Share.
TREASURY SHARES
56.The Directors may, prior to the purchase, redemption or surrender of any Share, determine that such Share shall be held as a Treasury Share.
57.The Directors may determine to cancel a Treasury Share or transfer a Treasury Share on such terms as they think proper (including, without limitation, for nil consideration).
GENERAL MEETINGS
58.All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. All general meetings (including any annual general meeting, extraordinary general meeting and any adjourned meeting or postponed meeting) may, as determined by the Board, be held: (a) as a physical meeting at a location (the “principal meeting place”) in any part of the world; (b) as a hybrid meeting at which the Members and/or their proxies attend by (i) physical attendance at the principal meeting place and (ii) means of electronic facilities; or (c) as an electronic meeting at which the Members and/or their proxies attend solely by means of electronic facilities. In these Articles, the term “electronic facilities” includes, without limitation, audio conference systems, electronic platforms accessed through a web browser or mobile application technology, webinars and video conferencing systems, and the term “place” when used with reference to a general meeting, shall mean the principal meeting place and/or the electronic facilities through which persons attend the meeting, as the context requires. Without prejudice to any other power which the Board or the chairman of the meeting may have under these Articles or at common law, the Board or, at any hybrid meeting or electronic meeting, the chairman of the meeting, may make such determinations as they deem or he deems necessary with respect to the conduct of hybrid meetings and electronic meetings, including managing participation by electronic means and failure of electronic facilities.
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59.To the extent required by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules as applicable from time to time, the Company shall hold a general meeting for each financial year as its annual general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Directors.
60.At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented.
61.The Board or the Chairman may call general meetings, and they shall on a Members’ requisition forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company.
62.A Members’ requisition is a requisition of Members holding at the date of deposit of the requisition in aggregate not less than one-tenth (1/10) of the voting rights of such of the issued Shares of the Company as at that date of the deposit carries the right of voting at general meetings of the Company.
63.The requisition must state the objects of the meeting, set forth a form of any resolutions proposed by the requisitionists for consideration at the meeting and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the Registered Office, and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more requisitionists.
64.If the Directors do not within 21 days from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting to be held within a further 21 days, the requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one-half of the total voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three months after the expiration of 21 days from the date of the deposit of the requisition.
65.A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings are to be convened by Directors.
66.At a general meeting convened by requisitionists, a person may be appointed or elected to be a Director, or removed (with or without cause) as a Director, and the size of the Board may be increased by an ordinary resolution. For the purposes of this Article 66, an ordinary resolution means a resolution passed by Members who, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and who together hold a simple majority of the issued Shares carrying the right to vote as at the record date of such general meeting.
67.Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the Members who requisition a meeting may propose only Ordinary Resolutions to be considered and voted upon at such meeting.
68.Save as set out in these Articles, the Members have no right to propose resolutions to be considered or voted upon at annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings of the Company.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
69.At least twenty-one (21) calendar days’ advance notice shall be given for the Company’s annual general meeting and at least fourteen (14) calendar days’ advance notice shall be given for any extraordinary general meeting. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting as determined by the Board and the general nature of the business and shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Board, provided that a notice shall be deemed to have been given for a general meeting of the Company, whether or not the notice specified in this Article has been given and whether or not the provisions of these Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, if it is so agreed:
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(a)in the case of an annual general meeting by all the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat; and
(b)in the case of an extraordinary general meeting by a majority in number of the Members (or their proxies) having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than 95% in par value of the Shares giving that right.
70.The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Member shall not invalidate the proceedings at any meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
71.No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. The quorum required for a general meeting of Members at which an Ordinary Resolution has been proposed consists of such Members present in person or by proxy who together hold Shares which carry the right to at least a simple majority of all votes capable of being exercised on a poll. The quorum required for a general meeting at which a Special Resolution has been proposed consists of such Members present in person or by proxy who together hold Shares which carry the right to at least two-thirds of all votes capable of being exercised on a poll.
72.If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the meeting shall be dissolved.
73.If the Directors, in accordance with these Articles, have determined that a specific general meeting of the Company will be a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting or that all general meetings of the Company will be hybrid meetings or electronic meetings, participation in any such general meeting of the Company may (in the case of a hybrid meeting) or shall (in the case of an electronic meeting) be by means of electronic facilities and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. To the extent required by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules as applicable from time to time, the Company shall facilitate holders of Shares issued by the Company in Mainland China that are subscribed for in RMB and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange to attend a general meeting through an online voting platform, and such attendance by such holders shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting.
74.The Chairman, if any, of the Board shall preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company.
75.If there is no Chairman, or if at any general meeting he is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting or is unwilling to act as chairman, any Director or Person nominated by the Directors shall preside as chairman of that meeting, failing which the Members present in person or by proxy shall choose any Person present to be chairman of that meeting.
76.The chairman may with the consent of any general meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting, or adjourned meeting, is adjourned for 14 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
77.The Directors may cancel or postpone any duly convened general meeting at any time prior to such meeting, except for general meetings requisitioned by the Members in accordance with these Articles, for any reason or for no reason, upon notice in writing to Members. A postponement may be for a stated period of any length or indefinitely as the Directors may determine.
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78.At any general meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll.
79.A poll shall be taken in such manner and at such place as the chairman may direct (including the use of a ballot, voting papers, tickets or electronic procedure) and the result of a poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting. The chairman may appoint scrutineers and may adjourn the meeting to some place and time fixed by him for the purpose of declaring the result of the poll.
80.In the case of an equality of votes on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the poll is taken shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.
VOTES OF MEMBERS
81.Subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any Class or Classes of Shares, on a poll every holder of Shares, present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote on a matter, shall be entitled to one vote on that matter in respect of each Share held by him. Subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any Class or Classes of Shares, every holder of Shares present shall have the right to speak at any general meeting.
82.In the case of joint holders of a Share, the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register of Members in respect of the Shares.
83.A Member who has appointed special or general attorneys or a Member who is subject to a disability may vote on a poll, by his attorney, committee, receiver, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a committee, receiver, or curator bonis appointed by a court and such attorney, committee, receiver, curator bonis or other person may on a poll vote by proxy; provided that such evidence as the Directors may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall have been deposited at the Registered Office not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which such person claims to vote.
84.No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered, and every vote not disallowed at such meeting shall be valid for all purposes. Any such objection made in due time shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting, whose decision shall be final and conclusive.
85.On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy and a Member entitled to more than one vote need not, if he votes, use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way.
86.The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing, or if the appointor is a corporation, either under its common seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney so authorised.
87.Any person (whether a Member of the Company or not) may be appointed to act as a proxy. A Member may appoint more than one proxy to attend on the same occasion.
88.The instrument appointing a proxy and the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of such power or authority, shall be deposited at the Registered Office, or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice of meeting or in the instrument of proxy issued by the Company, no later than the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting; provided that the chairman of the meeting may in his discretion accept an instrument of proxy sent by fax, email or other electronic means.
89.An instrument of proxy shall be in such common form as the Directors may approve.
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90.The Directors may at the expense of the Company send, by post or otherwise, to the Members instruments of proxy (with or without prepaid postage for their return) for use at any general meeting, either in blank or nominating in the alternative any one or more of the Directors or any other persons. If for the purpose of any meeting invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the expense of the Company, such invitations shall be issued to all (and not to some only) of the Members entitled to be sent a notice of the meeting and to vote thereat by proxy.
91.A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the death or insanity of the principal or the revocation of the instrument of proxy, or of the authority under which the instrument of proxy was executed; provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer shall have been received by the Company at the Registered Office before commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the instrument of proxy is used.
92.A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him by his representatives or other Person in the nature of a representative or representatives appointed by that court, and any such representative or other Person may vote in respect of such Shares by proxy.
93.No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting of the Company unless all calls, if any, or other sums presently payable by him in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him have been paid. Where any Member is, under the Hong Kong Listing Rules, required to abstain from voting on any particular resolution or is restricted to voting only for or only against any particular resolution, any votes cast by or on behalf of such Member in contravention of such requirement or restriction shall not be counted to the Company’s knowledge.
94.The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the Registered Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company.
95.A resolution in writing signed by all the Members for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company (or being corporations by their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held.
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES AT MEETINGS
96.Any corporation which is a Member or a Director may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such Person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any meeting of holders of a Class or of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, and the Person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member or Director and such corporation shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present thereat.
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DEPOSITARY AND CLEARING HOUSES
97.If a recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) is a Member of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorise such Person or Persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any general meeting of any class of Members of the Company provided that, if more than one Person is so authorised, the authorisation shall specify the number and Class of Shares in respect of which each such Person is so authorised. A Person so authorised pursuant to this Article shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) which he represents as that recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) could exercise if it were an individual Member holding the number and Class of Shares specified in such authorisation.
DIRECTORS
98.Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than three, and there shall be no maximum number of Directors.
99.The Board shall be divided into three groups designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, with, as nearly equal a number of Directors in each group as possible. Subject to the preceding sentence, the Board shall determine the number of Directors in each group. Directors assigned to Class I shall initially serve until the first annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date. Directors assigned to Class II shall initially serve until the second annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date; and Directors assigned to Class III shall initially serve until the third annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date. Commencing with the first annual general meeting following the Effectiveness Date, Directors elected to succeed those Directors of the group the term of which shall then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual general meeting after their election.
100.The Board, by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, may at any time and from time to time appoint any person to be a Director to fill a casual vacancy arising from the resignation of a former Director or as an addition to the existing Board, subject to the Company’s compliance with director nomination procedures required under the Designated Stock Exchange Rules as long as Shares or ADSs are listed on the Designated Stock Exchange, unless the Board resolves to follow any available exceptions or exemptions. To the extent required by applicable Hong Kong Listing Rules, any Director so appointed shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election at that meeting.
101.For so long as Shares or ADSs are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange, the Directors shall include at least such number of Independent Directors as the Designated Stock Exchange Rules require as determined by the Board.
102.The Board shall have a Chairman elected and appointed by a simple majority of the Directors then in office. The period for which the Chairman shall hold office shall also be determined by a simple majority of all of the Directors then in office. The Chairman shall preside as chairman at every meeting of the Board. To the extent the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Board within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the attending Directors may choose one of their number to be the chairman of the meeting.
103.Each Director shall hold office until his successor is duly elected or appointed or his earlier resignation or removal notwithstanding any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under such agreement).
104.Directors shall be elected by an Ordinary Resolution of Members at each annual general meeting of the Company to fill the seats of those Directors whose terms expire at such annual general meeting.
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105.Any Director may be removed (with or without cause) by an ordinary resolution. For the purposes of this Article 105, an ordinary resolution means a resolution passed by Members who, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and who together hold a simple majority of the issued Shares carrying the right to vote as at the record date of such general meeting.
106.Payment to any Director or past Director of any sum by way of compensation for loss of office or as consideration for or in connection with his retirement from office (not being a payment to which the Director is contractually entitled) must first be approved by the Members as an Ordinary Resolution at a general meeting of the Company.
107.The Board may, from time to time, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives of the Company, which shall be intended to set forth the guiding principles and policies of the Company and the Board on various corporate governance related matters as the Board shall determine by resolution from time to time.
108.A Director shall not be required to hold any Shares in the Company by way of qualification. A Director who is not a Member of the Company shall nevertheless be entitled to attend and speak at general meetings.
109.The remuneration of the Directors shall be determined by the Board.
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
110.Any Director (but not an alternate Director) may by writing appoint any other Director, or any other person willing to act, to be an alternate Director and by writing may remove from office an alternate Director so appointed by him. An alternate Director shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of Directors and of all meetings of committees of Directors of which his appointor is a member, to attend and vote at every such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present, to sign any written resolution of the Directors, and generally to perform all the functions of his appointor as a Director in his absence. An alternate Director shall cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases to be a Director. Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be by notice to the Company signed by the Director making or revoking the appointment or in any other manner approved by the Directors. Subject to the provisions of these Articles, an alternate Director shall be deemed for all purposes to be a Director and shall alone be responsible for his own acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of the Director appointing him.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS
111.Subject to the Law and these Articles, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors, who may pay all expenses incurred in setting up and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company
112.No resolution passed by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid if that resolution had not been passed.
113.Subject to these Articles, the Directors may from time to time appoint any Person, whether or not a Director, to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including but not limited to, the office of president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, one or more other executive officers, vice presidents, treasurer, assistant treasurer, manager or controller, and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as the Directors may think fit. Any Person so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors.
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114.The Board may establish and delegate any of its powers to committees consisting of such member or members of their body as it thinks fit; any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Board.
115.The Directors may appoint any Person to be a Secretary (and if need be an assistant Secretary or assistant Secretaries) who shall hold office for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions and with such powers as they think fit. Any Secretary or assistant Secretary so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution.
116.The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the three next following Articles shall not limit the general powers conferred by this Article.
117.The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee or a local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any Person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no Person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.
118.Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretion for the time being vested in them.
119.The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney (whether under Seal or under hand) or otherwise appoint an Attorney or Authorised Signatory for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretion (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney or other appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of Persons dealing with any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretion vested in him.
BORROWING POWERS OF DIRECTORS
120.The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part thereof, to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
THE SEAL
121.The Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of the Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of the Seal. The Seal shall be affixed in the presence of a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose and every Person as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the Seal is so affixed in their presence.
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122.The Company may maintain a facsimile of the Seal in such countries or places as the Directors may appoint and such facsimile Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of such facsimile Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of such facsimile Seal. The facsimile Seal shall be affixed in the presence of such Person or Persons as the Directors shall for this purpose appoint and such Person or Persons as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the facsimile Seal is so affixed in their presence and such affixing of the facsimile Seal and signing as aforesaid shall have the same meaning and effect as if the Seal had been affixed in the presence of and the instrument signed by a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose.
123.Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Secretary or any assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix the Seal, or the facsimile Seal, to any instrument for the purposes of attesting authenticity of the matter contained therein but which does not create any obligation binding on the Company.
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
124.The office of any Director shall be vacated, if the Director:
(a)becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally;
(b)dies or is found to be of unsound mind;
(c)resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company;
(d)without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for three consecutive meetings and the Board resolves that his office be vacated; or
(e)is removed from office pursuant to any other provision of these Articles.
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
125.The Directors may meet together (either within or without the Cayman Islands) for the dispatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes. At any meeting of the Directors, each Director present shall be entitled to one vote. In case of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. A Director may, and a Secretary or assistant Secretary on the requisition of a Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors.
126.A Director may participate in any meeting of the Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Directors of which such Director is a member, by means of telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting.
127.The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Board, and unless so fixed at another number, the quorum shall be a simple majority of the Directors then in office. An alternate Director shall, if his appointor is not present, be counted in the quorum. A Director who also acts as an alternate Director shall, if his appointor is not present, count twice towards the quorum.
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128.An Interested Director shall declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the Directors. A general notice given to the Directors by any Interested Director to the effect that he is a member of any specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract or transaction which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made or transaction so consummated. Subject to the Designated Stock Exchange Rules and disqualification by the chairman of the relevant Board meeting, an Interested Director may vote in respect of any contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction shall come before the meeting for consideration.
129.Subject to any corporate governance policies adopted by the Board, a Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms (as to remuneration and otherwise) as the Directors may determine and no Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company either with regard to his tenure of any such other office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested, be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. Subject to any corporate governance policies adopted by the Board, a Director, notwithstanding his interest, may be counted in the quorum present at any meeting of the Directors whereat he or any other Director is appointed to hold any such office or place of profit under the Company or whereat the terms of any such appointment are arranged and he may vote on any such appointment or arrangement.
130.The Directors shall cause minutes to be made for the purpose of recording:
(a)all appointments of officers made by the Directors;
(b)the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; and
(c)all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company, and of the Directors and of committees of Directors.
131.When the Chairman of a meeting of the Directors signs the minutes of such meeting the same shall be deemed to have been duly held notwithstanding that all the Directors have not actually come together or that there may have been a technical defect in the proceedings, provided always that a proper notice of the meeting (i) has been given to all Directors or (ii) has been waived or the Directors have consented to holding the meeting, or minutes thereof have been approved, by such Director(s).
132.A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors or all the members of a committee of Directors entitled to receive notice of a meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be, shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a duly called and constituted meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be. When signed a resolution may consist of several documents each signed by one or more of the Directors.
133.The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body but if and for so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors, the continuing Directors may act for the purpose of increasing the number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose.
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134.The Directors may elect a chairman of their meetings and determine the period for which he is to hold office but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
135.The Board shall designate a chairman of any committee established by Board. If no such is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the committee members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
136.A committee established by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a simple majority of votes of the committee members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
137.All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, or by any Person acting as a Director, shall notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such Director or Person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such Person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director.
138.A Director but not an alternate Director may be represented at any meetings of the Board of Directors by a proxy appointed in writing by him. The proxy shall count towards the quorum and the vote of the proxy shall for all purposes be deemed to be that of the appointing Director.
PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
139.A Director of the Company who is present at a meeting of the Board at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with the person acting as the chairman or secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.
DIVIDENDS
140.Subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any Shares the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor.
141.Subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any Shares, the Company by Ordinary Resolution may declare dividends, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors.
142.The Directors may, before recommending or declaring any dividend, set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, in the absolute discretion of the Directors be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which those funds may be properly applied and pending such application may in the absolute discretion of the Directors, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments (other than Shares of the Company) as the Directors may from time to time think fit.
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143.Any dividend payable in cash to the holder of Shares may be paid in any manner determined by the Directors. If paid by cheque it shall be sent by mail addressed to the holder at his address in the Register of Members, or addressed to such Person and at such addresses as the holder may direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the Register of Members in respect of such Shares, and shall be sent at his or their risk and payment of the cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to the Company.
144.The Directors may determine that a dividend shall be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets (which may consist of the shares or securities of any other company) and may settle all questions concerning such distribution. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Directors may fix the value of such specific assets, may determine that cash payment shall be made to some Members in lieu of specific assets and may vest any such specific assets in trustees on such terms as the Directors think fit.
145.Subject to any rights and restrictions then applicable to any Shares, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the Shares, but if and for so long as nothing is paid up on any of the Shares dividends may be declared and paid according to the par value of the Shares. No amount paid on a Share in advance of calls shall, while carrying interest, be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid on the Share.
146.If several Persons are registered as joint holders of any Share, any of them may give effectual receipts for any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of the Share.
147.No dividend shall bear interest against the Company.
148.Any dividend unclaimed after a period of six years from the date of declaration of such dividend may be forfeited by the Board and, if so forfeited, shall revert to the Company.
ACCOUNTS, AUDIT AND ANNUAL RETURN AND DECLARATION
149.The books of account relating to the Company’s affairs shall be kept in such manner as may be determined from time to time by the Directors.
150.The books of account shall be kept at the Registered Office, or at such other place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors.
151.The Directors may from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors, and no Member (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as authorised by these Articles, the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution.
152.The accounts relating to the Company’s affairs shall be audited in such manner and with such financial year end as may be determined from time to time by the Directors or failing any determination as aforesaid shall not be audited.
153.To the extent required by applicable Hong Kong Listing Rules, the Members shall, at every annual general meeting, appoint, by Ordinary Resolution, an auditor or auditors of the Company who shall serve as such until the next annual general meeting. The removal of an auditor prior to the next annual meeting shall require the approval of an Ordinary Resolution. The remuneration of the auditors shall be fixed by Ordinary Resolution at the annual general meeting at which they are appointed; provided that in respect of any particular year the Members may, by Ordinary Resolution, delegate the fixing of such remuneration to the Board at the annual general meeting.
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154.Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the Auditors.
155.Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment, and at any time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members.
156.The Directors in each year shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required by the Law and deliver a copy thereof to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands.
CAPITALISATION
157.Subject to the Law, the Directors may:
(a)resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution;
(b)appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the Members in proportion to the nominal amount of Shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards:
(i)paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on Shares held by them respectively, or
(ii)paying up in full unissued Shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum, and allot the Shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Members (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the Share Premium Account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued Shares to be allotted to Members credited as fully paid;
(c)make any arrangements they think fit to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where Shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the Directors may deal with the fractions as they think fit;
(d)authorise a Person to enter (on behalf of all the Members concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either:
(i)the allotment to the Members respectively, credited as fully paid, of Shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation, or
(ii)the payment by the Company on behalf of the Members (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing Shares,
and any such agreement made under this authority being effective and binding on all those Members; and
(e)generally do all acts and things required to give effect to the resolution.
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SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT
158.The Directors shall in accordance with the Law establish a Share Premium Account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share.
159.There shall be debited to any Share Premium Account on the redemption or purchase of a Share the difference between the nominal value of such Share and the redemption or purchase price provided always that at the discretion of the Directors such sum may be paid out of the profits of the Company or, if permitted by the Law, out of capital.
NOTICES
160.Except as otherwise provided in these Articles, any notice or document may be served by the Company or by the person entitled to give notice to any Member either personally, by facsimile or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter or via a recognised courier service, fees prepaid addressed to the Member at his address as appearing in the Register of Members or by electronic means by transmitting it to any electronic number or address or website supplied by the Member to the Company or by placing it on the Company’s Website. In the case of joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register of Members in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.
161.Any Member present, either personally or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was convened.
162.Any notice or other document, if served by:
(a)post, shall be deemed to have been served five days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted;
(b)facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon production by the transmitting facsimile machine of a report confirming transmission of the facsimile in full to the facsimile number of the recipient;
(c)recognised courier service, shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service;
(d)electronic mail, shall be deemed to have been served immediately upon the time of the transmission by electronic mail; or
(e)placing it on the Company’s Website, shall be deemed to have been served 12 hours after the notice or document is placed on the Company’s Website.
In proving service by post or courier service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier service.
163.Any notice or document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered address of any Member in accordance with the terms of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Member be then dead or bankrupt, and whether or not the Company has notice of his death or bankruptcy, be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any Share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder, unless his name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register of Members as the holder of the Share, and such service shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all Persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the Share.
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164.Notice of every general meeting of the Company shall be given to:
(a)all Members holding Shares with the right to receive notice and who have supplied to the Company an address, facsimile number or e-mail address for the giving of notices to them; and
(b)every Person entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting.
165.No other Person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
INFORMATION
166.No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of any information in respect of any detail of the Company’s trading or any information which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not be in the interests of the Members of the Company to communicate to the public.
167.The Board shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its Members including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and transfer books of the Company.
INDEMNITY
168.Each Indemnified Person shall be indemnified and secured harmless against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such Indemnified Person, other than by reason of such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such Indemnified Person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.
169.No Indemnified Person shall be liable:
(a)for the acts, receipts, neglects, defaults or omissions of any other Director or officer or agent of the Company;
(b)for any loss on account of defect of title to any property of the Company;
(c)on account of the insufficiency of any security in or upon which any money of the Company shall be invested;
(d)for any loss incurred through any bank, broker or other similar Person;
(e)for any loss occasioned by any negligence, default, breach of duty, breach of trust, error of judgement or oversight on such Indemnified Person’s part; or
(f)for any loss, damage or misfortune whatsoever which may happen in or arise from the execution or discharge of the duties, powers, authorities, or discretions of such Indemnified Person’s position or in relation thereto;
unless the same shall happen through such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, willful default or fraud.
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170.The Directors, on behalf of the Company, may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of any Director or other officer of the Company against any liability which, by virtue of any rule of law, would otherwise attach to such person in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which such person may be guilty in relation to the Company.
FINANCIAL YEAR
171.Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on December 31 in each year and shall begin on January 1 in each year.
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS
172.No Person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any Share upon any trust and the Company shall not, unless required by law, be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any Share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or as the Law requires) any other right in respect of any Share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in each Member registered in the Register of Members.
WINDING UP
173.The Company may be wound up only as follows:
(a)if the winding up is initiated by the Board, by a Special Resolution; or
(b)if the Company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an Ordinary Resolution; or
(c)in any other case, by a Special Resolution, and, for the purposes of any such Special Resolution, the requisite majority shall be 100%.
174.If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, subject to the rights attaching to any Shares and with the sanction of a Special Resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Law, divide among the Members in kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether such assets shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any asset upon which there is a liability
AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
175.Subject to the Law, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part.
MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATIONS
176.The Company shall, with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to merge or consolidate with one or more constituent companies (as defined in the Law), upon such terms as the Directors may determine.
177.In connection with any distribution, dividend or other payment in respect of Shares upon a merger, consolidation, change of control, or sale, transfer, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, such distribution, dividend or payment shall be made ratably on a per share basis to the Shares.
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CLOSING OF REGISTER OR FIXING RECORD DATE
178.For the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Member for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not exceed in any case 40 calendar days. If the Register of Members shall be so closed for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members, the Register of Members shall be so closed for at least 10 days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register of Members.
179.In lieu of or apart from closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of the Members, and for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, the Directors may, at or within 90 days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend, fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination.
180.If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of those Members entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is posted or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE COMPANY
181.Unless otherwise determined by a simple majority of the Board, in the event that (i) any Member (the Claiming Party) initiates or asserts any claim or counterclaim (Claim) or joins, offers substantial assistance to or has a direct financial interest in any Claim against the Company and (ii) the Claiming Party (or the third party that received substantial assistance from the Claiming Party or in whose Claim the Claiming Party had a direct financial interest) does not obtain a judgment on the merits in which the Claiming Party prevails, then each Claiming Party shall, to the fullest extent permissible by law, be obligated jointly and severally to reimburse the Company for all fees, costs and expenses (including, but not limited to, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses) that the Company may incur in connection with such Claim.
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
182.The Company may by Special Resolution resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing. In furtherance of a resolution adopted pursuant to this Article, the Directors may cause an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company.
DISCLOSURE
183.The Directors, or any service providers (including the officers, the Secretary and the registered office agent of the Company) specifically authorised by the Directors, shall be entitled to disclose to any regulatory or judicial authority any information regarding the affairs of the Company including without limitation information contained in the Register of Members and books of the Company.
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EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF CAYMAN ISLANDS COURTS
184.Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of Cayman Islands shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any Director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Company’s Members, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Law or these Articles, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognised under the laws of the United States of America). Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any Share in the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article.
EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LITIGATION
185.Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any Share, ADS or other types of securities of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article.
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Exhibit 99.1
BeiGene Highlights Promising Data from Blood Cancer Portfolio and Pipeline at the European Hematology Association Hybrid Congress
-New follow-up results from Phase 3 SEQUOIA trial and post hoc safety analyses for BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) reinforce potential across various B-cell malignancies
-Early results for BTK-targeted CDAC (BGB-16673) and BCL-2 inhibitor (BGB-11417) in various B-cell malignancies illustrate promise of pipeline
BASEL, Switzerland & BEIJING & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- June 9, 2023 -- BeiGene (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global biotechnology company, today announced the presentation of new data from its broad blood cancer portfolio of approved therapies and promising early-stage pipeline products at the 2023 European Hematology Association (EHA) Hybrid Congress. BeiGene has ten accepted abstracts at EHA, which is taking place from June 8-11 in Frankfurt, Germany.
“We are excited to share the latest research from our robust hematology portfolio and pipeline, including new results that further deepen our understanding of BRUKINSA across a number of hematologic malignancies,” said Lai Wang, Ph.D., Global Head of R&D at BeiGene. “These data underscore our ongoing commitment to delivering treatments that have the potential to improve the lives of those living with blood cancers.”
Expanding the Evidence Base for BRUKINSA
With extended follow-up from the pivotal, Phase 3 SEQUOIA study, BRUKINSA remains an important frontline treatment option for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). BRUKINSA continued to demonstrate clinically meaningful efficacy in patients with treatment-naïve CLL/SLL without del(17p). In addition to the previously reported benefit in patients with the unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) gene, longer follow-up now shows benefit in those with mutated IGHV as well, and patients with del(17p) continue to demonstrate progression-free survival (PFS) benefit consistent with the randomized cohort. BRUKINSA continues to be well tolerated over time, with low rates of treatment discontinuation. (Abstract #P639)
In post-hoc analyses, safety data were pooled from ten clinical trials of BRUKINSA monotherapy in patients with certain B-cell malignancies, including from the Phase 3 ASPEN and ALPINE trials, which compared BRUKINSA head-to-head with ibrutinib. These pooled safety analyses demonstrate that BRUKINSA is generally well tolerated, as BRUKINSA adverse events were generally mild-to-moderate in severity and tended not to lead to treatment discontinuation. Prevalence of adverse events of special interest (AESI) generally trended down over time without emergence of new safety signals, supporting BRUKINSA as a viable long-term treatment option. (Abstract #P631)
In an updated safety and efficacy analysis of BRUKINSA in patients with various B-cell malignancies, results showed that switching to BRUKINSA may provide clinical benefit to patients previously intolerant of ibrutinib and/or acalabrutinib. In total, 82 patients were evaluated (61 CLL/SLL, 13 Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, 4 mantle cell lymphoma, 4 marginal zone lymphoma). (Abstract #P633)
Additionally, in an updated analysis of the Phase 2 ROSEWOOD study, BRUKINSA plus obinutuzumab, a humanized type II anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, demonstrated clinically meaningful activity and manageable safety profile in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL). The European Medicines Agency recently validated BeiGene’s Type II variation application for BRUKINSA for the treatment of adult patients with R/R FL. (Abstract #P1080)
BeiGene’s Promising Early Pipeline in Hematology
BGB-16673 is an orally available Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK)-targeting chimeric degradation activation compound (CDAC) that is designed to be a potent inhibitor against tumors expressing wildtype and clinically relevant BTK mutations. The investigative molecule is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 trials (NCT05006716, NCT05294731). The preclinical findings presented at EHA suggest BGB-16673 is a promising next-generation BTK inhibitor that could benefit patients who developed BTKi on-target resistant mutations. (Abstract #P1219)
Additionally, in an encore presentation from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, BGB-11417, a potent and highly selective BCL-2 inhibitor, showed promising initial efficacy results in relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL, with patients achieving responses at lower dose levels. (Abstract #P626)
About BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib)
BRUKINSA is a small molecule inhibitor of BTK discovered by BeiGene scientists that is currently being evaluated globally in a broad clinical program as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies to treat various B-cell malignancies. Because new BTK is continuously synthesized, BRUKINSA was specifically designed to deliver complete and sustained inhibition of the BTK protein by optimizing bioavailability, half-life, and selectivity. With differentiated pharmacokinetics compared to other approved BTK inhibitors, BRUKINSA has been demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation of malignant B cells within a number of disease relevant tissues.
BRUKINSA is supported by a broad clinical program which includes more than 4,900 subjects in 35 trials across 29 markets. To date, BRUKINSA is approved in more than 65 markets around the world, including the United States, China, the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Switzerland.
About BGB-16673
BGB 16673 is an orally available BTK targeting CDAC designed to degrade wildtype BTK and multiple mutant forms. It is currently under phase 1 clinical investigations (NCT05006716, NCT05294731).
About BGB-11417
BGB-11417 is an investigational small molecule BCL-2 inhibitor. Preclinical and IND-enabling studies of BGB-11417 have demonstrated potent activity and high selectivity against the pro-apoptotic protein BCL-2. The molecule is more selective than venetoclax for BCL-2 relative to BCL-xL and shows the potential to overcome resistance to venetoclax.
About BeiGene
BeiGene is a global biotechnology company that is discovering and developing innovative oncology treatments that are more affordable and accessible to cancer patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 9,400 colleagues spans five continents, with administrative offices in Beijing, China; Cambridge, U.S.; and Basel, Switzerland. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.
U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib)
Warnings and Precautions
Hemorrhage
Fatal and serious hemorrhage has occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage, including intracranial and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hematuria and hemothorax have been reported in 3.6% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy in clinical trials, with fatalities occurring in 0.3% of patients. Bleeding of any grade, excluding purpura and petechiae, occurred in 30% of patients.
Bleeding has occurred in patients with and without concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy. Coadministration of BRUKINSA with antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may further increase the risk of hemorrhage.
Monitor for signs and symptoms of bleeding. Discontinue BRUKINSA if intracranial hemorrhage of any grade occurs. Consider the benefit-risk of withholding BRUKINSA for 3-7 days pre- and post-surgery depending upon the type of surgery and the risk of bleeding.
Infections
Fatal and serious infections (including bacterial, viral, or fungal infections) and opportunistic infections have occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 24% of patients, most commonly pneumonia (11%), with fatal infections occurring in 2.9% of patients. Infections due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation have occurred.
Consider prophylaxis for herpes simplex virus, pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, and other infections according to standard of care in patients who are at increased risk for infections. Monitor and evaluate patients for fever or other signs and symptoms of infection and treat appropriately.
Cytopenias
Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias, including neutropenia (22%), thrombocytopenia (8%) and anemia (7%) based on laboratory measurements, developed in patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 11% of patients, and Grade 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 2.8% of patients.
Monitor complete blood counts regularly during treatment and interrupt treatment, reduce the dose, or discontinue treatment as warranted. Treat using growth factor or transfusions, as needed.
Second Primary Malignancies
Second primary malignancies, including non-skin carcinoma, have occurred in 13% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. The most frequent second primary malignancy was non-melanoma skin cancer reported in 7% of patients. Other second primary malignancies included malignant solid tumors (5%), melanoma (1.2%), and hematologic malignancies (0.5%). Advise patients to use sun protection and monitor patients for the development of second primary malignancies.
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Serious cardiac arrhythmias have occurred in patients treated with BRUKINSA. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were reported in 3.7% of 1550 patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy, including Grade 3 or higher cases in 1.7% of patients. Patients with cardiac risk factors, hypertension and acute infections may be at increased risk. Grade 3 or higher ventricular arrhythmias were reported in 0.2% of patients.
Monitor for signs and symptoms for cardiac arrhythmias (e.g. palpitations, dizziness, syncope, dyspnea, chest discomfort), manage appropriately, and consider the risks and benefits of continued BRUKINSA treatment.
Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
Based on findings in animals, BRUKINSA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Administration of zanubrutinib to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis caused embryo-fetal toxicity, including malformations at exposures that were 5 times higher than those reported in patients at the recommended dose of 160 mg twice daily. Advise women to avoid becoming pregnant while taking BRUKINSA and for 1 week after the last dose. Advise men to avoid fathering a child during treatment and for 1 week after the last dose. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to a fetus.
Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (≥30%), including laboratory abnormalities, included decreased neutrophil count (42%), upper respiratory tract infection (39%), decreased platelet count (34%), hemorrhage (30%), and musculoskeletal pain (30%).
Drug Interactions
CYP3A Inhibitors: When BRUKINSA is co-administered with a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg once daily. For coadministration with a moderate CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg twice daily.
CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration with strong or moderate CYP3A inducers. Dose adjustment may be recommended with moderate CYP3A inducers.
Specific Populations
Lactation: Advise not to breastfeed.
Hepatic Impairment: The recommended dose of BRUKINSA for patients with severe hepatic impairment is 80 mg orally twice daily.
INDICATIONS
•BRUKINSA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with
•chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
•Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM)
•Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy.
•Relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who have received at least one anti-CD20-based regimen.
The MCL and MZL indications are approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for these indications may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information including U.S. Patient Information
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding the strength of BeiGene’s blood cancer portfolio and pipeline; the potential for BeiGeneto deliver treatments that have the potential to improve the lives of those living with blood cancers; the potential for BRUKINSA to be an important frontline treatment option for CLL or SLL; the general future of BeiGene’s pipeline and programs; BeiGene’s advancement, anticipated clinical development, regulatory milestones and commercialization of BGB-11417, BGB-16673, and zanubrutinib; and BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations, and goals under the heading “About BeiGene.” Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene's ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing, and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene's ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene's ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene's reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BeiGene’s clinical development, regulatory, commercial, manufacturing, and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene's subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.
Investor Contact:
Kevin Mannix
+1 240-410-0129
ir@beigene.com
Media Contact:
Maryline Iva
+ 41 61 685 2090
media@beigene.com
Exhibit 99.2
BeiGene Highlights Significant BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) Data at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma
-Oral presentation for the ROSEWOOD trial of BRUKINSA in relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma
-Additional presentations expand existing evidence base for BRUKINSA across B-cell malignancies
BASEL, Switzerland & BEIJING & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- June 15, 2023 – BeiGene (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global biotechnology company, today announced that it will present data on its Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) at the 17th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML), which is taking place from June 13-17 in Lugano, Switzerland.
“The data presented at ICML provide further evidence supporting our confidence in BRUKINSA. Notably, an updated analysis with a median follow-up of 20.2 months, reinforced previous results from the Phase 2 ROSEWOOD trial of BRUKINSA in combination with obinutuzumab,” said Mehrdad Mobasher, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, Hematology. “We recently announced EMA acceptance of our filing for BRUKINSA in combination with obinutuzumab as a treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma who received at least two prior lines of therapy; and additional worldwide regulatory submissions are ongoing.”
In an updated analysis from the Phase 2 ROSEWOOD trial shared as an oral presentation at ICML, BRUKINSA in combination with obinutuzumab demonstrated clinically meaningful activity and was generally well-tolerated in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL).
BRUKINSA in combination with obinutuzumab showed an overall response rate of 69.0% versus 45.8% in the obinutuzumab arm (p = 0.0012) and median follow-up of 20.2 months. The complete response rate for BRUKINSA in combination with obinutuzumab was 39.3% compared to 19.4% for obinutuzumab alone. Non-hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade that occurred more frequently (>5% difference) in the combination group were petechiae (6.3% vs. 0%) and herpes zoster infection (6.3% vs. 0%); in contrast, pyrexia (13.3% vs. 19.7%) and infusion-related reaction (2.8% vs. 9.9%) occurred more frequently in patients receiving obinutuzumab alone.
These results will be presented on June 16, 2023, 3:30 – 5:00 pm CEST. (Abstract #81)
Demonstrating a commitment to developing rigorous evidence for potential new treatments for rare hematologic malignancies, BeiGene will detail the trial design of its Phase 3 MAHOGANY study (NCT05100862) of BRUKINSA plus obinutuzumab versus lenalidomide plus rituximab in R/R FL or marginal zone lymphoma in an oral presentation during the Ongoing Trials Session. (Abstract #994)
Additional Data Further Demonstrate Safety and Efficacy Profile for BRUKINSA
At a median follow-up of 43.7 months, extended follow-up data from the pivotal Phase 3 SEQUOIA study (NCT03336333) showed BRUKINSA efficacy was maintained in patients with treatment-naïve CLL/SLL without del(17p) and patients with del(17p) receiving BRUKINSA continued to show progression-free survival (PFS) benefit consistent with the randomized cohort. Rates of atrial fibrillation remained low, and no new safety signals were identified. BRUKINSA continues to be well tolerated over time, with low rates of treatment discontinuation. (Abstract #154)
In a subgroup analysis of the Phase 3 ALPINE trial (NCT03734016), BRUKINSA showed improved PFS over ibrutinib in patients in China with R/R chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), consistent with the global study population. A favorable safety profile was also observed with BRUKINSA compared with ibrutinib, with lower rates of treatment discontinuations and serious adverse events. (Abstract #592)
Preliminary results for the CLL/SLL subgroup of an ongoing Phase 2 trial (NCT04116437) evaluating BRUKINSA in patients with various previously treated with B-cell malignancies who are intolerant to ibrutinib and/or acalabrutinib, demonstrated that treatment with BRUKINSA was well-tolerated and unlikely to lead to recurrence of intolerant adverse events experienced with prior BTK-inhibitor therapy, suggesting BRUKINSA may be a treatment option for these patients. (Abstract #345)
Initial findings from a Phase 2 trial (NCT03824483) of long-term follow-up of BRUKINSA, obinutuzumab and venetoclax (BOVen) demonstrated high rates of durable undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD) in CLL/SLL patients administered BOVen. Of the 46 patients meeting MRD criteria to cease treatment, median time from end of treatment to MRD conversion was 29.8 months. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events were neutropenia (23.1%), thrombocytopenia (7.7%), lung infection (5.8%) (Abstract #153)
More details on BeiGene’s abstracts are available in the ICML online program.
About BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib)
BRUKINSA is a small molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) discovered by BeiGene scientists that is currently being evaluated globally in a broad clinical program as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies to treat various B-cell malignancies.
BRUKINSA is supported by a broad clinical program which includes more than 4,900 patients in 35 trials across 29 markets. To date, BRUKINSA is approved in more than 65 markets around the world, including the United States, China, the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Switzerland. The product information may differ from country to country. Prescribers should consult the product information approved in their respective country.
IMPORTANT U.S. SAFETY INFORMATION FOR BRUKINSA (ZANUBRUTINIB)
Warnings and Precautions
Hemorrhage
Fatal and serious hemorrhage has occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage, including intracranial and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hematuria and hemothorax have been reported in 3.6% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy in clinical trials, with fatalities occurring in 0.3% of patients. Bleeding of any grade, excluding purpura and petechiae, occurred in 30% of patients.
Bleeding has occurred in patients with and without concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy. Coadministration of BRUKINSA with antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may further increase the risk of hemorrhage.
Monitor for signs and symptoms of bleeding. Discontinue BRUKINSA if intracranial hemorrhage of any grade occurs. Consider the benefit-risk of withholding BRUKINSA for 3-7 days pre- and post-surgery depending upon the type of surgery and the risk of bleeding.
Infections
Fatal and serious infections (including bacterial, viral, or fungal infections) and opportunistic infections have occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 24% of patients, most commonly pneumonia (11%), with fatal infections occurring in 2.9% of patients. Infections due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation have occurred.
Consider prophylaxis for herpes simplex virus, pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and other infections according to standard of care in patients who are at increased risk for infections. Monitor and evaluate patients for fever or other signs and symptoms of infection and treat appropriately.
Cytopenias
Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias, including neutropenia (22%), thrombocytopenia (8%) and anemia (7%) based on laboratory measurements, developed in patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 11% of patients, and Grade 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 2.8% of patients.
Monitor complete blood counts regularly during treatment and interrupt treatment, reduce the dose, or discontinue treatment as warranted. Treat using growth factor or transfusions, as needed.
Second Primary Malignancies
Second primary malignancies, including non-skin carcinoma, have occurred in 13% of patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy. The most frequent second primary malignancy was non-melanoma skin cancer reported in 7% of patients. Other second primary malignancies included malignant solid tumors (5%), melanoma (1.2%), and hematologic malignancies (0.5%). Advise patients to use sun protection and monitor patients for the development of second primary malignancies.
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Serious cardiac arrhythmias have occurred in patients treated with BRUKINSA. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were reported in 3.7% of 1550 patients treated with BRUKINSA monotherapy, including Grade 3 or higher cases in 1.7% of patients. Patients with cardiac risk factors, hypertension, and acute infections may be at increased risk. Grade 3 or higher ventricular arrhythmias were reported in 0.2% of patients.
Monitor for signs and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., palpitations, dizziness, syncope, dyspnea, chest discomfort), manage appropriately, and consider the risks and benefits of continued BRUKINSA treatment.
Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
Based on findings in animals, BRUKINSA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Administration of zanubrutinib to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis caused embryo-fetal toxicity, including malformations at exposures that were 5 times higher than those reported in patients at the recommended dose of 160 mg twice daily. Advise women to avoid becoming pregnant while taking BRUKINSA and for 1 week after the last dose. Advise men to avoid fathering a child during treatment and for 1 week after the last dose. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to a fetus.
Adverse Reactions
In this pooled safety population, the most common adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, in ≥30% of patients who received BRUKINSA (N=1550) included decreased neutrophil count (42%), upper respiratory tract infection (39%), decreased platelet count (34%), hemorrhage (30%), and musculoskeletal pain (30%).
Drug Interactions
CYP3A Inhibitors: When BRUKINSA is co-administered with a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg once daily. For coadministration with a moderate CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg twice daily.
CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration with strong or moderate CYP3A inducers. Dose adjustment may be recommended with moderate CYP3A inducers.
Specific Populations
Hepatic Impairment: The recommended dose of BRUKINSA for patients with severe hepatic impairment is 80 mg orally twice daily.
U.S. INDICATIONS
BRUKINSA is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:
•Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
•Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM)
•Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy
•Relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who have received at least one anti-CD20-based regimen
The MCL and MZL indications are approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for these indications may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information at www.beigene.com/PDF/BRUKINSAUSPI.pdf and Patient Information at www.beigene.com/PDF/BRUKINSAUSPPI.pdf
About BeiGene
BeiGene is a global biotechnology company that is discovering and developing innovative oncology treatments that are more affordable and accessible to cancer patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our internal capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for far more patients who need them. Our growing global team of more than 9,400 colleagues spans five continents, with administrative offices in Beijing, China; Cambridge, U.S.; and Basel, Switzerland. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding BeiGene’s advancement, anticipated clinical development, regulatory submissions and commercialization of zanubrutinib; and BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations, and goals under the heading “About BeiGene.” Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene's ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing, and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene's ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene's ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene's reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing, and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BeiGene’s clinical development, regulatory, commercial, manufacturing, and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene's subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.
Investor Contact:
Kevin Mannix
+1 240-410-0129
ir@beigene.com
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