As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 13, 2023.
Registration No. 333-271034
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware |
2834 |
82-5118368 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of |
(Primary SIC Code) |
(IRS Employer |
15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(410) 297-7793
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
_________________
Paul A. Romness, MPH
President and Chief Executive Officer
OS Therapies Incorporated
15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(410) 297-7793
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
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Copies to:
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Spencer G. Feldman, Esq. |
Ralph V. De Martino, Esq. |
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Non-Accelerated Filer |
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Smaller Reporting Company |
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Emerging Growth Company |
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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 to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
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The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement contains two prospectuses, as set forth below:
• Public Offering Prospectus. A prospectus to be used for the initial public offering of 2,000,000 shares of common stock of OS Therapies Incorporated (the “Public Offering Prospectus”), with such shares to be sold in an underwritten offering through the underwriters named on the cover page of the Public Offering Prospectus.
• Resale Prospectus. A prospectus to be used for the resale from time to time by the selling stockholders named therein of 537,098 shares of common stock to be issued before the effectiveness of this registration statement upon the automatic conversion of convertible promissory notes issued in our recent private placement, as set forth in the resale prospectus (the “Resale Prospectus”).
The Resale Prospectus is substantially identical to the Public Offering Prospectus, except for the following principal differences:
• they contain different outside and inside front cover and back cover pages;
• they contain different “Summary of the Offering” sections on page Alt-1;
• they contain different “Use of Proceeds” sections on page Alt-2;
• no “Dilution” section in the Resale Prospectus;
• a “Selling Stockholders” section is included in the Resale Prospectus;
• a Selling Stockholders “Plan of Distribution” is included in the Resale Prospectus in lieu of the section “Underwriting” in the Public Offering Prospectus; and
• the “Legal Matters” section in the Resale Prospectus on page Alt-6 deletes the reference to counsel for the underwriters.
The registrant has included in this registration statement a set of alternate pages after the back cover page of the Public Offering Prospectus (the “Alternate Pages”) to reflect the foregoing differences in the Resale Prospectus as compared to the Public Offering Prospectus. The Public Offering Prospectus will exclude the Alternate Pages and will be used for the initial public offering by the registrant. The Resale Prospectus will be substantially identical to the Public Offering Prospectus except for the addition or substitution of the Alternate Pages and will be used for the resale offering by the selling stockholders. Consummation of the offering made by the Resale Prospectus is conditioned on consummation of the initial public offering of shares of common stock by OS Therapies Incorporated pursuant to the Public Offering Prospectus.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission becomes effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
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PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED APRIL 13, 2023 |
2,000,000 Shares

OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
Common Stock
This is the initial public offering of common stock of OS Therapies Incorporated. Prior to this offering, no public market has existed for our common stock. We are offering 2,000,000 shares. The initial public offering price is $5.00 per share. We have applied to list our shares of common stock for trading on the NYSE American under the symbol “OSTX.” This listing is a condition to the offering.
Concurrently with this offering, we are registering for resale by selling stockholders an aggregate of 537,098 shares of common stock to be issued to them before the effectiveness of this offering upon the automatic conversion of convertible promissory notes sold in our private placement commenced in November 2022. The notes will convert at a price of $2.46 per share. These shares are being registered to satisfy a contractual obligation owed by us to the selling stockholders pursuant to a convertible note purchase agreement. The selling stockholders have represented to us that they will not offer or sell their shares prior to the closing of this offering. Sales of these shares, or the potential of such sales, may have an adverse effect on the market price of the shares offered hereby.
Our business and investment in our common stock involve significant risks. These risks are described under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 13 of this prospectus.
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Per Share |
Total |
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Initial public offering price |
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5.00 |
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10,000,000 |
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Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) |
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0.35 |
$ |
700,000 |
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Proceeds to us, before expenses |
$ |
4.65 |
$ |
9,300,000 |
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(1) Does not include a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of this offering payable to Boustead Securities, LLC, the representative of the underwriters. We have also agreed to issue warrants to the representative of the underwriters. See the section entitled ‘‘Underwriting’’ beginning on page 105 of this prospectus for additional information regarding compensation payable to the underwriters.
We have granted a 45-day option to the underwriters to purchase up to 300,000 additional shares of our common stock, solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions.
We are an “emerging growth company” and “smaller reporting company” as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and may elect to do so after this offering in future filings.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of our common stock to purchasers on or about _____, 2023.
Boustead Securities, LLC
The date of this prospectus is __________, 2023
OST-HER2

OST-TDC

OS Therapies’ pipeline includes two drug technologies — our lead core product candidate OST-HER2, an off-the-shelf immunotherapy, and OST-TDC, our next generation tunable antibody-drug conjugate platform that is in preclinical development.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT |
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby and only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date on the front of those documents only, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement, or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
We are not, and the underwriters are not, offering to sell or seeking offers to purchase these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. We and the underwriters have not done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities as to distribution of the prospectus outside of the United States.
The industry and market data and certain other statistical information used throughout this prospectus are from our own research, surveys or studies conducted by third parties and industry or general publications. Industry publications and third-party research, surveys, and studies generally indicate that their information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. We are responsible for all of the disclosure contained in this prospectus, and we believe that these sources are reliable; however, we have not independently verified the information contained in such publications. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding any third-party information presented in this prospectus, their estimates, in particular, as they relate to projections, involve numerous assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. Some data are also based on our good faith estimates.
SiLinkers™, CAPs™ and other common law trade names, trademarks or service marks of our company appearing in this prospectus are the property of OS Therapies Incorporated. This prospectus contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies that are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus appear without ™symbol, but those references are not intended to indicate that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights, or that the applicable owners will not assert their rights, to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by us of, these other companies.
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This summary highlights information contained in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information you should consider in making your investment decision. You should read the entire prospectus carefully before making an investment in our common stock. You should carefully consider, among other things, our financial statements and the related notes and the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “OS Therapies,” “OST,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to OS Therapies Incorporated.
Our Company and Mission
OS Therapies Incorporated is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, development and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma (OS) and other solid tumors. Our mission is to address the significant need for new treatments in cancers of the bone in children and young adults. Osteosarcoma is an extremely challenging and often aggressive cancer that has particular treatment challenges due to its location, changing genotypes and high recurrence rates. We are currently seeking to answer the call for new treatments with our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 (also known as OST31-164). We intend to expand our pipeline beyond Osteosarcoma with this product candidate into other solid tumors with the same recurrence mechanism of action, including breast, esophageal and lung cancers. With the addition of our OST-Tunable Drug Conjugate (OST-TDC) platform, which we consider to be a next generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, we will be targeting ovarian, lung and pancreatic cancers. “Tunable” is a term used in drug development that refers to the properties that can be influenced by chemical modifications, and “antibody-drug conjugate” or ADC is a term used to describe a drug made up of a monoclonal antibody attached to a cytotoxic payload, or a highly active and toxic pharmaceutical molecule, through chemical linkers. The ADC links an antibody that can home in on a targeted tumor and deploy the cytotoxic payload or toxic agent against the tumor. Furthering our founding mission, we also intend to investigate clinical indications for OST-TDC in Osteosarcoma.
We believe that there have not been any new treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Osteosarcoma for more than 40 years. In humans, Osteosarcoma is an extremely rare cancer that primarily affects children, teenagers and young adults generally under 40 years of age. We are not aware of any competing adjuvant therapy for Osteosarcoma to be tested in children that is further along in the development process than OST-HER2. This disease is difficult to diagnose. The standard of care following first line therapies is simply to screen and wait for possible recurrence/metastasis, or the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, “Osteosarcoma Relapse After Combined Modality Therapy: An Analysis of Unselected Patients in the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS),” by Kempf-Bielack B., et al. (January 2005), and “Second and Subsequent Recurrences of Osteosarcoma: Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of 249 Consecutive Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group Patients,” by Bielack S., et al. (February 2009), reported that recurrence/metastasis happens in approximately half of all patients within 12 to 18 months following initial remittance. For those patients that experience recurrence, metastasis is typically to the lungs and brain, with survival rates of approximately 13% over the next year, according to these studies.
Our Pipeline of Product Candidates
We have built a pipeline of product candidates targeting multiple indications for solid cancers. Our pipeline includes two drug technologies: (i) OST-HER2, an off-the-shelf immunotherapy, which is a type of cancer treatment that helps one’s immune system fight cancer, comprised of a genetically weakened and modified strain of Listeria monocytogenes, or a species of bacteria that causes the infection listeriosis, that expresses HER2 peptides, and (ii) OST-TDC, a next generation tunable ADC with a plug-and-play platform that features tunable pH sensitive silicone linkers (SiLinkers™). The payloads can include antibodies, chemotherapeutics, cytotoxins and potentially mRNA treatments directly into and in the vicinity of solid tumors.
OST-HER2 (OST31-164). Our most advanced product candidate, OST-HER2, is a genetically engineered strain of Listeria monocytogenes, attenuated for reduced virulence, increased antibiotic susceptibility and the expression of three HER2 protein epitopes fused to immune-enhancing peptides on the membrane of the bacteria.
OST-HER2 has received an orphan drug designation in the United States. The FDA may designate a biologic product as an orphan product if it is intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which generally is defined as having a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. Osteosarcoma has an incidence rate of approximately 1,000 individuals affected per year in the United States. Orphan product designation, subject to limited exceptions, can provide a period of market exclusivity for a product that is the first to receive marketing
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approval for the designated indication. Other potential indications may include breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumors. In August 2021, OST-HER2 was awarded rare pediatric disease designation and previously received fast track designation by the FDA. Such designations by the FDA do not convey any advantages in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review or approval process.
OST-TDC. Our tunable drug conjugate (TDC) platform is currently in preclinical development. Each TDC contains four main components: ligand, payload cassette adaptor, linker and payload. In addition, TDCs contain units to optimize physicochemical properties. The ligands are selected to bind to receptors overexpressed on cancer cells. Upon binding, the TDC construct gets internalized into the cancer cell, where the payload is released, to cause cell death. The payload cassette adaptors enable the stoichiometrical attachments of linkers and payloads. The SiLinkers represent a novel and pH-sensitive linker system. The SiLinker release profile can be tuned with proximal functional groups, resulting in payload release in the endosome, lysosome or the slightly acidic tumor microenvironment. The SiLinker system is compatible with a variety of payloads and not limited to the employment of cytotoxic drug delivery. The first set of internal programs focus on the use of SiLinker and conditionally active payloads (CAPs™) drug products. CAPs are cytotoxic drugs which on their own, due to their functional groups, cannot readily permeate cells at physiological pH; however, at the slightly acidic pH of the tumor-microenvironment, after some linker cleavage, these payloads readily permeate into cancer cells, resulting in an enhanced bystander effect. Our lead program targets folate receptor alpha, a protein expressed on the surface of cells that participates in cell signaling, as well as cellular replication and division, and is overexpressed in multiple cancers such as ovarian and endometrial cancers. The lead compound employs folic acid, a small molecule, as the targeting ligands and contains six exatecan-silanols, which is a type of silanol-based cytotoxic payload. This discovery work is being carried out at Syngene International Limited, an integrated contract research organization (CRO) based in Bangalore, India.
From time to time, we may evaluate collaboration opportunities for our product candidates. We expect to work opportunistically with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as we have done with BlinkBio, Inc. by in-licensing the OST-TDC technology, seeking to utilize our technology and know-how for developing additional oncologic drug products. The following table summarizes information regarding our product candidates and development programs.

In addition to our development of OST-HER2 for multiple indications of solid cancers in humans, OST-HER2 is a product candidate for veterinary use in canines. We hold a conditional license for OST-HER2 granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which allows OST-HER2 to be commercialized but its use is limited to the treatment of dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma that are one year of age or older. As part of our growth strategies following this offering, we intend to consider potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for such use. See “OS-Focused Clinical Trials and Studies – Preclinical Animal Study” for more information.
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Our OS-Focused Clinical Trials and Studies
We and our licensors have conducted a number of clinical trials and studies in the field of Osteosarcoma and Tunable Drug Conjugates to date.
Phase IIb Clinical Trial. In July 2021, we commenced and are sponsoring a Phase IIb clinical trial to treat Osteosarcoma in humans, which is being conducted by George Clinical, Inc., our clinical research services provider, utilizing our OST-HER2 product candidate. The course of the trial involves a regimen of 16 infusions of OST-HER2 administered over 48 weeks to eligible patients from ages 12 to 39 years, of which 36 of 45 patients have already been enrolled. Enrollment remains ongoing and the Phase IIb trial is being conducted at major hospitals across 21 sites in 18 states. The primary outcome measures are the relative proportion of patients experiencing event-free (recurrence-free) survival at 12 months compared to historical controls by evaluating the patients for recurrence every 3 months, consistent with the standard of care. The secondary outcome measures are overall survival of patients for three years compared to the three-year overall survival of historical controls, which will be evaluated by assessing patients every three months over the course of three years, and the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events as assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade 5, the safety of which will be assessed throughout the treatment period of 48 weeks with assessments of potential persistence of the vector every three months and continuing for three years after treatment. CTCAE is a method to categorize adverse events across all clinical trials of five grades, with Grade 5 being death. The expected completion date of OST-HER2’s Phase IIb clinical trial is late 2024. We plan to submit a new drug application (NDA) with the FDA for approval to market the drug candidate following the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial if there is sufficiently positive endpoint data from such trial supporting the safety and efficacy of the drug candidate. We expect that it will take six to eight months from the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial, subject to the receipt of sufficiently positive endpoint data, to compile and file the NDA with the FDA for marketing approval. The FDA generally takes six to ten months to complete its review of an NDA, subject to any FDA request for additional information. We believe that it remains uncertain whether a Phase III clinical trial will be necessary for the advancement of OST-HER2 through the regulatory approval process. We will not know whether a Phase III trial will be required until we receive a determination from the FDA following the filing of an NDA for marketing approval as to whether the results of our ongoing Phase IIb trial provided sufficiently positive endpoint data.
Phase Ib Clinical Trial. From September 2015 to May 2017, a Phase Ib trial to treat Osteosarcoma in humans was sponsored and conducted by Advaxis, Inc. (now Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) (“Advaxis”) utilizing ADXS-HER2 (also known as ADXS31-164), the patents of which we in-license to develop and commercialize our lead core product candidate, OST-HER2. The trial was conducted at hospitals in Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. The course of the trial involved injecting 12 adult patients with HER2 expressing solid tumors with escalating doses of ADXS-HER2 every three weeks during a 12-week treatment cycle. Following the last dose of study treatment, all 12 patients participated in a three-year Listeria monocytogenes surveillance period. The primary outcome measures were the number of patients with dose-limiting toxicities for each dose level as assessed by the CTCAE Grade 4 (time frame: four months), with Grade 4 being life threatening, and the frequency and severity of adverse effects as assessed by CTCAE Grade 4 (time frame: three years). The secondary outcome measures were proportion of patients who have objective tumor response (complete or partial) evaluated by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 and RECIST-based immune criteria (ir-RECIST), as well as changes in clinical immunology based upon serum, which were measured and evaluated by collection of peripheral blood for preparation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum at baseline, prior to each treatment and post-treatment in the first treatment cycle only. No objective tumor responses (complete or partial) were observed in this late stage, heavily pre-treated patient cohort. The data presented from the Phase Ib trial demonstrated that ADXS-HER2 IV infusion at the dose of 1×109 CFU was well tolerated. See “Business — Our OS-Focused Clinical Trials and Studies — Phase Ib Clinical Trial” for more information.
Preclinical Animal Study. From July 2012 to September 2015, a preclinical study to treat Osteosarcoma in 18 companion canines (sometimes referred to as a Phase I animal trial) was sponsored and conducted by a previous licensee of Advaxis utilizing ADXS-HER2, the product candidate of Advaxis, from whom we in-license patents for ADXS-HER2 constructs that enable us to develop OST-HER2. The results showed, in the setting of minimal residual disease where there is a very small number of cancer cells remaining in the body during or after initial treatment, significant improvements in overall survival and metastatic disease progression when compared to an historical control group with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-positive (HER2) appendicular Osteosarcoma, a well-recognized spontaneous model for pediatric Osteosarcoma, treated with amputation and chemotherapy alone. In September 2016, the study results, published in the journal, Clinical Cancer Research, “Immunotherapy with a HER2-Targeting Listeria Induces HER2-Specific Immunity and Demonstrates Potential Therapeutic Effects in a
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Phase I Trial in Canine Osteosarcoma,” by Mason, N. et al. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26994144/), indicated that ADXS-HER2 significantly increased the duration of survival time and one-, two- and three-year survival rates and significantly reduced the incidence of metastatic disease (the spread of cancer cells from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host’s body) when compared with the historical control group. The overall survival rates at one, two and three years for dogs treated with ADXS-HER2 were 77.8%, 67% and 56%, respectively, compared to 55%, 28% and 22%, respectively, for the historical control group. The median survival time (MST) for the historical control group was 423 days, which was significantly shorter than the 956 days for ADXS-HER2 — treated dogs (p=0.014, HR 0.33; 95% confidence intervals; CI, 0.136 – 0.802). The study also noted the important translational relevance of the findings for children with Osteosarcoma. This study for canine Osteosarcoma indications constituted preclinical work as it relates to our development of OST-HER2 to treat Osteosarcoma in humans.
In analyzing preclinical study results, a p-value is used to determine the probability as to whether the difference between two data sets is due to chance. The smaller the p-value, the more likely the differences are not due to chance alone. In general, if the p-value is less than or equal to 0.05, the outcome is considered statistically significant. The FDA’s evidentiary standard of efficacy generally relies on a p-value of less than or equal to 0.05. A p-value greater than 0.05 is considered statistically non-significant. As shown above, the results of this preclinical study were statistically significant compared to the historical control group.
Following the study, an application for the use of ADXS-HER2, our OST-HER2, in the treatment of canine Osteosarcoma was submitted to the USDA. In December 2017, ADXS-HER2 was granted a conditional license by the USDA. Because we are the current licensee of ADXS-HER2 constructs, we hold the conditional license previously granted to ADXS-HER2 for OST-HER2. The conditional license allows for commercialization but limits the use of OST-HER2 to treat dogs, one year of age and older, diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. To receive full licensure, the USDA requires the submission of additional data that further describes the effects of OST-HER2 on metabolism and shedding in canines and provides substantial evidence of the safety, purity, potency and effectiveness of OST-HER2. We do not intend to pursue full licensure from the USDA at this time. We are considering potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for the treatment of dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, one year of age and older. In the event that we determine to out-license OST-HER2 to animal health companies, the animal health companies will be responsible for obtaining full licensure from the USDA for OST-HER2 in order to market and sell the product candidate for use in dogs with Osteosarcoma without any limitation.
Preclinical Development. Our OST-HER2 product candidate for breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumor indications is currently in preclinical development. Whether additional preclinical trials will be required will depend on several factors, including the outcome of our ongoing Phase IIb clinical trial, the inclusion or exclusion of breast, esophageal, lung or other solid tumor indications in any follow-on study, or master protocol, to the Phase IIb clinical trial and the FDA’s determination of whether the preclinical data is sufficient to support the safety and efficacy of the drug. Although we cannot be certain, we believe that OST-HER2 may not require additional preclinical development before progressing to human clinical trials for breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumor indications if the results of our ongoing Phase IIb clinical trial have sufficiently positive endpoint data as determined by the FDA.
Our OST-TDC product candidate for all indications is also currently in preclinical development. We will need to conduct further preclinical trials for OST-TDC prior to the submission of an investigational new drug application (IND) in order to pursue clinical trials with these candidates. Such preclinical trials are expected to include pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, two-week dose finding toxicology studies in vivo (on living cell lines or in living animals), as well as good laboratory practice (GLP) trials ensuring stability, potency and purity of the IND product candidate.
Our Platform Technology
We are in the process of building a fully integrated platform technology to accelerate the development of a range of product candidates across multiple therapeutic areas. Our platform technology is intended to leverage our management’s in-depth experience in immunotherapy research, development and manufacturing to enable us to pursue multiple therapeutic targets. Our scientists and scientific advisors have accumulated decades of collective experience in the field of immunotherapy, oncology and small-molecule drug production, contributing key insights and significant achievement in our clinical development process.
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Our Management Team
We have assembled a management team of biopharmaceutical industry professionals with extensive experience in developing novel products and therapies from initial research through commercialization. Our team is led by our President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul A. Romness, MPH, who has more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, and our Chief Financial Officer, Alan A. Musso. Our Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Robert G. Petit, Ph.D., is an accomplished biopharmaceutical executive and medical scientist. Our management team is assisted by Colin Goddard, Ph.D., our Chairman of the Board, whose in-depth knowledge of the biotechnology market and experience leading OSI Pharmaceuticals make his input invaluable to our company.
Our Growth Strategies
Our goal is to enrich and lengthen the lives of patients by being a leading, fully integrated biotechnology company. We are seeking to develop, manufacture and commercialize multiple product candidates targeting orphan and non-orphan oncologic diseases across multiple tissue types and therapeutic areas. To achieve our goal, we are pursuing the following growth strategies:
• Consider potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for veterinary use to treat dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, one year of age or older.
• Obtain marketing approval for OST-HER2 in Osteosarcoma, then quickly pivot to a master protocol within breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumors where metastases express HER2 that could be targeted by immune cells.
• Conclude pre-clinical and toxicology trials with the lead drug candidate for OST-TDC (OST-TDC-A, Exatecan-silanol-FRa), and file for an investigational new drug application (IND) to initiate a Phase I trial in ovarian cancer and other folate receptor alpha overexpressing cancers like endometrial cancer and some osteosarcomas. We believe that positive results from preclinical two-week and good laboratory practice (GLP) toxicology studies may also stimulate potential out-licensing activity of SiLinker and CAPs drug products, while not limiting therapeutic development.
• Establish global commercial and medical affairs capabilities for OST-HER2 based therapies.
Expansion Opportunities
We believe opportunities may exist from time to time to expand our current business through acquisitions or in-licenses of complementary products or technologies or acquisitions of companies with complementary products or technologies. While we have current collaborative agreements in place, we believe in an opportunistic approach to collaboration and licensing; thus, we expect to operate in a manner that is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, including potential acquisitions and partnerships.
We are also aware of increased acquisition and licensing interest from large pharmaceutical firms in biotechnology companies developing antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, technology as a relatively new kind of cancer therapy. In the article, “Seagen Cancer Therapy Draws Suitors” (March 7, 2023), The Wall Street Journal reported that driving this interest, according to analysts, is the potential for ADCs to capture a chunk of the worldwide cancer market. Technical advances by combining the ADCs with widely used cancer agents like immunotherapies have also opened up exploring various potential cancer applications, according to the article.
The expected use of the net proceeds from this offering for development of our current product candidates represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the progress of our development, the status of, and results from, clinical trials and the potential need to conduct additional clinical trials to obtain approval of our product candidates for all intended indications, as well as any additional collaborations that we may enter into with third parties for our product candidates and any unforeseen cash needs. As a result, our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering.
5
Based on our planned use of the net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash, we estimate that such funds will be sufficient to enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements over the next 12 to 18 months. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.
Recapitalization and Private Placements
Recapitalization Transactions
Unless otherwise indicated, this prospectus gives effect to the following transactions (referred to as the “Recapitalization”), which will be completed before the effectiveness of this offering:
• the automatic conversion of all of our outstanding convertible notes, including accrued interest, totaling approximately $14.2 million as of April 13, 2023, into 8,740,915 shares of our common stock (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share), as described below;
• the issuance of an additional 325,000 shares of our common stock to the noteholders in our private placement commenced in November 2022 upon the automatic conversion of their outstanding convertible notes, as described below;
• the automatic conversion of all of our outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock into an aggregate of 1,302,082 shares of our common stock; and
• the elimination of our authorized shares of Class B common stock (none of which were outstanding) and renaming our Class A common stock as “common stock.”
The financial statements of our company in this prospectus do not reflect the Recapitalization transactions. The effect of the transactions on the financial statements will essentially be to increase our outstanding shares of common stock by an additional 8,740,915 shares, reduce our long-term liabilities by approximately $10.4 million as of December 31, 2022, as a result of the extinguishment of all outstanding convertible notes payable by us, and to eliminate our senior class of Series A preferred stock as a result of converting such shares into an equal number of shares of common stock. Following this offering, our common stock will be our only outstanding class of capital stock and we will have no outstanding indebtedness. See “Capitalization,” “Dilution” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”
Private Placements
We have completed five separate private placement transactions from July 2018 to March 2023, in which we raised total gross proceeds of $15,253,020 from accredited investors. A summary of each private placement is set forth below.
From July 2018 through November 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $1,154,000 (the “Group A Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors, including related parties, in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $1,154,000. The Group A Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 10% per annum and mature on March 31, 2024. The Group A Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% to 87.5% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to valuation ceilings that range from $5 million to $25 million. The Group A Convertible Notes will have a conversion price that ranges from $0.40 to $1.98 per share, depending on the applicable valuation ceiling of each note (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
From April 2020 through June 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $5,154,000 (the “Group B Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $5,154,000. The Group B Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on March 31, 2024. The Group B Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $19 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group B Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $1.34 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
6
In connection with the private placement of Group B Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 421,941 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.34 per share (the “Group B Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group B Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group B Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
On August 19, 2020, we issued a convertible note with a principal amount of $2,400,000 (the “BlinkBio Convertible Note”) to BlinkBio, Inc., which is a related party based on Dr. Goddard being our Chairman and as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlinkBio, in exchange for the entry into the license agreement to utilize a group of patents described as silicon based drug conjugates and methods, along with silanol based therapeutic payloads. The BlinkBio Convertible Note bears interest at a rate of 10% per annum. On March 15, 2021, we issued 1,302,082 shares of Series A preferred stock to BlinkBio in exchange for the BlinkBio Convertible Note.
From June 2021 through January 2023, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $3,945,020 (the “Group C Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $3,945,020. The Group C Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on May 31, 2024. The Group C Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $50 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group C Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.70 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the private placement of Group C Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 90,556 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.70 per share (the “Group C Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group C Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group C Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
In November 2022, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “November 2022 Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $2,000,000. In March 2023, we issued two convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of $600,000 on the same terms as the November 2022 Convertible Notes (the “March 2023 Convertible Notes” and, together with the November 2022 Convertible Notes, the “Group D Convertible Notes”) to a holder of November 2022 Convertible Notes and a holder of the Group C Convertible Notes in exchange for cash in an amount of $600,000. The Group D Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on November 15, 2023. The Group D Convertible Notes automatically convert into common stock at 50% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $50 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group D Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.46 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the Group D Convertible Notes, we agreed to issue an additional 325,000 shares of Class A common stock to the Group D investors, pro-rated based on such investor’s investment amount, as an inducement for their investment in the Group D Convertible Notes. We will issue such shares upon the automatic conversion of the Group D Convertible Notes. Additionally, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 81,301 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.46 per share (the “Group D Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group D Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group D Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
We have used the net proceeds of our private placements to develop our pipeline of product candidates and fund our working capital requirements.
Summary of Risks Associated with Our Business
An investment in our common stock involves substantial risk. Our ability to execute on our strategy is also subject to certain risks. The risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” immediately following this prospectus summary may have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations or may cause us to be unable to successfully execute all or part of our strategy. Below are the principal factors that make an investment in our company speculative or risky:
7
Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Additional Capital
• We are a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company and have not generated any revenue to date from drug sales, and may never become profitable.
• We have incurred significant operating losses in recent periods and anticipate that we will incur continued losses for the foreseeable future.
• Even if we consummate this offering, we will need to raise substantial additional funding, and if we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we would be forced to delay, scale back or discontinue some of our product candidate development programs or commercialization efforts.
• We have identified conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
• Our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
Risks Related to Drug Development and Regulatory Approval
• We depend heavily on the success of our core product candidates OST-HER2 and OST-TDC. We may not be able to obtain regulatory permission to conduct future clinical studies, or may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize, any of our current or future product candidates.
• If we experience delays or difficulties in the enrollment of patients in clinical trials, our receipt of necessary regulatory approvals could be delayed or prevented.
• If we are not able to obtain, or if there are delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals both for our current or future product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize, or will be delayed in commercializing, our current or future product candidates, and our ability to generate revenue will be materially impaired.
• Our current or future product candidates may cause adverse or other undesirable side effects that could delay or prevent their future testing in clinical studies or delay or prevent regulatory approval, limit the commercial profile of an approved label, or result in significant negative consequences following marketing approval, if any.
• We may not be able to obtain or maintain Orphan Drug Designation or exclusivity for any product candidates and, even if we do, that exclusivity may not prevent the FDA or the EMA from approving other competing products.
• Even if we receive regulatory approval for any of our current or future product candidates, we will be subject to ongoing obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense. Additionally, our current or future product candidates, if approved, could be subject to labeling and other restrictions and market withdrawal, and we may be subject to penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or experience unanticipated problems with our drugs.
• Even if we receive marketing approval for our current or future product candidates in the U.S., we may never receive regulatory approval to market our current or future product candidates outside of the U.S.
• Manufacturing our current or future product candidates is complex and we may encounter difficulties in production. If we encounter such difficulties, our ability to provide supply of our current or future product candidates for preclinical studies and clinical trials or for commercial purposes could be delayed or stopped.
• Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to penetrate foreign markets, where we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and other risks and uncertainties that could materially adversely affect our business.
8
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
• If we or those from whom we in-license patents are unable to obtain and maintain patent and other intellectual property protection for our technology and product candidates or if the scope of the intellectual property protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our competitors could develop and commercialize technology and drugs similar or identical to ours, and our ability to successfully commercialize our technology and drugs may be impaired.
• If our trademarks and trade names for our products or company name are not adequately protected in one or more countries where we intend to market our products, we may delay the launch of product brand names, use different trademarks or tradenames in different countries, or face other potentially adverse consequences to building our product brand recognition.
• If we are unable to adequately protect and enforce our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.
• We may initiate, become a defendant in, or otherwise become party to lawsuits to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time-consuming and unsuccessful.
• We may not obtain or grant licenses or sublicenses to intellectual property rights in all markets on equally or sufficiently favorable terms with third parties.
• If we fail to comply with our obligations in any agreements under which we may license intellectual property rights from third parties or otherwise experience disruptions to our business relationships with our licensors, we could lose license rights that are important to our business.
• Any in-license patent covering our current or future product candidates or other valuable technology could be narrowed or found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in court or before administrative bodies in the U.S. or abroad, including the USPTO and the EPO.
Risks Related to Management and our Operations
• In our industry in particular, our future success depends on our ability to retain key scientific employees and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.
• Our internal computer systems, or those of our third-party clinical research organizations, or CROs, or other contractors or consultants, may fail or suffer security breaches, which could result in a material disruption of our current or future product candidates’ development programs.
• We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). For as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced reporting requirements and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to other public companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to:
• reduced obligations with respect to financial data, including presenting only two years of audited financial statements and selected financial data, and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure in our initial registration statement;
• an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended;
• reduced disclosure about executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, registration statements and proxy statements; and
• exemptions from the requirements to seek non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute arrangements.
9
We may take advantage of some or all of these provisions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (ii) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion, (iii) the date on which we have, during the immediately preceding three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced burdens. For example, we have taken advantage of the reduced reporting requirements with respect to disclosure regarding our executive compensation arrangements, have presented only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure in this prospectus, and have taken advantage of the exemption from auditor attestation on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. To the extent that we take advantage of these reduced burdens, the information that we provide stockholders may be different than you might obtain from other public companies in which you hold shares.
In addition, the JOBS Act permits emerging growth companies to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period. As a result of this election, our timeline to comply with new or revised accounting standards will in many cases be delayed as compared to other public companies that are not eligible to take advantage of this election or have not made this election. Therefore, our financial statements may not be comparable to those of companies that comply with the public company effective dates for these accounting standards.
We are also a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and have elected to take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies. To the extent that we continue to qualify as a “smaller reporting company” as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, after we cease to qualify as an emerging growth company, certain of the exemptions available to us as an “emerging growth company” may continue to be available to us, including exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements. We will continue to be a “smaller reporting company” until we have $250 million or more in public float (based on our common stock) measured as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter or, in the event we have no public float (based on our common stock) or a public float (based on our common stock) that is less than $700 million, annual revenues of $100 million or more during the most recently completed fiscal year.
Corporate History and Information
We were formed as a Delaware limited liability company on April 12, 2018 under the name OS Therapies, LLC. On June 24, 2019, we converted from a limited liability company to a Delaware corporation and changed our name to OS Therapies Incorporated.
Our principal executive office is located at 15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135, Rockville, Maryland 20850, and our telephone number is (410) 297-7793. Our website address is www.ostherapies.com. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.
10
Summary of the Offering
|
Common stock offered |
2,000,000 shares. |
|
|
Common stock outstanding immediately before this offering |
|
|
|
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering |
|
|
|
Underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares |
|
|
|
Use of proceeds |
We estimate that our net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $8,560,000, or $9,940,000 if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares, based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering as follows: (i) approximately $4.2 million to advance the clinical development of OST-HER2 for Osteosarcoma, (ii) approximately $2.0 million to advance the development of OST-TDC for ovarian cancer and (iii) the remainder of the net proceeds of approximately $2.36 million for the discovery and development of new product candidates and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. |
|
|
Representative’s warrants |
We have agreed to issue warrants to Boustead Securities, LLC, as the representative of the underwriters named in this prospectus, to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal to 7% of the total number of shares sold in this offering at an exercise price equal to 100% of the public offering price of the shares sold in this offering. The representative’s warrants will be exercisable upon issuance, will have a cashless exercise provision and will terminate on the fifth anniversary of the commencement date of sales in this offering. The representative’s warrants are not exercisable or convertible for more than five years from the commencement date of sales in this offering. See the section entitled “Underwriting” beginning on page 105 of this prospectus for additional information regarding compensation payable to the underwriters. |
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Risk Factors |
You should carefully read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus for a discussion of factors that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. |
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|
Proposed ticker symbol |
“OSTX” |
____________
(1) The number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately before this offering (as of April 13, 2023) excludes, and the number of shares of common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering includes, the issuance of the following shares which will occur before the effectiveness of this offering:
(i) 8,740,915 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of all outstanding convertible notes, including accrued interest, totaling approximately $14.2 million as of April 13, 2023 (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share);
(ii) 325,000 additional shares of common stock issuable to the noteholders in our private placement commenced in November 2022 upon the automatic conversion of their outstanding convertible notes; and
(iii) 1,302,082 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock.
Additionally, we currently have outstanding warrants to purchase up to 593,798 shares of common stock and expect to issue warrants to purchase up to 140,000 shares of common stock to the representative of the underwriters (up to 161,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) in connection with this offering. These shares are not included in the common stock figures above.
11
Summary Financial Data
The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included at the end of this prospectus. We have derived the summary financial data for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 from our audited financial statements and related notes included at the end of this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected in the future. You should read the following summary financial data together with our audited financial statements and related notes thereto and the information in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Statements of Operations Data:
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Year Ended December 31, |
||||||||
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2022 |
2021 |
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Operating expenses: |
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|
|
|
||||
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Research and development |
$ |
3,291,417 |
|
$ |
2,174,179 |
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||
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General and administrative |
$ |
1,153,672 |
|
$ |
1,503,534 |
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||
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Licensing |
$ |
1,210 |
|
$ |
1,159,642 |
|
||
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Total operating expenses |
$ |
4,446,299 |
|
$ |
4,837,355 |
|
||
|
Loss from operations |
$ |
(4,446,299 |
) |
$ |
(4,837,355 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
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Other income (expenses): |
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|
|
|
||||
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Other income (expense) |
$ |
(1,808,386 |
) |
$ |
(2,582,893 |
) |
||
|
Total other income (expense) |
$ |
(1,808,386 |
) |
$ |
(2,582,893 |
) |
||
|
Net income (loss) |
$ |
(6,254,685 |
) |
$ |
(7,420,248 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
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Cumulative Series A preferred stock dividend requirement |
$ |
(125,000 |
) |
$ |
(93,750 |
) |
||
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Net loss available to common shareholders |
$ |
(6,379,685 |
) |
$ |
(7,513,998 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
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Weighted average number of shares – Class A |
|
9,980,000 |
|
|
9,980,000 |
|
||
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Basic and diluted loss per common share – Class A |
$ |
(0.64 |
) |
$ |
(0.75 |
) |
||
Balance Sheet Data:
|
As of December 31, 2022 |
|||||||||||
|
Actual |
Pro Forma(1) |
Pro Forma, As Adjusted(2) |
|||||||||
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Total current assets |
$ |
496,835 |
|
$ |
867,625 |
|
$ |
10,167,625 |
|||
|
Working capital (deficit) |
$ |
(5,650,957 |
) |
$ |
(1,017,270 |
) |
$ |
8,282,730 |
|||
|
Total assets |
$ |
509,105 |
|
$ |
879,895 |
|
$ |
10,179,895 |
|||
|
Total liabilities |
$ |
18,066,333 |
|
$ |
2,675,804 |
|
$ |
2,675,804 |
|||
|
Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity |
$ |
(17,557,228 |
) |
$ |
(1,795,908 |
) |
$ |
7,504,092 |
|||
____________
(1) The pro forma balance sheet data gives effect to (i) the renaming of our Class A common stock as “common stock” and the issuances of shares of our common stock in connection with the Recapitalization transactions, (ii) the issuance of 740,000 shares of our common stock that we previously agreed to issue to certain directors, officers, key employees and key advisors in consideration for accrued services rendered to our company and (iii) the grant of 25,000 shares of our common stock to our Chief Financial Officer in March 2023.
(2) The pro forma, as adjusted balance sheet data gives effect to the pro forma adjustments described in footnote (1) above and the sale of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The pro forma, as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.
12
You should carefully review and consider the risk factors described below and described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and the other information contained in this prospectus, including the financial statements and notes to the financial statements, matters addressed in the sections entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factor Summary” included in this prospectus. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in these risk factors, alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. We may face additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known to us, or, or that we currently deem immaterial, which may also harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Additional Capital
We are a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, and have not generated any revenue to date from drug sales, and may never become profitable.
Our ability to become profitable depends upon our ability to generate revenue. To date, while we have generated significant interest in various research collaboration revenue, we have not generated any commercial revenue from our current core product candidates, including our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 and our other core product candidate OST-TDC, and we do not know and do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of drugs in the near future. We do not expect to generate revenue unless and until we complete the development of, obtain marketing approval for, and begin to sell, OST-HER2, which is being evaluated in a Phase IIb clinical trial, or OST-TDC, which is still being evaluated at the preclinical stage. We are also unable to predict when, if ever, we will be able to generate revenue from such product candidates due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with drug development, including the uncertainty of:
• our ability to add and retain key research and development personnel;
• our ability to successfully develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and then successfully commercialize, OST-HER2 and OST-TDC;
• our successful enrollment in and completion of clinical trials, including our ability to generate positive data from any such clinical trials;
• our ability to establish an appropriate safety profile with IND-enabling toxicology and other preclinical studies for OST-TDC;
• the costs associated with the development of any additional development programs we identify in-house or acquire through collaborations or other arrangements;
• our ability to discover, develop and utilize biomarkers to demonstrate target engagement, pathway engagement and the impact on disease progression, as applicable, of our product candidates;
• our ability to establish and maintain agreements with third-party manufacturers for clinical supply for our clinical trials and commercial manufacturing;
• our ability to forecast and meet supply requirements for clinical trials and commercialized products using third-party manufacturers;
• the terms and timing of any additional collaboration, license or other arrangement, including the terms and timing of any payments thereunder;
• obtaining any necessary licenses to manufacture and distribute OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC and/or contractual arrangements with third party logistics providers and/or distributors to distribute our products in the United States;
• obtaining and maintaining third-party coverage and adequate reimbursement, if OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC is approved;
13
• acceptance of our core product candidates, if and when approved, by patients, the medical community and third-party payors;
• effectively competing with other therapies, if OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC are approved;
• our ability and the ability or third parties from which we in-license patents to obtain and maintain patent, trade secret and other intellectual property protection, OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC and regulatory exclusivity for OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC if and when approved;
• our receipt of marketing approvals for OST-HER2 and/or OST-TDC from applicable regulatory authorities; and
• the continued acceptable safety profiles of our core product candidates following approval.
We have incurred significant operating losses in recent periods and anticipate that we will incur continued losses for the foreseeable future.
Since inception, we have focused substantially all of our efforts on the development of OST-HER2 and OST-TDC and our other clinical developments. To date, we have financed our operations primarily through the sale of convertible notes to outside investors. From inception through April 13, 2023, we have raised an aggregate of approximately $15.2 million in gross proceeds from sales of our convertible notes. As of December 31, 2022, we had cash of $171,480. Due to our significant research and development expenditures, we have experienced negative cash flows from operations, even in periods of operating income. For each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, we incurred a loss from operations and negative cash flows from operations. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses over the next several years and for the foreseeable future. Our prior losses, combined with expected future losses, have had and will continue to have an adverse effect on our stockholders’ equity and working capital. We expect our expenses to significantly increase in connection with our ongoing activities, as we:
• complete preclinical studies, initiate and complete clinical trials for product candidates;
• consult with the FDA at each stage of development;
• seek a favorable outcome of our toxicology studies;
• contract to manufacture our product candidates;
• advance research and development related activities to expand our product pipeline;
• seek regulatory approval for our core product candidates that successfully complete clinical development;
• develop and scale up our capabilities to support our ongoing preclinical activities and clinical trials for our drug candidates and commercialization of any of our drug candidates for which we obtain marketing approval;
• maintain, expand, enforce, defend and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
• hire additional staff, including clinical, scientific and management personnel;
• secure facilities to support continued growth in our research, development and commercialization efforts; and
• incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company upon the completion of this offering.
Even if we consummate this offering, we will need to raise substantial additional funding. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we would be forced to delay, scale back or discontinue some of our product candidate development programs or commercialization efforts.
The development of pharmaceutical drugs is capital intensive. We are currently advancing OST-HER2 through clinical development and OST-TDC through preclinical development. The FDA allowed our OST31-164-01 study to be conducted in July 2021, and we initiated a Phase IIb clinical trial in 2022. We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we continue the research and development of, advance the
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preclinical and clinical activities of, and seek marketing approval for, our current or future product candidates. In addition, depending on the status of regulatory approval or, if we obtain marketing approval for any of our current or future product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to sales, marketing, product manufacturing and distribution to the extent that such sales, marketing, product manufacturing and distribution are not the responsibility of our collaborators. We may also need to raise additional funds sooner if we choose to pursue additional indications and/or geographies for our current or future product candidates or otherwise expand more rapidly than we presently anticipate. Further, upon the closing of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company. Although we expect that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, will be sufficient to fund our operations for the next 12 to 18 months, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. If we are unable to raise capital on a timely basis or on favorable terms, we would be forced to delay, scale back or discontinue the development and commercialization of one or more of our product candidates or delay our pursuit of potential in-licenses or acquisitions, which could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our existing shareholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates.
We may seek additional capital through a combination of public and private equity offerings, debt financings, strategic collaborations and alliances and licensing arrangements. The terms of any financing may adversely affect the holdings or the rights of our stockholders and the issuance of additional securities, whether equity or debt, by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our shares to decline. The sale of additional equity or convertible securities would dilute all of our stockholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed payment obligations and we may be required to agree to certain restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, limitations on our ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. We could also be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborators or otherwise at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable and we may be required to relinquish rights to some of our technologies or current or future product candidates or otherwise agree to terms unfavorable to us, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and prospects.
Our independent registered public accounting firm has expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
As of December 31, 2022, we had cash of $171,480. We have primarily financed our operations through proceeds from the sale of convertible notes to accredited investors. We have experienced significant negative cash flows from operations in each year since our inception. We do not expect to experience any significant positive cash flows from our existing collaboration agreements and do not expect to have any product revenue in the near term. We expect to incur substantial operating losses and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future as we continue to invest significantly in research and development of our programs. As a result, our independent registered public accounting firm has issued a going concern opinion on our financial statements, expressing substantial doubt that we can continue as an ongoing business for the next 12 months after issuance of their report based on us having suffered recurring losses from operations and having a net capital deficiency.
Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. We will need to raise additional capital in this offering and/or otherwise to fund our future operations and remain as a going concern. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain sufficient additional funding in this offering or otherwise or that such funding, if available, will be obtainable on terms favorable to us. In the event that we are unable to obtain sufficient additional funding, there can be no assurance that we will be able to continue as a going concern.
Our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes in the future may be limited.
Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change” (generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage points (by value) in the ownership of its equity over a three-year period), the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change tax attributes to offset its post-change income may be limited. We have experienced such ownership changes in the past, and we may experience ownership
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changes in the future as a result of this offering or subsequent shifts in our stock ownership, some of which are outside our control. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had federal and state NOLs of approximately $16,453,174 and $11,509,196, respectively, and we had federal and state research and development tax credit and general business credit carryforwards of approximately $292,144 and $320,120, respectively. Our ability to utilize these NOLs and tax credit carryforwards may be limited by an “ownership change.” If we undergo future ownership changes, many of which may be outside of our control, our ability to utilize our NOLs and tax credit carryforwards could be further limited by Sections 382 and 383 of the Code. There is also a risk that due to regulatory changes, such as suspensions on the use of NOLs, or other unforeseen reasons, our existing NOLs could expire or otherwise become unavailable to offset future income tax liabilities. Additionally, our NOLs and tax credit carryforwards could be limited under state law. For these reasons, even if we attain profitability, we may be unable to use a material portion of our NOLs and other tax attributes.
Risks Related to Drug Development and Regulatory Approval
We depend heavily on the success of our lead product candidates, OST-HER2 and OST-TDC. We may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize, any of our current or future product candidates.
We currently have no product candidates approved for sale and may never be able to develop marketable product candidates. Our business depends heavily on the successful development, regulatory approval and commercialization of the current or future immunotherapy for Osteosarcoma product candidates, of which our lead product candidate, OST-HER2, is in Phase IIb clinical development. OST-TDC will require additional preclinical development and substantial clinical development, testing and regulatory approval before we are permitted to commence its commercialization. The preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current or future product candidates are, and the manufacturing and marketing of our current or future product candidates will be, subject to extensive and rigorous review and regulation by numerous government authorities in the United States and in other countries where we intend to test or, if approved, market any of our current or future product candidates. Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any of our current or future product candidates, we must demonstrate through preclinical studies and clinical trials that each product candidate is safe and effective for use in each target indication. Drug development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and delay or failure can occur at any stage of any of our clinical trials. This process can take many years and may include post-marketing studies and surveillance, which will require the expenditure of substantial resources beyond the proceeds we raise in this offering. Of the large number of drugs in development in the United States, only a small percentage will successfully complete the FDA regulatory approval process and will be commercialized, with similarly low rates of success for drugs in development in the European Union obtaining regulatory approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Accordingly, even if we are able to obtain the requisite financing to continue to fund our development and preclinical studies and clinical trials, we cannot assure you that any of our current or future product candidates will be successfully developed and commercialized.
We are not permitted to market our current or future product candidates in the United States until we receive approval of a new drug application (NDA) from the FDA, in the European Economic Area (EEA) until we receive approval of a marketing authorization applications (MAA) from the EMA, or in any other foreign countries until we receive the requisite approval from such countries. Obtaining approval of an NDA or MAA is a complex, lengthy, expensive and uncertain process, and the FDA or EMA may delay, limit or deny approval of any of our current or future product candidates for many reasons, including, among others:
• we may not be able to demonstrate that our current or future product candidates are safe and effective in treating their target indications to the satisfaction of the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies;
• the results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials may not meet the level of statistical or clinical significance required by the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies for marketing approval;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may disagree with the number, design, size, conduct or implementation of our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may require that we conduct additional preclinical studies and clinical trials;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may not approve the formulation, labeling or specifications of any of our current or future product candidates;
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• the contract research organizations (CROs) that we retain to conduct our preclinical studies and clinical trials may take actions that materially adversely impact our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may find the data from preclinical studies and clinical trials insufficient to demonstrate that our current or future product candidates’ clinical and other benefits outweigh their safety risks;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may disagree with our interpretation of data from our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may not accept data generated at our preclinical studies and clinical trial sites;
• if our NDA, if and when submitted, is reviewed by an advisory committee, the FDA may have difficulties scheduling an advisory committee meeting in a timely manner or the advisory committee may recommend against approval of our application or may recommend that the FDA require, as a condition of approval, additional preclinical studies or clinical trials, limitations on approved labeling or distribution and use restrictions;
• the FDA may require development of a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) as a condition of approval or post-approval;
• the FDA or an applicable foreign regulatory agency may determine that the manufacturing processes or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract do not conform to applicable requirements, including current good manufacturing practices (GMPs); or
• the FDA or applicable foreign regulatory agencies may change their approval requirements or policies or adopt new regulations.
Any of these factors, many of which are beyond our control, could jeopardize our ability to obtain regulatory approval for and successfully market our current or future product candidates. Any such setback in our pursuit of regulatory approval would have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.
If we experience delays or difficulties in the enrollment of patients in clinical trials, our receipt of necessary regulatory approvals could be delayed or prevented.
We may not be able to initiate or continue clinical trials for our current or future product candidates if we are unable to locate and enroll a sufficient number of eligible patients to participate in these trials as required by the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States. In particular, because we are focused on patients with rare Osteosarcoma, our ability to enroll eligible patients may be limited or may result in slower enrollment than we anticipate. Some of our competitors have ongoing clinical trials for current or future product candidates that treat the same patient populations as our current or future product candidates, and patients who would otherwise be eligible for our clinical trials may instead enroll in clinical trials of our competitors’ current or future product candidates.
Patient enrollment may be affected by other factors that we may not be able to control including:
• the willingness of participants to enroll in our clinical trials and available support in our countries of interest;
• the obtaining of informed consent from parents or guardians of pediatric patients which meet evolving regulatory requirements in the United States and other countries;
• the severity of the disease under investigation;
• the eligibility criteria for the clinical trial in question;
• the availability of an appropriate screening test;
• the perceived risks and benefits of the product candidate under study;
• the efforts to facilitate timely enrollment in clinical trials;
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• the patient referral practices of physicians;
• the ability to monitor patients adequately during and after treatment; and
• the proximity and availability of clinical trial sites for prospective patients.
Rare Osteosarcoma has relatively low prevalence and it may be difficult to identify patients with driver genes of the disease, which may lead to delays in enrollment for our trials.
Osteosarcoma has relatively low prevalence and it may be difficult to identify patients with the eligibility criteria we are targeting. Osteosarcoma has an incident rate of approximately 1,000 individuals affected per year in the United States. Our inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients with the target indication for our clinical trials would result in significant delays and could require us to abandon one or more clinical trials altogether. Enrollment delays in our clinical trials may result in increased development costs for our current or future product candidates, which would cause the value of our company to decline and limit our ability to obtain additional financing. If we are unable to include patients with the target indication, this could compromise our ability to seek participation in the FDA’s expedited review and approval programs, or otherwise to seek to accelerate clinical development and regulatory timelines for our other product candidates.
If we are not able to obtain, or if there are delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals both for our current or future product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize, or will be delayed in commercializing, our current or future product candidates, and our ability to generate revenue will be materially impaired.
Our current or future product candidates and the activities associated with their development and commercialization, including their design, testing, manufacture, safety, efficacy, recordkeeping, labeling, storage, approval, advertising, promotion, sale, distribution, import and export are subject to comprehensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the United States and by comparable authorities in other countries. Before we can commercialize any of our current or future product candidates, we must obtain marketing approval. We have not received approval to market any of our current product candidates and may not obtain regulatory approvals for our future product candidates, if any, from regulatory authorities in any jurisdiction and it is possible that none of our current or future product candidates or any current or future product candidates we may seek to develop in the future will ever obtain regulatory approval. We have only limited experience in filing and supporting the applications necessary to gain regulatory approvals and expect to rely on third-party CROs and/or regulatory consultants to assist us in this process. Securing regulatory approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to the various regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication and line of treatment to establish the product candidate’s safety and efficacy. Securing regulatory approval also requires the submission of information about the drug manufacturing process to, and inspection of manufacturing facilities by, the relevant regulatory authority. Our current or future product candidates may not be effective, may be only moderately effective or may prove to have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that may preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use.
The process of obtaining regulatory approvals, both in the United States and abroad, is expensive, may take many years if additional clinical trials are required, if approval is obtained at all, and can vary substantially based upon a variety of factors, including the type, complexity and novelty of the current or future product candidates involved. Changes in marketing approval requirements or policies during the development period, changes in or the enactment of additional statutes or regulations, or changes in regulatory review for each submitted NDA. The FDA and comparable authorities in other countries have substantial discretion in the approval process and may refuse to accept any application or may decide that our data are insufficient for approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other studies. Our current or future product candidates could be delayed in receiving, or fail to receive, regulatory approval for many reasons, including the following:
• the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design or implementation of our clinical trials;
• we may be unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities that a product candidate is safe and effective for its proposed indication or that it is suitable to identify appropriate patient populations;
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• the results of clinical trials may not meet the level of statistical significance required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities for approval;
• we may be unable to demonstrate that a product candidate’s clinical and other benefits outweigh its safety risks;
• the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials;
• the data collected from clinical trials of our current or future product candidates may not be sufficient to support the submission of an NDA or other submission or to obtain regulatory approval in the United States or elsewhere;
• the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract for clinical and commercial supplies; and
• the approval requirements or policies or regulations of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering our clinical data insufficient for approval.
In addition, even if we were to obtain approval, regulatory authorities may approve any of our current or future product candidates for fewer or more limited indications than we request, may not approve the price we intend to charge for our drugs, may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly post-marketing clinical trials, or may approve a product candidate with a label that does not include the labeling claims necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of that product candidate. Any of the foregoing scenarios could materially harm the commercial prospects for our current or future product candidates, and our ability to generate revenues will be materially impaired.
Our current or future product candidates may cause adverse or other undesirable side effects that could delay or prevent their regulatory approval, limit the commercial profile of an approved label, or result in significant negative consequences following marketing approval, if any.
Undesirable side effects caused by our current or future product candidates could cause us to interrupt, delay or halt preclinical studies or could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or halt clinical trials and could result in a more restrictive label or the delay or denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or other regulatory authorities. While we have initiated clinical trials for OST-HER2, and although there have been limited side effects with this therapy to date, it is likely that there may be adverse side effects associated with its use. Results of our trials could reveal a high and unacceptable severity and prevalence of these or other side effects. In such an event, our trials could be suspended or terminated and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities could order us to cease further development of or deny approval of our current or future product candidates for any or all targeted indications. The drug-related side effects could affect patient recruitment or the ability of enrolled patients to complete the trial or result in potential product liability claims. Any of these occurrences may significantly harm our business, financial condition and prospects.
Further, our current or future product candidates could cause undesirable side effects in clinical trials related to on-target toxicity, or exaggerated and adverse pharmacologic effects at the target of interest in the test system. If on-target toxicity is observed, or if our current or future product candidates have characteristics that are unexpected, we may need to abandon their development or limit development to more narrow uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective. In our industry, many compounds that initially showed promise in early stage testing for treating cancer have later been found to cause side effects that prevented further development of the compound.
Clinical trials by their nature utilize a sample of the potential patient population. For example, 39 to 45 patients in our Phase IIb trial of OST-HER2 may include a limited number of patients with side effects. With a limited number of patients and limited duration of exposure, rare and severe side effects of our current or future product candidates may only be uncovered with a significantly larger number of patients exposed to the product candidate. If our current
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or future product candidates are tested in large numbers of patients or if they receive marketing approval and we or others identify undesirable side effects caused by such current or future product candidates after such approval, a number of potentially significant negative consequences could result, including:
• regulatory authorities may place a hold on an ongoing clinical trial or may refuse to allow a future clinical trial to be conducted;
• regulatory authorities may withdraw or limit their approval of current or future product candidates;
• we may or a regulatory authority might require that the product or products be recalled;
• regulatory authorities may require the addition of labeling statements, such as a “boxed” warning or a contraindication;
• we may be required to create a medication guide outlining the risks of such side effects for distribution to patients;
• we may be required to change the way such current or future product candidates are distributed or administered, conduct additional clinical trials or change the labeling of the current or future product candidates;
• regulatory authorities may require a REMS plan to mitigate risks, which could include medication guides, physician communication plans, or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools;
• we may be subject to regulatory investigations and government enforcement actions;
• we may decide to remove such current or future product candidates from the marketplace; and
• we could be sued and held liable for injury caused to individuals exposed to or taking our current or future product candidates.
We believe that any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected current or future product candidates and could substantially increase the costs of commercializing our current or future product candidates, if approved, and significantly impact our ability to successfully commercialize our current or future product candidates and generate revenues.
A Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA for our current or future product candidate does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review or approval process, and it does not increase the likelihood that our current or future product candidates will receive marketing approval.
We may seek a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for some of our current or future product candidates. A breakthrough therapy is defined as a drug that is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. For drugs that have been designated as breakthrough therapies, interaction and communication between the FDA and the sponsor of the trial can help to identify the most efficient path for clinical development while minimizing the number of patients placed in ineffective control regimens. Drugs designated as breakthrough therapies by the FDA are also eligible for accelerated approval.
Designation as a breakthrough therapy is within the discretion of the FDA. Accordingly, even if we believe that one of our current or future product candidates meets the criteria for designation as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA may disagree and instead determine not to make such designation. In any event, the receipt of a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for a product candidate does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, regulatory review or approval compared to drugs considered for approval under conventional FDA procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA. In addition, even if one or more of our current or future product candidates qualify as breakthrough therapies, the FDA may later decide that the drugs no longer meet the conditions for qualification.
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A Fast Track Designation by the FDA does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review regulatory review or approval process.
If a drug is intended for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening condition and the drug demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for this condition, the drug sponsor may apply for Fast Track Designation. The FDA has broad discretion whether or not to grant this designation, so even if we believe that a particular product candidate is eligible for this designation, we cannot assure you that the FDA would decide to grant it. Even though we have received Fast Track Designation for OST-HER2 and may receive Fast Track Designation again in the future for certain current or future product candidates, this designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, regulatory review or approval compared to conventional FDA procedures. The FDA may withdraw Fast Track Designation if it believes that the designation is no longer supported by data from our clinical development program.
We may not be able to obtain or maintain orphan drug designation or exclusivity for any product candidates and, even if we do, that exclusivity may not prevent the FDA or EMA from approving other competing products.
We received orphan drug designation for OST-HER2 for Osteosarcoma in the United States, and we may seek Orphan Drug Designation for other current or future product candidates. Regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions, including the United States and the European Union, may designate drugs for relatively small patient populations as orphan drugs. Under the Orphan Drug Act of 1983, the FDA may designate a product as an orphan drug if it is a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is generally defined as a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States.
Generally, if a product with an orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first marketing approval for the indication for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to a period of marketing exclusivity, which precludes the FDA or EMA from approving another marketing application for the same drug for that time period. The applicable period is seven years in the United States and ten years in the European Union. The exclusivity period in the European Union can be reduced to six years if a drug no longer meets the criteria for Orphan Drug Designation or if the drug is sufficiently profitable so that market exclusivity is no longer justified. Orphan drug exclusivity may be lost if the FDA or EMA determines that the request for designation was materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantity of the drug to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition.
Even if we obtain orphan drug exclusivity for a product, that exclusivity may not effectively protect the product from competition because competing drugs containing a different active ingredient can be approved for the same condition. In addition, even after an orphan drug is approved, the FDA can subsequently approve the same drug for the same condition if the FDA concludes that the later drug is clinically superior in that it is shown to be safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care. Further, we may not be the first to obtain marketing approval for any particular orphan indication due to the uncertainties associated with developing pharmaceutical products, and thus, for example, approval of our product candidates could be blocked for seven years if another company previously obtained approval and orphan drug exclusivity in the United States for the same drug and same condition.
On August 3, 2017, the U.S. Congress passed the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017. This act, among other things, codified the FDA’s pre-existing regulatory interpretation to require that a drug sponsor demonstrate the clinical superiority of an orphan drug that is otherwise the same as a previously approved drug for the same rare disease in order to receive orphan drug exclusivity. The new legislation reverses prior precedent holding that the Orphan Drug Act unambiguously requires that the FDA recognize the orphan exclusivity period regardless of a showing of clinical superiority. The FDA may further reevaluate the Orphan Drug Act and its regulations and policies. We do not know if, when or how the FDA may change the orphan drug regulations and policies in the future, and it is uncertain how any changes might affect our business. Depending on what changes the FDA may make to its Orphan Drug regulations and policies, our business could be adversely impacted.
Although we have obtained Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for OST-HER2 for Osteosarcoma patients, we may not be eligible to receive a priority review voucher in the event that FDA approval does not occur prior to September 30, 2026.
The Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program (“PRV Program”) is intended to incentivize pharmaceutical sponsors to develop drugs for rare diseases. A sponsor who obtains approval of an NDA or biological license application for a rare disease may be eligible for a Priority Review Voucher (“PRV”) under this program,
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which may be redeemed by the owner of such PRV to obtain priority review for a marketing application. A PRV is fully transferrable and can be sold to any sponsor, who in turn can redeem the PRV for priority review of a marketing application in six months, compared to the standard timeframe of approximately ten months. Under the 21st Century Cures Act, a drug that receives Rare Disease Designation before September 30, 2024, will continue to be eligible for a PRV if the drug is approved before September 30, 2026. If we do not obtain approval of an NDA for OST-HER2 in patients with Osteosarcoma, and if the PRV Program is not extended by Congressional action, we may not receive a PRV.
Even if we receive regulatory approval for any of our current or future product candidates, we will be subject to ongoing obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense. Additionally, our current or future product candidates, if approved, could be subject to labeling and other restrictions and market withdrawal and we may be subject to penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or experience unanticipated problems with our drugs.
If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves any of our current or future product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and recordkeeping for the drug will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration, as well as continued compliance with cGMPs and Good Clinical Practices, or GCPs, for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval. Any regulatory approvals that we receive for our current or future product candidates may also be subject to limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the drug may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing testing, including Phase IV clinical trials, and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the drug. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a drug, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with our third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in, among other things:
• restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the drug, withdrawal of the drug from the market, or drug recalls;
• fines, warning or other letters or holds on clinical trials;
• refusal by the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications filed by us, or suspension or revocation of drug license approvals;
• drug seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of drugs; and
• injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
The FDA’s policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of our current or future product candidates. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained, which would adversely affect our business, prospects and ability to achieve or sustain profitability.
Positive results from early preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current or future product candidates are not necessarily predictive of the results of later preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current or future product candidates. If we cannot replicate the positive results from our earlier preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current or future product candidates in our later preclinical studies and clinical trials, we may be unable to successfully develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize our current or future product candidates.
Positive results from our preclinical studies of our current or future product candidates, and any positive results we may obtain from our early clinical trials of our current or future product candidates, may not necessarily be predictive of the results from required later preclinical studies and clinical trials. Similarly, even if we are able to complete our planned preclinical studies or clinical trials of our current or future product candidates according to our current development timeline, the positive results from our preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current or future product candidates may not be replicated in subsequent preclinical studies or clinical trial results. For example, our later-stage clinical trials could differ in significant ways from our ongoing Phase IIb clinical trial of OST-HER2, which could cause the outcome of these later-stage trials to differ from our earlier-stage clinical trials. For example, these differences may
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include changes to inclusion and exclusion criteria, final dosage formulation, efficacy endpoints and statistical design. Many companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in late-stage clinical trials after achieving positive results in early-stage development, and we cannot be certain that we will not face similar setbacks. These setbacks have been caused by, among other things, preclinical findings made while clinical trials were underway or safety or efficacy observations made in preclinical studies and clinical trials, including previously unreported adverse events. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses, and many companies that believed their product candidates performed satisfactorily in preclinical studies and clinical trials nonetheless failed to obtain FDA approval. If we fail to produce positive results in our planned preclinical studies or clinical trials of any of our current or future product candidates, the development timeline and regulatory approval and commercialization prospects for our current or future product candidates, and, correspondingly, our business and financial prospects, would be materially adversely affected.
Manufacturing our current or future product candidates is complex and we may encounter difficulties in production. If we encounter such difficulties, our ability to provide our current or future product candidates for preclinical studies and clinical trials or for commercial purposes could be delayed or stopped.
The process of manufacturing of our current or future product candidates is complex and highly regulated. We do not have our own manufacturing facilities or personnel and currently rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties based in the United States, Europe and Asia for the manufacture of our current or future product candidates. These third-party manufacturing providers may not be able to provide adequate resources or capacity to meet our needs and may incorporate their own proprietary processes into our product candidate manufacturing processes. We have limited control and oversight of a third-party’s proprietary process, and a third-party may elect to modify its process without our consent or knowledge. These modifications could negatively impact our manufacturing, including product loss or failure that requires additional manufacturing runs or a change in manufacturer, both of which could significantly increase the cost of and significantly delay the manufacture of our current or future product candidates. As our current or future product candidates progress through preclinical studies and clinical trials towards approval and commercialization, it is expected that various aspects of the manufacturing process will be altered in an effort to optimize processes and results. Such changes may require amendments to be made to regulatory applications which may further delay the timeframes under which modified manufacturing processes can be used for any of our current or future product candidates and additional bridging studies or trials may be required.
Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to penetrate foreign markets, where we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and other risks and uncertainties that could materially adversely affect our business.
We are not permitted to market or promote any of our current or future product candidates in foreign markets before we receive regulatory approval from the applicable regulatory authority in that foreign market, and we may never receive such regulatory approval for any of our current or future product candidates. To obtain separate regulatory approval in many other countries we must comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of such countries regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials and commercial sales, pricing and distribution of our current or future product candidates, and we cannot predict success in these jurisdictions. If we obtain approval of our current or future product candidates and ultimately commercialize our current or future product candidates in foreign markets, we would be subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including:
• differing regulatory requirements in foreign countries, which may cause obtaining regulatory approvals outside of the United States to take longer and be more costly than obtaining approval in the United States;
• the burden of complying with complex and changing foreign regulatory, tax, accounting and legal requirements;
• different medical practices and customs in foreign countries affecting acceptance in the marketplace;
• import or export licensing requirements;
• reduced protection of intellectual property rights and the existence of additional potentially relevant third-party intellectual property rights;
• economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
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• compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;
• foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenue, and other obligations incident to doing business in another country;
• workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;
• potential liability under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or comparable foreign regulations;
• production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and
• business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism.
Foreign sales of our current or future product candidates could also be adversely affected by the imposition of governmental controls, political and economic instability, trade restrictions and changes in tariffs.
We may in the future conduct clinical trials for current or future product candidates outside the United States, and the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not accept data from such trials.
We may in the future choose to conduct one or more clinical trials outside the United States, including in Europe. The acceptance of study data from clinical trials conducted outside the United States or another jurisdiction by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority may be subject to certain conditions or may not be accepted at all. In cases where data from foreign clinical trials are intended to serve as the basis for marketing approval in the United States, the FDA will generally not approve the application on the basis of foreign data alone unless (i) the data are applicable to the United States population and United States medical practice and (ii) the trials were performed by clinical investigators of recognized competence and pursuant to GCP regulations. Additionally, the FDA’s clinical trial requirements, including sufficient size of patient populations and statistical powering, must be met. Many foreign regulatory authorities have similar approval requirements. In addition, such foreign trials would be subject to the applicable doctrines or local laws of the foreign jurisdictions where the trials are conducted. There can be no assurance that the FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authority will accept data from trials conducted outside of the United States or the applicable jurisdiction. If the FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authority does not accept such data, it would result in the need for additional trials, which could be costly and time-consuming, and which may result in current or future product candidates that we may develop not receiving approval for commercialization in the applicable jurisdiction.
We may not be successful in our efforts to identify or discover additional product candidates or we may expend our limited resources to pursue a particular product candidate or indication and fail to capitalize on product candidates or indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.
The success of our business depends primarily upon our ability to identify, develop and commercialize our product candidates. Although some of our current product candidates are in preclinical and clinical development, our scientific hypotheses may be incorrect or our research programs may fail to identify other potential product candidates for clinical development for a number of reasons. Our research methodologies may be unsuccessful in identifying potential product candidates, or our potential product candidates may be shown to have harmful side effects or may have other characteristics that may make the products unmarketable or unlikely to receive marketing approval.
Because we have limited financial and management resources, we focus on a limited number of research programs and product candidates and are currently focused on our core programs, including our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 for the treatment of Osteosarcoma and our other core product candidate OST-TDC for the treatment of Osteosarcoma. As a result, we may forego or delay pursuit of opportunities with other current or future product candidates or for other indications that later prove to have greater commercial potential. Our resource allocation decisions may cause us to fail to capitalize on viable commercial drugs or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future research and development programs and current or future product candidates for specific indications may not yield any commercially viable drugs. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through future collaboration, licensing or other royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights to such product candidate.
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If any of these events occur, we may be forced to abandon our development efforts for a program, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and could potentially cause us to cease operations. Research programs to identify new product candidates require substantial technical, financial and human resources. We may focus our efforts and resources on potential programs or current or future product candidates that ultimately prove to be unsuccessful.
In light of the larger population of patients with Osteosarcoma who reside in foreign countries, our ability to generate meaningful revenues in those jurisdictions may be limited due to the strict price controls and reimbursement limitations imposed by governments outside of the United States. There is additionally a remote possibility that price controls may be enacted in the United States.
The incidence of new cases of Osteosarcoma is approximately 1,000 individuals in the United States annually and approximately 20,000 individuals globally. In some countries, particularly in the European Union, the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental control. In these countries, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after the receipt of marketing approval for a drug. To obtain coverage and reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product candidate to other available therapies. In addition, many countries outside the United States have limited government support programs that provide for reimbursement of drugs such as are product candidates, with an emphasis on private payors for access to commercial products. If reimbursement of our product candidates is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, our business could be harmed, possibly materially, based, in part, on the larger population of patients with Osteosarcoma who reside in foreign countries. In parts of Africa and certain countries in the Middle East, the lack of healthcare infrastructure to help adequately diagnose and treat patients may limit our business potential in those otherwise viable markets. Finally, there is a remote possibility that price controls may be enacted in the United States.
Business interruptions resulting from the Covid-19 outbreak or similar public health crises could cause a disruption to the development of our product candidates and adversely impact our business.
Public health crises such as pandemics or similar outbreaks could adversely impact our business. The continued spread of Covid-19 globally could adversely impact our preclinical or clinical trial operations in the United States (and outside of the United States), including our ability to recruit and retain patients and principal investigators and site staff who, as healthcare providers, may have heightened exposure to Covid-19 if an outbreak occurs in their geography. For example, similar to other biopharmaceutical companies, we are experiencing delays in the dosing of patients in our clinical trials as well as in activating new trial sites. Covid-19 may also affect employees of third-party CROs located in affected geographies that we rely upon to carry out our clinical trials. In addition, as a result of medical complications associated with Osteosarcoma, the patient populations that our lead core and other core product candidates target may be particularly susceptible to Covid-19, which may make it more difficult for us to identify patients able to enroll in our current and future clinical trials and may impact the ability of enrolled patients to complete any such trials. Any negative impact Covid-19 has to patient enrollment or treatment or the execution of our product candidates could cause costly delays to clinical trial activities, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory approval for and to commercialize our product candidates, increase our operating expenses, and have a material adverse effect on our financial results.
Additionally, timely enrollment in planned clinical trials is dependent upon clinical trial sites which will be adversely affected by global health matters, such as pandemics. We plan to conduct clinical trials for our product candidates in geographies which are currently being affected by the Covid-19. Some factors from the coronavirus outbreak that will delay or otherwise adversely affect enrollment in the clinical trials of our product candidates, as well as our business generally, include:
• the potential diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials to focus on pandemic concerns, including the attention of physicians serving as our clinical trial investigators, hospitals serving as our clinical trial sites and hospital staff supporting the conduct of our prospective clinical trials;
• limitations on travel that could interrupt key trial and business activities, such as clinical trial site initiations and monitoring, domestic and international travel by employees, contractors or patients to clinical trial sites, including any government-imposed travel restrictions or quarantines that will impact the ability or willingness of patients, employees or contractors to travel to our clinical trial sites or secure visas or entry permissions, a loss of face-to-face meetings and other interactions with potential partners, any of which could delay or adversely impact the conduct or progress of our prospective clinical trials;
• the potential negative effect on the operations of our third-party manufacturers;
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• interruption in global shipping affecting the transport of ingredients used in our product candidates and clinical trial materials, such as patient samples, investigational drug product and conditioning drugs, or drugs that are designed to prepare the body for a certain treatment or procedure, and other supplies used in our prospective clinical trials; and
• business disruptions caused by potential workplace, laboratory and office closures and an increased reliance on employees working from home, disruptions to or delays in ongoing laboratory experiments and operations, staffing shortages, travel limitations or mass transit disruptions, any of which could adversely impact our business operations or delay necessary interactions with local regulators, ethics committees and other important agencies and contractors.
These and other factors arising from the coronavirus could worsen in countries that are already afflicted with the coronavirus or could continue to spread to additional countries. Any of these factors, and other factors related to any such disruptions that are unforeseen, could have a material adverse effect on our business and our results of operations and financial condition. Further, uncertainty around these and related issues could lead to adverse effects on the economy of the United States and other economies, which could impact our ability to raise the necessary capital needed to develop and commercialize our product candidates.
Risks Related to Commercialization
Even if we receive marketing approval for our current or future product candidates, our current or future product candidates may not achieve broad market acceptance, which would limit the revenue that we generate from their sales.
The commercial success of our current or future product candidates, if approved by the FDA or other applicable regulatory authorities, will depend upon the awareness and acceptance of our current or future product candidates among the medical community, including physicians and patients, as well as reimbursement and coverage by third party payors including Medicare and Medicaid. Market acceptance of our current or future product candidates, if approved, will depend on a number of factors, including, among others:
• the efficacy of our current or future product candidates as demonstrated in clinical trials, and, if required by any applicable regulatory authority in connection with the approval for the applicable indications, to provide patients with incremental health benefits, as compared with other available medicines;
• limitations or warnings contained in the labeling approved for our current or future product candidates by the FDA or other applicable regulatory authorities;
• the clinical indications for which our current or future product candidates are approved;
• availability of alternative treatments already approved or expected to be commercially launched in the near future;
• the potential and perceived advantages of our current or future product candidates over current treatment options or alternative treatments, including future alternative treatments;
• the willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies or treatment methods and of physicians to prescribe these therapies or methods;
• the need to dose such product candidates in combination with other therapeutic agents, and related costs;
• the strength of marketing and distribution support and timing of market introduction of competitive products;
• pricing and cost effectiveness;
• the effectiveness of our sales and marketing strategies;
• our ability to increase awareness of our current or future product candidates;
• our ability to obtain sufficient third-party coverage and reimbursement, including from federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; or
• the ability or willingness of patients to pay out-of-pocket in the absence of third-party coverage.
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If our current or future product candidates are approved but do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by patients, physicians and payors, we may not generate sufficient revenue from our current or future product candidates to become or remain profitable. Before agreeing to cover and reimburse our products, third party payors may require us to demonstrate that our current or future product candidates, in addition to treating these target indications, are not only safe but cost effective compared to alternative therapies. Our efforts to educate the medical community, patient organizations and third-party payors about the benefits of our current or future product candidates may require significant resources and may never be successful.
We face substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing drugs before or more successfully than we do.
The development and commercialization of new drugs is highly competitive. We face competition with respect to our current product candidates and will face competition with respect to any product candidates that we may seek to develop or commercialize in the future from major pharmaceutical companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies worldwide. There are a number of large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that currently market and sell drugs or are pursuing the development of therapies for rare diseases and cancers, including Osteosarcoma. Some of these competitive drugs and therapies are based on scientific approaches that are similar to our approach, and others are based on entirely different approaches. Potential competitors also include academic institutions, government agencies and other public and private research organizations that conduct research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative arrangements for research, development, manufacturing and commercialization.
Specifically, there are a large number of companies developing or marketing treatments for rare diseases and cancers, including many major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. If OST-HER2 receives marketing approval for the treatment of Osteosarcoma, it may face competition from other product candidates in development for these indications, including product candidates in development from AstraZeneca, Y-mAbs Therapeutics and MD Anderson Cancer Center, among others.
Many of the companies against which we are competing or against which we may compete in the future have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and reimbursement and marketing approved drugs than we do. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific, sales, marketing and management personnel and establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize drugs that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any drugs that we or our collaborators may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their drugs more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we or our collaborators are able to enter the market. The key competitive factors affecting the success of all of our current or future product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their efficacy, safety, convenience, price, the level of generic competition and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.
Product liability lawsuits against us could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and could limit commercialization of any current or future product candidates that we may develop.
We will face an inherent risk of product liability exposure related to the testing of our current or future product candidates in human clinical trials and will face an even greater risk if we commercially sell any current or future product candidates that we may develop. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against claims that our current or future product candidates caused injuries, we could incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
• decreased demand for any current or future product candidates that we may develop;
• injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention;
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• withdrawal of clinical trial participants;
• significant costs and resources to defend the related litigation;
• substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients; and
• the inability to commercialize any current or future product candidates that we may develop.
Although we maintain product liability insurance coverage, it may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that we may incur. We anticipate that we will need to increase our insurance coverage when we initiate a large global trial and if we successfully commercialize any product candidate. Insurance coverage is increasingly expensive. We may not be able to maintain product liability insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or in an amount adequate to satisfy any liability that may arise.
Even if we are able to commercialize any current or future product candidates, such drugs may become subject to unfavorable pricing regulations or third-party coverage and reimbursement policies, which would harm our business.
The regulations that govern regulatory approvals, pricing and reimbursement for new drugs vary widely from country to country. Some countries require approval of the sale price of a drug before it can be marketed. In many countries, the pricing review period begins after marketing approval is granted. In some foreign markets, prescription pharmaceutical pricing remains subject to continuing governmental control even after initial approval is granted. As a result, we might obtain marketing approval for a product candidate in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay our commercial launch of the product candidate, possibly for lengthy time periods, and negatively impact the revenues we are able to generate from the sale of the product candidate in that country. Adverse pricing limitations may hinder our ability to recoup our investment in one or more current or future product candidates, even if our current or future product candidates obtain marketing approval.
Our ability to commercialize any current or future product candidates successfully also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and reimbursement for these current or future product candidates and related treatments will be available from government authorities, private health insurers and other organizations. Government authorities and other third-party payors, such as private health insurers and health maintenance organizations, decide which medications they will pay for (i.e., cover) and establish reimbursement levels. Factors payors consider in determining reimbursement are based on whether the product is:
• a covered benefit under its health plan;
• safe, effective and medically necessary;
• appropriate for the specific patient;
• cost-effective; and
• neither experimental nor investigational.
A primary trend in the U.S. healthcare industry and elsewhere is cost containment. Government authorities and other third-party payors have attempted to control costs by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular drugs. Increasingly, third-party payors are requiring that drug companies provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices and are challenging the prices charged for drugs. We cannot be sure that coverage will be available for any product candidate that we commercialize and, if coverage is available, the level of reimbursement. Reimbursement may impact the demand for, or the price of, any product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval. If reimbursement is not available or is available only to limited levels, we may not be able to successfully commercialize any product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval.
There may be significant delays in obtaining reimbursement for newly approved drugs, and coverage may be more limited than the purposes for which the drug is approved by the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States. Moreover, eligibility for reimbursement does not imply that any drug will be paid for in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research, development, manufacture, sale and distribution. Interim reimbursement levels for new drugs, if applicable, may also not be sufficient to cover our costs and may not be made permanent. Reimbursement rates may vary according to the use of the drug and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on reimbursement levels already set for lower cost drugs and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services. Net prices for
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drugs may be reduced by mandatory discounts or rebates required by government healthcare programs or private payors and by any future relaxation of laws that presently restrict imports of drugs from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the United States. In the United States, decisions as to coverage and reimbursement by the Medicare program are typically made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS. CMS decides whether and to what extent a new medicine will be covered and reimbursed under Medicare. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement policies. Our inability to promptly obtain coverage and profitable payment rates from both government-funded and private payors for any approved drugs that we develop could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, our ability to raise capital needed to commercialize drugs and our overall financial condition.
Healthcare reform measures may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
The United States and many foreign jurisdictions have enacted or proposed legislative and regulatory changes affecting the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of our current or future product candidates or any future product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities and affect our ability to profitably sell a product for which we obtain marketing approval. Changes in regulations, statutes or the interpretation of existing regulations could impact our business in the future by requiring, for example: (i) changes to our manufacturing arrangements, (ii) additions or modifications to product labeling, (iii) the recall or discontinuation of our products or (iv) additional record-keeping requirements. If any such changes were to be imposed, they could adversely affect the operation of our business.
Our revenue prospects could be affected by changes in healthcare spending and policy in the United States and abroad. We operate in a highly regulated industry and new laws, regulations or judicial decisions, or new interpretations of existing laws, regulations or decisions, related to healthcare availability, the method of delivery or payment for healthcare products and services could negatively impact our business, operations and financial condition. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action in the United States or any other jurisdiction. It is possible that additional governmental action is taken to address the Covid-19 pandemic. If we or any third parties we may engage are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we or such third parties are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, our product candidates may lose any regulatory approval that may have been obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability.
If, in the future, we are unable to establish sales and marketing and patient support capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to sell and market our current or future product candidates, we may not be successful in commercializing our current or future product candidates if and when they are approved, and we may not be able to generate any revenue.
We do not currently have a sales or marketing infrastructure and have limited experience in the sales, marketing, patient support or distribution of drugs. To achieve commercial success for any approved product candidate for which we retain sales and marketing responsibilities, we must build our sales, marketing, patient support, managerial and other non-technical capabilities or make arrangements with third parties to perform these services. In the future, we may choose to build a focused sales and marketing infrastructure to sell, or participate in sales activities with our collaborators for, some of our current or future product candidates if and when they are approved.
There are risks involved with both establishing our own sales and marketing and patient support capabilities and entering into arrangements with third parties to perform these services. For example, recruiting and training a sales force is expensive and time consuming and could delay any drug launch. If the commercial launch of a product candidate for which we recruit a sales force and establish marketing capabilities is delayed or does not occur for any reason, we would have prematurely or unnecessarily incurred these commercialization expenses. This may be costly, and our investment would be lost if we cannot retain or reposition our sales and marketing personnel.
Factors that may inhibit our efforts to commercialize our current or future product candidates on our own include:
• our inability to recruit and retain adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing personnel;
• the inability of sales personnel to obtain access to physicians or persuade adequate numbers of physicians to prescribe any future drugs;
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• the lack of complementary drugs to be offered by sales personnel, which may put us at a competitive disadvantage relative to companies with more extensive product lines; and
• unforeseen costs and expenses associated with creating an independent sales and marketing organization.
If we enter into arrangements with third parties to perform sales, marketing, patient support and distribution services, our drug revenues or the profitability of these drug revenues to us are likely to be lower than if we were to market and sell any current or future product candidates that we develop ourselves. In addition, we may not be successful in entering into arrangements with third parties to sell and market our current or future product candidates or may be unable to do so on terms that are favorable to us. We likely will have little control over such third parties, and any of them may fail to devote the necessary resources and attention to sell and market our current or future product candidates effectively, or they may engage in practices that pose legal risks to us under applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations. If we do not establish sales and marketing capabilities successfully, either on our own or in collaboration with third parties, we will not be successful in commercializing our current or future product candidates.
Our relationships with prescribers, customers and third-party payors will be subject to applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, exclusion from government healthcare programs, contractual damages, reputational harm and diminished profits and future earnings.
Although we do not currently have any drugs on the market, if we begin commercializing our current or future product candidates, we will be subject to additional healthcare statutory and regulatory requirements and enforcement by the federal government and the states and foreign governments in which we conduct our business. Healthcare providers, including physicians, play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of any current or future product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Our future arrangements with healthcare providers, as well as third-party payors and customers, will expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations will constrain the business and/or financial arrangements and relationships through which we market, sell and distribute our current or future product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, include the following:
• the federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service, for which payment may be made under federal and state healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE. The Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on the one hand and prescribers, purchasers, and formulary managers on the other hand. The term remuneration has been interpreted broadly to include anything of value. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation
• the federal False Claims Act imposes criminal and civil penalties, including through civil whistleblower or qui tam actions, against individuals or entities for knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the federal government, claims for payment that are false or fraudulent or making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. In addition, manufacturers can be held liable under the False Claims Act even when they do not submit claims directly to government payors if they are deemed to “cause” the submission of false or fraudulent claims. False Claims Act liability is potentially significant in the healthcare industry because the statute provides for treble damages and mandatory per claim penalties. Government enforcement agencies and private whistleblowers have investigated pharmaceutical companies for or asserted liability under the False Claims Act for a variety of alleged promotional and marketing activities, such as providing free products to customers with the expectation that the customers would bill federal programs for the products; providing consulting fees and other benefits to physicians to induce them to prescribe products; engaging in promotion for “off-label” uses; and submitting inflated best price information to the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items and services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false of fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act;
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• the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, imposes criminal and civil liability for executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, or knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services; similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
• the federal physician payment transparency requirements, sometimes referred to as the “Sunshine Act” under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) require manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies that are reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program to report to the Department of Health and Human Services information related transfers of value to certain covered recipients (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors, as well as physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse anesthetists and certified nurse-midwives) and their immediate family members, and teaching hospitals. Effective January 1, 2022, these reporting obligations will extend to include transfers of value made to certain non-physician providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners;
• HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and its implementing regulations, which also imposes obligations on certain covered entity healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses as well as their business associates that perform certain services involving the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information, including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information. HITECH also created new tiers of civil monetary penalties, amended HIPAA to make civil and criminal penalties directly applicable to business associates, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions; and
• analogous state laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws that may apply to sales or marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers; and some state laws require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government in addition to requiring drug manufacturers to report information related to payments to physicians and other health care providers or marketing expenditures, and state laws governing the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.
Ensuring that our future business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations could involve substantial costs. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations were to be found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. If any of the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business is found to be not in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs.
We may face potential liability if we obtain identifiable patient health information from clinical trials sponsored by us.
Most healthcare providers, including certain research institutions from which we may obtain patient health information, are subject to privacy and security regulations promulgated under HIPAA, as amended by the HITECH. We are not currently classified as a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA and thus are not directly subject to its requirements or penalties. However, any person may be prosecuted under HIPAA’s criminal provisions either directly or under aiding-and-abetting or conspiracy principles. Consequently, depending on the facts and circumstances, we could face substantial criminal penalties if we knowingly receive individually identifiable
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health information from a HIPAA-covered healthcare provider or research institution that has not satisfied HIPAA’s requirements for disclosure of individually identifiable health information. In addition, in the future, we may maintain sensitive personally identifiable information, including health information, that we receive throughout the clinical trial process, in the course of our research collaborations, and directly from individuals (or their healthcare providers) who may enroll in patient assistance programs if we choose to implement such programs. As such, we may be subject to state laws requiring notification of affected individuals and state regulators in the event of a breach of personal information, which is a broader class of information than the health information protected by HIPAA.
Further, certain health privacy laws, data breach notification laws, consumer protection laws and genetic testing laws may apply directly to our operations and/or those of our collaborators and may impose restrictions on our collection, use and dissemination of individuals’ health information. Patients about whom we or our collaborators may obtain health information, as well as the providers who may share this information with us, may have statutory or contractual rights that limit our ability to use and disclose the information. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable privacy and data security laws. Claims that we have violated individuals’ privacy rights or breached our contractual obligations, even if we are not found liable, could be expensive and time- consuming to defend and could result in adverse publicity that could harm our business.
If we or third-party CMOs, CROs or other contractors or consultants fail to comply with applicable federal, state/provincial or local regulatory requirements, we could be subject to a range of regulatory actions that could affect our or our contractors’ ability to develop and commercialize our therapeutic candidates and could harm or prevent sales of any affected therapeutics that we are able to commercialize, or could substantially increase the costs and expenses of developing, commercializing and marketing our therapeutics. Any threatened or actual government enforcement action could also generate adverse publicity and require that we devote substantial resources that could otherwise be used in other aspects of our business. Increasing use of social media could give rise to liability, breaches of data security or reputational damage.
If we fail to comply with environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, we could become subject to fines or penalties or incur costs that could have a material adverse effect on the success of our business.
We are subject to numerous environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including those governing laboratory procedures and the handling, use, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes. Our operations involve the use of hazardous and flammable materials, including chemicals and biological and radioactive materials. Our operations also produce hazardous waste products. We generally contract with third parties for the disposal of these materials and wastes. We cannot eliminate the risk of contamination or injury from these materials. In the event of contamination or injury resulting from our use of hazardous materials, we could be held liable for any resulting damages, and any liability could exceed our resources. We also could incur significant costs associated with civil or criminal fines and penalties. Although we maintain workers’ compensation insurance to cover us for costs and expenses we may incur due to injuries to our employees resulting from the use of hazardous materials, this insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities. We do not maintain insurance for environmental liability or toxic tort claims that may be asserted against us in connection with our storage or disposal of biological, hazardous or radioactive materials.
If the market opportunities for OST-HER2 and our other current and future product candidates are smaller than we believe they are, our revenue may be adversely affected and our business may suffer. Moreover, because the target patient populations we are seeking to treat are small, we must be able to successfully identify patients and capture a significant market share to achieve profitability and growth.
We focus our research and product development on treatments for Osteosarcoma. The incidence of new cases of Osteosarcoma is approximately 1,000 individuals in the United States annually and approximately 20,000 individuals globally. Given the smaller number of patients who have the diseases that we are targeting, it is critical to our ability to grow and become profitable that we continue to successfully identify patients with these rare diseases. Our projections of both the number of people who have these diseases, are based on our beliefs and estimates. These estimates have been derived from a variety of sources, including the scientific literature, surveys of clinics, patient foundations or market research that we conducted, and may prove to be incorrect or contain errors. New studies may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of these diseases. The number of patients may turn out to be lower than expected. The effort to identify patients with diseases we seek to treat is in early stages, and we cannot accurately predict the
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number of patients for whom treatment might be possible. Further, even if we obtain significant market share for OST-HER2 and any of our other current or future product candidates, because the potential target populations are very small, we may never achieve profitability despite obtaining such significant market share.
Our target patient populations are relatively small, and there are currently limited standard of care treatments directed at Osteosarcoma. As a result, the pricing and reimbursement of OST-HER2 and any other product candidates we may develop, if approved, is uncertain, but must be adequate to support commercial infrastructure. If we are unable to obtain adequate levels of reimbursement, our ability to successfully market and sell OST-HER2 and any of our other current or future product candidates will be adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties
We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to conduct our ongoing and planned clinical trials for our current and future product candidates. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with regulatory requirements or meet expected deadlines, we may not be able to obtain marketing approval for or commercialize our current and potential future product candidates and our business could be substantially harmed.
We do not have the ability to independently conduct clinical trials. We rely on medical institutions, clinical investigators, contract laboratories, and other third parties, including collaboration partners, to conduct or otherwise support our clinical trials for OST-HER2 and expect to rely on them when we begin clinical trials for OST-TDC and other current or future product candidates. We rely heavily on these parties for execution of clinical trials and control only certain aspects of their activities. Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable protocol, legal and regulatory requirements and scientific standards, and our reliance on CROs will not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities. For any violations of laws and regulations during the conduct of our clinical trials, we could be subject to untitled and warning letters or enforcement action that may include civil penalties up to and including criminal prosecution.
We and any third parties that we contract with are required to comply with regulations and requirements, including GCP, for conducting, monitoring, recording and reporting the results of clinical trials to ensure that the data and results are scientifically credible and accurate, and that the trial patients are adequately informed of the potential risks of participating in clinical trials and their rights are protected. These regulations are enforced by the FDA, the Competent Authorities of the Member States of the European Economic Area and comparable foreign regulatory authorities for any drugs in clinical development. The FDA enforces GCP requirements through periodic inspections of clinical trial sponsors, principal investigators and trial sites. If we or the third parties we contract with fail to comply with applicable GCP, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. We cannot assure you that, upon inspection, the FDA will determine that any of our current or future clinical trials will comply with GCP. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with current or future product candidates produced under cGMP regulations. Our failure or the failure of third parties that we contract with to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat some aspects of a specific, or an entire, clinical trial, which would delay the marketing approval process and could also subject us to enforcement action. We also are required to register certain ongoing clinical trials and provide certain information, including information relating to the trial’s protocol, on a government-sponsored database, ClinicalTrials.gov, within specific timeframes. Failure to do so can result in fines, adverse publicity and civil and criminal sanctions.
Although we intend to design the clinical trials for our current or future product candidates, or be involved in the design when other parties sponsor the trials, we anticipate that third parties will conduct all of our clinical trials. As a result, many important aspects of our clinical development, including their conduct, timing and response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, will be outside of our direct control. Our reliance on third parties to conduct future clinical trials will also result in less direct control over the management of data developed through clinical trials than would be the case if we were relying entirely upon our own staff. Communicating with outside parties can also be challenging, potentially leading to mistakes as well as difficulties in coordinating activities.
These factors may materially adversely affect the willingness or ability of third parties to conduct our clinical trials and may subject us to unexpected cost increases that are beyond our control. If our CROs do not perform clinical trials in a satisfactory manner, breach their obligations to us or fail to comply with regulatory requirements, the development, marketing approval and commercialization of our current or future product candidates may be delayed,
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we may not be able to obtain marketing approval and commercialize our current or future product candidates, or our development programs may be materially and irreversibly harmed. If we are unable to rely on clinical data collected by our CROs, we could be required to repeat, extend the duration of, or increase the size of any clinical trials we conduct and this could significantly delay commercialization and require significantly greater expenditures.
If any of our relationships with these third-party CROs terminate, we may not be able to enter into arrangements with alternative CROs on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. If our CROs do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or obligations or meet expected deadlines, if they need to be replaced or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain are compromised due to the failure to adhere to our clinical protocols, regulatory requirements or for other reasons, any clinical trials such CROs are associated with may be extended, delayed or terminated, and we may not be able to obtain marketing approval for or successfully commercialize our current or future product candidates. As a result, we believe that our financial results and the commercial prospects for our current or future product candidates in the subject indication would be harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenue could be delayed.
The third parties upon whom we rely for the supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, drug product and drug substance used in our core product candidates are limited in number, and the loss of any of these suppliers could significantly harm our business.
The API drug product and drug substance used in our core product candidates are supplied to us from a small number of suppliers, and in some cases sole source suppliers. Our ability to successfully develop our current or future product candidates, and to ultimately supply our commercial drugs in quantities sufficient to meet the market demand, depends in part on our ability to obtain the API, drug product and drug substance for these drugs in accordance with regulatory requirements and in sufficient quantities for commercialization and clinical testing. We do not currently have arrangements in place for a redundant or second-source supply of all API, drug product or drug substance in the event any of our current suppliers of such API, drug product and drug substance cease their operations for any reason.
For all of our current or future product candidates, we intend to identify and qualify additional manufacturers to provide such API, drug product and drug substance prior to submission of an NDA to the FDA and/or an MAA to the EMA. We are not certain, however, that our single-source and dual source suppliers will be able to meet our demand for their products, either because of the nature of our agreements with those suppliers, our limited experience with those suppliers or our relative importance as a customer to those suppliers. It may be difficult for us to assess their ability to timely meet our demand in the future based on past performance. While our suppliers have generally met our demand for their products on a timely basis in the past, they may subordinate our needs in the future to their other customers.
Establishing additional or replacement suppliers for the API, drug product and drug substance used in our current or future product candidates, if required, may not be accomplished quickly. If we are able to find a replacement supplier, such replacement supplier would need to be qualified and may require additional regulatory approval, which could result in further delay. While we seek to maintain adequate inventory of the API, drug product and drug substance used in our current or future product candidates, any interruption or delay in the supply of components or materials, or our inability to obtain such API, drug product and drug substance from alternate sources at acceptable prices in a timely manner could impede, delay, limit or prevent our development efforts, which could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
Our success is dependent on our executive management team’s ability to successfully pursue business development, strategic partnerships and investment opportunities as our company matures. We may also form or seek strategic alliances or acquisitions or enter into additional collaboration and licensing arrangements in the future, and we may not realize the benefits of such collaborations, alliances, acquisitions or licensing arrangements.
We have entered into licensing arrangements with Advaxis, Inc. (now Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and BlinkBio, Inc. and a Research Service Agreement with George Clinical, Inc., and may in the future form or seek strategic alliances or acquisitions, create joint ventures, or enter into additional collaboration and licensing arrangements with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our development and commercialization efforts with respect to our current product candidates and any future product candidates that we may develop.
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Going forward, we are seeking strategic partners for the further development and potential commercialization of our non-core and out-licensed programs, including OST-TDC. Any of these relationships may require us to incur non-recurring and other charges, increase our near and long-term expenditures, issue securities that dilute our existing stockholders or disrupt our management and business.
In addition, we face significant competition in seeking appropriate strategic partners and the negotiation process is time-consuming and complex. We may not be successful in our efforts to establish a strategic partnership or acquisition or other alternative arrangements for our current or future non-core product candidates because they may be deemed to be at too early of a stage of development for collaborative effort and third parties may not view our current or future product candidates as having the requisite potential to demonstrate safety, potency, purity and efficacy and obtain marketing approval.
As a result, we may not be able to realize the benefit of our existing collaboration and licensing arrangements or any future strategic partnerships or acquisitions, license arrangements we may enter, if we are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture, which could delay our timelines or otherwise adversely affect our business. We also cannot be certain that, following a strategic transaction, license, collaboration or other business development partnership, we will achieve the revenue or specific net income that justifies such transaction. Any delays in entering into new collaborations or strategic partnership agreements related to our current or future product candidates could delay the development and commercialization of our current or future product candidates in certain geographies for certain indications, which would harm our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Our manufacturing process needs to comply with FDA regulations relating to the quality and reliability of such processes. Any failure to comply with relevant regulations could result in delays in or termination of our clinical programs and suspension or withdrawal of any regulatory approvals.
In order to produce our product candidates for clinical trials and our products, if any, for commercial purposes, either at our own facility or at a third-party’s facility, we and our third party vendors will need to comply with the FDA’s cGMP regulations and guidelines. As part of our ongoing quality and process improvement efforts, we conducted a gap analysis of our cGMP quality system and it identified certain key areas for necessary remediation, including with regard to documentation requirements. We may encounter difficulties in achieving compliance with quality control and quality assurance requirements and may experience shortages in qualified personnel. We are subject to inspections by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities to confirm compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. Any failure to follow cGMP or other regulatory requirements, including any failure to remedy the issues identified in the cGMP gap analysis, or delay, interruption or other issues that arise in the manufacture, fill-finish, packaging, or storage of our product candidate as a result of a failure of our facilities or the facilities or operations of third parties to comply with regulatory requirements or pass any regulatory authority inspection could significantly impair our ability to develop and commercialize our current or future product candidates, including leading to significant delays in the availability of our product candidates for our clinical trials or the termination of or suspension of a clinical trial, or the delay or prevention of a filing or approval of marketing applications for our current or future product candidates. Significant non-compliance could also result in the imposition of sanctions, including warning or untitled letters, fines, injunctions, civil penalties, failure of regulatory authorities to grant marketing approvals for our current or future product candidates, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, license revocation, seizures or recalls of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions, any of which could damage our reputation and our business.
If our third-party manufacturers use hazardous and biological materials in a manner that causes injury or violates applicable law, we may be liable for damages.
Our research and development activities involve the controlled use of potentially hazardous substances, including chemical materials, by our third-party manufacturers. Our manufacturers are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations in the United States governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of medical and hazardous materials. Although we believe that our manufacturers’ procedures for using, handling, storing and disposing of these materials comply with legally prescribed standards, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of contamination or injury resulting from medical or hazardous materials. As a result of any such contamination or injury, we may incur liability or local, city, state or federal authorities may curtail the use of these materials and interrupt our business operations. In the event of an accident, we could be held liable for damages or penalized with fines, and the liability could exceed our
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resources. We do not have any insurance for liabilities arising from medical or hazardous materials. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations is expensive, and current or future regulations may impair our research, development and production efforts, which could harm our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
If we and those third parties from whom we in-license patents are unable to obtain and maintain patent and other intellectual property protection for our technology and product candidates or if the scope of the intellectual property protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our competitors could develop and commercialize technology and drugs similar or identical to ours, and our ability to successfully commercialize our technology and drugs may be impaired.
The patent position of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions and has in recent years been the subject of much litigation. Our commercial success depends in part on our ability and the ability of those third parties from whom we in-license patents to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection in the United States and other countries for our current or future product candidates, including our lead core product candidate OST-HER2, our other core product candidate OST-TDC, our non-core product candidates, our proprietary compound library and other know-how. We seek to protect our proprietary and intellectual property position by, among other methods, in-licensing patents and patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our proprietary technology, inventions and improvements that are important to the development and implementation of our business.
We do not currently own any issued patents. We in-license patents and patent applications related to our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 and our other core product candidate OST-TDC. The OST-HER2 product candidate and methods of use are covered by three granted U.S. utility patents and one granted Japanese patent, which is directed to non-human indications. The patents are expected to expire between 2030 and 2031, not including any patent term extension. There are 37 pending foreign patent applications in various jurisdictions, including without limitation China, the European Union, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea, which are expected to expire in 2035 if granted, not including any patent term extension. The OST-TDC product candidate is covered by five granted U.S. utility patents, one granted Australian patent and one granted Japanese patent. Of these granted patents, one U.S. utility patent, the Australian patent and the Japanese patent are for methods of use of silicon based drug conjugates. The other four U.S. utility patents are for silanol based therapeutic payloads. The patents are expected to expire between 2036 and 2037, not including any patent term extension. There are 16 pending foreign patent applications in various jurisdictions, including without limitation Australia, Canada, China, the European Union and Japan, that are expected to expire between 2036 and 2037, if granted, not including any patent term extension. These foreign patent applications are a combination of composition of matter patents for novel products and method of use patents for new uses of known products. For additional information about our patents, see “Business — Our Intellectual Property.”
The degree of patent protection we require to successfully commercialize our current or future product candidates may be unavailable or severely limited in some cases and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. We cannot provide any assurances that any of the patents that we in-license have, or that any of such pending patent applications that mature into issued patents will include, claims with a scope sufficient to protect OST-HER2 and OST-TDC or our other current or future product candidates. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by such patent applications or any patents we may in-license is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates.
Other parties have developed technologies that may be related or competitive to our own or those covered by our in-licensed patents, and such parties may have filed or may file patent applications, or may have received or may receive patents, claiming inventions that may overlap or conflict with those claimed in such patent applications or issued patents, with respect to either the same compounds, methods, formulations or other subject matter. Publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until at least 18 months after the earliest priority date of patent filing, or in some cases not at all. Therefore, we cannot know with certainty whether the holder of our in-licensed patents was the first to make the inventions claimed in such patents or pending patent applications. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of these in-licensed patent rights cannot be predicted with any certainty.
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The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity, or enforceability, and our in-licensed patents or patents we may own in the future may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the United States and abroad. Such challenges may result in loss of patent or product exclusivity or freedom to operate or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and product candidates, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our technology and product candidates. In addition, given the amount of time required for the development, testing, and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. Any impairment of our intellectual property rights, or our failure to protect our intellectual property rights adequately, could give third parties access to our technology and product candidates and could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
If our trademarks and trade names for our products or company name are not adequately protected in one or more countries where we intend to market our products, we may delay the launch of product brand names, use different trademarks or tradenames in different countries, or face other potentially adverse consequences to building our product brand recognition.
Our trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, diluted, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. We intend to rely on both registration and common law protection for our trademarks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names or may be forced to stop using these names, which we need for name recognition by potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. During the trademark registration process, we may receive Office Actions from the USPTO or from comparable agencies in foreign jurisdictions objecting to the registration of our trademark. Although we would be given an opportunity to respond to those objections, we may be unable to overcome such rejections. In addition, in the USPTO and in comparable agencies in many foreign jurisdictions, third parties are given an opportunity to oppose pending trademark applications and/or to seek the cancellation of registered trademarks. Opposition or cancellation proceedings may be filed against our trademark applications or registrations, and our trademark applications or registrations may not survive such proceedings. If we are unable to obtain a registered trademark or establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected.
If we are unable to adequately protect and enforce our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.
In addition to the protection afforded by patents we may own or in-license, we seek to rely on trade secret protection, confidentiality agreements, and license agreements to protect proprietary know-how that may not be patentable, processes for which patents are difficult to enforce and any other elements of our product discovery and development processes that involve proprietary know-how, information, or technology that may not be covered by patents. Although it is our policy to require all of our employees, consultants, advisors and any third parties who have access to our proprietary know-how, information or technology to enter into confidentiality and assignment of inventions agreements, trade secrets can be difficult to protect and we have limited control over the protection of trade secrets used by our collaborators and suppliers. We cannot be certain that we have or will obtain these agreements in all circumstances and we cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that may have or have had access to our trade secrets or proprietary information.
Moreover, any of these parties might breach the agreements and intentionally or inadvertently disclose our trade secret information and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. In addition, competitors may otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or independently develop substantially equivalent information and techniques. Further, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect proprietary rights and trade secrets to the same extent or in the same manner as the laws of the United States. As a result, we may encounter significant problems in protecting and defending our intellectual property both in the United States and abroad. If we are unable to prevent unauthorized material disclosure of our intellectual property to third parties, we will not be able to establish or maintain a competitive advantage in our market, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects.
Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. If we choose to go to court to stop a third-party from using any of our trade secrets, we may incur substantial costs. These lawsuits may consume our time and other resources even if we are successful. Although we take steps to protect our proprietary information and trade secrets, including through
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contractual means with our employees and consultants, third parties may independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information and techniques or otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or disclose our technology. If any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor or other third-party, we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us.
We may initiate, become a defendant in, or otherwise become party to lawsuits to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time-consuming and unsuccessful.
Competitors may infringe any patents we may own or in-license. In addition, any patents we may own or in-license also may become involved in inventorship, priority, validity or unenforceability disputes. To counter infringement or unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. In addition, in an infringement proceeding, a court may decide that one or more of any patents we may own or in-license is not valid or is unenforceable or that the other party’s use of our technology that may be patented falls under the safe harbor to patent infringement under 35 U.S.C. §271(e)(1). There is also the risk that, even if the validity of these patents is upheld, the court may refuse to stop the other party from using the technology at issue on the grounds that any patents we may own or in-license do not cover the technology in question or that such third-party’s activities do not infringe the patent applications or any patents we in-license or may in the future own. An adverse result in any litigation or defense proceedings could put one or more of any patents we may own or in-license at risk of being invalidated, held unenforceable, or interpreted narrowly and could put those patent applications at risk of not issuing. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing, patient support or distribution activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to conduct such litigation or proceedings adequately. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources and more mature and developed intellectual property portfolios. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.
Post-grant proceedings provoked by third parties or brought by the USPTO may be necessary to determine the validity or priority of inventions with respect to the patent applications or any patents we in-license or may in the future own. These proceedings are expensive and an unfavorable outcome could result in a loss of our current patent rights and could require us to cease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights to it from the prevailing party. Our business could be harmed if the prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms. In addition to potential USPTO post-grant proceedings, we may become a party to patent opposition proceedings in the EPO, or similar proceedings in other foreign patent offices or courts where these patents may be challenged. The costs of these proceedings could be substantial, and may result in a loss of scope of some claims or a loss of the entire patent. An unfavorable result in a post-grant challenge proceeding may result in the loss of our right to exclude others from practicing one or more of our inventions in the relevant country or jurisdiction, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Litigation or post-grant proceedings within patent offices may result in a decision adverse to our interests and, even if we are successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our management and other employees. We may not be able to prevent, misappropriation of our trade secrets or confidential information, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect those rights as fully as in the United States.
We may not be able to detect infringement against any patents we may own or in-license. Even if we detect infringement by a third-party of any patents we may own or in-license, we may choose not to pursue litigation against or settlement with the third-party. If we later sue such third-party for patent infringement, the third-party may have certain legal defenses available to it, which otherwise would not be available except for the delay between when the infringement was first detected and when the suit was brought. Such legal defenses may make it impossible for us to enforce any patents we may own or in-license against such third-party.
Intellectual property litigation and administrative patent office patent validity challenges in one or more countries could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their normal responsibilities.
Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses, and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a
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substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing, patient support or distribution activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to conduct such litigation or proceedings adequately. As noted above, some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could compromise our ability to compete in the marketplace, including compromising our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our clinical trials, continue our research programs, license necessary technology from third parties, or enter into development collaborations that would help us commercialize our current or future product candidates, if approved. Any of the foregoing events would harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We may be unable to obtain patent or other intellectual property protection for our current or future product candidates or our future products, if any, in all jurisdictions throughout the world, and we may not be able to adequately enforce our intellectual property rights even in the jurisdictions where we seek protection.
We may not be able to pursue patent coverage of our current or future product candidates in all countries. Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on current or future product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States, or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but where enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our current or future product candidates and our current intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.
Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of certain countries, particularly certain developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of patents, trade secrets and other intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to pharmaceutical products, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of any patents we may own or in-license or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally.
Many countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we are forced to grant a license to third parties with respect to any patents we may own or license that are relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired, and our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may be adversely affected.
We may not obtain or grant licenses or sublicenses to intellectual property rights in all markets on equally or sufficiently favorable terms with third parties.
It may be necessary for us to use the patented or proprietary technology of third parties to commercialize our products, in which case we would be required to obtain a license from these third parties. The licensing of third-party intellectual property rights is a competitive area, and more established companies may pursue strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that we may consider attractive or necessary. More established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their size, capital resources and greater clinical development and commercialization capabilities. In addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. We also may be unable to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights on terms that would allow us to make an appropriate return on our investment or at all. If we are unable to license such technology, or if we are forced to license such technology on unfavorable terms, our business could be materially harmed. If we are unable to obtain a necessary license, we may be unable to develop or commercialize the affected current or future product candidates, which could materially harm our business, and the third parties owning such intellectual property rights could seek either an injunction prohibiting our sales, or, with respect to our sales, an obligation on our part to
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pay royalties or other forms of compensation. Even if we are able to obtain a license, it may be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. Any of the foregoing could harm our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
If we fail to comply with our obligations in any agreements under which we may license intellectual property rights from third parties or otherwise experience disruptions to our business relationships with our licensors, we could lose license rights that are important to our business.
We may from time to time be party to license and collaboration agreements with third parties to advance our research or allow commercialization of current or future product candidates. Such agreements may impose numerous obligations, such as development, diligence, payment, commercialization, funding, milestone, royalty, sublicensing, insurance, patent prosecution, enforcement and other obligations on us and may require us to meet development timelines, or to exercise commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize licensed products, in order to maintain the licenses. In spite of our best efforts, our licensors might conclude that we have materially breached our license agreements and might therefore terminate the license agreements, thereby removing or limiting our ability to develop and commercialize products and technologies covered by these license agreements.
Any termination of these licenses, or if the underlying patents fail to provide the intended exclusivity, could result in the loss of significant rights and could harm our ability to commercialize our current or future product candidates, and competitors or other third parties would have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and to market, products identical to ours and we may be required to cease our development and commercialization of certain of our current or future product candidates. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations, and prospects.
In addition, the agreements under which we may license intellectual property or technology from third parties are likely to be complex, and certain provisions in such agreements may be susceptible to multiple interpretations. The resolution of any contract interpretation disagreement that may arise could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or technology, or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Moreover, if disputes over intellectual property that we may license prevent or impair our ability to maintain future licensing arrangements on acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected current or future product candidates, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations and prospects.
Changes in patent law could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our current or future product candidates.
As is the case with other biopharmaceutical companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining and enforcing patents in the biopharmaceutical industry involve both technological and legal complexity and is therefore costly, time consuming and inherently uncertain. Recent patent reform legislation in the United States and other countries, including the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or Leahy-Smith Act, signed into law on September 16, 2011, could increase those uncertainties and costs. The Leahy-Smith Act includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications are prosecuted, redefine prior art and provide more efficient and cost-effective avenues for competitors to challenge the validity of patents. In addition, the Leahy-Smith Act has transformed the U.S. patent system into a “first inventor to file” system. The first-inventor-to-file provisions, however, only became effective on March 16, 2013. Accordingly, it is not yet clear what, if any, impact the Leahy-Smith Act will have on the operation of our business. However, the Leahy-Smith Act and its implementation could make it more difficult to obtain patent protection for our inventions and increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of the patent applications that we have in-licensed and the enforcement or defense of such issued patents, all of which could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The U.S. Supreme Court has and other courts have ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. Additionally, there have been recent proposals for additional changes to the patent laws of the United States and other countries that, if adopted, could impact our ability to obtain patent protection for our proprietary technology or our ability to enforce our proprietary technology. Depending on future actions by the U.S. Congress,
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the U.S. courts, the USPTO and the relevant law-making bodies in other countries, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents that we might obtain in the future.
Intellectual property rights do not guarantee commercial success of current or future product candidates or other business activities. Numerous factors may limit any potential competitive advantage provided by our intellectual property rights.
The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights, whether owned or in-licensed, is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may not adequately protect our business, provide a barrier to entry against our competitors or potential competitors, or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. Moreover, if a third party has intellectual property rights that cover the practice of our technology, we may not be able to fully exercise or extract value from our intellectual property rights. The following examples are illustrative:
• patent applications that we own or may in-license may not lead to issued patents;
• patents, should they issue, that we may own or in-license, may not provide us with any competitive advantages, may be narrowed in scope, or may be challenged and held invalid or unenforceable;
• others may be able to develop and/or practice technology, including compounds that are similar to the chemical compositions of our current or future product candidates, that is similar to our technology or aspects of our technology but that is not covered by the claims of any patents we may own or in-license, should any patents issue;
• third parties may compete with us in jurisdictions where we do not pursue and obtain patent protection;
• we, or our future licensors or collaborators, might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by a patent application that we own or may in-license;
• we, or our future licensors or collaborators, might not have been the first to file patent applications covering a particular invention;
• others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating our intellectual property rights;
• our competitors might conduct research and development activities in the United States and other countries that provide a safe harbor from patent infringement claims for certain research and development activities, as well as in countries where we do not have patent rights, and may then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;
• we may not be able to obtain and/or maintain necessary licenses on reasonable terms or at all;
• third parties may assert an ownership interest in our intellectual property and, if successful, such disputes may preclude us from exercising exclusive rights, or any rights at all, over that intellectual property;
• we may choose not to file a patent in order to maintain certain trade secrets or know-how, and a third-party may subsequently file a patent covering such trade secrets or know-how;
• we may not be able to maintain the confidentiality of our trade secrets or other proprietary information; and
• we may not develop or in-license additional proprietary technologies that are patentable.
Should any of these events occur, they could significantly harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
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Risks Related to Employee Matters, Managing Growth and Other Risks Related to Our Business
Our current operations are located in Maryland; and we or the third parties upon whom we depend may be adversely affected by natural disasters and our business continuity and disaster recovery plans may not adequately protect us from a serious disaster.
Our current operations are located in Maryland. Any unplanned event, such as flood, fire, explosion, earthquake, extreme weather condition, medical epidemics, including any potential effects from the current global spread of Covid-19, power shortage, telecommunication failure or other natural or man-made accidents or incidents that result in us being unable to fully utilize our facilities, or the manufacturing facilities of our third-party contract manufacturers, may have a material and adverse effect on our ability to operate our business, particularly on a daily basis, and have significant negative consequences on our financial and operating conditions. Loss of access to these facilities may result in increased costs, delays in the development of our product candidates or interruption of our business operations. Natural disasters or pandemics such as the Covid-19 outbreak could further disrupt our operations, and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. If a natural disaster, power outage or other event occurred that prevented us from using all or a significant portion of our headquarters, that damaged critical infrastructure, such as the manufacturing facilities of our third-party contract manufacturers, or that otherwise disrupted operations, it may be difficult or, in certain cases, impossible, for us to continue our business for a substantial period of time. The disaster recovery and business continuity plans we have in place may prove inadequate in the event of a serious disaster or similar event. We may incur substantial expenses as a result of the limited nature of our disaster recovery and business continuity plans, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. As part of our risk management policy, we maintain insurance coverage at levels that we believe are appropriate for our business. However, in the event of an accident or incident at these facilities, we cannot assure our investors that the amounts of insurance will be sufficient to satisfy any damages and losses. If the manufacturing facilities of our third-party contract manufacturers are unable to operate because of an accident or incident or for any other reason, even for a short period of time, any or all of our research and development programs may be harmed. Any business interruption may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Our future success depends on our ability to retain key executives and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.
We are highly dependent on the research and development, clinical and business development expertise of Paul A. Romness, MPH, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Robert G. Petit, Ph.D., our Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer, as well as the other principal members of our management, scientific and clinical teams. Although we have entered into employment agreements or arrangements with our executive officers, each of them may terminate their employment with us at any time. We do not maintain “key person” insurance for any of our executives or other employees. In addition, we rely on consultants and advisors, including scientific and clinical advisors, to assist us in formulating our research and development and commercialization strategy. Our consultants and advisors may be employed by employers other than us and may have commitments under consulting or advisory contracts with other entities that may limit their availability to us. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain high quality personnel, our ability to pursue our growth strategy will be limited.
Recruiting and retaining qualified scientific, clinical, manufacturing and sales and marketing personnel will also be critical to our success. The loss of the services of our executive officers or other key employees could impede the achievement of our research, development and commercialization objectives and seriously harm our ability to successfully implement our growth strategy. Further, replacing executive officers and key employees may be difficult and may take an extended period of time because of the limited number of individuals in our industry with the breadth of skills and experience required to successfully develop, gain regulatory approval of and commercialize drugs. Competition to hire from this limited pool is intense, and we may be unable to hire, train, retain or motivate these key personnel on acceptable terms given the competition among numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for similar personnel. We also experience competition for the hiring of scientific and clinical personnel from universities and research institutions. Failure to succeed in clinical trials may make it more challenging to recruit and retain qualified scientific personnel.
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We will need to develop and expand our company, and we may encounter difficulties in managing this development and expansion, which could disrupt our operations.
As of April 13, 2023, we had three full-time employees, one part-time employee, an executive consultant and a limited number of regulatory and other consultants. In connection with becoming a public company, we expect to increase our number of employees and the scope of our operations. To manage our anticipated growth and expansion, we must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Also, our management may need to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from its day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth-oriented activities. Due to our limited resources, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. This may result in weaknesses in our infrastructure, give rise to operational mistakes, loss of business opportunities, loss of employees and reduced productivity among remaining employees. The physical expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert financial resources from other projects, such as the development of our current or future product candidates. If our management is unable to effectively manage our expected growth and expansion, our expenses may increase more than expected, our ability to generate or increase our revenue could be reduced and we may not be able to implement our growth strategy. Our future financial performance and our ability to commercialize our current or future product candidates, if approved, and compete effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage the future growth and expansion of our company.
Failure to maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation or financial condition. In addition, current and potential shareholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which could have a material adverse effect on the price of the common stock.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud. We are required to document and test our internal control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, if we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404. Disclosing deficiencies or weaknesses in our internal controls, failing to remediate these deficiencies or weaknesses in a timely fashion or failing to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment may cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on the price of the common stock. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our operating results could be harmed.
Unstable market and economic conditions may have serious adverse consequences on our business, financial condition and stock price.
Global financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruptions in the past several years, including severely diminished liquidity and credit availability, declines in consumer confidence, declines in economic growth, increases in inflation and unemployment rates and uncertainty about economic stability. There can be no assurance that further deterioration in financial markets and confidence in economic conditions will not occur. Our general growth strategy may be adversely affected by any such economic downturn, volatile business environment or continued unpredictable and unstable market conditions. If the current equity and credit markets deteriorate, or do not improve, it may make any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult, more costly and more dilutive. Failure to secure any necessary financing in a timely manner and on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy, financial performance and stock price and could require us to delay, scale back or discontinue the development and commercialization of one or more of our product candidates or delay our pursuit of potential in-licenses or acquisitions. In addition, there is a risk that one or more of our current service providers, manufacturers and other partners may not survive these difficult economic times, which could directly affect our ability to attain our operating goals on schedule and on budget.
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Our internal computer systems, or those of our third-party CROs or other contractors or consultants, may fail or suffer security breaches, which could result in a material disruption of our current or future product candidates’ development programs.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems and those of our third-party CROs and other contractors and consultants are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. While we have not experienced any such system failure, accident, or security breach to date, if such an event were to occur and cause interruptions in our operations, it could result in a material disruption of our programs. For example, the loss of clinical trial data for our current or future product candidates could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. To the extent that any disruption or security breach results in a loss of or damage to our data or applications or other data or applications relating to our technology or current or future product candidates, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we could incur liabilities and the further development of our current or future product candidates could be delayed.
We may be unable to adequately protect our information systems from cyberattacks, which could result in the disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, including personal data, damage our reputation, and subject us to significant financial and legal exposure.
We rely on information technology systems that we or our third-party providers operate to process, transmit and store electronic information in our day-to-day operations. In connection with our product discovery efforts, we may collect and use a variety of personal data, such as name, mailing address, email addresses, phone number and clinical trial information. A successful cyberattack could result in the theft or destruction of intellectual property, data or other misappropriation of assets, or otherwise compromise our confidential or proprietary information and disrupt our operations. Cyberattacks are increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity, and have become increasingly difficult to detect. Cyberattacks could include wrongful conduct by hostile foreign governments, industrial espionage, wire fraud and other forms of cyber fraud, the deployment of harmful malware, denial-of-service, social engineering fraud or other means to threaten data security, confidentiality, integrity and availability. A successful cyberattack could cause serious negative consequences for us, including, without limitation, the disruption of operations, the misappropriation of confidential business information, including financial information, trade secrets, financial loss and the disclosure of corporate strategic plans. Although we devote resources to protect our information systems, we realize that cyberattacks are a threat, and there can be no assurance that our efforts will prevent information security breaches that would result in business, legal, financial or reputational harm to us, or would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Any failure to prevent or mitigate security breaches or improper access to, use of, or disclosure of our clinical data or patients’ personal data could result in significant liability under state (e.g., state breach notification laws), federal (e.g., HIPAA, as amended by HITECH), and international law (e.g., the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR) and may cause a material adverse impact to our reputation, affect our ability to use collected data, conduct new studies and potentially disrupt our business.
We rely on our third-party providers to implement effective security measures and identify and correct for any such failures, deficiencies or breaches. We also rely on our employees and consultants to safeguard their security credentials and follow our policies and procedures regarding use and access of computers and other devices that may contain our sensitive information. If we or our third-party providers fail to maintain or protect our information technology systems and data integrity effectively or fail to anticipate, plan for or manage significant disruptions to our information technology systems, we or our third-party providers could have difficulty preventing, detecting and controlling such cyber-attacks and any such attacks could result in losses described above as well as disputes with physicians, patients and our partners, regulatory sanctions or penalties, increases in operating expenses, expenses or lost revenues or other adverse consequences, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, prospects and cash flows. Any failure by such third parties to prevent or mitigate security breaches or improper access to or disclosure of such information could have similarly adverse consequences for us. If we are unable to prevent or mitigate the impact of such security or data privacy breaches, we could be exposed to litigation and governmental investigations, which could lead to a potential disruption to our business.
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Our employees, principal investigators, CROs and consultants may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements and insider trading.
We are exposed to the risk that our employees, principal investigators, CROs and consultants may engage in fraudulent conduct or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violate the regulations of the FDA and other regulatory authorities, including those laws requiring the reporting of true, complete and accurate information to such authorities; healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations in the United States and abroad; or laws that require the reporting of financial information or data accurately. In particular, sales, marketing, patient support and business arrangements in the healthcare industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Activities subject to these laws also involve the improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical trials or creating fraudulent data in our preclinical studies or clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and cause serious harm to our reputation. We intend to adopt, prior to the completion of this offering, a code of conduct applicable to all of our employees, but it is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by employees and other third parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. Additionally, we are subject to the risk that a person could allege such fraud or other misconduct, even if none occurred. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal and state healthcare programs, debarment from participation in any FDA-related activities, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties will comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant criminal, civil and administrative sanctions including monetary penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, and exclusion from participation in government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, debarment from participation in any FDA-related activities, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, reputational harm, and we may be required to curtail or restructure our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock and This Offering
Paul A. Romness, MPH, and our other executive officers, directors and their affiliates will continue to exercise significant influence over our company after this offering, which will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could delay or prevent a change in corporate control.
Paul A. Romness, MPH, our President and Chief Executive Officer, beneficially owns approximately 34% of the outstanding shares of common stock of our company, and other executive officers and directors beneficially own another approximately 6.6% of our outstanding shares. Immediately following completion of this offering, and disregarding any shares of common stock that they purchase in this offering, the existing holdings of Mr. Romness and other executive officers, directors and their affiliates will represent beneficial ownership in the aggregate of approximately 37% of our outstanding common stock, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in this offering. As a result, these stockholders will be able to influence our management and affairs and the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors and any sale, merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. These stockholders acquired their shares of common stock for substantially less than the price of the shares of common stock being acquired in this offering, and these
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stockholders may have interests, with respect to their common stock, that are different from those of investors in this offering and the concentration of voting power among these stockholders may have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock. In addition, this concentration of ownership might adversely affect the market price of our common stock by:
• delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control our company;
• impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving our company; or
• discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. We will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which will require, among other things, that we file with the SEC annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules subsequently adopted by the SEC and the NYSE American to implement provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, impose significant requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Further, in July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was enacted. There are significant corporate governance and executive compensation related provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act under which the SEC adopted additional rules and regulations in these areas, such as “say on pay” and proxy access. Recent legislation permits emerging growth companies to implement many of these requirements over a longer period and up to five years from the pricing of this offering. We intend to take advantage of this new legislation but cannot guarantee that we will not be required to implement these requirements sooner than budgeted or planned and thereby incur unexpected expenses. Stockholder activism, the current political environment and the current high level of government intervention and regulatory reform may lead to substantial new regulations and disclosure obligations, which may lead to additional compliance costs and impact the manner in which we operate our business in ways we cannot currently anticipate.
We expect the rules and regulations applicable to public companies to substantially increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly. If these requirements divert the attention of our management and personnel from other business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The increased costs will increase our net loss and may require us to reduce costs in other areas of our business or increase the prices of our products or services. For example, we expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain the same or similar coverage. We cannot predict or estimate the amount or timing of additional costs we may incur to respond to these requirements. The impact of these requirements could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers.
The price of our common stock may be volatile and fluctuate substantially, which could result in substantial losses for purchasers of our common stock in this offering.
Our stock price is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for biopharmaceutical companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the initial public offering price. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including:
• the success of competitive drugs or technologies;
• results of clinical trials of our current or future product candidates or those of our competitors;
• regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries;
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• developments or disputes concerning patent applications, issued patents or other proprietary rights;
• the recruitment or departure of key personnel;
• the level of expenses related to any of our current or future product candidates or clinical development programs;
• the results of our efforts to discover, develop, acquire or in-license additional current or future product candidates or drugs;
• actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, development timelines or recommendations by securities analysts;
• changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems;
• market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors;
• general economic, industry and market conditions; and
• the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section.
An active trading market for our common stock may not develop, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. Although we have applied to list our common stock for trading on the NYSE American, an active trading market for our common stock may never develop or be sustained following this offering. The initial public offering price of our common stock was determined through negotiations between us and the underwriters. This initial public offering price may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock after this offering. In the absence of an active trading market for our common stock, investors may not be able to sell their common stock at or above the initial public offering price or at the time that they would like to sell.
If you purchase our common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution in the book value of your shares.
You will suffer immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the common stock you purchase in this offering. Based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, purchasers of common stock in this offering will experience immediate dilution of $4.68 per share in net tangible book value of the common stock. In addition, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will contribute approximately 29.1% of the total amount invested by stockholders since inception but will only own approximately 8.7% of the shares of common stock outstanding. In the past, we issued securities to acquire common stock at prices significantly below the initial public offering price. To the extent these outstanding securities are ultimately exercised, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will sustain further dilution. See the section of this prospectus titled “Dilution” for a more detailed description of the dilution to new investors in the offering.
Resales by the selling stockholders under our resale prospectus may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
The 537,098 shares of common stock being offered under the resale prospectus for the account of the selling stockholders equals approximately 5.0% of the 10,745,000 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 13, 2023, and approximately 5.2% of the “public float,” or the shares held by non-affiliates which are not subject to restrictions on sale, prior to this offering. Sales of the shares offered under the resale prospectus, or the potential of such sales, may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock and such sales could also affect our company’s ability to raise additional capital in the equity markets in the future.
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Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, including purchasers of common stock in this offering, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or current or future product candidates.
Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial drug revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of private and public equity offerings, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances and marketing, distribution or licensing arrangements. We do not currently have any committed external source of funds. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of common stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into common stock, your ownership interest will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that materially adversely affect your rights as a common stockholder. Debt financing, if available, would increase our fixed payment obligations and may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends.
If we raise funds through additional collaborations, strategic alliances or marketing, distribution or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our intellectual property, future revenue streams, research programs or current or future product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, scale back or discontinue the development and commercialization of one or more of our product candidates, delay our pursuit of potential in-licenses or acquisitions or grant rights to develop and market current or future product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
We have not paid, and do not intend to pay, dividends on our shares of common stock and, therefore, unless our common stock appreciates in value, our investors may not benefit from holding our shares.
We have not paid any cash dividends on our shares of common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. As a result, investors in our common stock will not be able to benefit from owning these shares unless their market price becomes greater than the price paid by such investors and they are able to sell such shares. We cannot assure you that you will ever be able to resell our common stock at a price in excess of the price paid.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Information set forth in this prospectus may contain various “forward-looking statements.” All information relative to future markets for our product candidates and trends in, and anticipated levels of, revenue, and expenses, as well as other statements containing words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “target,” “should” and “will” and other similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to business, economic and other risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Examples of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks described under the section below titled “Risk Factors,” as well as any subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date such forward-looking statements are made. You should read carefully this prospectus and any related free writing prospectuses that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering, together with the information incorporated herein or therein by reference as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We hereby qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. Except as required by U.S. federal law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
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We estimate that our net proceeds from the sale of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $8,560,000, or $9,940,000 if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares, based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering as follows:
• approximately $4,200,000 to advance the clinical development of OST-HER2 for Osteosarcoma;
• approximately $2,000,000 to advance development of OST-TDC for ovarian cancer; and
• the remainder of the net proceeds of approximately $2,360,000 for the discovery and development of new product candidates and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.
The net proceeds for the clinical development of OST 31-164 will be used to support the remainder of our current Phase IIb clinical trial in recurred, resected Osteosarcoma in eligible patients from ages 12 to 39 years, of which 36 of 45 patients have already been enrolled. These proceeds provide the funds to pay vendors for the trial, hire critical new employees to prepare for commercialization and cover professional fees for advancing regulatory discussions with the FDA. Funding should carry us through to completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial for OST-HER2, which is expected to be in late 2024. We plan to submit a new drug application (NDA) with the FDA for approval to market the drug candidate following the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial if there is sufficiently positive endpoint data from such trial supporting the FDA’s determination of safety and efficacy of the drug candidate. We expect that it will take six to eight months from the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial, subject to the receipt of sufficiently positive endpoint data, to compile and file the NDA with the FDA for marketing approval. The FDA generally takes six to ten months to complete its review of an NDA, subject to any FDA request for additional information.
We believe that it remains uncertain whether a Phase III clinical trial will be necessary for the advancement of OST-HER2 through the regulatory approval process. We will not know whether a Phase III trial will be required until we receive a determination from the FDA following the filing of an NDA for marketing approval as to whether the results of our ongoing Phase IIb trial provided sufficiently positive endpoint data. We do, however, plan to conduct a master protocol in other HER2-positive adult cancers, such as breast and esophageal cancers, to evaluate the potential possibility for FDA approval of OST-HER2 in solid tumor indications other than Osteosarcoma. Net proceeds from this offering should carry us into (but not beyond) our proposed master protocol.
The net proceeds for the development of OST-TDC will be used to fund the continued development costs associated with our preclinical trials, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, two-week dose finding toxicology studies in vivo (on living cell lines or in living animals), as well as GLP trials. Additionally, funds will be used for preparing and submitting an application for an investigational new drug application (IND) with the FDA following the completion of GLP trials, as well as development of a Phase I clinical trial of OST-TDC for ovarian cancer indications. In addition to the Phase I trial, we expect that post completion GLP will lead to licensing opportunities for our silicon SiLinkers and CAPs. Funding should carry us into (but not beyond) our proposed Phase I clinical trial.
The remaining net proceeds from this offering will be available for the discovery and development of new product candidates and for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including enhancing our corporate infrastructure and systems to assist in creating a more robust means of tracking data, automating back office functions, improving our financial reporting system and making improvements to our principal executive offices in Rockville, Maryland to accommodate our growth and expansion strategies. We may allocate funds from our existing cash and other sources to fund some of these activities.
Our expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for the next 12 to 18 months. We expect that we will require additional funds in order to fully accomplish the specified uses of the proceeds of this offering. We may
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also use a portion of the net proceeds to in-license, acquire or invest in complementary businesses or technologies to continue to build our pipeline, research and development capabilities and our intellectual property position, although we currently have no agreements, commitments or understandings with respect to any such transaction.
Due to the many inherent uncertainties in the development of our product candidates, the amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the progress of our research and development, the timing of patient enrollment and evolving regulatory requirements, the timing and success of preclinical studies, our ongoing clinical studies or clinical studies we may commence in the future, the timing of regulatory submissions, any strategic alliances that we may enter into with third parties for our product candidates or strategic opportunities that become available to us, and any unforeseen cash needs.
Pending our use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation instruments, including short-term and long-term interest-bearing instruments, investment-grade securities, and direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government. We cannot predict whether the proceeds invested will yield a favorable return. Our management will retain broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds we receive from our initial public offering, and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the net proceeds.
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We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends to our stockholders in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, general business conditions, and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.
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The following table sets forth our cash and our capitalization as of December 31, 2022:
• on an actual basis;
• on a pro forma basis to give effect to:
• the elimination of our authorized shares of Class B common stock (none of which were outstanding), the renaming of our Class A common stock as “common stock” and the issuances of shares of our common stock in connection with the Recapitalization transactions;
• the issuance of 740,000 shares of our common stock that we previously agreed to issue to certain directors, officers, key employees and key advisors in consideration for accrued services rendered to our company; and
• the grant of 25,000 shares of our common stock to our Chief Financial Officer in March 2023; and
• on a pro forma, as adjusted basis to give further effect to:
• the pro forma transactions listed above and our issuance and sale of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
The pro forma, as adjusted information below is illustrative only, and our capitalization following the completion of this offering will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this table together with our financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends to our stockholders in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, general business conditions, and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.
|
As of December 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||
|
(In thousands, except share and per share data) |
Actual |
Pro forma |
Pro forma, |
|||||||||
|
Cash |
$ |
171 |
|
$ |
866 |
|
$ |
10,166 |
|
|||
|
Group A Convertible Notes |
$ |
1,154 |
|
$ |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
|||
|
Group B Convertible Notes |
|
5,154 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
|
Group C Convertible Notes |
|
3,820 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
|
Group D Convertible Notes |
|
2,000 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
|
Stockholders’ equity (deficit): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
Series A preferred stock, par value $0.001, 1,400,000 shares authorized, 1,302,082 issued and outstanding, actual; no amounts issued and outstanding pro forma and pro forma, as adjusted |
|
1 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
|
Common stock, par value $0.001, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 9,980,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual; 21,112,997 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma; 23,112,997 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma, as adjusted |
|
10 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
23 |
|
|||
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
4,033 |
|
|
22,906 |
|
|
32,204 |
|
|||
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
(21,602 |
) |
|
(24,724 |
) |
|
(24,724 |
) |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit) |
|
(17,557 |
) |
|
(1,796 |
) |
|
7,504 |
|
|||
|
Total capitalization |
$ |
(5,429 |
) |
$ |
(1,796 |
) |
$ |
7,504 |
|
|||
53
If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.
Our historical net tangible book value (deficit), as of December 31, 2022, was $(17.6) million, or $(1.76) per share of our common stock. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) is the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities and shares of Series A convertible preferred stock, which is not included within our stockholders’ equity (deficit). Historical net tangible book value per share represents historical net tangible book value (deficit) divided by the shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022.
Our pro forma net tangible book value, as of December 31, 2022, was $(1.8) million, or $(0.09) per share of our common stock. Pro forma net tangible book value represents the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, after giving effect to (i) the issuances of shares of our common stock in connection with the Recapitalization transactions, (ii) the issuance of 740,000 shares of our common stock that we previously agreed to issue to certain directors, officers, key employees and key advisors in consideration for accrued services rendered to our company and (iii) the grant of 25,000 shares of our common stock to our Chief Financial Officer in March 2023. Pro forma net tangible book value per share represents pro forma net tangible book value divided by the total number of shares outstanding, as of December 31, 2022, after giving effect to the pro forma adjustments described above.
Unless otherwise noted, all per share amounts include only common stock. After giving further effect to our issuance and sale of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2022 would have been approximately $7.5 million, or approximately $0.32 per share. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share of $0.41 to existing stockholders and immediate dilution of $4.68 per share in pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. Dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering is determined by subtracting pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the initial public offering price per share paid by investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis (without giving effect to any exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to 300,000 additional shares of common stock in this offering):
|
Initial public offering price per share of common stock |
|
|
$ |
5.00 |
|
|||
|
Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of December 31, 2022 |
$ |
(1.76 |
) |
|
|
|||
|
Increase per share attributable to the pro forma adjustments described above |
$ |
1.67 |
|
|
|
|||
|
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2022 |
|
|
$ |
(0.09 |
) |
|||
|
Increase in pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering |
$ |
0.41 |
|
|
|
|||
|
Pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering |
|
|
$ |
0.32 |
|
|||
|
Dilution per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering |
|
|
$ |
4.68 |
|
If the underwriters fully exercise their option to purchase 300,000 additional shares of common stock in this offering, our pro forma, as adjusted, net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $0.38 and the dilution in pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value per share to investors purchasing common stock in this offering would be $4.62, assuming no change in the initial public offering price per share and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
54
The following table summarizes, as of December 31, 2022, on the pro forma, as adjusted basis described above, the total number of shares of our common stock purchased from us on an as converted to common stock basis, the total consideration paid, or to be paid, and the average price per share paid or to be paid by existing stockholders and by investors in this offering at the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share of common stock, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. As the table shows, investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering will pay an average price per share substantially higher than our existing stockholders paid.
|
Shares purchased |
Total consideration |
Average price |
||||||||||||
|
Number |
Percent |
Amount |
Percentage |
|||||||||||
|
Existing stockholders |
9,980,000 |
43.2 |
% |
$ |
2,625,000 |
7.7 |
% |
$ |
0.26 |
|||||
|
Recapitalization issuances |
10,367,997 |
44.8 |
% |
$ |
20,877,435 |
60.8 |
% |
$ |
2.01 |
|||||
|
Make-whole issuances |
740,000 |
3.2 |
% |
$ |
780,000 |
2.3 |
% |
$ |
1.05 |
|||||
|
Stock grant |
25,000 |
0.1 |
% |
$ |
50,000 |
0.1 |
% |
$ |
2.00 |
|||||
|
Investors in this offering |
2,000,000 |
8.7 |
% |
$ |
10,000,000 |
29.1 |
% |
$ |
5.00 |
|||||
|
Total |
23,112,997 |
100.0 |
% |
$ |
34,332,435 |
100.0 |
% |
$ |
2.07 |
|||||
The table above is based on 9,980,000 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and gives effect to (i) the issuances of shares of our common stock in connection with the Recapitalization transactions, (ii) the issuance of 740,000 shares of our common stock that we previously agreed to issue to certain directors, officers, key employees and key advisors in consideration for accrued services rendered to our company and (iii) the grant of 25,000 shares of our common stock to our Chief Financial Officer in March 2023.
The table above does not include any shares issuable under an incentive compensation plan that we expect to adopt in the future.
If we issue additional shares of our common stock in the future, there will be further dilution to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital because of market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities may result in further dilution to our stockholders.
55
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
We are a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, development and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma (OS) and other solid tumors. Our mission is to address the significant need for new treatments in cancers of the bone in children and young adults. Osteosarcoma is an extremely challenging and often aggressive cancer that has particular treatment challenges due to its location, changing genotypes and high recurrence rates. We are currently seeking to answer the call for new treatments with our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 (also known as OST31-164). We intend to expand our pipeline beyond Osteosarcoma with this product candidate into other solid tumors with the same recurrence mechanism of action, including breast, esophageal and lung cancers. With the addition of our OST-Tunable Drug Conjugate (OST-TDC) platform, which we consider to be a next generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, we will be targeting ovarian, lung and pancreatic cancers. Furthering our founding mission, we also intend to investigate clinical indications for OST-TDC in Osteosarcoma.
We believe that there have not been any new treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Osteosarcoma for more than 40 years. In humans, Osteosarcoma is an extremely rare cancer that primarily affects children, teenagers and young adults generally under 40 years of age. We are not aware of any competing adjuvant therapy for Osteosarcoma to be tested in children that is further along in the development process than OST-HER2. This disease is difficult to diagnose. The standard of care following first line therapies is simply to screen and wait for possible recurrence/metastasis. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, “Osteosarcoma Relapse After Combined Modality Therapy: An Analysis of Unselected Patients in the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS),” by Kempf-Bielack B., et al. (January 2005), and “Second and Subsequent Recurrences of Osteosarcoma: Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of 249 Consecutive Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group Patients,” by Bielack S., et al. (February 2009), reported that recurrence/metastasis happens in approximately half of all patients within 12 to 18 months following initial remittance. For those patients that experience recurrence, metastasis is typically to the lungs and brain, with survival rates of approximately 13% over the next year, according to these studies.
We have built a pipeline of product candidates targeting multiple indications for solid cancers. Our pipeline includes two drug technologies: (i) OST-HER2, an off-the-shelf immunotherapy, which is a type of cancer treatment that helps one’s immune system fight cancer, comprised of a genetically weakened and modified strain of Listeria monocytogenes, or a species of bacteria that causes the infection listeriosis, that expresses HER2 peptides, and (ii) OST-TDC, a next generation tunable ADC with a plug-and-play platform that features tunable pH sensitive silicone linkers (SiLinkers). The payloads can include antibodies, chemotherapeutics, cytotoxins and potentially mRNA treatments directly into and in the vicinity of solid tumors.
Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Our Business
The global Covid-19 pandemic continues to evolve. The extent of the impact of the Covid-19 on our business, operations and development timelines and plans remains uncertain, and will depend on certain developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak and its impact on our development activities, planned clinical trial enrollment, future trial sites, CROs, third-party manufacturers, and other third parties with whom we do business, as well as its impact on regulatory authorities and our key scientific and management personnel. The ultimate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic or a similar health epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. To the extent possible, we are conducting business as usual, with necessary or advisable modifications to employee travel and with our employees working remotely. We will continue to actively monitor the rapidly evolving situation related to Covid-19 and may take further actions that alter our operations, including those that may be required by federal, state or local authorities, or
56
that we determine are in the best interests of our employees and other third parties with whom we do business. At this point, the extent to which the Covid-19 pandemic may affect our business, operations and development timelines and plans, including the resulting impact on our expenditures and capital needs, remains uncertain.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The preparation of our financial statements and related disclosures requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, costs and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Critical accounting policies are those that, in management’s view, are most important to the portrayal of a company’s financial condition and results of operations and most demanding on their calls on judgment, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain and may change in subsequent periods. While our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 2 to our financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, we believe that the following accounting policies are those most critical to the judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements.
Debt Discount and Redemption Premium
We evaluated the Group A Convertible Notes, the Group B Convertible Notes, the Group C Convertible Notes and the Group D Convertible Notes (collectively, the “Convertible Notes”) in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and determined that the Convertible Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Convertible Notes will be recorded at the amortized cost.
The initial fair value of the redemption value relating to the convertible debt instruments are capitalized and amortized over the term of the related debt using the straight-line method, which approximates the interest method. If a loan is paid in full, any unamortized financing costs will be removed from the related accounts and charged to operations. Amortization of debt discount is recorded as a component of interest expense. In accordance with ASU 2015-03, Interest — Imputation of Interest, the unamortized debt discount is presented in the accompanying balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt.
The fair value of the redemption liability is calculated under Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, is determined based upon a Probability-Weighted of Expected Returns Model (“PWERM”). This PWERM was determined to be the most appropriate method of estimating the value of possible redemption or conversion outcomes over time, since we have not entered into a priced equity round through December 31, 2022. The fair value of the redemption liability is calculated using the initial value of the Convertible Notes less the debt discount rate of 12.5% in Group A and 20% in Groups B and C. The redemption liability is then amortized over the remaining life of the Convertible Notes, utilizing the interest rates of 10% and 6% respectively for the groups. The life of each Convertible Note in Group A is for a set period of three years, and is variable in Groups B and C, with a range of 15 months to three years. The Company retains the option to negotiate an extended maturity date for Groups B and C.
The fees associated with the Convertible Notes raise are legal and investment fees associated with the issuance of the Convertible Notes for Groups A, B, and C. The fees are amortized over the life of the Convertible Note utilizing an interest rate of 10% for Group A and 6% for Groups B and C.
Components of Our Results of Operations
Revenue. We did not recognize revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022.
57
Operating Expenses. Our operating expenses are comprised primarily of research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses and licensing costs.
Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred for our research activities, including our drug discovery efforts, and the development of our product candidates, which include:
• personnel-related costs, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation expense, for employees engaged in research and development functions;
• expenses incurred in connection with our research programs, including under agreements with third parties, such as consultants and contractors and CROs;
• the cost of developing and scaling our manufacturing process and manufacturing drug substance and drug product for use in our research and preclinical and clinical studies, including under agreements with third parties, such as consultants and contractors and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs); and
• the cost of laboratory supplies and research materials.
We track our direct external research and development expenses on a program-by-program basis. These consist of costs that include fees, reimbursed materials, and other costs paid to consultants, contractors, CDMOs, and CROs in connection with our preclinical, clinical and manufacturing activities. We do not allocate employee costs, costs associated with our discovery efforts, and facilities expenses, including depreciation or other indirect costs, to specific product development programs because these costs are deployed across multiple programs and, as such, are not separately classified.
We expect that our research and development expenses will increase substantially as we advance OST-HER2 and OST-TDC into clinical development and expand our discovery, research and preclinical activities in the near term and in the future.
General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, finance and administrative functions. General and administrative expenses also include professional fees for legal, patent, consulting, investor and public relations and accounting and audit services.
We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we increase our headcount to support our continued research activities and development of our product candidates. We also anticipate that we will incur increased accounting, audit, legal, regulatory, compliance, and director and officer insurance costs as well as investor and public relations expenses associated with operating as a public company.
Licensing Costs. Costs incurred in obtaining technology licenses and asset purchases are charged to licensing costs if the technology licensed has not reached technological feasibility which includes manufacturing, clinical, intellectual property and/or regulatory success which has no alternative future use. The licenses purchased by us require substantial completion of research and development and regulatory and marketing approval efforts in order to reach technological feasibility.
Interest Expense. We evaluated the Group D Convertible Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and determined the Group D Convertible Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Group D Convertible Notes were recorded at the amortized cost.
Cumulative Series A Preferred Stock Dividend. The Series A preferred stock dividend requirement represents the coupon dividends on our preferred stock and is identified as a separate component of our statement of operations to compute net income (loss) available to common shareholders. The coupon dividends are computed at 5% of the principal per annum and are recorded monthly. The cumulative accrued dividend at December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $218,750 and $93,750, respectively.
58
Income Taxes. Since our inception, we have not recorded income tax benefits for the net operating losses incurred or the research and development tax credits generated in each year, due to the uncertainty of realizing a benefit from those items.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had U.S. federal net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $16 million and $11 million, respectively, which may be available to offset future taxable income. The federal net operating loss carry forward indefinitely but may only be used to offset 80% of annual taxable income. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we also had federal and state general business tax credit carry forwards of $0.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively, available to offset future tax liabilities and expire at various dates beginning in January 1, 2022. We have R&D credits that we opted to convert and use toward payroll taxes in amounts equal to $0.5 million and $0.3 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we also had a federal and state research and development tax credit carry forwards of approximately $0.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively, which may be available to offset future tax liabilities and expire at various dates beginning January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2022, respectively.
Deferred Offering Costs. Deferred offering costs consisted of legal, accounting, printing and filing fees that we capitalized, which will be offset against the gross proceeds from our initial public offering.
Results of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
|
December 31, |
||||||||
|
(In thousands) |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||
|
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Research and development expenses |
$ |
3,292 |
|
$ |
2,174 |
|
||
|
General and administrative |
|
1,154 |
|
|
1,503 |
|
||
|
Licensing |
|
1 |
|
|
1,160 |
|
||
|
Total operating expenses |
|
4,447 |
|
|
4,837 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Loss from operations |
|
(4,447 |
) |
|
(4,837 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Other income (expenses): |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Interest (expense) |
|
(1,808 |
) |
|
(2,583 |
) |
||
|
Total other income (expense) |
|
(1,808 |
) |
|
(2,583 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Net loss |
|
(6,255 |
) |
|
(7,420 |
) |
||
|
Cumulative Series A preferred stock dividend requirement |
|
(125 |
) |
|
(94 |
) |
||
|
Net loss available to common shareholders |
$ |
(6,380 |
) |
$ |
(7,514 |
) |
||
Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses were approximately $3.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to approximately $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in vendor expenses associated with our Phase IIb clinical trial. The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
|
As of December 31, |
||||||
|
(In thousands) |
2022 |
2021 |
||||
|
Direct research and development expenses by program: |
|
|
||||
|
OST-HER2 |
$ |
2,187 |
$ |
1,059 |
||
|
OST TDC |
|
682 |
|
751 |
||
|
|
|
|||||
|
Unallocated research and development expenses: |
|
|
||||
|
Personnel-related |
|
422 |
|
364 |
||
|
Total research and development expenses |
$ |
3,291 |
$ |
2,174 |
||
59
In 2022, the direct research and development expenses related to OST-HER2 were primarily lab fees, vendor expenses and payroll. In 2021, such expenses were primarily lab fees of approximately $0.8 million primarily attributed to Phase II trial preparation and CRO costs as we completed IND-enabling studies. Additionally, in 2022 and 2021, we incurred expenses for our Phase IIb clinical trial. TDC related direct research and development expenses was approximately $0.7 million and $0.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were approximately $1.2 million compared to $1.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This decrease was primarily attributed to decreased payments to consultants, along with staff related payroll and legal fees.
Licensing Costs. Licensing costs for the year ended December 31, 2022 were approximately $0.1 million compared to $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The lower licensing costs in 2022 was primarily due to making a milestone payment to Advaxis in 2021 of approximately $1.2 million that was due.
Interest Expense. Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was approximately $0.0 million compared to $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This decrease was primarily due to accretion of debt discount being amortized in 2021 from associated discounts related to convertible notes and placement agent warrants.
The Series A preferred stock coupon dividend requirement of $125,000 for the year ended December 31, 2022 represents a 12-month expense. The Series A preferred stock coupon dividend requirement of $93,750 for the year ended December 31, 2021 was recorded and the stock was issued in March 2022. This amount represents a nine-month expense.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Operating Losses
Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will depend heavily on the successful development and eventual commercialization of our product candidates. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we reported a net loss of approximately $6.3 million and $7.4 million, respectively, and had an accumulated deficit of approximately $21.6 million and $15.2 million, respectively. We expect to incur significant expenses at an increasing rate and increasing operating losses for the foreseeable future.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had cash of approximately $0.2 million and $0.08 million, respectively. From the sale of our convertible notes in our private placements, we received gross proceeds of $3.8 million and $3.3 million during the 12 months of 2022 and 2021, respectively. We believe that the net proceeds from these private placements, together with our existing cash, will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for the next six to nine months.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash for each of the periods presented:
|
December 31, |
||||||||
|
(In thousands) |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||
|
Cash used in operating activities |
$ |
(3,792 |
) |
$ |
(4,402 |
) |
||
|
Cash provided by investing activities |
|
230 |
|
|
200 |
|
||
|
Cash provided by financing activities |
|
3,652 |
|
|
3,050 |
|
||
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash |
$ |
90 |
|
$ |
(1,152 |
) |
||
60
Operating Activities
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, operating activities used approximately $3.8 million $4.4 million, respectively, of cash, resulting from our net loss of approximately $6.3 million and $7.4 million, respectively, against net non-cash charges of approximately $1.5 million and $2.4 million, respectively, partially offset by net cash provided by changes in our operating assets and liabilities of approximately $1.0 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
Net cash provided by changes in our operating assets and liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 consisted primarily of an increase in accounts payable of approximately $0.2 million and $0.9 million, respectively, an increase in accrued expenses of approximately $0.0 million and $0.6 million, respectively, an increase in accrued interest of approximately $0.7 million and $0.4 million, respectively, and a decrease in accrued payroll of approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.
Non-cash charges for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were primarily the result of the amortization of debt discount on our convertible debt for an increase in accrued payroll of approximately $1.2 million and $2.1 million, respectively. In addition we recognized non-cash interest expense that was converted to preferred stock and recognized stock owed to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, for an anti-dilution clause in their advisory agreement. Changes in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities and prepaid expenses and other current assets in all periods were generally due to growth in our business, the advancement of our research programs and the timing of vendor invoicing and payments.
Investing Activities
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, net cash provided by investing activities was approximately $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively. This was primarily due to a repayment of shareholder advances.
Financing Activities
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, net cash provided by financing activities was approximately $3.7 million and $3.1 million, respectively. The net cash provided by financing activities in 2022 consisted primarily of net proceeds of approximately $0.38 million from the sale of convertible notes in November 2022. The net cash provided by financing activities in 2021 consisted primarily of net proceeds from the sale of convertible notes of approximately $3.0 million. We also received grants in the aggregate amount of $0.1 million from TEDCO.
Convertible Notes
We have completed five separate private financing transactions from July 2018 to March 2023 in which we issued the Convertible Notes and raised total gross proceeds of $15,253,020 from accredited investors.
The four separate private financings of convertible notes that were completed as of December 31, 2022 are separated into four groups — A, B, C, D and BlinkBio — as indicated in the table below.
|
Group |
Dates of |
Rate |
Maturity |
Collateral |
Conversion |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
Convertible Note |
||||||||||||
|
(in millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
A |
2018 – 2021 |
10 |
% |
3/31/2024 |
None |
87.5% – 100% |
$ |
1.1 |
$ |
1.2 |
$ |
5 to 25 – varies per note |
||||||||
|
B |
2020 – 2021 |
6 |
% |
3/31/2024 |
None |
80% |
$ |
5.2 |
$ |
5.2 |
$ |
19 |
||||||||
|
C |
2021 – 2022 |
6 |
% |
5/31/2024 |
None |
80% |
$ |
3.2 |
$ |
3.8 |
$ |
50 |
||||||||
|
D |
2022 – 2023 |
6 |
% |
11/15/2023 |
None |
50% |
$ |
0.8 |
$ |
2.0 |
$ |
50 |
||||||||
|
BlinkBio |
2020 |
10 |
% |
3/15/2022 |
None |
100% |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
19.2 |
||||||||
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The total accrued interest on the convertible notes listed in the table above was approximately $0.6 million and $1.2 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. The carrying amount and face amount of such convertible notes differ because of the unamortized debt issuance costs and the debt discount (which are amortized over the original term of the instrument) — see accounting policy discussion below. The material terms of each group of Convertible Notes are described below.
Group A Convertible Notes. From July 2018 through November 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $1,154,000 (the “Group A Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors, including related parties. Interest on the unpaid principal balance on the Group A Convertible Notes accrues at a rate of 10% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest on the Group A Convertible Notes are due and payable by us on demand by the holders of such convertible notes at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering). In general, the stated Maturity Date varies from the date of issuance of 2 to 4 years and was extended in April 2022, under the same terms, until March 31, 2024.
The Group A Convertible Notes will automatically convert into shares of our common stock before the effectiveness of this offering. The number of shares of our common stock that to be issued upon the automatic conversion will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Group A Convertible Note on the date of conversion by a percentage between 80% to 87.5%, as applicable, of the initial public offering price per share in this offering. The Group A Convertible Notes have conversion capitalization ceilings that range from $5 million to $25 million, which limits the price a noteholder must pay in a convertible note-to-common stock conversion occurrence. The Group A Convertible Notes will have a conversion price that ranges from $0.40 to $1.98 per share, depending on the applicable valuation ceiling of each note (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
Group B Convertible Notes. From April 2020 through June 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $5,154,000 (the “Group B Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors. Interest on the unpaid principal balance of the Group B Convertible Notes accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest are due and payable by us on demand by the convertible holders of such notes at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering). In general, the stated Maturity Date was March 31, 2022 but was extended in April 2022, under the same terms, until March 31, 2024.
The Group B Convertible Notes will automatically convert into shares of our common stock before the effectiveness of this offering. The number of shares of our common stock that to be issued upon the automatic conversion will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Group B Convertible Note on the date of conversion by 80% of the initial public offering price per share in this offering. The Group B Convertible Notes have a Conversion Capitalization ceiling of $19 million, which limits the price a noteholder must pay in a convertible note-to-common stock conversion occurrence. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group B Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $1.32 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the private placement of the Group B Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 421,941 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.34 per share (the “Group B Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group B Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group B Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
Group C Convertible Notes. From June 2021 through January 2023, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $3,945,020 (the “Group C Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors. Interest on the unpaid principal balance of the Group C Convertible Notes accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest are due and payable by us on demand by the holders of such convertible notes at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering). In general, the stated Maturity Date is May 31, 2024.
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The Group C Convertible Notes will automatically convert into shares of our common stock before the effectiveness of this offering. The number of shares of our common stock that to be issued upon the automatic conversion will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Group C Convertible Note on the date of conversion of this offering by 80% of the initial public offering price per share in this offering. The Group C Convertible Notes have a conversion capitalization ceiling of $50 million, which limits the price a noteholder must pay in a convertible note-to-common stock conversion occurrence. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group C Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.70 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the private placement of the Group C Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 90,556 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.70 per share (the “Group C Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group C Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group C Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
Group D Convertible Notes. In November 2022, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “November 2022 Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors. In March 2023, we issued two convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of $600,000 on the same terms as the November 2022 Convertible Notes (the “March 2023 Convertible Notes” and, together with the November 2022 Convertible Notes, the “Group D Convertible Notes”) to two accredited investor who participated in the November 2022 and the Group C private placements. Interest on the unpaid principal balance of the Group D Convertible Notes accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest are due and payable by us on demand by the holders of such convertible notes at any time after the earlier of (i) November 15, 2023 and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering).
The Group D Convertible Notes will automatically convert into shares of our common stock before the effectiveness of this offering. The number of shares of our common stock that to be issued upon the automatic conversion will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Group D Convertible Note on the date of conversion of this offering by 50% of the initial public offering price per share in this offering. The Group D Convertible Notes have a conversion capitalization ceiling of $50 million, which limits the price a noteholder must pay in a convertible note-to-common stock conversion occurrence. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group D Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.46 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the private placement of the Group D Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 81,301 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.46 per share (the “Group D Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group D Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group D Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
BlinkBio. On August 19, 2020, we issued a convertible note with a principal amount of $2,400,000 (the “BlinkBio Convertible Note”) to BlinkBio, Inc., which is a related party based on Dr. Goddard being our Chairman and as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlinkBio, in exchange for the entry into the license agreement. On March 15, 2021, the principal and unpaid accrued interest of $100,000 of the BlinkBio Convertible Note converted into 1,302,082 shares of our Series A preferred stock and then distributed to BlinkBio stockholders. The BlinkBio Convertible Note had a conversion capitalization ceiling of $19.2 million, which limited the price a noteholder must pay in a convertible note-to-common stock conversion occurrence.
TEDCO Grant. In May 2021, we received the first of two tranches from TEDCO’s Rural & Underserved Business Recovery from Impact of Covid-19 (RUBRIC) Grant in the amount of $50,000. In October 2021, we received the second tranche of $50,000, which brought the total reimbursable grant amount to $100,000. We are obligated to report on and pay to TEDCO 3% of their quarterly revenues for a five-year period following the reward date. Income from grants and investments are not considered revenues. Royalties due to TEDCO are capped at 150% of the amount of the award, or $150,000. We have the option to eliminate the quarterly royalty obligation by making an advance payment prior to the end of the five-year period, in which case, we will receive a 10% reduction of the royalty cap percentage for each year prior to the expiration of the five-year reimbursement period that the grant is repaid in full. If we cease to meet eligibility requirements at any time, the reimbursement obligation will become due to TEDCO immediately; however, the discount for meeting the obligation will still apply.
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Cumulative Preferred Stock Dividend
In 2022, 5,000,000 shares of our preferred stock were authorized, of which 1,400,000 shares were designated as Series A preferred stock, with 1,302,082 shares issued and outstanding. Our preferred stock has a 5% cumulative coupon and liquidation priority above all shares of our common stock. The coupon dividends are computed at 5% of the principal per annum and are recorded monthly. The cumulative accrued dividend at December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $218,750 and $93,750, respectively. Our Series A preferred stock can be converted to common stock on a one-for-one basis.
Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments
We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with our CDMOs, CROs and other third parties to support preclinical research studies and testing and other development activities. These contracts are generally cancellable by us. Payments due upon cancellation consist only of payments for services provided or expenses incurred, including non-cancellable obligations of our service providers, up to the date of cancellation.
License Obligations and Research Services
Advaxis. In November 2020, we entered into an amended and restated development license and supply agreement with Advaxis, Inc. (now Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) (“Advaxis”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of proprietary Lm (Listeria monocytogenes)-LLO (Listeriolysin O) cancer immunotherapies. Pursuant to this agreement, Advaxis granted a license to us that allows us to utilize Advaxis’ ADXS-HER2 construct patents to develop and commercialize ADXS-HER2, our lead product candidate (OST-HER2). Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to Advaxis (i) a one-time, non-refundable payment of $1,550,000 (the “License Commencement Payment”) and (ii) certain amounts based on the achievement of the milestones described in the payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2022, we paid to Advaxis a total of $2,925,000, consisting of (i) the License Commencement Payment for Milestone 1 and (ii) $1,375,000 for Milestone 2. Payments towards the License Commencement Payment have been recorded as licensing expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. We expect to achieve Milestone 3 in June 2024. The payment schedule for milestones and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
Milestone |
Milestone |
||
|
1. OST has secured funding of at least $2,337,500, in the aggregate (paid) |
|
License |
|
|
$ |
1,550,000 |
||
|
2. The earlier to occur of: (A) OST having secured at least $8,000,000, in the aggregate, or (B) completion of the first Clinical Trial (paid) |
$ |
1,375,000 |
|
|
3. The earlier to occur of: (A) receipt of Regulatory Approval from the FDA for the First Indication of the first Licensed Product or (B) initiation of the first Registrational Trial of the first Licensed Product in the Field |
$ |
5,000,000 |
|
|
4. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $20,000,000 |
$ |
1,500,000 |
|
|
5. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $50,000,000 Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in ex |
$ |
5,000,000 |
|
|
6. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $100,000,000 |
$ |
10,000,000 |
|
All milestone payments are non-creditable and non-refundable and are due and payable upon the achievement of the milestone, regardless of any failure by us to provide notice to Advaxis of such achievement.
In addition to the payments upon achievement of the milestones listed in the above payment schedule, we are required to pay to Advaxis a percentage of (a) upfront sublicense fees or (b) clinical or regulatory milestone payment amounts, paid by a sublicensee to us in consideration of a sublicense grant to such sublicensee and (ii) a quarterly royalty of a percentage of net sales of our products containing the ADXS-HER2 constructs.
BlinkBio. In August 2020, we entered into a licensing agreement with BlinkBio, Inc., a privately-held developer of drug conjugate therapies designed to facilitate the treatment of cancer. Pursuant to this agreement, BlinkBio granted a license to us that allows us to utilize BlinkBio’s proprietary technology to develop, manufacture and commercialize
64
certain of our products. BlinkBio granted us an exclusive license for tunable drug conjugates that are directed towards, binds to or modifies the folate receptor alpha and a co-exclusive license for tunable drug conjugates that are directed towards, binds to or modifies any target other than the folate receptor alpha, such as HER2.
Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to BlinkBio (i) an upfront, non-refundable, non-creditable license fee of $300,000 (the “Up-Front Fee”), (ii) a royalty of 6% of net sales of our products that were made using BlinkBio’s proprietary technology, subject to potential reductions on such royalty, and (iii) certain amounts based on the achievement of the milestones described in the payment schedule below.
As of December 31, 2022, we have paid the Up-Front Fee. This payment has been recorded as licensing expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. The payment schedule for milestones and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
Milestone Bearing Event |
Milestone |
||
|
1. License Fee to utilize proprietary technology (paid) |
|
Up-front fee + |
|
|
2. Commencement of a toxicology study commented pursuant to Good Laboratory Practices (under 21 CFR Part 58), such that any resulting positive data would be admissible to applicable Regulatory Authorities to support an IND (commonly referred to as “GLP-Tox”) |
$ |
375,000 |
|
|
3. Completion of a Phase I Clinical Trial |
$ |
1,500,000 |
|
|
4. Completion of a Phase IIb Clinical Trial |
$ |
2,500,000 |
|
|
5. Filing of an NDA, BLA or MAA registration (or the equivalent in any other territory around the world) |
$ |
6,000,000 |
|
|
6. Regulatory Approval in the first of the United States, within the European Union or within the United Kingdom |
$ |
12,000,000 |
|
We are required to make the above cash payments to BlinkBio within 30 days of the achievement of each milestone with respect to the first product to attain each such milestone, except that the first milestone only applies to our first product candidate. The aggregate amount of payments relating to milestones 2 through 6 payable thereunder cannot exceed $22,375,000.
In connection with the license agreement, we also agreed to issue the BlinkBio Convertible Note. See “— Convertible Notes” above for more information on the BlinkBio Convertible Note.
George Clinical. In June 2020, we entered into a services agreement, as amended, with George Clinical, Inc., a clinical contract research organization. Pursuant to this agreement, we engaged George Clinical to use its clinical research services for our study entitled “An Open Label, Phase 2 Study of Maintenance Therapy with OST-HER2 after Resection of Recurrent Osteosarcoma.” Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to George Clinical certain fees described in the fee schedule below. The total budget under the agreement is approximately $2,436,604. As of December 31, 2022, we have paid the first two payments listed in the payment schedule below. These payments have been recorded as research and development expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. The fee schedule for certain fees and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
George Clinical Payment Schedule |
Payment |
||
|
1. Service Fee Advance (paid) |
$ |
49,989 |
|
|
2. Service Fee Advance of $212,335 minus the amount already paid, plus PTC Fee Advance of $31,325 (paid) |
$ |
193,671 |
|
|
3. Statistics Fees – 35% on Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Go Live Date |
$ |
47,740 |
|
|
4. Statistics Fees – 35% on Development of SAP tables |
$ |
47,740 |
|
|
5. Statistics Fees – 30% on Final Analysis |
$ |
40,920 |
|
|
6. Service Fees – Remainder Due |
|
Split monthly |
|
65
George Clinical tracks and invoices us for the number of task units completed and pass-through costs are invoiced each month in arrears based on actual costs without mark-up. The PTC Fee Advance will be used to offset the first few months of invoices payable. As of December 2022, the balance due to George Clinical is $170,990.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates, including interest rates and foreign exchange rates, of financial instruments. However, our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates as our outstanding interest-bearing debt instruments have a fixed rate, and we do not hold any interest-generating securities. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” above.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
A description of recently issued accounting pronouncements that may potentially impact our financial position and results of operations is disclosed in Note 2 to Notes to the Financial Statements appearing at the end of this prospectus.
The JOBS Act
The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company such as us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised financial accounting standards.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of our first fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.235 billion or more; (ii) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the rules of the SEC with at least $700.0 million of outstanding equity securities held by non-affiliates; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the previous three years; or (iv) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering.
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Overview and Mission
OS Therapies Incorporated is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, development and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma (OS) and other solid tumors. Our mission is to address the significant need for new treatments in cancers of the bone in children and young adults. Osteosarcoma is an extremely challenging and often aggressive cancer that has particular treatment challenges due to its location, changing genotypes and high recurrence rates. We are currently seeking to answer the call for new treatments with our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 (also known as OST31-164). We intend to expand our pipeline beyond Osteosarcoma with this product candidate into other solid tumors with the same recurrence mechanism of action, including breast, esophageal and lung cancers. With the addition of our OST-Tunable Drug Conjugate (OST-TDC) platform, which we consider to be a next generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, we will be targeting ovarian, lung and pancreatic cancers. “Tunable” is a term used in drug development that refers to the properties that can be influenced by chemical modifications, and “antibody-drug conjugate” or ADC is a term used to describe a drug made up of a monoclonal antibody attached to a cytotoxic payload, or a highly active and toxic pharmaceutical molecule, through chemical linkers. The ADC links an antibody that can home in on a targeted tumor like and deploy the cytotoxic payload or toxic agent against the tumor. Furthering our founding mission, we also intend to investigate clinical indications for OST-TDC in Osteosarcoma.
We believe that there have not been any new treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Osteosarcoma for more than 40 years. In humans, Osteosarcoma is an extremely rare cancer that primarily affects children, teenagers and young adults generally under 40 years of age. We are not aware of any competing adjuvant therapy for Osteosarcoma to be tested in children that is further along in the development process than OST-HER2. This disease is difficult to diagnose. The standard of care following first line therapies is simply to screen and wait for possible recurrence/metastasis, or the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, “Osteosarcoma Relapse After Combined Modality Therapy: An Analysis of Unselected Patients in the Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS),” by Kempf-Bielack B., et al. (January 2005), and “Second and Subsequent Recurrences of Osteosarcoma: Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of 249 Consecutive Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group Patients,” by Bielack S., et al. (February 2009), reported that recurrence/metastasis happens in approximately half of all patients within 12 to 18 months following initial remittance. For those patients that experience recurrence, metastasis is typically to the lungs and brain, with survival rates of approximately 13% over the next year, according to these studies.
Pipeline of Our Product Candidates
We have built a pipeline of product candidates targeting multiple indications for solid cancers. Our pipeline includes two drug technologies: (i) OST-HER2, an off-the-shelf immunotherapy, which is a type of cancer treatment that helps one’s immune system fight cancer, comprised of a genetically weakened and modified strain of Listeria monocytogenes, or a species of bacteria that causes the infection listeriosis, that expresses HER2 peptides, and (ii) OST-TDC, a next generation tunable ADC with a plug-and-play platform that features tunable pH sensitive silicone linkers (SiLinkers). The payloads can include antibodies, chemotherapeutics, cytotoxins and potentially mRNA treatments directly into and in the vicinity of solid tumors.
OST-HER2 (OST31-164). Our most advanced product candidate, OST-HER2, is a genetically engineered strain of Listeria monocytogenes, attenuated for reduced virulence, increased antibiotic susceptibility and the expression of three HER2 protein epitopes fused to immune-enhancing peptides on the membrane of the bacteria. OST-HER2 has received an orphan drug designation in the United States. The FDA may designate a biologic product as an orphan product if it is intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which generally is defined as having a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. Osteosarcoma has an incidence rate of new cases of approximately 1,000 individuals affected per year in the United States. Orphan product designation, subject to limited exceptions, can provide a period of market exclusivity for a product that is the first to receive marketing approval for the designated indication. Other potential indications may include breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumors. In August 2021, OST-HER2 was awarded rare pediatric disease designation and previously received fast track designation by the FDA. Such designations by the FDA do not convey any advantages or shorten the duration of the regulatory review or approval process.
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OST-TDC. Our tunable drug conjugate (TDC) platform is currently in preclinical development. Each TDC contains four main components: ligand, payload cassette adaptor, linker and payload. In addition, TDCs contain units to optimize physicochemical properties. The ligands are selected to bind to receptors overexpressed on cancer cells. Upon binding, the TDC construct gets internalized into the cancer cell, where the payload is released, to cause cell death. The payload cassette adaptors enable the stoichiometrical attachments of linkers and payloads. The SiLinkers represent a novel and pH-sensitive linker system. The SiLinker release profile can be tuned with proximal functional groups, resulting in payload release in the endosome, lysosome or the slightly acidic tumor microenvironment. The SiLinker system is compatible with a variety of payloads and not limited to the employment of cytotoxic drug delivery. The first set of internal programs focus on the use of SiLinker and conditionally active payloads (CAPs™) drug products. CAPs are cytotoxic drugs which on their own, due to their functional groups, cannot readily permeate cells at physiological pH; however, at the slightly acidic pH of the tumor-microenvironment, after some linker cleavage, these payloads readily permeate into cancer cells, resulting in an enhanced bystander effect. Our lead program targets folate receptor alpha, a protein expressed on the surface of cells that participates in cell signaling, as well as cellular replication and division, and is overexpressed in multiple cancers such as ovarian and endometrial cancers. The lead compound employs folic acid, a small molecule, as the targeting ligands and contains six exatecan-silanols, which is a type of silanol-based cytotoxic payload, as payloads. This discovery work is being carried out at Syngene International Limited, an integrated contract research organization (CRO) based in Bangalore, India.
From time to time, we may evaluate collaboration opportunities for our product candidates. We expect to work opportunistically with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as we have done with BlinkBio, Inc. by in-licensing the OST-TDC technology, seeking to utilize our technology and know-how for developing additional oncologic drug products. The following table summarizes information regarding our product candidates and development programs.

In addition to our development of OST-HER2 for multiple indications of solid cancers in humans, OST-HER2 is a product candidate for veterinary use in canines. We hold a conditional license for OST-HER2 granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which allows OST-HER2 to be commercialized but its use is limited to the treatment of dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma that are one year of age or older. As part of our growth strategies following this offering, we intend to consider potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for such use. See “OS-Focused Clinical Trials and Studies — Preclinical Animal Study” for more information.
Our OS-Focused Clinical Trials and Studies
We and our licensors have conducted a number of clinical trials and studies in the field of Osteosarcoma and Tunable Drug Conjugates to date.
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Phase IIb Clinical Trial. In July 2021, a Phase IIb clinical trial to treat Osteosarcoma in humans was commenced and sponsored by us and conducted by George Clinical, Inc., our clinical research services provider, utilizing our OST-HER2 product candidate. The course of the trial involves a regimen of 16 infusions of OST-HER2 administered over 48 weeks to eligible patients from ages 12 to 39 years, of which 36 of 45 patients have already been enrolled. Enrollment remains ongoing and the Phase IIb trial is being conducted at major hospitals across 21 sites in 18 states. The primary outcome measures are the relative proportion of patients experiencing event-free (recurrence-free) survival at 12 months compared to historical controls by evaluating the patients for recurrence every 3 months, consistent with the standard of care. The secondary outcome measures are overall survival of patients for three years compared to the three-year overall survival of historical controls, which will be evaluated by assessing patients every three months over the course of three years, and the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events as assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade 5, the safety of which will be assessed throughout the treatment period of 48 weeks with assessments of potential persistence of the vector every three months and continuing for three years after treatment. CTCAE is a method to categorize adverse events across all clinical trials of five grades, with Grade 5 being death. No CTCAE Grade 5 (death) treatment emergent results have been observed to date. The expected completion date of OST-HER2’s Phase IIb clinical trial is late 2024. Our present statistical action plan does not anticipate an announcement of preliminary or topline data prior to our expected trial completion date in late 2024. Announcement of any data prior to trial completion is at the discretion of the independent lead principal investigator of the trial, in consultation with the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee, which is responsible for monitoring the trial’s progress and ensuring that participant safety is maintained.
We plan to submit a new drug application (NDA) with the FDA for approval to market the drug candidate following the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial if there is sufficiently positive endpoint data from such trial supporting the safety and efficacy of the drug candidate. We expect that it will take six to eight months from the completion of the Phase IIb clinical trial, subject to the receipt of sufficiently positive endpoint data, to compile and file the NDA with the FDA for marketing approval. The FDA generally takes six to ten months to complete its review of an NDA, subject to any FDA request for additional information. We believe that it remains uncertain whether a Phase III clinical trial will be necessary for the advancement of OST-HER2 through the regulatory approval process. We will not know whether a Phase III trial will be required until we receive a determination from the FDA following the filing of an NDA for marketing approval as to whether the results of our ongoing Phase IIb trial provided sufficiently positive endpoint data.
Phase Ib Clinical Trial. From September 2015 to May 2017, a Phase Ib trial to treat Osteosarcoma in humans was sponsored and conducted by Advaxis, Inc. (now Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) (“Advaxis”) utilizing ADXS-HER2 (also known as ADXS31-164), the patents of which we in-license to develop and commercialize our lead core product candidate, OST-HER2. The Phase Ib was a multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation study designed to estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and determine the recommended Phase II dose of ADXS-HER2. The trial was conducted at hospitals in Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. The course of the trial involved injecting 12 adult patients with HER2 expressing solid tumors with escalating doses of ADXS-HER2 every three weeks during a 12-week treatment cycle. Following the last dose of study treatment, all 12 patients participated in a three-year Listeria monocytogenes surveillance period. The primary outcome measures were the number of patients with dose-limiting toxicities for each dose level as assessed by the CTCAE Grade 4 (time frame: four months), with Grade 4 being life threatening, and the frequency and severity of adverse effects as assessed by CTCAE Grade 4 (time frame: three years). The secondary outcome measures were proportion of patients who have objective tumor response (complete or partial) evaluated by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 and RECIST-based immune criteria (ir-RECIST), as well as changes in clinical immunology based upon serum, which were measured and evaluated by collection of peripheral blood for preparation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum at baseline, prior to each treatment and post-treatment in the first treatment cycle only. The results of this study were primarily intended to describe the safety and tolerability of ADXS-HER2. This study was not intended to contribute to the evaluation of the effectiveness of ADXS-HER2 for the treatment of patients with a history of HER2 expressing tumors. Overall, the data presented from this Phase Ib trial demonstrated that ADXS-HER2 IV infusion at the dose of 1×109 CFU appeared to be well tolerated in 12 subjects treated and evaluable with no evidence of dose-limiting toxicities. No objective tumor responses (complete or partial) were observed in this late stage, heavily pre-treated patient cohort. Based on the data presented, the recommended Phase II dose of ADXS-HER2 was determined to be 1x109 CFU as it was well tolerated.
Preclinical Animal Study. From July 2012 to September 2015, a preclinical study to treat Osteosarcoma in 18 companion canines (sometimes referred to as a Phase I animal trial) was sponsored and conducted by a previous licensee of Advaxis utilizing ADXS-HER2, the product candidate of Advaxis, from whom we in-license patents for ADXS-HER2 constructs that enable us to develop OST-HER2. The results showed, in the setting of minimal residual disease where there is a very small number of cancer cells remaining in the body during or after initial treatment, significant improvements in overall survival and metastatic disease progression when compared to an historical
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control group with Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-positive (HER2) appendicular Osteosarcoma, a well-recognized spontaneous model for pediatric Osteosarcoma, treated with amputation and chemotherapy alone. In September 2016, the study results, published in the journal, Clinical Cancer Research, “Immunotherapy with a HER2-Targeting Listeria Induces HER2-Specific Immunity and Demonstrates Potential Therapeutic Effects in a Phase I Trial in Canine Osteosarcoma,” by Mason, N. et al. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26994144/), indicated that ADXS-HER2 significantly increased the duration of survival time and one-, two- and three-year survival rates and significantly reduced the incidence of metastatic disease (the spread of cancer cells from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host’s body) when compared with the historical control group. The overall survival rates at one, two and three years for dogs treated with ADXS-HER2 were 77.8%, 67% and 56%, respectively, compared to 55%, 28% and 22%, respectively, for the historical control group. The median survival time (MST) for the historical control group was 423 days, which was significantly shorter than the 956 days for ADXS-HER2–treated dogs (p=0.014, HR 0.33; 95% confidence intervals; CI, 0.136–0.802). The study also noted the important translational relevance of the findings for children with Osteosarcoma. This study for canine Osteosarcoma indications constituted preclinical work as it relates to our development of OST-HER2 to treat Osteosarcoma in humans.
In analyzing preclinical study results, a p-value is used to determine the probability as to whether the difference between two data sets is due to chance. The smaller the p-value, the more likely the differences are not due to chance alone. In general, if the p-value is less than or equal to 0.05, the outcome is considered statistically significant. The FDA’s evidentiary standard of efficacy generally relies on a p-value of less than or equal to 0.05. A p-value greater than 0.05 is considered statistically non-significant. As shown above, the results of this preclinical study were statistically significant compared to the historical control group.
Following the study, an application for the use of ADXS-HER2, our OST-HER2, in the treatment of canine Osteosarcoma was submitted to the USDA. In December 2017, ADXS-HER2 was granted a conditional license by the USDA. Because we are the current licensee of ADXS-HER2 constructs, we hold the conditional license previously granted to ADXS-HER2 for OST-HER2. The conditional license allows for commercialization but limits the use of OST-HER2 to treat dogs, one year of age and older, diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. To receive full licensure, the USDA requires the submission of additional data that further describes the effects of OST-HER2 on metabolism and shedding in canines and provides substantial evidence of the safety, purity, potency and effectiveness of OST-HER2. We do not intend to pursue full licensure from the USDA at this time. We are considering potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for the treatment of dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, one year of age and older. In the event that we determine to out-license OST-HER2 to animal health companies, the animal health companies will be responsible for obtaining full licensure from the USDA for OST-HER2 in order to market and sell the product candidate for use in dogs with Osteosarcoma without any limitation.
Preclinical Development. Our OST-HER2 product candidate for breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumor indications is currently in preclinical development. Whether additional preclinical trials will be required will depend on several factors, including the outcome of our ongoing Phase IIb clinical trial, the inclusion or exclusion of breast, esophageal, lung or other solid tumor indications in any follow-on study, or master protocol, to the Phase IIb clinical trial and the FDA’s determination of whether the preclinical data is sufficient to support the safety and efficacy of the drug. Although we cannot be certain, we believe that OST-HER2 may not require additional preclinical development before progressing to human clinical trials for breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumor indications if the results of our ongoing Phase IIb clinical trial have sufficiently positive endpoint data as determined by the FDA.
Our OST-TDC product candidate for all indications is also currently in preclinical development. We will need to conduct further preclinical trials for OST-TDC prior to the submission of an investigational new drug application (IND) in order to pursue clinical trials with these candidates. Such preclinical trials are expected to include pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, two-week dose finding toxicology studies in vivo (on living cell lines or in living animals), as well as good laboratory practice (GLP) trials ensuring stability, potency and purity of the IND product candidate.
Our Technology Platform
We are in the process of building a fully integrated platform technology to accelerate the development of a range of product candidates across multiple therapeutic areas. Our platform technology is intended to leverage our management’s in-depth experience in immunotherapy research, development and manufacturing to enable us to pursue multiple therapeutic targets. Our scientists and scientific advisors have accumulated decades of collective experience in the field of immunotherapy, oncology and small-molecule drug production, contributing key insights and significant achievement in our clinical development process.
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Our Core Values
Our company’s three core values are:
• Patient Impact. We care deeply about what we are building to change the future for patients. We are developing therapies for significant unmet medical need.
• Empowerment. We are all responsible for delivering on our mission to develop new medicines for patients: listen, speak up and engage.
• Collaboration. We know that we are better together and thrive when we challenge each other to find a better way for patients.
Our Growth Strategies
Our goal is to enrich and lengthen the lives of patients by being a leading, fully integrated biotechnology company. We are seeking to develop, manufacture and commercialize multiple product candidates targeting orphan and non-orphan oncologic diseases across multiple tissue types and therapeutic areas. To achieve our goal, we are pursuing the following growth strategies:
• Consider potentially out-licensing OST-HER2 to animal health companies for veterinary use to treat dogs diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, one year of age or older.
• Obtain marketing approval for OST-HER2 in Osteosarcoma, then quickly pivot to a master protocol within breast, esophageal, lung and other solid tumors where metastases express HER2 that could be targeted by immune cells.
• Conclude pre-clinical and toxicology trials with the lead drug candidate for OST-TDC (OST-TDC-A, Exatecan-silanol-FRa), and file for an investigational new drug application (IND) to initiate a Phase I trial in ovarian cancer and other folate receptor alpha overexpressing cancers like endometrial cancer and some osteosarcomas. We believe that positive results from preclinical two-week and good laboratory practice (GLP) toxicology studies may also stimulate potential out-licensing activity of SiLinker and CAPs drug products, while not limiting therapeutic development.
• Establish global commercial and medical affairs capabilities for OST-HER2 based therapies.
Expansion Opportunities
We believe opportunities may exist from time to time to expand our current business through acquisitions or in-licenses of complementary products or technologies or acquisitions of companies with complementary products or technologies. While we have current collaborative agreements in place, we believe in an opportunistic approach to collaboration and licensing; thus, we expect to operate in a manner that is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, including potential acquisitions and partnerships.
We are also aware of increased acquisition and licensing interest from large pharmaceutical firms in biotechnology companies developing antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, technology as a relatively new kind of cancer therapy. In the article, “Seagen Cancer Therapy Draws Suitors” (March 7, 2023), The Wall Street Journal reported that driving this interest, according to analysts, is the potential for ADCs to capture a chunk of the worldwide cancer market. Technical advances by combining the ADCs with widely used cancer agents like immunotherapies have also opened up exploring various potential cancer applications, according to the article.
The expected use of the net proceeds from this offering for development of our current product candidates represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions, which could change in the future as our plans and business conditions evolve. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly depending on numerous factors, including the progress of our development, the status of, and results from, clinical trials and the potential need to conduct additional clinical trials to obtain approval of our product candidates for all intended indications, as well as any additional collaborations that we may enter into with third parties for our product candidates and any unforeseen cash needs. As a result, our management will retain broad discretion over the allocation of the net proceeds from this offering.
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Based on our planned use of the net proceeds from this offering and our existing cash, we estimate that such funds will be sufficient to enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements over the next 12 to 18 months. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.
Our Scientific Collaborations
Scientific Collaborators. We collaborate with experts and physicians to help advance our programs and, together, we are focused on translational strategies to support the clinical study of our new therapy candidates. These collaborations support our goals to translate deep expertise in structure-based drug design into a novel portfolio of precisely targeted therapies. We strive to address medical needs for patients with cancer harboring resistance mutations in driver kinases using technology originally developed at the University of Pennsylvania under the guidance of Dr. Robert G. Petit, our Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. Our partnering approach with physician-scientists allows us to understand the limitations of existing therapies, which we believe will lead to product candidates that address the dual needs of treatment resistance and kinase selectivity. OST-HER2’s compositions and methods of use are covered by three granted U.S. utility patents and one granted Japanese patent that we in-license through our development license and supply agreement with Advaxis and were developed at the University of Pennsylvania and are owned by the University of Pennsylvania, either jointly with Advaxis or solely by the University. See “Our Licensing Agreements — Advaxis” and “Our Intellectual Property” below.
Scientific Advisory Board. We have established a scientific advisory board comprised of seven members with extensive experience in the field of oncology. Our scientific advisors include researchers who publish widely cited research on topics relevant to the study and treatment of cancer, lead clinical units at experienced precision medicine cancer centers in the United States and are actively involved in our drug development process and programs. Our scientific advisory board meets periodically with our board of directors and management to discuss matters relating to our business activities and to establish commercial business alliances. Members of our scientific advisory board are reimbursed by us for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with serving on our advisory board.
Some of the members of our advisory board may serve as consultants under consulting agreements for which they will receive compensation. To date, however, none of our advisory board members have served as consultants to us and we have not entered into any consulting agreements with any of them. To our knowledge, none of our advisory board members has any conflict of interest between their obligations to us and their obligations to others. Hospitals and medical centers with which advisory board members are involved may in the future have commercial relationships with us.
Our scientific advisory board currently includes the following physicians and their professional affiliations:
• Nabil M. Ahmed, MD — Texas Children’s Hospital
• Peter M. Anderson, MD — Cleveland Clinic
• Doug S. Hawkins, MD — Seattle Children’s Hospital
• Meenakshi Hedge, MD — Texas Children’s Hospital
• Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD — University of California San Francisco
• Brenda Weigel, MD — Masonic Cancer Center — University of Minnesota
• Felasfa M. Wodajo, MD — Inova Fairfax Hospital, Virginia
We have also established collaborations through service agreements with global CROs to provide scale and expertise in research chemistry, chemical manufacturing, biology, pharmacology and toxicology, and clinical studies.
Our Licensing Agreements
Advaxis. In November 2020, we entered into an amended and restated development license and supply agreement with Advaxis, pursuant to which Advaxis granted a license to us that allows us to utilize Advaxis’ ADXS-HER2 construct patents to develop and commercialize ADXS-HER2, our lead product candidate (OST-HER2). Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to Advaxis (i) a one-time, non-refundable payment of $1,550,000 (the “License Commencement Payment”) and (ii) certain amounts based on the achievement of the milestones described in the
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payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2022, we paid to Advaxis a total of $2,925,000, consisting of (i) the License Commencement Payment for Milestone 1 and (ii) $1,375,000 for Milestone 2. Payments towards the License Commencement Payment have been recorded as licensing expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. We expect to achieve Milestone 3 in June 2024. The payment schedule for milestones and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
Milestone |
Milestone |
||
|
1. OST has secured funding of at least $2,337,500, in the aggregate (paid) |
|
License commencement payment: |
|
|
$ |
1,550,000 |
||
|
2. The earlier to occur of: (A) OST having secured at least $8,000,000, in the aggregate, or (B) completion of the first Clinical Trial (paid) |
$ |
1,375,000 |
|
|
3. The earlier to occur of: (A) receipt of Regulatory Approval from the FDA for the First Indication of the first Licensed Product or (B) initiation of the first Registrational Trial of the first Licensed Product in the Field |
$ |
5,000,000 |
|
|
4. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $20,000,000 |
$ |
1,500,000 |
|
|
5. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $50,000,000 Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products |
$ |
5,000,000 |
|
|
6. Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of $100,000,000 |
$ |
10,000,000 |
|
All milestone payments are non-creditable and non-refundable and are due and payable upon the achievement of the milestone, regardless of any failure by us to provide notice to Advaxis of such achievement.
In addition to the payments upon achievement of the milestones listed in the above payment schedule, we are required to pay to Advaxis a percentage of (a) upfront sublicense fees or (b) clinical or regulatory milestone payment amounts, paid by a sublicensee to us in consideration of a sublicense grant to such sublicensee and (ii) a quarterly royalty of a percentage of net sales of our products containing the ADXS-HER2 constructs.
BlinkBio. In August 2020, we entered into a licensing agreement with BlinkBio, Inc., pursuant to which BlinkBio granted a license to us that allows us to utilize BlinkBio’s proprietary technology to develop, manufacture and commercialize certain of our products. BlinkBio granted us an exclusive license for TDC’s that are directed towards, binds to or modifies the folate receptor alpha and a co-exclusive license for TDC’s that are directed towards, binds to or modifies any target other than the folate receptor alpha, such as HER2.
Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to BlinkBio (i) an upfront, non-refundable, non-creditable license fee of $300,000 (the “Up-Front Fee”), (ii) a royalty of 6% of net sales of our products that were made using BlinkBio’s proprietary technology, subject to potential reductions on such royalty, and (iii) certain amounts based on the achievement of the milestones described in the payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2022, we have paid the Up-Front Fee. This payment has been recorded as licensing expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. The payment schedule for milestones and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
Milestone Bearing Event |
Milestone |
||
|
1. License Fee to utilize proprietary technology (paid) |
|
Up-front fee + $2.4 million Convertible Note |
|
|
2. Commencement of a toxicology study commented pursuant to Good Laboratory Practices (under 21 CFR Part 58), such that any resulting positive data would be admissible to applicable Regulatory Authorities to support an IND (commonly referred to as “GLP-Tox”) |
$ |
375,000 |
|
|
3. Completion of a Phase I Clinical Trial |
$ |
1,500,000 |
|
|
4. Completion of a Phase IIb Clinical Trial |
$ |
2,500,000 |
|
|
5. Filing of an NDA, BLA or MAA registration (or the equivalent in any other territory around the world) |
$ |
6,000,000 |
|
|
6. Regulatory Approval in the first of the United States, within the European Union or within the United Kingdom |
$ |
12,000,000 |
|
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We are required to make the above cash payments to BlinkBio within 30 days of the achievement of each milestone with respect to the first product to attain each such milestone, except that the first milestone only applies to our first product candidate. The aggregate amount of payments relating to milestones 2 through 6 payable thereunder cannot exceed $22,375,000.
In connection with the license agreement, we also agreed to issue the BlinkBio Convertible Note. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Convertible Notes” for more information on the BlinkBio Convertible Note.
Our Research Services Agreement
George Clinical. In June 2020, we entered into a services agreement, as amended, with George Clinical, Inc., a clinical contract research organization. Pursuant to this agreement, we engaged George Clinical to use its clinical research services for our study entitled “An Open Label, Phase 2 Study of Maintenance Therapy with OST-HER2 after Resection of Recurrent Osteosarcoma.” Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to pay to George Clinical certain fees described in the fee schedule below. The total budget under the agreement is approximately $2,436,604. As of December 31, 2022, we have paid the first two payments listed in the payment schedule below. These payments have been recorded as research and development expenses in our Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2021. The fee schedule for certain fees and corresponding payment amounts is set forth below.
|
George Clinical Payment Schedule |
Payment |
||
|
1. Service Fee Advance (paid) |
$ |
49,989 |
|
|
2. Service Fee Advance of $212,335 minus the amount already paid, plus PTC Fee Advance of $31,325 (paid) |
$ |
193,671 |
|
|
3. Statistics Fees – 35% on Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Go Live Date |
$ |
47,740 |
|
|
4. Statistics Fees – 35% on Development of SAP tables |
$ |
47,740 |
|
|
5. Statistics Fees – 30% on Final Analysis |
$ |
40,920 |
|
|
6. Service Fees – Remainder Due |
|
Split monthly over course of study |
|
Our Intellectual Property
Our commercial success depends in part on our ability and the ability of those third parties from whom we in-license patents to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection in the United States and other countries for our current or future product candidates, including our lead core product candidate OST-HER2, our other core product candidate OST-TDC, our non-core product candidates, our proprietary compound library and other know-how. We seek to protect our proprietary and intellectual property position by, among other methods, in-licensing patents and patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our proprietary technology, inventions and improvements that are important to the development and implementation of our business. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our proprietary and intellectual property position.
We do not currently own any issued patents. We in-license patents and patent applications related to our lead core product candidate OST-HER2 and our other core product candidate OST-TDC. The OST-HER2 product candidate and methods of use are covered by three granted U.S. utility patents and one granted Japanese patent, which is directed to non-human indications. The patents are expected to expire between 2030 and 2031, not including any patent term extension. There are 37 pending foreign patent applications in various jurisdictions, including without limitation China, the European Union, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea, which are expected to expire in 2035 if granted, not including any patent term extension. The OST-TDC product candidate is covered by five granted U.S. utility patents, one granted Australian patent and one granted Japanese patent. Of these granted patents, one U.S. utility patent, the Australian patent and the Japanese patent are for methods of use of silicon based drug conjugates. The other four U.S. utility patents are for silanol based therapeutic payloads. The patents are expected to expire between 2036 and 2037, not including any patent term extension. There are 16 pending foreign patent applications in various jurisdictions, including without limitation Australia, Canada, China, the European Union and Japan, that are expected to expire between 2036 and 2037, if granted, not including any patent term extension. These foreign patent applications are a combination of composition of matter patents for novel products and method of use patents for new uses of known products.
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We also rely on trade secrets and know-how relating to our proprietary technology and product candidates and continuing innovation to develop, strengthen and maintain our proprietary position in the field of oncology. Our future plans also include reliance on data exclusivity, market exclusivity and patent term extensions when available.
The degree of patent protection we require to successfully commercialize our current or future product candidates may be unavailable or severely limited in some cases and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. We cannot provide any assurances that any of the patents that we in-license have, or that any of such pending patent applications that mature into issued patents will include, claims with a scope sufficient to protect OST-HER2 and OST-TDC or our other current or future product candidates. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by such patent applications or any patents we may in-license is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates.
Our ability to stop third parties from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing products identical or similar to ours will depend on the extent to which we have rights under valid and enforceable patents, trade secrets or other intellectual property rights that cover these activities. The patent rights of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies like ours are generally uncertain and can involve complex legal, scientific and factual issues. Our and any future licensor’s current and future patent applications may not result in the issuance of any patent in any particular jurisdiction, and the claims of any current or future issued patents, even if those claims are valid and enforceable, may not provide sufficient protection from competitors. Any owned or in-licensed patent rights we may obtain may not enable us to prevent others from replicating, manufacturing, using or administering our product candidates for any indication. Moreover, the coverage initially claimed in a patent application may be significantly reduced before a patent is issued, and a patent’s scope can be reinterpreted after issuance. In addition, any patent we may own or in-license may be challenged, circumvented or invalidated by third parties. As a result, we cannot ensure that any of our product candidates will be protected by valid and enforceable patents. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property” for a more comprehensive description of risks related to our intellectual property.
Our Commercialization Strategy
We intend to retain significant development and commercial rights to our product candidates and, if marketing approval is obtained, to commercialize our product candidates on our own, or potentially with a partner, in the United States and other regions. We currently have no sales, marketing or commercial product distribution capabilities. We intend to build the necessary infrastructure and capabilities over time for the United States, and potentially other regions, following further advancement of our product candidates. We believe that such a focused sales and marketing organization will be able to address the community of oncologists who are the key specialists in treating the patient populations for which our product candidates are being developed. Clinical data, the size of the addressable patient population and the size of the commercial infrastructure and manufacturing needs may all influence or alter our commercialization plans. The responsibilities of the marketing organization would include developing educational initiatives with respect to approved products and establishing relationships with researchers and practitioners in relevant fields of medicine.
Our Future Manufacturing
We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities. We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical testing, as well as for commercial manufacturing if any of our product candidates obtain marketing approval. We also rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to package, label, store and distribute our investigational product candidates, as well as our commercial products if marketing approval is obtained.
We believe that this strategy allows us to maintain a more efficient infrastructure by eliminating the need for us to invest in our own manufacturing facilities, equipment, and personnel while also enabling us to focus our expertise and resources on the development of our product candidates.
All of our product candidates are small molecules and are manufactured in synthetic processes from available starting materials. The chemistry appears amenable to scale-up and does not currently require unusual equipment in the manufacturing process. We expect to continue to develop product candidates that can be produced cost-effectively at contract manufacturing facilities.
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Currently, the OST-HER2 active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) (e.g., clinical drug substance) are manufactured in accordance with GMPs. The drug product formulation is being developed with the goal of producing lyophilized therapeutics with consistent and immediate release dissolution profiles that can be reproducibly manufactured using automated equipment. All manufacturing activities for the OST-HER2 drug product are performed in accordance with GMPs. We currently rely on these vendors as single-source contract manufacturing organizations.
We are in the process of developing our supply chain for each of our product candidates and intend to put in place framework agreements under which third party Wacker Chemie AG, a chemical manufacturer, will generally provide us with necessary quantities of API and drug product on a project-by-project basis based on our development needs.
As we advance our product candidates through development, we will explore adding backup suppliers for the OST-TDC and drug product for each of our product candidates to protect against any potential supply disruptions.
We generally expect to rely on third parties for the manufacture of any companion diagnostics that we may develop.
Government Regulation
Our current or future product candidates and the activities associated with their development and commercialization, including their design, testing, manufacture, safety, efficacy, recordkeeping, labeling, storage, approval, advertising, promotion, sale, distribution, import and export are subject to comprehensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the United States and by comparable authorities in other countries.
Preclinical Studies and IND
The preclinical developmental stage generally involves laboratory evaluations of drug chemistry, formulation and stability, as well as studies to evaluate toxicity in animals, which support subsequent clinical testing. The sponsor must submit the results of the preclinical studies, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, any available clinical data or literature and a proposed clinical protocol, to the FDA as part of the IND. An IND is a request for authorization from the FDA to administer an investigational product to humans, and must become effective before human clinical trials may begin.
Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluation of product chemistry and formulation, as well as in vitro and animal studies to assess the potential for adverse events and in some cases to establish a rationale for therapeutic use. The conduct of preclinical studies is subject to federal regulations and requirements, including GLP regulations for safety/toxicology studies. An IND sponsor must submit the results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, any available clinical data or literature, and plans for clinical trials, among other things, to the FDA as part of an IND. Some long-term preclinical testing, such as animal tests of reproductive adverse events and carcinogenicity, may continue after the IND is submitted. An IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless before that time the FDA raises concerns or questions related to one or more proposed clinical trials and places the trial on clinical hold. In such a case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before the clinical trial can begin. As a result, submission of an IND may not result in the FDA allowing clinical trials to commence.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials must be conducted: (i) in compliance with federal regulations; (ii) in compliance with good clinical practice (“GCP”) an international standard intended to protect the rights and health of patients and to define the roles of clinical trial sponsors, investigators, and monitors; and (iii) under protocols detailing the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. Clinical trials are typically conducted at geographically diverse clinical trial sites and are designed to permit the FDA to evaluate the overall benefit-risk relationship of the drug and to provide adequate information for the labeling of the drug when considering whether a drug satisfies the statutory standard for commercialized. Clinical trials must be approved in the United States by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”), an appropriately constituted group that has been formally designated to review and monitor biomedical research involving human subjects and which has the authority to approve, require modifications in, or disapprove research to protect the rights, safety and welfare of the human research subject. In other countries, clinical trials may be subject to review and approval by ethics boards similar to IRBs.
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The FDA may order the temporary, or permanent, discontinuation of a clinical trial at any time, or impose other sanctions, if it believes that the clinical trial either is not being conducted in accordance with the FDA requirements or presents an unacceptable risk to the clinical trial patients. An IRB may also require the clinical trial it has approved to be halted, either temporarily or permanently, for failure to comply with the IRB’s requirements, or may impose other conditions or sanctions.
The FDA’s current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) apply to drug product candidates in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials; thus, the product candidates in those trials must be manufactured in compliance with cGMPs.
Marketing Approval
Before we can commercialize any of our current or future product candidates, we must obtain marketing approval. We have not received approval to market any of our current product candidates. We expect to rely on third-party CROs and/or regulatory consultants to assist us in this process. Securing regulatory approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to the various regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication and line of treatment to establish the product candidate’s safety and efficacy. Securing regulatory approval also requires the submission of information about the drug manufacturing process to, and further requires inspection of manufacturing facilities by, the relevant regulatory authority.
The process required by the FDA before biopharmaceuticals may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
• nonclinical laboratory and, at times, animal tests;
• adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug for its intended use or uses;
• pre-approval inspection of manufacturing facilities and some clinical trial sites; and
• FDA approval of a new drug application (“NDA”), which must occur before a drug or biologic product can be marketed or sold.
We are not permitted to market our current or future product candidates until we receive approval of an NDA from the FDA in the United States or a marketing authorization application from the European Medicines Agency in the European Economic Area or until we receive approval of comparable agencies in other foreign countries.
Post-Market Requirements
If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves any of our current or future product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and recordkeeping for the drug will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration, as well as continued compliance with cGMPs and Good Clinical Practices (“GCPs”) for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval. Any regulatory approvals that we receive for our current or future product candidates may also be subject to limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the drug may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing testing, including Phase IV clinical trials, and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the drug. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a drug, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with our third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in, among other things:
• restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the drug, withdrawal of the drug from the market, or drug recalls;
• fines, warning or other letters or holds on clinical trials;
• refusal by the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications filed by us, or suspension or revocation of drug license approvals;
• drug seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of drugs; and
• injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
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In order to produce our product candidates for clinical trials and our products, if any, for commercial purposes, either at our own facility or at a third-party’s facility, we and our third party vendors will need to comply with the FDA’s cGMP regulations and guidelines. As part of our ongoing quality and process improvement efforts, we conducted a gap analysis of our cGMP quality system and it identified certain key areas for necessary remediation, including with regard to documentation requirements. We are subject to inspections by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities to confirm compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Animal Health Products
Certain U.S. federal regulatory agencies are charged with oversight and regulatory authority of animal health products in the United States. These agencies, depending on the product and its intended use, may include the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”). The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (“CVM”) regulates animal pharmaceuticals under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. The EPA is responsible for regulating pesticides, which include some products used for controlling pests and diseases in animals.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. The regulation of veterinary biologics is overseen by the USDA, specifically the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) and the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics (“CVB”). The APHIS and CVB are responsible for regulating veterinary vaccines and some biologics pursuant to the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act. The APHIS is responsible for protecting animal health by regulating the importation, interstate movement and environmental release of veterinary biologics. This includes overseeing the importation and exportation of veterinary biologics, issuing permits for the movement of these products across state lines, and regulating the release of genetically engineered veterinary biologics into the environment. The CVB is responsible for ensuring the safety, purity, potency and efficacy of veterinary biologics, including vaccines, diagnostics, and other biologics used in animals. The CVB evaluates the safety and efficacy of these products before granting them approval for use in animals. The CVB also oversees the manufacturing, testing, labeling and distribution of veterinary biologics and monitors their ongoing safety and effectiveness.
USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics. The CVB reviews and approves applications for veterinary biologics, including vaccines, immunomodulators, diagnostic kits and other biologic products. The CVB evaluates the safety, efficacy and quality of each product and grants licenses for products that meet the necessary regulatory requirements. The licensure process for veterinary biologics involves several key steps, including:
• Pre-License Evaluation. Before a veterinary biologic can be licensed, the manufacturer must submit an application to the CVB. The CVB reviews the application and evaluates the data on the product’s safety, efficacy and quality. This evaluation may include laboratory studies, field studies and other relevant information.
• Licensing Decision. Based on its evaluation, the CVB may grant a license for the product or require additional data or studies before making a final decision. If the CVB determines that the product meets all necessary regulatory requirements, it grants a license for the product.
• Labeling. Once a product is licensed, the manufacturer must submit labeling for the product to the CVB for approval. The labeling must include specific information on the product’s indications, dosage, administration, contraindications and warnings.
• Manufacturing Standards. The CVB establishes and enforces manufacturing standards for veterinary biologics, including requirements for facilities, equipment and procedures. The CVB conducts inspections of manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with these standards and may revoke licenses for manufacturers that fail to comply.
• Post-Licensure Surveillance. The CVB monitors veterinary biologics after they are licensed to detect and respond to any safety or efficacy issues that may arise. The CVB may require manufacturers to conduct post-licensure surveillance studies or to report adverse events associated with their products.
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Conditional licenses are used to meet an emergency condition, limited market, local situation or other special circumstance. A product may be granted a conditional license if it has demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy and safety, but additional data is needed to fully evaluate its efficacy and safety. To be eligible for conditional licensure, a veterinary biologic must meet certain regulatory criteria, including:
• the product must be intended for use in a target species for which there is a significant need;
• the product must have demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy and safety based on preclinical and/or field studies;
• the product must have an acceptable safety profile; and
• the manufacturer must submit a plan for follow-up studies to address the data gaps or uncertainties identified during the evaluation process.
A product with conditional licensure can be marketed and sold, but it must be labeled with specific conditions, such as limitations on use, required follow-up studies and other specific instructions for use. The product label must also clearly state that the product has been conditionally licensed and that additional data is required to fully evaluate its efficacy and safety. The manufacturer must continue to collect data on the safety and efficacy of the product and submit it to the CVB for review. The CVB may require additional studies or data to be submitted before granting full licensure. To obtain full licensure for a veterinary biologic product that has been granted conditional licensure by the CVB, the manufacturer must meet the follow-up study requirements specified in the conditional license and submit additional data to the CVB demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the product, which may include results from additional studies, post-marketing surveillance data and other relevant information.
In addition to granting licenses, the CVB is responsible for establishing and enforcing manufacturing standards for veterinary biologics, including requirements for facilities, equipment, and procedures. The CVB conducts inspections of manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with these standards and may revoke licenses for manufacturers that fail to comply. The CVB also monitors veterinary biologics after they are marketed to detect and respond to any safety or efficacy issues that may arise. The CVB may require manufacturers to conduct post-marketing surveillance studies or to report adverse events associated with their products.
Other Healthcare Laws
Although we do not currently have any drugs on the market, if we begin commercializing our current or future product candidates, we will be subject to additional healthcare statutory and regulatory requirements and enforcement by the federal government and the states and foreign governments in which we conduct our business. Healthcare providers, including physicians, play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of any current or future product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Our future arrangements with healthcare providers, as well as third-party payors and other customers, may expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we market, sell and distribute our current or future product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, include the following:
Anti-Kickback Statute. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service, for which payment may be made under federal and state healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.
False Claims Act. The False Claims Act imposes criminal and civil penalties, including through civil whistleblower or qui tam actions, against individuals or entities for knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the federal government, claims for payment that are false or fraudulent or making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. In addition, manufacturers can be held liable under the False Claims Act even when they do not submit claims directly to government payors if they are deemed to “cause” the submission of false or fraudulent claims. The government may assert that a claim including items and services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false of fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act.
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Analogous State Laws. Analogous state laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws that may apply to sales or marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers; and some state laws require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government in addition to requiring drug manufacturers to report information related to payments to physicians and other health care providers or marketing expenditures.
Healthcare Reform
The United States and many foreign jurisdictions have enacted or proposed legislative and regulatory changes affecting the healthcare system. Changes in regulations, statutes or the interpretation of existing regulations could impact our business in the future by requiring, for example, (i) changes to our manufacturing arrangements, (ii) additions or modifications to product labeling, (iii) the recall or discontinuation of our products or (iv) additional record-keeping requirements. If any such changes were to be imposed, they could adversely affect the operation of our business.
In the United States, there have been and continue to be a number of legislative initiatives to contain healthcare costs. For example, in March 2010, the Affordable Care Act, or the ACA, was passed, which substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers, and significantly impacted the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The ACA, among other things, subjects biological products to potential competition by lower-cost biosimilars, addresses a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected, increases the minimum Medicaid rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and extends the rebate program to individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care organizations, establishes annual fees and taxes on manufacturers of certain branded prescription drugs, and creates a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 70% (increased pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, effective as of 2019) point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D.
There has been increasing legislative and enforcement interest in the United States with respect to specialty drug pricing practices. Specifically, there have been several recent U.S. Congressional inquiries and proposed federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, reduce the cost of prescription drugs under Medicare, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drugs. In May 2019, CMS issued a final rule to allow Medicare Advantage Plans the option of using step therapy, a type of prior authorization, for Part B drugs beginning January 1, 2020. This final rule codified CMS’s policy change that was effective January 1, 2019.
On September 24, 2020, the FDA released a final rule effective November 30, 2020, providing guidance for states to build and submit importation plans for drugs from Canada.
The Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) was passed into law on August 16, 2022. The drug pricing reform section of the IRA represents a sweeping change with respect to how the Medicare program will pay for prescription drugs in the future. The IRA drug pricing provisions will be phased in by 2029. Medicare will negotiate a “maximum fair price” directly with manufacturers for the most expensive drugs covered under Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D. In addition, additional rebates will be imposed on manufacturers related to certain Medicare Part B and D covered drugs to the extent their costs are rising faster than inflation. In addition, the Part D benefit will be restructured and in 2025 the existing coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 70% (increased pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, effective as of 2019) point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D will sunset. The program will be replaced by a new Part D rebate program pursuant to which manufacturers of certain drugs will pay a rebate of 10 percent off the negotiated price for applicable drugs (branded drugs and biologics manufactured by companies that have Part D discount agreements) after the deductible is satisfied through the catastrophic phase of the benefit. In the catastrophic phase, manufacturers will provide a 20 percent discount off negotiated price.
At the state level, individual states are increasingly aggressive in passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to designed to create prescription drug price transparency and in some instances control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing or set maximum reimbursement for certain drug products, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. In addition, regional health care authorities and
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individual hospitals are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical products and which suppliers will be included in their prescription drug and other health care programs. These measures could reduce the ultimate demand for our products, once approved, or put pressure on our product pricing.
There have been, and likely will continue to be, legislative and regulatory proposals at the foreign, federal and state levels directed at broadening the availability of healthcare and containing or lowering the cost of healthcare.
Privacy and Data Protection Laws
HIPAA. The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPPA”) imposes criminal and civil liability for executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, or knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services; similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.
HITECH. HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (“HITECH”) and its implementing regulations, which also imposes obligations on certain covered entity healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses as well as their business associates that perform certain services involving the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information, including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information. HITECH also created new tiers of civil monetary penalties, amended HIPAA to make civil and criminal penalties directly applicable to business associates, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.
GDPR. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. In addition, the GDPR includes restrictions on cross-border data transfers. The GDPR may increase our responsibility and liability in relation to personal data that we process where such processing is subject to the GDPR, and we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms to ensure compliance with the GDPR, including as implemented by individual countries. Compliance with the GDPR is a rigorous and time-intensive process that may increase our cost of doing business or require us to change our business practices, and despite those efforts, there is a risk that we may be subject to fines and penalties, litigation, and reputational harm in connection with our European activities. Further, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, referred to as Brexit, has created uncertainty with regard to data protection regulation in the United Kingdom. In particular, it is unclear how data transfers to and from the United Kingdom will be regulated now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union.
CCPA. California recently enacted and has proposed companion regulations to the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) which went into effect January 1, 2020. The CCPA creates new individual privacy rights for California consumers (as defined in the law) and places increased privacy and security obligations on entities handling personal data of consumers or households. The CCPA requires covered companies to provide certain disclosures to consumers about its data collection, use and sharing practices, and to provide affected California residents with ways to opt-out of certain sales or transfers of personal information. As of March 28, 2020, the California State Attorney General has proposed varying versions of companion draft regulations which are not yet finalized. Despite the delay in adopting regulations, the California State Attorney General will commence enforcement actions against violators beginning July 1, 2020. While there is currently an exception for protected health information that is subject to HIPAA and clinical trial regulations, other records and information we maintain on our customers may be subject to the CCPA. Where state laws are more protective than HIPAA, we must comply with the state laws we are subject to, in addition to HIPAA. In certain cases, it may be necessary to modify our planned operations and procedures to comply with these more stringent state laws. Not only may some of these state laws impose fines and penalties upon violators, but also some, unlike HIPAA, may afford private rights of action to individuals who believe their personal information has been misused. In addition, state laws are changing rapidly, and there is discussion of a new federal privacy law or federal breach notification law, to which we may be subject.
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Environmental Regulations
Our operations, properties and products are subject to a variety of U.S. and foreign environmental laws and regulations governing, among other things, use of manufacturing components containing substances below established threshold, air emissions, wastewater discharges, management and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and waste and remediation of releases of hazardous materials. Our operations involve the use of hazardous and flammable materials, including chemicals and biological and radioactive materials. Our operations also produce hazardous waste products. We generally contract with third parties for the disposal of these materials and wastes.
The use of hazardous substances is regulated and monitored by various environmental regulatory authorities such as the EPA. As such, we are subject to national, state and local laws, regulations and directives pertaining to hazardous substances, pollution and protection of the environment, health and safety, which govern, among other things, emissions to the air, discharges onto land or waters, the maintenance of safe conditions in the workplace, and the generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste materials. These laws include, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the Federal Facilities Compliance Act, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Pricing Regulations and Third-Party Coverage and Reimbursement
The regulations that govern regulatory approvals, pricing and reimbursement for new drugs vary widely from country to country. Some countries require approval of the sale price of a drug before it can be marketed. In many countries, the pricing review period begins after marketing approval is granted. In some foreign markets, prescription pharmaceutical pricing remains subject to continuing governmental control even after initial approval is granted. As a result, we might obtain marketing approval for a product candidate in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay our commercial launch of the product candidate, possibly for lengthy time periods.
Our ability to commercialize any current or future product candidates successfully also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and reimbursement for these current or future product candidates and related treatments will be available from government authorities, private health insurers and other organizations. Government authorities and other third-party payors, such as private health insurers and health maintenance organizations, decide which medications they will pay for and establish reimbursement levels. Factors payors consider in determining reimbursement are based on whether the product is:
• a covered benefit under its health plan;
• safe, effective and medically necessary;
• appropriate for the specific patient;
• cost-effective; and
• neither experimental nor investigational.
A primary trend in the U.S. healthcare industry and elsewhere is cost containment. Government authorities and other third-party payors have attempted to control costs by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular drugs. Increasingly, third-party payors are requiring that drug companies provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices and are challenging the prices charged for drugs. Reimbursement may impact the demand for, or the price of, any product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval.
There may be significant delays in obtaining reimbursement for newly approved drugs, and coverage may be more limited than the purposes for which the drug is approved by the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States. Moreover, eligibility for reimbursement does not imply that any drug will be paid for in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research, development, manufacture, sale and distribution. Interim reimbursement levels for new drugs, if applicable, may also not be sufficient to cover our costs and may not be made permanent. Reimbursement rates may vary according to the use of the drug and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on reimbursement levels already set for lower cost drugs and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services. Net prices for drugs may be reduced by mandatory discounts or rebates required by government healthcare programs or private payors and by any future relaxation of laws that presently restrict imports of drugs from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the United States. In the United States, the principal
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decisions about coverage and reimbursement of new medicines under the Medicare program are typically made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS. CMS decides whether and to what extent a new medicine will be covered and reimbursed under Medicare Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement policies.
Trade Laws
Among other matters, U.S. and foreign anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, export control, sanctions, and other trade laws and regulations, which are collectively referred to as Trade Laws, prohibit companies and their employees, agents, clinical research organizations, legal counsel, accountants, consultants, contractors, and other partners from authorizing, promising, offering, providing, soliciting, or receiving directly or indirectly, corrupt or improper payments or anything else of value to or from recipients in the public or private sector. Violations of Trade Laws can result in substantial criminal fines and civil penalties, imprisonment, the loss of trade privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm, and other consequences. We have, or may have in the future, direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities, and other organizations. We plan to engage third parties for clinical trials and/or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations, and other regulatory approvals and we can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our personnel, agents, or partners, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have prior knowledge of such activities.
Our Competition
While we are not aware of any competing adjuvant therapy for Osteosarcoma to be tested in children that is further along in the development process than OST-HER2, there are a large number of companies developing or marketing treatments for rare diseases and cancers, including many major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We may face competition from other product candidates in development for these indications, including product candidates in development from AstraZeneca, Y-mAbs Therapeutics and MD Anderson Cancer Center, among others.
Human Capital and Employees
As of April 13, 2023, we had three full-time employees, one part-time employee and an executive consultant. We also utilize the services of a limited number of consultants as needed to perform specialized regulatory and medical-related services. Our employees are not represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good. All of our employees have entered into agreements with our company requiring them not to disclose our proprietary information and assigning to us all rights to inventions made during their employment.
Facilities
We lease approximately 8,115 square feet of office space for our principal executive office located in Rockville, Maryland. We currently pay $1,000 per month in rent and the lease expires in December 2023. We believe our present office space is adequate for our current operations and for near-term planned expansion.
Legal Proceedings
We are not currently a party to any pending or threatened legal proceedings.
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Our Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers and directors as of April 13, 2023.
|
Name |
Age |
Position |
||
|
Executive Officers: |
||||
|
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
56 |
Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
||
|
Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. |
63 |
Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer |
||
|
Alan A. Musso |
61 |
Chief Financial Officer |
||
|
Non-Executive Directors: |
||||
|
Colin Goddard, Ph.D. |
63 |
Chairman of the Board |
||
|
Joacim Borg |
31 |
Director |
||
|
John Ciccio |
42 |
Director |
||
|
Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D. |
41 |
Director |
The principal occupations for the past five years of each of our executive officers and non-executive directors are as follows:
Executive Officers
Paul A. Romness, MPH. Mr. Romness has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board since he founded our company in April 2018. Through his research, Mr. Romness has grown OS Therapies into a clinical research and development biotechnology company with two platform technologies, including the initial OST-HER2 Listeria monocytogenes, as well as OST-TDC, a next generation tunable drug conjugate delivery system. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Romness served as a Principal for PR Strategies from 2014 to March 2018. Prior to PR Strategies, Mr. Romness served as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Boehringer Ingelheim from 2008 to 2014, and the Director of State Government Affairs at Amgen Inc. from March 2005 to March 2008. Earlier in his career, Mr. Romness served in several roles at Johnson & Johnson from March 1990 to March 2003. Mr. Romness holds a Masters of Public Health from the Milken Institute School of Public Health of George Washington University and a B.S. degree in Finance from American University. As our founder, President, Chief Executive Officer, a director and largest stockholder, Mr. Romness leads our company. His more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, day-to-day operational leadership of our company and in-depth knowledge of our product candidates and platform technologies make him well qualified as a member of our Board.
Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. Dr. Petit has served as our Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer since September 2019. Dr. Petit has also served as Principal for RGP Biotech, LLC, where he advises clients on non-clinical and clinical development programs, since June 2019, and Senior Vice President, Head of Early Clinical Development for Orionis Biosciences Inc., an early stage drug discovery and development biotech company, since March 2022. Dr. Petit currently serves as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Advaxis, Inc. (now Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), where he previously served as the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President from March 2013 to June 2019. He is also a member of the scientific advisory boards of Systems Oncology, LLC, a cancer therapy discovery and development company, and Saros Therapeutics, an early-stage biotech company committed to re-engineering innate immune activation to improve cancer immunotherapy. From June 2019 to December 2019, Dr. Petit served as the Chief Scientific Officer of Carisma Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops novel chimeric antigen receptor macrophage technology to treat solid tumors. Prior to joining Advaxis as Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Petit served in various roles for Bristol-Myers Squibb, including U.S. Medical Strategy Lead, Director of Medical Strategy for New Oncology Products and Director of Global Clinical Research, from 2005 to 2010. Prior to joining Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dr. Petit served as Vice President of Clinical Development at MGI Pharma Inc. and Aesgen Inc. Dr. Petit is an accomplished biopharmaceutical executive and medical scientist who has been instrumental in securing FDA approvals for six new drug applications and biologic license applications for oncology and immunotherapy product candidates and is named in more than 100 patents. His scientific focus has been to develop immunologic based therapies with a particular emphasis on immunologic oncology treatment. Dr. Petit has provided expert guidance and
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counsel to a multitude of emerging biotech companies in the fields of immunology and oncology as a member of their respective scientific advisory boards. He earned his Ph.D. from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and B.S. degree from Indiana State University.
Alan A. Musso. Mr. Musso has served as our Chief Financial Officer since March 1, 2023. Mr. Musso has more than 30 years of experience as a financial executive with biopharma and life sciences companies. Prior to being an independent consultant in the biotech industry from October 2022 through February 2023, Mr. Musso served as the Chief Financial Officer of ReViral, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that was acquired in June 2022 by Pfizer Inc., from October 2019 to September 2022. He served as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Peloton Therapeutics, an oncology drug discovery and development company, from September 2018 to September 2019, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of controllable cellular immunotherapies for cancers, from November 2014 to August 2018. He previously acted as Senior Vice President — Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Targacept, Inc., a developer of therapeutics for diseases of the nervous system, from February 2002 to November 2014, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell technology company, from February 2001 to February 2002, Chief Financial Officer of Cato Holding Company, doing business as Cato Research Ltd., a holding company providing contract research services, from April 1997 to February 2001, and Chief Financial Officer of Vascular Genetics Inc., a gene therapy company co-founded by Cato Holding Company, from October 1997 to February 2000, Director of Finance and Accounting of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products, from January 1995 to March 1997, General Accounting Manager of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Inc. from September 1992 to December 1994, and Senior Auditor, Corporate Internal Audit of Pfizer Inc. from April 1989 to August 1992. Mr. Musso holds certifications as a certified public accountant and certified management accountant. He received a B.S. degree from St. Mary’s College of California and a Master of International Management degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Non-Executive Directors
Colin Goddard, Ph.D. Dr. Goddard has served as our Chairman of the Board since December 2020. Dr. Goddard is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive of BlinkBio, Inc., a privately-held developer of drug conjugate therapies designed to facilitate the treatment of cancer. Prior to joining our Board, Dr. Goddard also served, and continues to serve, on the board of directors of other cancer research focused companies such as Mission Therapeutics, FoRx Therapeutics AG, HiberCell and Ryvu Therapeutics since July 2010. Prior to July 2010, Dr. Goddard served as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of molecular targeted therapies, from January 1989 to July 2010, when it was acquired by Astellas Pharma for $4.0 billion. Dr. Goddard has more than ten publications and was an inductee of the Long Island Technology Hall of Fame in 2013. Dr. Goddard has a Ph.D. in Cancer Pharmacology from the University of Aston and a BSc. degree in Biochemistry from the University of York, in England. Dr. Goddard’s in-depth knowledge of the biotechnology market, the broad range of companies in the industry and his service as a board member in many early-stage and growth biotech companies makes him well qualified as a member of our Board. His experience with OSI Pharmaceuticals in particular, makes his input invaluable to our Board’s discussions of our company’s capital markets activities, mergers and acquisitions, and technology licensing.
Joacim Borg. Mr. Borg has served as a member of our Board since July 2022. Mr. Borg has worked at Index Investment Group, serving as the Chief Marketing Officer, where he strategizes and spearheads companies’ marketing and branding, as well as their development projects and subsidiary investments, since 2013. Additionally, Mr. Borg is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wavelength, a commercial marketing and media company, since 2016. Mr. Borg holds a B.S. degree in Managerial Economics and Liberal Studies in Global Perspectives from Bentley University. Mr. Borg’s experience in marketing, promotion and social media makes him well qualified to be a member of our Board.
John Ciccio. Mr. Ciccio has served as a member of our Board since December 2020. Mr. Ciccio has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Syneos Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYNH), a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success, since July 2022. Prior to joining Syneos Health, Mr. Ciccio served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Adheris Health from 2019 to July 2022 and the President and a member of the board of managers of Skipta LLC from 2014 to 2018, where he played a critical role in Skipta’s sale to Informa PLLC. Mr. Ciccio has also served as a member of the board of directors of Full Code Medical Simulation since March 2022. In 2018, Mr. Ciccio was awarded the PharmaVOICE 100 — Commanders & Chiefs and the PM360 ELITE 100 as a Transformational Leader. Mr. Ciccio holds a B.A. degree in Government from Harvard University. Mr. Ciccio is well qualified to serve as a director of our company due to his substantial knowledge and years of working experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry and with growth-stage companies.
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Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D., R.Ph. Dr. Search has served as a member of our Board since December 2020. Dr. Search is the Founder of Skipta, an Informa Pharma Intelligence Company, and served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Skipta from 2009 to 2017, when Skipta was sold to Informa Health. Since the completion of the sale in 2017, Dr. Search has served as the Chief Executive Officer — RWD Intelligence of Norstella, a provider of pharmaceutical consultancy services and solutions. Dr. Search has been invited to speak at various conferences around the globe and was named among the Top 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life Sciences Industry in 2015 and among the Top 100 Elite Entrepreneurs in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in 2016. Dr. Search holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh and is a board licensed Pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Dr. Search provides decades of experience in leading and managing technology and product development operations in the pharmaceutical industry and with early-stage companies, making him well qualified to be a member of our Board.
Composition of Our Board of Directors
Our board consists of five members, each of whom are members pursuant to the board composition provisions of our certificate of incorporation and agreements with our stockholders. Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation will become effective prior to the effectiveness of this offering. Such agreements with our stockholders will terminate upon the effectiveness of this offering. Thus, upon closing of this offering, there will be no further contractual obligations regarding the election of our directors. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our board may therefore consider a broad range of factors relating to the qualifications and background of nominees.
Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s and our board’s priority in selecting board members is identification of persons who will further the interests of our stockholders through their established record of professional accomplishment, the ability to contribute positively to the collaborative culture among board members, knowledge of our business, understanding of the competitive landscape, professional and personal experiences, and expertise relevant to our growth strategy. Our directors hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified or until the earlier of their resignation or removal. Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws that will become effective prior to the effectiveness of this offering also provide that our directors may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the votes that all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in an annual election of directors, and that any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office.
Director Independence
Our board of directors has determined that all members of the board of directors, except Paul A. Romness, are independent directors, including for purposes of the rules of the NYSE American and the SEC. In making such independence determination, our board of directors considered the relationships that each non-executive director has with us and all other facts and circumstances that our board of directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-executive director. In considering the independence of the directors listed above, our board of directors considered the association of our directors with the holders of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock. Upon the completion of this offering, we expect that the composition and functioning of our board of directors and each of our committees will comply with all applicable requirements of the NYSE American exchange, as applicable and the rules and regulations of the SEC. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers. Mr. Romness is not an independent director under these rules because he is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of our company and largest stockholder.
Board Leadership Structure and Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
Currently, the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors is separated from the role of Chief Executive Officer. Our Chief Executive Officer is responsible for recommending strategic decisions and capital allocation to the board of directors and to ensure the execution of the recommended plans. The Chairman is responsible for leading our board in its fundamental role of providing advice to and independent oversight of management. Our board of directors recognizes the time, effort, and energy that the Chief Executive Officer is required to devote to his position in the current business environment, as well as the commitment required to serve as our chairman, particularly as the board of directors’ oversight responsibilities continue to grow. While our amended and restated bylaws and corporate
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governance guidelines will not require that our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer positions be separate, our board of directors believes that having separate positions is the appropriate leadership structure for us at this time and demonstrates our commitment to good corporate governance.
Risk is inherent with every business, and how well a business manages risk can ultimately determine its success. We face a number of risks, including the four risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Business” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Management is responsible for the day-to-day management of risks we face, while our board of directors, as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management. In its risk oversight role, our board of directors has the responsibility to satisfy itself that the risk management processes designed and implemented by management are adequate and functioning as designed.
The role of the board of directors in overseeing the management of our risks is conducted primarily through committees of the board of directors, as disclosed in the descriptions of each of the committees below and in the charters of each of the committees. The full board of directors (or the appropriate board committee in the case of risks that are under the purview of a particular committee) discusses with management our major risk exposures, their potential impact on us, and the steps we take to manage them. When a board committee is responsible for evaluating and overseeing the management of a particular risk or risks, the chairman of the relevant committee reports on the discussion to the full board of directors during the committee reports portion of the next board meeting. This enables the board of directors and its committees to coordinate the risk oversight role, particularly with respect to risk interrelationships.
Committees of Our Board of Directors
Our board of directors has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, each of which will operate pursuant to a charter to be adopted by our board of directors and will be effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The board of directors may also establish other committees from time to time to assist the Company and the board of directors. Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the composition and functioning of all of our committees will comply with all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, NYSE American and SEC rules and regulations, if applicable. Upon our listing on NYSE American, each committee’s charter will be available on our website at www.ostherapies.com. The reference to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained at or available through our website, and you should not consider it to be part of this prospectus.
Audit Committee. John Ciccio (chair), Colin Goddard, Ph.D. and Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D., serve on our Audit Committee. Our board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is “independent” for Audit Committee purposes as that term is defined by the rules of the SEC and NYSE American, and that each has sufficient knowledge in financial and auditing matters to serve on the Audit Committee. Our board of directors has designated Mr. Ciccio as an “Audit Committee financial expert,” as defined under the applicable rules of the SEC. Under Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, we are permitted to phase in our compliance with the independent Audit Committee requirements set forth in NYSE American Rule 5605(c) and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act as follows: (1) one independent member at the time of listing, (2) a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and (3) all independent members within one year of listing. Our board of directors intends to cause our Audit Committee to comply with the transition rules within the applicable time periods.
The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include:
• appointing, approving the compensation of, and assessing the independence of our independent registered public accounting firm;
• pre-approving auditing and permissible non-audit services, and the terms of such services, to be provided by our independent registered public accounting firm;
• reviewing the overall audit plan with our independent registered public accounting firm and members of management responsible for preparing our financial statements;
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• reviewing and discussing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm our annual and quarterly financial statements and related disclosures as well as critical accounting policies and practices used by us;
• coordinating the oversight and reviewing the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting;
• establishing policies and procedures for the receipt and retention of accounting-related complaints and concerns;
• recommending, based upon the Audit Committee’s review and discussions with management and our independent registered public accounting firm, whether our audited financial statements will be included in our annual report on Form 10-K;
• monitoring the integrity of our financial statements and our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements as they relate to our financial statements and accounting matters;
• preparing the Audit Committee report required by SEC rules to be included in our annual proxy statement;
• reviewing all related person transactions for potential conflict of interest situations and approving all such transactions; and
• reviewing quarterly earnings releases.
Compensation Committee. Colin Goddard, Ph.D. (chair), Theodore F. Search, Pharm. D. and John Ciccio serve on our Compensation Committee. Our board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee is “independent” as defined in the applicable NYSE American rules. We are permitted to phase in our compliance with the independent Compensation Committee requirements set forth by NYSE American listing standards as follows: (1) one independent member at the time of listing, (2) a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and (3) all independent members within one year of listing. Our board of directors intends to cause our Compensation Committee to comply with the transition rules within the applicable time periods. The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities include:
• reviewing and approving the corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other Section 16 officers;
• evaluating the performance of our Chief Executive Officer and other Section 16 officers in light of such corporate goals and objectives and based on such evaluation, recommending to the board of directors the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other Section 16 officers;
• reviewing and approving the compensation of our other officers;
• reviewing and establishing our overall management compensation, philosophy and policy;
• overseeing and administering our compensation and similar plans;
• reviewing and approving the retention or termination of any consulting firm or outside advisor to assist in the evaluation of compensation matters and evaluating and assessing potential and current compensation advisors in accordance with the independence standards identified in the applicable NYSE American rules;
• retaining and approving the compensation of any compensation advisors;
• reviewing and recommending to the board of directors the policies and procedures for the grant of equity-based awards;
• reviewing and recommending to the board of directors the compensation of our directors; and
• preparing the Compensation Committee report required by SEC rules, if and when required, to be included in our annual proxy statement.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D. (chair), Joacim Borg and John Ciccio serve on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is “independent” as defined in the applicable NYSE American rules. We are permitted to phase in our compliance with the independent Compensation Committee requirements set forth by NYSE American listing standards as follows: (1) one independent member at the time of listing, (2) a majority of independent members within 90 days of listing and (3) all independent members within one year of listing. Our board of directors intends to cause our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to comply with the transition rules within the applicable time periods. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s responsibilities include:
• developing and recommending to the board of directors criteria for board and committee membership;
• establishing procedures for identifying and evaluating board of director candidates, including nominees recommended by stockholders;
• reviewing the composition of the board of directors to ensure that it is composed of members containing the appropriate skills and expertise to advise us;
• identifying individuals qualified to become members of the board of directors;
• recommending to the board of directors the persons to be nominated for election as directors and to each of the board’s committees;
• developing and recommending to the board of directors appropriate corporate governance guidelines; and
• overseeing the evaluation of our board of directors.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of the members of our Compensation Committee has at any time during the prior three years been one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past fiscal year has served, as a member of the board of directors or Compensation Committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or Compensation Committee.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Our board of directors has adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a current copy of this code will be posted on the Corporate Governance section of our website, which is located at www.ostherapies.com. The information on our website is deemed not to be incorporated in this prospectus or to be a part of this prospectus. If we make any substantive amendments to, or grant any waivers from, the code of business conduct and ethics for any officer or director, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website or in a current report on Form 8-K.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, each of which will be in effect prior to effectiveness of this offering, will provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers, and may indemnify our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. The indemnification agreements that we intend to enter into with each of our directors and executive officers may, in some cases, be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained under Delaware law.
In addition, as permitted by Delaware law, our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation that will be in effect prior to effectiveness of this offering will include provisions that eliminate the personal liability of our directors and officers for monetary damages resulting from breaches of certain fiduciary duties as a director or officer, as applicable, except to the extent such an exemption from liability thereof is not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law. The effect of these provisions is to restrict our rights and the rights of our stockholders in derivative suits to recover monetary damages against a director or officer for breach of fiduciary duties as a director or officer,
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subject to certain exceptions in which case the director or officer would be personally liable. An officer may not be exculpated for any action brought by or in the right of the corporation. A director may not be exculpated for improper distributions to stockholders. Further, pursuant to Delaware law a director or officer may not be exculpated for:
• any breach of his or her duty of loyalty to us or to our stockholders;
• acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; and
• any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.
If Delaware law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director or officer, then the liability of our directors and/or officers will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as so amended. Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not eliminate a director’s or officer’s duty of care and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies, such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief, remain available under Delaware law. This provision also does not affect a director’s or officer’s responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or other state or federal laws. Under our amended and restated bylaws, we will also be empowered to purchase insurance on behalf of any person whom we are required or permitted to indemnify.
In the case of an action or proceeding by or in the right of our company or any of our subsidiaries, no indemnification will be provided for any claim where a court determines that the indemnified party is prohibited from receiving indemnification. We believe that these charter and bylaw provisions are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our stockholders. A stockholder’s investment may be harmed to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers as to which indemnification is being sought, nor are we aware of any pending or threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification by any director or officer.
We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers in addition to the indemnification that will be provided for in our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. The indemnification agreements and our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will require us to indemnify our directors, executive officers and certain controlling persons to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. See the section titled “Description of Securities — Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors” for additional information.
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As an emerging growth company, we have opted to comply with the executive compensation disclosure rules applicable to “smaller reporting companies,” as such term is defined in the rules promulgated under the Securities Act.
The compensation provided to our named executive officers for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 is detailed in the Summary Compensation Table and accompanying footnotes and narrative that follow. Our named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2022, are:
• Paul A. Romness, MPH, our President and Chief Executive Officer;
• Robert G. Petit, Ph.D., our Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer; and
• Jutta Wanner, Ph.D., our former Chief Technology Officer.
On February 14, 2023, Dr. Wanner resigned as our Chief Technology Officer. Although she is no longer an employee or officer of our company, Dr. Wanner may continue to provide limited scientific and technical advice to us when requested as a consultant.
Through December 31, 2022, the compensation of our named executive officers has only consisted of annual base salaries. Our named executive officers, like all full-time employees, are eligible to participate in our health and welfare benefit plans. As we transition from a private company to a publicly traded company, we intend to evaluate our compensation values and philosophy and compensation plans and arrangements as circumstances require.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table shows the total compensation earned by, or paid to, our named executive officers for services rendered to us in all capacities during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
|
Name and principal position |
Year |
Salary |
Option |
Non-Equity |
All other |
Total |
||||||
|
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
2022 |
360,000 |
— |
— |
— |
360,000 |
||||||
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
2021 |
360,000 |
— |
— |
— |
360,000 |
||||||
|
Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. |
2022 |
300,000 |
— |
— |
— |
300,000 |
||||||
|
Chief Medical and Scientific Officer |
2021 |
300,000 |
— |
— |
— |
300,000 |
||||||
|
Jutta Wanner, Ph.D. |
2022 |
180,000 |
— |
— |
— |
180,000 |
||||||
|
Former Chief Technology Officer |
2021 |
180,000 |
— |
— |
— |
180,000 |
Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
Annual Base Salaries. Our named executive officers each receive a base salary to compensate them for services rendered to our company. The base salary payable to each named executive officer is intended to provide a fixed component of compensation reflecting the executive’s skill set, experience, role and responsibilities. Base salaries are reviewed annually, typically in connection with our annual performance review process, approved by our board of directors, and may be adjusted from time to time to realign salaries with market levels after taking into account individual responsibilities, performance and experience.
For the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the annual base salary for each of Mr. Romness, Dr. Petit and Dr. Wanner was $360,000, $300,000 and $180,000, respectively.
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Employment Agreements and Arrangements
Paul A. Romness Employment Agreement
On February 21, 2023, Paul A. Romness, MPH entered into an employment agreement with us. The employment agreement with Mr. Romness extends for a term expiring on February 21, 2026. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Mr. Romness has agreed to devote substantially all of his time, attention and ability to our business as our Chief Executive Officer. The employment agreement provides that Mr. Romness will receive a base salary during the first year of his employment at an annual rate of $360,000 for services rendered in such position. During the second year of his employment under the employment agreement, Mr. Romness’ annual base salary will be determined by our board of directors, but will not be less than $360,000. In addition, Mr. Romness may be entitled to receive, as determined by our board of directors, a cash bonus in respect of each fiscal year. Mr. Romness is entitled to participate in our regular employee fringe benefit programs, including our medical and hospitalization insurance and life insurance, as well as our proposed 2023 Incentive Compensation Plan.
The employment agreement provides for termination by us upon (i) the death or disability of Mr. Romness (defined as a period of more than 60 consecutive days or more than a total of 90 days in the aggregate during any period of 12 consecutive months), (ii) his willful and material malfeasance, dishonesty or substance abuse, (iii) his material and continuing breach, non-performance or non-observance of any of the terms of his employment agreement (or confidentiality agreement and non-competition agreement referenced below), but only after notice to him and his failure to timely cure any such default, or (iv) his conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude. In the event the employment agreement is terminated by us for any other reason, Mr. Romness will be entitled to compensation for the balance of the term. The employment agreement with Mr. Romness does not have any change of control provisions.
Together with his employment agreement, Mr. Romness entered into our standard form of confidentiality and non-competition agreement. This agreement contains covenants restricting Mr. Romness from engaging in any activities competitive with our business during the term of his employment agreement and one year thereafter, and prohibiting him from disclosure of confidential information regarding our company at any time.
Robert G. Petit Employment Letter
On June 23, 2020, Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. entered into an employment letter with us. Pursuant to the employment letter, Dr. Petit has agreed to devote his business time, best efforts, skill, knowledge, attention and energies to the advancement of our business and interests and to the performance of his duties and responsibilities, on a full-time, “at-will” basis, as our Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. The employment letter provides that Dr. Petit will receive a base salary at a rate of $20,000 per monthly pay period for services rendered in such position. In addition, Dr. Petit will be eligible to receive a performance bonus of up to 50% of the base salary paid to him based on his personal performance and our company’s performance during the calendar year, as determined by our board of directors in its sole discretion. Dr. Petit is entitled to participate in all of our bonus and benefit programs that we establish and make available to our employees, including our proposed 2023 Incentive Compensation Plan.
The employment letter provides that if we terminate Dr. Petit’s employment without “Cause” or he terminates his employment for “Good Reason,” we will provide him with severance pay in the form of continuation of his base salary for a total of 12 months and a prorated bonus payment equivalent to 35% of his annualized base salary. For these purposes, “Cause” means, among others, (a) his engagement in any conduct that materially and adversely affects the business interests or reputation of our company, (b) any breach by him of his employment letter or of the restrictive covenants contained in his invention and non-disclosure agreement and non-competition and non-solicitation agreement with us, (c) his failure to perform, or negligence in his performance of, any material duties required of or assigned to him, (d) his fraud or embezzlement or (e) his conviction of any crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, or any felony, in the cases of (a), (b) and (c), following written notice and an opportunity for Dr. Petit to timely cure any such conduct, breach or deficiency; and “Good Reason” means, among others, (i) a material reduction in Dr. Petit’s authority, duties or responsibilities, (ii) a material reduction of his base salary or (iii) a material breach by our company of our obligations under his employment letter, in all cases, following written notice and an opportunity for our company to timely cure the circumstances. The employment letter with Dr. Petit does not have any change of control provisions.
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Together with his employment letter, Dr. Petit entered into an invention and non-disclosure agreement and a non-competition and non-solicitation agreement, which contained covenants (a) restricting him from engaging in any activities competitive with our business during the term of his employment letter and for a period of one year thereafter, (b) prohibiting him from disclosing confidential information regarding our company at any time, (c) confirming that all intellectual property developed by him and relating to our business constitutes our sole and exclusive property, and (d) preventing him from recruiting, soliciting or hiring away employees of our company for a period of one year after his employment with us.
Alan A. Musso Consulting Agreement
On March 1, 2023, we entered into a consulting agreement with Alan A. Musso, which provides for certain financial, accounting and operations related consulting services to be provided by Mr. Musso in connection with and following our initial public offering and to serve as our Chief Financial Officer for an initial term extending for one year, unless the consulting agreement is terminated by either party upon 30 days’ notice. The consulting agreement provides that Mr. Musso will be paid a retainer starting at $10,000 per month and for Mr. Musso to receive equity compensation in an amount equal to 25,000 shares of our common stock, of which 25% of such shares vested upon signing of the consulting agreement, 25% vest upon completion of our initial public offering, and 25% vest upon each of the three and six month anniversaries of the public offering closing date. The agreement with Mr. Musso contains covenants restricting him from engaging in any activities competitive with our business during the term of the consulting agreement and prohibiting him from disclosure of our confidential information during the term of the consulting agreement and thereafter for a period of three years.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End
As of December 31, 2022, we had no outstanding stock option awards for our named executive officers.
|
Option awards |
Stock awards |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Name |
Number of |
Number of |
Equity |
Option |
Option |
Number |
Market |
Equity |
Equity |
|||||||||
|
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||||||
|
Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||||||
|
Jutta Wanner, Ph.D. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||||||
Proposed 2023 Incentive Compensation Plan
Our Board of Directors and stockholders expect to adopt the OS Therapies Incorporated 2023 Incentive Compensation Plan in connection with this offering and reserve 2,000,000 shares of our common stock for issuance under the plan. As of December 31, 2022, we have not previously granted any stock options or other equity awards under this or any other incentive compensation plan. The purpose of the 2023 Incentive Compensation Plan is to assist us in attracting, motivating, retaining and rewarding high-quality executives and other employees, officers, directors, consultants and other persons who provide services to us by enabling such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in our company in order to strengthen the mutuality of interests between such persons and our shareholders, and providing such persons with performance incentives to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of shareholder value.
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Director Compensation
The following table presents the total compensation for each person who served as a non-executive member of our board of directors during the year ended December 31, 2022. Other than as set forth in the table and described more fully below, we did not pay any compensation, make any equity awards or non-equity awards to, or pay any other compensation to any of the non-executive members of our board of directors in 2022.
|
Name |
Fees |
Option |
All other |
Total |
||||
|
Colin Goddard, Ph.D. |
10,000 |
— |
40 |
10,040 |
||||
|
Joacim Borg |
— |
— |
40 |
40 |
||||
|
John Ciccio |
— |
— |
40 |
40 |
||||
|
Theordore F. Search, Pharm.D. |
— |
— |
40 |
40 |
Non-Executive Director Compensation Policy
Our board of directors intends to adopt a non-executive director compensation policy that will become effective upon the closing of this offering and is designed to enable us to attract and retain, on a long-term basis, highly qualified non-executive directors. Under the policy, each director who is not an employee will be paid cash compensation from and after the completion of this offering, as set forth below:
|
Annual |
|||
|
Board of Directors: |
|
||
|
Members |
$ |
— |
|
|
Annual retainer for Chairman |
$ |
— |
|
|
Additional retainer for Audit Committee chair |
$ |
— |
|
|
Additional retainer for Compensation Committee chair |
$ |
— |
|
|
Additional retainer for Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee chair |
$ |
— |
|
We will reimburse all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by non-executive directors in attending meetings of the board of directors and committees thereof.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth information known to us regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our Class A common stock as of April 13, 2023 by (i) each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock, (ii) each of our named executive officers and directors and (iii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to our capital stock. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o OS Therapies Incorporated, 15825 Shady Grove Road, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
As of April 13, 2023, we had outstanding 10,745,000 shares of Class A common stock, no shares of Class B common stock and 1,302,082 shares of Series A preferred stock (convertible into an equal number of shares of Class A common stock).
Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner is c/o OS Therapies Incorporated, 15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
|
Beneficial Owner |
Number of |
% |
Number of |
%(3) |
||||||
|
Executive Officers and Directors |
|
|
||||||||
|
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
7,051,000 |
33.4 |
% |
7,051,000 |
30.5 |
% |
||||
|
Robert G. Petit, Ph.D. |
400,000 |
1.9 |
% |
400,000 |
1.7 |
% |
||||
|
Alan A. Musso(3) |
25,000 |
* |
|
25,000 |
* |
|
||||
|
Colin Goddard, Ph.D. |
52,500 |
* |
|
52,500 |
* |
|
||||
|
Joacim Borg |
40,000 |
* |
|
40,000 |
* |
|
||||
|
John Ciccio(4) |
435,948 |
2.1 |
% |
435,948 |
1.9 |
% |
||||
|
Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D.(4) |
435,948 |
2.1 |
% |
435,948 |
1.9 |
% |
||||
|
All directors and executive officers as a group (7 persons) |
8,440,396 |
40.0 |
% |
8,440,396 |
36.5 |
% |
||||
____________
* Represents less than 1% of outstanding shares.
(1) Gives effect to the renaming of our Class A common stock as “common stock” and the issuances of shares of our common stock in connection with the Recapitalization transactions.
(2) Gives effect to the sale of 2,000,000 shares of common stock in this offering.
(3) Represents 25,000 shares of common stock, of which 25% of such shares vested on March 1, 2023, 25% vest upon completion of our initial public offering, and 25% vest upon each of the three and six month anniversaries of our initial public offering closing date.
(4) Includes 395,948 shares owned of record by Mill River Partners LLC. Each of Mr. Ciccio and Dr. Search serves on the board of managers of Mill River Partners LLC and shares voting and investment power with respect to such shares.
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The following is a description of transactions or series of transactions since January 1, 2020, to which we were or will be a party, in which:
• the amount involved in the transaction exceeds, or will exceed, the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of the Company’s total assets for the last two completed fiscal years; and
• in which any of our executive officers, directors or holder of 5% or more of any class of our capital stock, including their immediate family members or affiliated entities, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
Compensation arrangements for our named executive officers and our directors are described elsewhere in this prospectus under “Executive Compensation” and “Management — Director Compensation.”
Related Party Transactions
Group A Convertible Notes
From September 2018 through December 2020, we entered into an unsecured Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note Agreement (the “Group A Convertible Notes”) with certain accredited investors, including Mill River Partners LLC, in an aggregate principal amount of $1,154,000. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 10% per annum and are set to mature on March 31, 2024. The Group A Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock before the effectiveness of this offering at 87.5% to 100% of the initial public offering price of this offering, subject to valuation ceilings that range from $5 million to $25 million. Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D. and John Ciccio, members of our board of directors, are members of the board of managers of Mill River Partners LLC. Mill River Partners LLC holds convertible notes with an aggregate balance of approximately $124,153 as of December 31, 2022.
BlinkBio Convertible Note and License Agreement
On August 19, 2020, we issued a convertible note to BlinkBio, Inc. in the principal amount of $2,400,000 in exchange for entry into a license agreement to utilize certain intellectual property controlled by BlinkBio. On March 15, 2021, the note was converted into 1,302,082 shares of our Series A preferred stock and then distributed to BlinkBio stockholders.
In August 2020, we entered into a licensing agreement with BlinkBio, pursuant to which BlinkBio granted a license to us that allows us to utilize BlinkBio’s proprietary technology to develop, manufacture and commercialize certain of our products. BlinkBio granted us an exclusive license for tunable drug conjugates that are directed towards, binds to or modifies the folate receptor alpha and a co-exclusive license for tunable drug conjugates that are directed towards, binds to or modifies any target other than the folate receptor alpha, such as HER2. Under the terms of the agreement, we are required to comply with the payment schedule for milestones and corresponding payment amounts. These amounts are provided under “Business — Our Licensing Agreements” on page 72 of this prospectus.
Colin Goddard, Ph.D., our Chairman of the Board, is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlinkBio.
Shareholder Loan
On December 15, 2020, we issued an unsecured loan to Paul A. Romness, MPH, our Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board, in the principal amount of approximately $627,761. The balance on the loan as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 was $231,071 and $1,145, respectively.
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The following summarizes activity under the loan as of the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022:
|
Balance December 31, 2020 |
$ |
431,634 |
|
|
|
Repayment |
|
(200,563 |
) |
|
|
Balance December 31, 2021 |
$ |
231,071 |
|
|
Advances during 2022 |
|
49,074 |
|
|
|
Repayment |
|
(279,000 |
) |
|
|
Balance December 31, 2022 |
$ |
1,145 |
|
The balance under the loan was paid off as of March 31, 2023. In the first quarter of 2023, we will pay to Mr. Romness his salary of $360,000 as backpay. We will also pay the related payroll taxes on such backpay.
Founder Advance
From 2020 to 2022, Paul A. Romness, MPH, our Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board, sold an aggregate of 1,825,000 shares of common stock that were previously issued to him to certain individuals and entities for an aggregate amount of $2,575,000 to, among other things, pay off the unsecured loan issued to him by our company. In 2022, Mr. Romness advanced $92,000 to our company to assist us in funding our operations. As of December 31, 2022, we repaid the advance in full.
Our Policy Regarding Related Party Transactions
Our board of directors recognizes the fact that transactions with related persons present a heightened risk of conflicts of interest and/or improper valuation (or the perception thereof). Prior to the effectiveness of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a written policy on transactions with related persons that is in conformity with the requirements for issuers having publicly held common stock that is listed on NYSE American. Under the new policy:
• any related person transaction, and any material amendment or modification to a related person transaction, must be reviewed and approved or ratified by the Audit Committee; and
• any employment relationship or transaction involving an executive officer and any related compensation must be approved by the compensation committee of the board of directors or recommended by the compensation committee to the board of directors for its approval.
In connection with the review and approval or ratification of a related person transaction:
• management must disclose to the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, the name of the related person and the basis on which the person is a related person, the material terms of the related person transaction, including the approximate dollar value of the amount involved in the transaction, and all the material facts as to the related person’s direct or indirect interest in, or relationship to, the related person transaction;
• management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction complies with the terms of our agreements governing our material outstanding indebtedness that limit or restrict our ability to enter into a related person transaction;
• management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction will be required to be disclosed in our applicable filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and related rules, and, to the extent required to be disclosed, management must ensure that the related person transaction is disclosed in accordance with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and related rules; and
• management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction constitutes a “personal loan” for purposes of Section 402 of SOX.
In addition, the related person transaction policy will provide that the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, in connection with any approval or ratification of a related person transaction involving a non-employee director, should consider whether such transaction would compromise the director’s status as an “independent,” “outside,” or “non-employee” director, as applicable, under the rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE American.
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The following descriptions are summaries of the material terms of our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which will be effective prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The descriptions of our common stock give effect to changes to our capital structure that will occur before the effectiveness of this offering.
General
Our authorized capital stock currently consists of 50,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of which 1,400,000 shares have been designated as Series A preferred stock.
As of April 13, 2023, there were outstanding 10,745,000 shares of our Class A common stock, no shares of our Class B common stock and 1,302,082 shares of our Series A preferred stock, held by an aggregate of 79 stockholders of record. After giving effect to (i) the conversion of all of our outstanding convertible notes, including accrued interest, totaling approximately $14.2 million, into 8,740,915 shares of Class A common stock; (ii) the issuance of an additional 325,000 shares of our common stock to the noteholders in our private placement commenced in November 2022 upon the automatic conversion of their outstanding convertible notes and (iii) the conversion of our Series A preferred stock into 1,302,082 shares of Class A common stock, we would have 21,112,997 shares of our Class A common stock outstanding (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share) and no shares of our Class B common stock or preferred stock outstanding.
We have obtained approval from the holders of a majority of our outstanding Class A common stock and Series A preferred stock to amend our current second amended and restated certificate of incorporation to eliminate our authorized shares of Class B common stock and rename our Class A common stock as “common stock.” The shares of Class B common stock, which have no voting rights and were previously issued to early employees and consultants of our company, have all been converted to Class A common stock. This amendment will be effective upon filing with the Delaware Secretary of State prior to the effectiveness of this offering.
Class A and Class B Common Stock
The holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of our common stock do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of our Class B common stock have essentially identical rights to holders of our Class A common stock, except that holders of our Class B common stock are not entitled to voting rights with respect to the election of directors and other similar matters.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Our common stock has no preemptive rights, conversion rights or other subscription rights or redemption or sinking fund provisions.
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of all debts and other liabilities and any liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock. The shares of Class A common stock to be issued by us in this offering will be, when issued and paid for, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Preferred Stock
Immediately prior to the effectiveness of this offering, all outstanding shares of our Series A preferred stock will be converted into shares of our Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis. Following this offering, our board of directors will have the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock (of which 1,400,000 have been previously designated as Series A preferred stock and will be withdrawn and added back to authorized, unissued and undesignated preferred stock) in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting, or the designation of, such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights
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of Class A common stock. The issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of Class A common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon our liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or other corporate action. Immediately after the closing of this offering, no shares of preferred stock will be outstanding, and we have no present plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Warrants
We issued placement agent warrants to purchase an aggregate of (i) 421,941 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.34 per share, based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, (ii) 90,556 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.70 per share, based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, and (iii) 81,301 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.46 per share, based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share (collectively, the “Private Warrants”), to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for our Group B Convertible Note and Group C Convertible Note private placements. The Private Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Private Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
Make-Whole Liability Shares
We previously agreed to issue to (i) certain directors, officers, key employees and key advisors an aggregate of 740,000 shares of our common stock in consideration for accrued services rendered to our company and (ii) Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, an aggregate of 468,272 shares of our common stock for its services as the placement agent in connection with three of our prior private placements of convertible notes. We did not issue the 740,000 shares at the time such services were performed due to an insufficient number of shares authorized for issuance by our company. On January 19, 2023, we issued the 740,000 shares of common stock, of which an aggregate of 360,000 shares was issued to certain of our directors and executive officers. We do not intend, and are not required, to issue the 468,272 shares to Noble Life Science Partners prior to the effectiveness of this offering.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and Delaware Law
Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will include a number of provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing another party from acquiring control of us and encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include the items described below.
Board composition and filling vacancies. Our certificate of incorporation provides that directors may be removed with or without cause only by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Further, any vacancy on our board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of our board, may only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office even if less than a quorum. The limitations on removal of directors and treatment of vacancies, has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors.
No written consent of stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation provides that all stockholder actions are required to be taken by a vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting, and that stockholders may not take any action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. This limit may lengthen the amount of time required to take stockholder actions and would prevent the amendment of our bylaws or removal of directors by our stockholders without holding a meeting of stockholders.
Meetings of stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by resolution adopted by our board of directors, chairman of the board of directors or chief executive officer or upon the written request of stockholders owning at least 33⅓% of the outstanding common stock and only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders. Stockholders owning less than 33⅓% may not call a special meeting, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for holders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors. Our bylaws limit the business that may be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders to those matters properly brought before the meeting.
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Advance notice requirements. Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. Our bylaws specify the requirements as to form and content of all stockholders’ notices. These requirements may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before the stockholders at an annual or special meeting.
Amendment to certificate of incorporation and bylaws. Any amendment of our certificate of incorporation must first be approved by a majority of our board of directors, and if required by law or our certificate of incorporation, must thereafter be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment and a majority of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to stockholder action, board composition, and limitation of liability must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class. Our bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, subject to any limitations set forth in the bylaws; and may also be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, voting together as a single class, except that the amendment of the provisions relating to notice of stockholder business and nominations and special meetings must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, and not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, or, if our board of directors recommends that the stockholders approve the amendment, by the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the amendment, in each case voting together as a single class.
Undesignated preferred stock. Upon the completion of this offering, our certificate of incorporation will provide for 5,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock may enable our board of directors to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in the best interests of our stockholders, our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. In this regard, our certificate of incorporation grants our board of directors broad power to establish the rights and preferences of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of shares of common stock. The issuance may also adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of these holders and may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide indemnification for our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors that may, in some cases, be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained under Delaware law. In addition, as permitted by Delaware law, our certificate includes provisions that eliminate the personal liability of our directors and officers for monetary damages resulting from breaches of certain fiduciary duties as a director or officer, as applicable, except to the extent such an exemption from liability thereof is not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law. The effect of these provisions is to restrict our rights and the rights of our stockholders in derivative suits to recover monetary damages against a director or officer for breach of fiduciary duties as a director or officer, subject to certain exceptions in which case the director or officer would be personally liable. An officer may not be exculpated for any action brought by or in the right of the corporation. A director may not be exculpated for improper distributions to stockholders. Further, pursuant to Delaware law a director or officer may not be exculpated for:
• any breach of his or her duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;
• acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; and
• any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.
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These limitations of liability do not apply to liabilities arising under the federal or state securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.
Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law, and may indemnify employees and other agents. Our bylaws also provide that we are obligated to advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding.
We plan to enter into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. These agreements, among other things, require us to indemnify our directors and officers for any and all expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such directors or officers or on his or her behalf in connection with any action or proceeding arising out of their services as one of our directors or officers, or any of our subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request provided that such person follows the procedures for determining entitlement to indemnification and advancement of expenses set forth in the indemnification agreement. We believe that these bylaw provisions and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might provide a benefit to us and our stockholders. Our results of operations and financial condition may be harmed to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors or officers as to which indemnification is required or permitted, and we are not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result in a claim for indemnification.
Exclusive Forum
Our amended and restated bylaws to be adopted prior to the effectiveness of this offering will provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any state law claims for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers and employees to us or our stockholders; (3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law or our certificate of incorporation or bylaws (including the interpretation, validity or enforceability thereof); or (4) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, however, that this provision will not apply to any causes of action arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. In addition, our amended and restated bylaws will provide that, unless we consent to an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act (the Federal Forum Provision). Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in our securities will be deemed to have notice of and consented to these forum provisions. These forum provisions may impose additional costs on stockholders and may limit our stockholders’ ability to bring a claim in a forum they find favorable, and the designated courts may reach different judgements or results than other courts. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether our Federal Forum Provision will be enforced, which may impose additional costs on us and our stockholders.
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Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:
• before the stockholder became interested, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
• upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder; or
• at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
• any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;
• any sale, transfer, lease, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;
• subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
• subject to exceptions, any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; and
• the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.
NYSE American Listing
We have applied to list our common stock for trading on the NYSE American under the symbol “OSTX.” This listing is a condition to the offering. No assurance can be given that our application will be approved and that our common stock will ever be listed for trading on the NYSE American. If our listing application is not approved by the NYSE American, we will not consummate this offering.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be Vstock Transfer, LLC, Woodmere, New York.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Prior to this offering, no public market for shares of our common stock has existed. Future sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the possibility of these sales occurring, could cause the prevailing market price for our common stock to fall or impair our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
After this offering, we will have 23,112,997 outstanding shares of our common stock (23,412,997 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), based on the number of shares outstanding as of April 13, 2023 and the issuances of shares in connection with the Recapitalization transactions. This includes shares that we intend to sell in this offering, which shares may be resold in the public market immediately following our initial public offering.
The shares of common stock that were not offered and sold in this offering will be upon issuance, “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below.
As a result of the lock-up agreements described below and subject to the provisions of Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act, these restricted securities will be available for sale in the public market as follows:
• on the date of this prospectus, none of these restricted securities will be available for sale in the public market;
• 365 days after the date of this prospectus, 7,648,500 shares; and
• 180 days after the date of this prospectus, 537,089 shares held by the selling stockholders.
Rule 144
For a person who has not been deemed to have been one of our affiliates at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, sales of our shares of common stock held longer than six months, but less than one year, will be subject only to the current public information requirement and can be sold under Rule 144 beginning 90 days after the effectiveness of this registration statement without restriction. A person who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, is entitled to sell his or her shares without complying with the manner of sale, public information, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144.
Beginning 90 days after the effectiveness of this registration statement, a person who is our affiliate or who was our affiliate at any time during the preceding three months and who has beneficially owned restricted securities for at least six months, will generally be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed one percent of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding. Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. Persons who may be deemed to be our affiliates generally include individuals or entities that control, or are controlled by, or are under common control with, us and may include our directors and officers, as well as our significant stockholders.
Approximately 3,096,500 shares of our common stock will be eligible for sale under Rule 144 90 days following the effective date of this registration statement. One year following the effectiveness of this offering, 7,823,500 additional shares will become eligible for sale under Rule 144, subject to applicable volume limitations. We cannot estimate the number of shares of our common stock that our existing stockholders will elect to sell under Rule 144.
Rule 701
Rule 701 under the Securities Act permits resales of shares in reliance upon Rule 144 but without compliance with certain restrictions of Rule 144, including the holding period requirement and the volume and public information requirements. Any of our employees, consultants or advisors, other than our affiliates, who purchased shares from us under a written compensatory plan or contract may be entitled to rely on the resale provisions of Rule 701, but all
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holders of Rule 701 shares are required to wait until 90 days after the effective date of this registration statement before selling their shares under Rule 701. None of our currently outstanding shares will become eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 701 90 days following the effective date of this registration statement.
Lock-Up Agreements
Pursuant to lock-up agreements, we and our executive officers, directors and certain stockholders have agreed, without the prior written consent of the representative, not to directly or indirectly, offer to sell, pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of any of shares of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the transfer or disposition by any person at any time in the future of) our common stock, enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of our common stock, make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock or any other securities of ours or publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, subject to customary exceptions, for a period of six months in the case of our company and a period of 12 months in the case of our directors, executive officers and certain stockholders, other than the selling stockholders identified in the resale prospectus. See the “Underwriting” section for a more complete description of the lock-up agreements that we and our directors, executive officers and certain stockholders have entered into with the underwriters.
Selling Stockholder Resale Prospectus
As described in the Explanatory Note to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the registration statement also contains a resale prospectus to be used in connection with the potential resale by certain selling stockholders of our common stock. These shares of common stock have been registered to permit public resale of such shares, and the selling stockholders may offer the shares for resale from time to time pursuant to the resale prospectus. The selling stockholders may also sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or a portion of their shares in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act or pursuant to another effective registration statement covering those shares. The shares being registered for resale are being registered to satisfy a contractual obligation owed by us to the selling stockholders pursuant to a convertible note purchase agreement, dated November 15, 2022, providing for the registration of 50% of their conversion shares on their behalf. Consummation of the offering made by the resale prospectus is conditioned on consummation of the initial public offering of shares of common stock by us pursuant to this prospectus.
104
In connection with this offering, we expect to enter an underwriting agreement with Boustead Securities, LLC, as the representative of the underwriters named in this prospectus, with respect to the common stock in this offering. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, the representative will agree to purchase from us on a firm commitment basis the respective number of shares of common stock at the public price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and each of the underwriters has severally and not jointly agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, at the public offering price per shares less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
|
Underwriter |
Number of |
|
|
Boustead Securities, LLC |
|
|
|
Total |
2,000,000 |
The shares of common stock sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. Any shares of common stock sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount from the initial public offering price not to exceed $__ per share. If all of the shares are not sold at the initial offering price, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The representative has advised us that the underwriters do not intend to make sales to discretionary accounts.
If the underwriters sell more shares of common stock than the total number set forth in the table above, we have granted to the representative an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 300,000 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price less the underwriting discount, constituting 15% of the total number of shares of common stock to be offered in this offering (excluding shares subject to this option). The representative may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with this offering. This offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. Any shares of common stock issued or sold under the option will be issued and sold on the same terms and conditions as the other shares of common stock that are the subject of this offering.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in compliance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, as described below:
• Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase securities so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.
• Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriters of securities in excess of the number of securities the underwriters are obligated to purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of securities over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of securities that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of securities involved is greater than the number of securities in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing securities in the open market.
• Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of securities to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of securities available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase securities through the over-allotment option. A naked short position occurs if the underwriters sell more securities than could be covered by the over-allotment option. This position can only be closed out by buying securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the securities in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
• Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.
105
These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities. As a result, the price of our shares of common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.
Discounts and Expenses
The following table shows the underwriting discounts payable to the underwriters by us in connection with this offering (assuming both the exercise and non-exercise of the over-allotment option that we have granted to the representative), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share:
|
Per Share |
Total |
Total |
|||||||
|
Public offering price |
$ |
5.00 |
$ |
10,000,000 |
$ |
11,500,000 |
|||
|
Underwriting discounts and commissions (7%) |
$ |
0.35 |
$ |
700,000 |
$ |
805,000 |
|||
|
Non-accountable expense allowance (1%) |
$ |
0.05 |
$ |
100,000 |
$ |
115,000 |
|||
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ |
4.60 |
$ |
9,200,000 |
$ |
10,580,000 |
|||
We have agreed to pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the representative equal to 1% of the gross proceeds received at the closing of the offering.
We have agreed to pay the representative the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the representative in connection with this offering up to $258,000. The representative’s reimbursable out-of-pocket expenses include: (i) reasonable fees of representative’s legal counsel up to $100,000, (ii) due diligence and other expenses incurred prior to completion of this offering up to $75,000, (iii) road show, travel, platform on-boarding fees, and other reasonable out-of-pocket accountable expenses up to $75,000, and (iv) $8,000 for background check on our officers, directors and major shareholders. As of the date of this prospectus, we have paid the representative advances of $_____ for its anticipated out-of-pocket costs. Such advance payments will be returned to us to the extent such out-of-pocket expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
Representative’s Warrants
We have agreed to issue warrants to the representative to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal to 7% of the total number of shares sold in this offering at an exercise price equal to 100% of the public offering price of the shares sold in this offering. The representative’s warrants will be exercisable upon issuance, will have a cashless exercise provision and will terminate on the fifth anniversary of the commencement date of sales in this offering. The representative’s warrants are not exercisable or convertible for more than five years from the commencement date of sales in this offering. The representative’s warrants also provide for customary anti-dilution provisions and immediate “piggyback” registration rights with respect to the registration of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants for a period not to exceed five years from the commencement of sales in the offering.
The representative’s warrant and the underlying shares may be deemed to be compensation by FINRA, and therefore will be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), neither the representative’s warrant nor any of our shares of common stock issued upon exercise of the representative’s warrants may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities by any person, for a period of 180 days immediately following the commencement date of sales in this offering, subject to certain exceptions. The representative’s warrant to be received by the representative and related persons in connection with this offering: (i) fully comply with lock-up restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1); and (ii) fully comply with transfer restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). We have registered the representative’s warrants and the shares underlying the representative’s warrants in this offering.
106
Determination of Offering Price
In determining the initial public offering price, we and the representative have considered a number of factors, including:
• the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representative;
• our prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;
• an assessment of our management;
• our prospects for future revenue and earnings;
• the recent prices of, and demand for, shares sold by us prior to this offering;
• the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering;
• the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded securities of generally comparable companies; and
• other factors deemed relevant by the representative and us.
The estimated initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this preliminary prospectus is subject to change as a result of market conditions and other factors. Neither we nor the representative can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our shares of common stock, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.
We have agreed to indemnify the representative and the other underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we will contribute to payments that the representative and the other underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.
Right of First Refusal
We have agreed to provide the representative the right of first refusal for 12 months following the consummation of this offering, to act as sole investment banker, sole book-runner, and/or sole placement agent, at the representative’s sole discretion, for each and every equity or debt transaction, including future public and private equity and/or debt offerings, including all equity linked financings, whether in conjunction with another advisor, or broker-dealer, or on our own volition. In the event that we engage the representative to provide such services, the representative will be compensated consistent with our engagement agreement with the representative, unless we mutually agree otherwise.
Tail Rights
Following the termination or expiration of our engagement agreement with the representative, the representative will be entitled to success fees in accordance with our engagement agreement if we complete a transaction with a party who became aware of us or who became known to us prior to such termination or expiration of the engagement agreement.
Company and Affiliate Lock-Ups
We will not, without the prior written consent of the representative, from the date of execution of the Underwriting Agreement and continuing for a period of six months from the date on which the trading of our common stock commences, (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, change the terms of (including to re-price) or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. We will agree not to accelerate the vesting of any stock option or warrant or allow the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the lock-up period.
107
Our officers, directors and certain stockholders have agreed to be locked up for a period of 12 months from the date on which the trading of our common stock commences. During the lock-up period, without the prior written consent of the representative, they will not, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, assign, encumber, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, lend, grant, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, owned either of record or beneficially, by any signatory of the lock-up agreement on the date of the prospectus or thereafter acquired, (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, whether any such transaction described in clauses (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing, and (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock.
Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares of Common Stock
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by the representative. In addition, shares of common stock may be sold by the representative to securities dealers who resell shares of common stock to online brokerage account holders. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the representative’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by the representative is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the representative in its capacity as representative and should not be relied upon by investors.
Offer Restrictions Outside the United States
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
108
The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal matters related to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by ArentFox Schiff LLP, Washington, DC.
The financial statements of OS Therapies Incorporated as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, for the years then ended, have been included herein in reliance upon the report of MaloneBailey, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC the Registration Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the common stock we are offering by this prospectus. For further information pertaining to us and our common stock, you should refer to the registration statement and to its exhibits. Whenever we make reference in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents, the references are not necessarily complete, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or other document.
Upon the completion of the offering, we will be subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and will file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at www.ostherapies.com. Upon completion of the offering, you may access, free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendment to those reported filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.
109
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
Page |
||
|
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021 |
||
|
F-2 |
||
|
F-3 |
||
|
F-4 |
||
|
F-5 |
||
|
F-6 |
||
|
F-7 |
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
OS Therapies Incorporated
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of OS Therapies Incorporated (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and the results of its operation and its cash flow for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Going Concern Matter
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and has a net capital deficiency that raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ MaloneBailey, LLP
www.malonebailey.com
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
Houston, Texas
March 13, 2023, except for Note 9 which is dated March 31, 2023
F-2
OS Therapies Incorporated
Balance Sheets
|
December 31, 2022 |
December 31, |
|||||||
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Current Assets |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Cash |
$ |
171,480 |
|
$ |
80,788 |
|
||
|
Deferred Offering Costs |
|
324,210 |
|
|
— |
|
||
|
Employee Advances |
|
— |
|
|
956 |
|
||
|
Shareholder Loan Receivable |
|
1,145 |
|
|
231,071 |
|
||
|
Total Current Assets |
|
496,835 |
|
|
312,815 |
|
||
|
Long Term Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Fixed Assets (Net) |
|
12,270 |
|
|
13,076 |
|
||
|
TOTAL ASSETS |
$ |
509,105 |
|
$ |
325,891 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ Deficit |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Accounts Payable |
$ |
1,225,134 |
|
$ |
856,521 |
|
||
|
Accrued Interest on Convertible Notes |
|
1,223,843 |
|
|
566,931 |
|
||
|
Accrued Expenses |
|
15,000 |
|
|
— |
|
||
|
Accrued Payroll and Payroll Taxes – Related Party |
|
420,000 |
|
|
367,020 |
|
||
|
Accrued Payroll and Payroll Taxes |
|
6,011 |
|
|
— |
|
||
|
Redemption Premium |
|
3,039,054 |
|
|
1,612,054 |
|
||
|
Preferred Dividends Payable |
|
218,750 |
|
|
93,750 |
|
||
|
Total Current Liabilities |
|
6,147,792 |
|
|
3,496,276 |
|
||
|
Long Term Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Convertible Notes – A (Net Debt Discount) |
|
1,038,120 |
|
|
999,613 |
|
||
|
Convertible Notes – A (Related Party Net Debt Discount) |
|
100,000 |
|
|
97,497 |
|
||
|
Convertible Notes – B (Net Debt Discount) |
|
5,154,000 |
|
|
4,794,624 |
|
||
|
Convertible Notes – C (Net Debt Discount) |
|
3,218,845 |
|
|
1,180,681 |
|
||
|
Convertible Notes – D (Net Debt Discount) |
|
836,667 |
|
|
— |
|
||
|
Make-whole Stock Liability |
|
1,470,909 |
|
|
1,108,413 |
|
||
|
TEDCO Grant |
|
100,000 |
|
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
Total Long Term Liabilities |
|
11,918,541 |
|
|
8,280,828 |
|
||
|
Total Liabilities |
|
18,066,333 |
|
|
11,777,104 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Common Stock A, par value $0.001, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 9,980,000 issued and outstanding |
|
9,980 |
|
|
9,980 |
|
||
|
Common Stock B, par value $0.001, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 0 shares issued and outstanding |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||
|
Preferred Stock A, par value $0.001, 1,400,000 shares authorized, 1,302,082 shares Preferred Stock A issued |
|
1,302 |
|
|
1,302 |
|
||
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
4,033,093 |
|
|
3,759,423 |
|
||
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
(21,601,603 |
) |
|
(15,221,918 |
) |
||
|
Total Stockholders’ Deficit |
|
(17,557,228 |
) |
|
(11,451,213 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT |
$ |
509,105 |
|
$ |
325,891 |
|
||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-3
OS Therapies Incorporated
Statements of Operations
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|||||||
|
OPERATING EXPENSES |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Research & Development Expenses |
$ |
3,291,417 |
|
$ |
2,174,179 |
|
||
|
General & Administrative |
|
1,153,672 |
|
|
1,503,534 |
|
||
|
Licensing |
|
1,210 |
|
|
1,159,642 |
|
||
|
Loss from Operations |
|
(4,446,299 |
) |
|
(4,837,355 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
OTHER INCOME/EXPENSE |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Interest Expense |
|
(1,808,386 |
) |
|
(2,582,893 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
NET LOSS |
|
(6,254,685 |
) |
|
(7,420,248 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Cumulative Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Requirement |
|
(125,000 |
) |
|
(93,750 |
) |
||
|
NET LOSS available to common shareholders |
$ |
(6,379,685 |
) |
$ |
(7,513,998 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Weighted Average # of Shares – Class A |
|
9,980,000 |
|
|
9,980,000 |
|
||
|
Basic & Diluted Loss per Common Share – Class A |
$ |
(0.64 |
) |
$ |
(0.75 |
) |
||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-4
OS Therapies Incorporated
Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
|
Common Stock |
Preferred Stock |
Additional |
Accumulated |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Balances, December 31, 2020 |
9,980,000 |
$ |
9,980 |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
807,100 |
$ |
(7,707,920 |
) |
$ |
(6,890,840 |
) |
|||||||
|
Conversion of Debt and Interest to Preferred Stock |
— |
|
— |
1,302,082 |
|
1,302 |
|
2,498,698 |
|
— |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
|||||||
|
Warrants Issued to placement agent for convertible notes |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
— |
|
453,625 |
|
— |
|
|
453,625 |
|
|||||||
|
Preferred Dividends |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
(93,750 |
) |
|
(93,750 |
) |
|||||||
|
Net Loss |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
— |
|
— |
|
(7,420,248 |
) |
|
(7,420,248 |
) |
|||||||
|
Balances, December 31, 2021 |
9,980,000 |
|
9,980 |
1,302,082 |
|
1,302 |
|
3,759,423 |
|
(15,221,918 |
) |
|
(11,451,213 |
) |
|||||||
|
Warrants Issued to placement agent for convertible notes |
|
|
|
273,670 |
|
|
|
273,670 |
|
||||||||||||
|
Preferred Dividends |
|
|
|
|
(125,000 |
) |
|
(125,000 |
) |
||||||||||||
|
Net loss |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(6,254,685 |
) |
|
(6,254,685 |
) |
|||||||
|
Balances, December 31, 2022 |
9,980,000 |
$ |
9,980 |
1,302,082 |
$ |
1,302 |
$ |
4,033,093 |
$ |
(21,601,603 |
) |
$ |
(17,557,228 |
) |
|||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-5
OS Therapies Incorporated
Statements of Cash Flows
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
|
Year Ended |
Year Ended |
|||||||
|
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Net loss |
$ |
(6,254,685 |
) |
$ |
(7,420,248 |
) |
||
|
Depreciation expense |
|
805 |
|
|
805 |
|
||
|
Preferred stock for interest |
|
— |
|
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
Amortization of Debt Discounts |
|
1,151,474 |
|
|
2,069,482 |
|
||
|
Make-whole expense |
|
362,496 |
|
|
272,482 |
|
||
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Accounts Payable |
|
216,426 |
|
|
856,481 |
|
||
|
Accrued Expenses |
|
15,000 |
|
|
(595,000 |
) |
||
|
Accrued Interest on Convertible Notes |
|
656,913 |
|
|
368,977 |
|
||
|
Accrued Payroll and payroll taxes |
|
58,991 |
|
|
(55,790 |
) |
||
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
(3,792,580 |
) |
|
(4,402,811 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Employee Advances |
|
956 |
|
|
11,844 |
|
||
|
Purchases of Equipment |
|
— |
|
|
(11,934 |
) |
||
|
Increase in Shareholder Loan |
|
(49,075 |
) |
|
563 |
|
||
|
Shareholder Loan Repayment |
|
279,000 |
|
|
200,000 |
|
||
|
Net cash provided by investing activities |
|
230,881 |
|
|
200,473 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Deferred Offering Costs |
|
(172,021 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
|
TEDCO Grant |
|
— |
|
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
Net Proceeds from Convertible Debt A, B, & C |
|
3,824,412 |
|
|
2,950,350 |
|
||
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
3,652,391 |
|
|
3,050,350 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Net change in cash |
|
90,692 |
|
|
(1,151,988 |
) |
||
|
Cash – beginning of period |
|
80,788 |
|
|
1,232,776 |
|
||
|
Cash – end of period |
$ |
171,480 |
|
$ |
80,788 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Cash paid for interest |
$ |
— |
|
$ |
10,000 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
NON CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Discount on Notes Payable – redemption premium |
|
1,427,000 |
|
|
740,804 |
|
||
|
Conversion of debt to preferred stock |
|
— |
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
||
|
Deferred offering costs |
|
152,189 |
|
|
|
|||
|
Dividends Payable |
|
125,000 |
|
|
93,750 |
|
||
|
Discount on Notes Payable – placement agent warrants |
|
273,670 |
|
|
453,625 |
|
||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-6
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, LIQUIDITY, AND RISK FACTORS
OS Therapies Incorporated (“we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation incorporated on June 24, 2019. It is based in Rockville, Maryland. The Company is the successor to an LLC formed in 2018.
The Company intends to focus on the identification, development, and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma and other related diseases. As of December 31, 2022, there is one ongoing clinical trial for Osteosarcoma therapy.
Liquidity
The Company has prepared its financial statements on a going concern basis, which assumes that the Company will realize its assets and satisfy its liabilities in the normal course of business. However, the Company has incurred net losses since its inception and has negative operating cash flows. These circumstances raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classifications of liabilities that may result from the outcome of the uncertainty concerning the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company had cash of $171,480. For the foreseeable future, the Company’s ability to continue its operations is dependent upon its ability to obtain additional capital. The Company is currently seeking to raise additional capital through a public or private financing of equity; although there can be no assurances the Company will be successful in such a campaign.
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements are presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and the Company’s fiscal year end is December 31.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in its financial statements and accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates these estimates and judgments, which are based on historical and anticipated results and trends and on various other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. By their nature, estimates are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty and, as such, actual results may differ from management’s estimates.
Cash
Cash consist primarily of deposits with commercial banks and financial institutions. The Company maintains cash balances at various financial institutions. Both interest and non-interest bearing accounts with the same insured depository institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for a combined total of $250,000. In the normal course of business, the Company may have deposits that exceed the FDIC insured limit. The Company believes that it is not subject to unusual credit risk beyond the normal credit risk associated with commercial banking relationships. At December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were no accounts in excess of the FDIC limits.
F-7
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Fixed Asset Policy
A capital asset is defined as a unit of property that has an economic useful life that extends beyond 12 months. Any items costing below the threshold or not fitting the definition of a capital asset will be expensed in the financial statements. All capital assets are recorded at historical cost as of the date acquired. Computer assets will be capitalized and Straight-Line depreciated over 5-years for financial statement purposes.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the book values of the assets to future net undiscounted cash flows that the assets or the asset groups are expected to generate. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the book value of the assets exceed their fair value, which is measured based on the estimated discounted future net cash flows arising from the assets or asset groups. No impairment losses on long-lived assets have been recorded for years ending December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist of capitalized underwriting, legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to stockholders’ equity upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses incurred, will be charged to operations. At December 31, 2022, the Company had $324,210 in capitalized deferred offering costs.
Debt Discount and Redemption Premium
The Company evaluated the Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and determined the Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Notes will be recorded at the amortized cost.
The initial fair value of the redemption value relating to the convertible debt instruments are capitalized and amortized over the term of the related debt using the straight-line method, which approximates the interest method. If a loan is paid in full, any unamortized financing costs will be removed from the related accounts and charged to operations. Amortization of debt discount is recorded as a component of interest expense. In accordance with ASU 2015-03, Interest — Imputation of Interest, the unamortized debt discount is presented in the accompanying balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt.
Research and Development Costs
Research and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Research and development expenses include, among other things, salaries, costs of outside collaborators and outside services, and supplies.
Revenue Recognition
As of the date of incorporation, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and all subsequent amendments to the ASU (collectively, “ASC 606”), which (i) creates a single framework for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers that fall within its scope and (ii) revises when it is appropriate to recognize a gain (loss) from the transfer of nonfinancial assets.
F-8
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company, in accordance with ASC 718, employs the use of stock-based compensation. The compensation expense related to stock granted to employees and non-employees is measured at the grant date based on the estimated fair value of the award and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Forfeitures are recognized as a reduction of stock-based compensation expense as they occur. Stock-based compensation expense for an award with a performance condition is recognized when the achievement of such performance condition is determined to be probable. If the outcome of such performance condition is not determined to be probable or is not met, no compensation expense is recognized and any previously recognized compensation expense is reversed.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset-and-liability method in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on the deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rate is recognized in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded if it is “more likely than not” that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized in future periods.
The Company follows the guidance in ASC Topic 740-10 in assessing uncertain tax positions. The standard applies to all tax positions and clarifies the recognition of tax benefits in the financial statements by providing for a two-step approach of recognition and measurement. The first step involves assessing whether the tax position is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination based upon its technical merits. The second step involves measurement of the amount to be recognized. Tax positions that meet the more-likely than-not threshold are measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate finalization with the taxing authority. The Company recognizes the impact of an uncertain income tax position in the financial statements if it believes that the position is more likely than not to be sustained by the relevant taxing authority.
The Company will recognize interest and penalties related to tax positions in income tax expense. As of December 31, 2022 or December 31, 2021, the Company had no unrecognized uncertain income tax positions.
Basic and Diluted Loss per Share
The Company computes loss per share in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings per Share (“ASC 260”). ASC 260 requires presentation of both basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) on the face of the statements of operations. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net loss available to common shareholders (numerator) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding (denominator) during the period. Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method and convertible notes payable using the if-converted method. Diluted EPS excludes all dilutive potential shares if their effect is antidilutive.
Below is a table listing all preferred stock and common stock equivalents:
|
Common Stock Equivalents |
12/31/2022 |
12/31/2021 |
||
|
Convertible Debt |
8,230,248 |
5,825,870 |
||
|
Make-Whole Liability |
1,590,939 |
1,009,691 |
||
|
Warrants |
771,143 |
634,313 |
||
|
Preferred Stock |
1,302,082 |
1,302,082 |
||
|
Total |
11,894,412 |
8,771,956 |
F-9
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Fair Value Measurements
The Company applies ASC 820 Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”), which establishes a framework for measuring fair value and clarifies the definition of fair value within that framework. ASC 820 defines fair value as an exit price, which is the price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the Company’s principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy established in ASC 820 generally requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the entity’s own assumptions based on market data and the entity’s judgments about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are to be developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
The carrying value of the Company’s prepaid expenses, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value because of the short-term maturity of these financial instruments. The redemption feature of the debt instruments is recorded at fair value (See Note 3).
The valuation hierarchy is composed of three levels. The classification within the valuation hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The levels within the valuation hierarchy are described below:
Level 1 — Assets and liabilities with unadjusted, quoted prices listed on active market exchanges. Inputs to the fair value measurement are observable inputs, such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 — Inputs to the fair value measurement are determined using prices for recently traded assets and liabilities with similar underlying terms, as well as direct or indirect observable inputs, such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals.
Level 3 — Inputs to the fair value measurement are unobservable inputs, such as estimates, assumptions, and valuation techniques when little or no market data exists for the assets or liabilities.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company has evaluated all recent accounting pronouncements and believes that none of them will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows except as discussed below.
Accounting policies being evaluated:
We adopted ASC 842 on January 1, 2022 using the modified retrospective basis and did not restate comparative periods as permitted under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-11. ASC 842 supersedes nearly all existing lease accounting guidance under GAAP issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) including ASC Topic 840, Leases. ASC 842 requires that lessees recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities calculated based on the present value of lease payments for all lease agreements with terms that are greater than twelve months. ASC 842 distinguishes leases as either a finance lease or an operating lease that affects how the leases are measured and presented in the statement of operations and statement of cash flows.
Under ASC 842, the “short-term” lease designation can be applied to an entire class of leases rather than on a lease-by-lease basis. By electing this practical expedient, short-term leases do not need to be reported on the balance sheet. This and other practical expedients simplify the lease classification process and help organizations more easily adhere to the new lease standard. Based on the foregoing, the Company does not have lease asset or liability entries.
F-10
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Accounting principles adopted:
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This amendment modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The guidance is effective for all entities for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance was adopted as of January 1, 2020. The impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows was negligible.
In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Non-employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2018-07 expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2019. Effective January 1, 2019, the date of adoption, the Company changed its expense recognition for share-based payments to non-employees to an amount determined at the grant or modification date instead of a variable amount to be re-measured each reporting period. The Company calculated the fair value of its non-employee grants as of the adoption date and determined that there was no impact to the Company’s accumulated deficit or other components of equity upon adoption of ASU 2018-07. The unamortized expense for non-employee grants will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining contractual term of the respective non-employee option agreements. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
In January 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06 Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock by reducing the number of accounting models and limiting the number of embedded conversion features separately recognized from the primary contract. The guidance also includes targeted improvements to the disclosures for convertible instruments and earnings per share. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020.
NOTE 3 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Shareholder Loan
The Company founder, Paul A. Romness, MPH, took advances from the Company of $49,074 in 2022 and $0 in 2021. On December 15, 2020, the Board of Directors approved an agreement whereby the CEO would pay back these advances, with appropriate interest. The agreement was later modified as the Board determined the CEO was due market rate compensation for two years (July 2018 through June 2020 was $120,000, and $240,000 for July 2020 to June 2021).
In the first quarter of 2023, a $360,000 bonus check will be issued to Mr. Romness, CEO. The payroll taxes will be paid. The $360,000 is comprised of backpay (see paragraph above).
The following summarizes activity under the related party loan:
|
Balance December 31, 2020 |
$ |
431,634 |
|
|
|
Repayment |
|
(200,563 |
) |
|
|
Balance December 31, 2021 |
$ |
231,071 |
|
|
|
Advances during 2022 |
|
49,074 |
|
|
|
Repayment |
|
(279,000 |
) |
|
|
Balance December 31, 2022 |
$ |
1,145 |
|
F-11
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 3 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (cont.)
At December 31, 2022, the Company had a payroll payable to the CEO of $420,000 and related income taxes payable of $6,090. In 2021, the Company and the CEO agreed to no imputed interest for the CEO as the debt owed to and from the CEO net a difference of the payroll taxes due.
Related Parties — Convertible Debt
Of the total outstanding notes at December 31, 2022, 10.4% of Group A are held by related parties.
Ted Search and John Ciccio, collectively known as Mill River Partners LLC, are members of the Board and hold convertible notes with face amounts of $100,000 and $97,497 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT
Convertible Debt
The Convertible Notes are separated into four groups — A, B, C, D and BlinkBio — per the table below.
|
Group |
Rate |
Maturity |
Collateral |
Conversion |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||||
|
A |
10% |
Varies |
None |
87.5% – 100% |
$ |
1,138,120 |
$ |
1,097,110 |
||||||
|
B |
6% |
3/31/2022 |
None |
80% |
$ |
5,154,000 |
$ |
4,794,624 |
||||||
|
C |
6% |
3/31/2024 |
None |
80% |
$ |
3,218,845 |
$ |
1,180,681 |
||||||
|
D |
6% |
11/15/2024 |
None |
50% |
$ |
836,667 |
$ |
— |
||||||
|
Blink Bio |
10% |
3/15/2022 |
None |
100% |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
||||||
Group A
Commencing in September 2018 through 2020, the Company entered into an unsecured Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note Agreement (the “Agreements”) with certain lenders (together, the “Holders” or individually, the “Holder”). Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 10% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest shall be due and payable by the Company on demand by the Holders at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date (as defined in each Agreement) and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (as defined below). In general, the stated Maturity Date varies from the date of issuance.
The Notes will automatically convert into the type of Equity Securities issued in the Next Equity Financing upon closing. The number of shares of such Equity Securities to be issued will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Note on the date of conversion of 87.5 – 100% of the price paid per share for Equity Securities by the investors in the Next Equity Financing. Equity Securities refers to Company’s common stock or preferred stock and Next Equity Financing refers to the next sale (or series of related sales) by the Company of its equity securities from which the Company receives gross proceeds of not less than $3,000,000 (including the aggregate amount of debt securities converted into Equity Securities upon conversion or cancellation of promissory notes) or $5,000,000, depending upon the signed agreement terms.
In the event that the Company raises aggregate additional cash proceeds of at least $3,000,000 or $5,000,000 through the sale of the Company’s equity securities, excluding the sales or conversions of Notes under the Agreement, the outstanding principal amount due shall automatically, and without any action on part of the holder, be converted into fully paid and non-assessable units of the Company’s equity stock sold in such qualified financing at 12.5% of the equity stock conversion price. The Company, at its option, may pay and all accrued, but unpaid, interest and other charges in cash or by the issuance of additional equity stock at a rate of the applicable conversion price.
F-12
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
The Company evaluated the Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and determined the Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Notes were recorded at the amortized cost.
The convertible debt balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021 is summarized as follows:
|
Debt A |
As of |
As of |
||||||
|
Principal amount outstanding |
$ |
1,154,000 |
|
$ |
1,154,000 |
|
||
|
Less: discounts (issuance, redemptions) |
|
(185,224 |
) |
|
(172,724 |
) |
||
|
Amortization of discounts |
|
169,344 |
|
|
115,834 |
|
||
|
Carrying value |
|
1,138,120 |
|
|
1,097,110 |
|
||
|
Less Related Party Portion |
|
(100,000 |
) |
|
(97,497 |
) |
||
|
Convertible Notes – A |
$ |
1,038,120 |
|
$ |
999,613 |
|
||
Group B
Commencing in May 2020, the Company entered into an unsecured Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note Agreement (the “Agreements”) with certain lenders (together, the “Holders” or individually, the “Holder”), pursuant to which the Company issued a Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note (individually the “Note” or together the “Notes”) to the Holders, principally the Investors brought in by an investment bank. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest shall be due and payable by the Company on demand by the Holders at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date (as defined in each Agreement) and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (as defined below). In general, the stated Maturity Dates are March 31, 2024.
The Notes will automatically convert into the type of Equity Securities issued in the Next Equity Financing upon closing. The number of shares of such Equity Securities to be issued will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Note on the date of conversion of 80% of the price paid per share for Equity Securities by the investors in the Next Equity Financing. No such Next Equity Financing has occurred through December 31, 2022. Equity Securities refers to Company’s common stock or preferred stock and Next Equity Financing refers to the next sale (or series of related sales) by the Company of its equity securities from which the Company receives gross proceeds of not less than $10,000,000 (including the aggregate amount of debt securities converted into Equity Securities upon conversion or cancellation of promissory notes).
In the event that the Company raises aggregate additional cash proceeds of at least $10,000,000 through the sale of the Company’s equity securities, excluding the sales or conversions of Notes under the Agreement, the outstanding principal amount due shall automatically, and without any action on part of the holder, be converted into fully paid and non-assessable units of the Company’s equity stock sold in such qualified financing at 12.5% of the equity stock conversion price.
The Company, at its option, may pay and all accrued, but unpaid, interest and other charges in cash or by the issuance of additional equity stock at a rate of the applicable conversion price.
F-13
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
The Company evaluated the Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and determined the Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Notes were recorded at the amortized cost.
The convertible debt balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021 is summarized as follows:
|
Debt B |
As of |
As of |
||||||
|
Principal amount outstanding |
$ |
5,154,000 |
|
$ |
5,154,000 |
|
||
|
Less: discounts (issuance, redemptions, warrants) |
|
(1,818,939 |
) |
|
(2,649,696 |
) |
||
|
Amortization of discounts |
|
1,818,939 |
|
|
2,290,320 |
|
||
|
Carrying value |
$ |
5,154,000 |
|
$ |
4,794,624 |
|
||
Group C
Commencing in July 2021, the Company entered into an unsecured Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note Agreement (the “Agreements”) with certain lenders (together, the “Holders” or individually, the “Holder”), pursuant to which the Company issued a Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note (individually the “Note” or together the “Notes”) to the Holders, principally the Investors brought in by an investment bank. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest shall be due and payable by the Company on demand by the Holders at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date (as defined in each Agreement) and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (as defined below). In general, the stated Maturity Date is March 31, 2024.
The Notes will automatically convert into the type of Equity Securities issued in the Next Equity Financing upon closing. The number of shares of such Equity Securities to be issued will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Note on the date of conversion of 80% of the price paid per share for Equity Securities by the investors in the Next Equity Financing. No such Next Equity Financing has occurred through December 31, 2022. Equity Securities refers to Company’s common stock or preferred stock and Next Equity Financing refers to the next sale (or series of related sales) by the Company of its equity securities from which the Company receives gross proceeds of not less than $10,000,000 (including the aggregate amount of debt securities converted into Equity Securities upon conversion or cancellation of promissory notes).
In the event that the Company raises aggregate additional cash proceeds of at least $10,000,000 through the sale of the Company’s equity securities, excluding the sales or conversions of Notes under the Agreement, the outstanding principal amount due shall automatically, and without any action on part of the holder, be converted into fully paid and non-assessable units of the Company’s equity stock sold in such qualified financing at 12.5% of the equity stock conversion price.
The Company, at its option, may pay and all accrued, but unpaid, interest and other charges in cash or by the issuance of additional equity stock at a rate of the applicable conversion price.
The Company evaluated the Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and determined the Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in
F-14
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Notes were recorded at the amortized cost.
The convertible debt balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021 is summarized as follows:
|
Debt C |
As of |
As of |
||||||
|
Principal amount outstanding |
$ |
3,820,020 |
|
$ |
1,685,020 |
|
||
|
Less: discounts (issuance, redemptions, warrants) |
|
(1,063,223 |
) |
|
(604,129 |
) |
||
|
Amortization of discounts |
|
462,048 |
|
|
99,790 |
|
||
|
Carrying value |
$ |
3,218,845 |
|
$ |
1,180,681 |
|
||
Group D
Commencing in November 2022, the Company entered into an unsecured Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note Agreement (the “Agreements”) with certain lenders (together, the “Holders” or individually, the “Holder”), pursuant to which the Company issued a Subordinated Convertible Promissory Note (individually the “Note” or together the “Notes”) to the Holders, principally the Investors brought in by an investment bank. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 6% per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. Unless earlier converted into shares of Equity Securities, the principal and accrued interest shall be due and payable by the Company on demand by the Holders at any time after the earlier of (i) the Maturity Date (as defined in each Agreement) and (ii) the closing of the Next Equity Financing (as defined below). In general, the stated Maturity Date is November 15, 2023.
The Notes will automatically convert into the type of Equity Securities issued in the Next Equity Financing upon closing. The number of shares of such Equity Securities to be issued will be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the outstanding principal and unpaid accrued interest due on the Note on the date of conversion of 50% of the price paid per share for Equity Securities by the investors in the Next Equity Financing. No such Next Equity Financing has occurred through December 31, 2022. Equity Securities refers to Company’s common stock or preferred stock and Next Equity Financing refers to the next sale (or series of related sales) by the Company of its equity securities from which the Company receives gross proceeds of not less than $10,000,000 (including the aggregate amount of debt securities converted into Equity Securities upon conversion or cancellation of promissory notes).
In the event that the Company raises aggregate additional cash proceeds of at least $10,000,000 through the sale of the Company’s equity securities, excluding the sales or conversions of Notes under the Agreement, the outstanding principal amount due shall automatically, and without any action on part of the holder, be converted into fully paid and non-assessable units of the Company’s equity stock sold in such qualified financing at 50% of the equity stock conversion price.
In connection with the Group D Convertible Notes, the Company agreed to issue an additional 250,000 shares of Class A common stock to the Group D Investors, pro-rated based on such investor’s investment amount, as an inducement for their investment in the Group D Convertible Notes. The Company will issue such shares upon the automatic conversion of the Group D Convertible Notes.
The Company, at its option, may pay and all accrued, but unpaid, interest and other charges in cash or by the issuance of additional equity stock at a rate of the applicable conversion price.
The Company evaluated the Notes in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and determined the Notes are considered share-settled debt and should be recorded as a liability. This conclusion was determined based on the debt providing the holder with a variable number of shares at settlement with
F-15
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
an aggregate fair value equal to the debt instrument’s outstanding principal. The general measurement guidance in ASC 480 requires obligations that can be settled in shares with a fixed monetary value at settlement (e.g., share-settled debt) to be carried at fair value unless other accounting guidance specifies another measurement attribute. It has been determined that the appropriate guidance for share-settled debt is ASC 835. As a result, the Notes were recorded at the amortized cost.
The convertible debt balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021 is summarized as follows:
|
Debt D |
As of |
As of |
|||||
|
Principal amount outstanding |
$ |
2,000,000 |
|
$ |
— |
||
|
Less: discounts (issuance, redemptions, warrants) |
|
(1,539,654 |
) |
|
— |
||
|
Amortization of discounts |
|
376,321 |
|
|
— |
||
|
Carrying value |
$ |
836,667 |
|
$ |
— |
||
Blink Bio
Note payable
On August 19, 2020, the Company gave a convertible note, initially valued at $2,400,000, to Blink Bio (see Note 7 for license agreement). The Note bears simple interest at the rate of 10% per annum and is set to convert within 120 days of the signing date, to Preferred Stock at conversion price per share equal to the Capped Conversion Price ($1.92 per share), unless agreed by mutual consent to extend, which it was in December 2021 to March 2021.
Principal and accrued interest were due in a balloon payment on March 15, 2021. Interest expense through March 15, 2021 was $55,804. The principal and then total interest of $100,000 converted into 1,302,082 shares of Preferred Stock on March 15, 2021.
Redemption Liability
The fair value of the redemption liability is calculated under Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, is determined based upon a Probability-Weighted of Expected Returns Model (“PWERM”). This PWERM was determined to be the most appropriate method of estimating the value of possible redemption or conversion outcomes over time, since the Company has not entered into a priced equity round through December 31, 2022. The fair value of the redemption liability is calculated using the initial value of the convertible note less the debt discount rate of 12.5% in Group A, 20% in Groups B and C, and 50% in Group D. The redemption liability is then amortized over the remaining life of the note, utilizing the interest rates of 10% and 6% respectively for the groups. The life of each note in Group A is for a set period of 3 years, and is variable in Groups B, C, and D, with a range of 12 months to 3 years. The Company retains the option to negotiate an extended maturity date for Groups B, C, and D. The new embedded redemption values were $1,427,000 and $740,804 for the years ending December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The redemption liability is re-measured at each period end and is summarized as follows:
|
As of |
As of |
|||||
|
New Embedded Redemption Value – Group A |
|
144,250 |
|
144,250 |
||
|
New Embedded Redemption Value – Group B |
|
1,130,800 |
|
1,130,800 |
||
|
New Embedded Redemption Value – Group C |
|
764,004 |
|
337,004 |
||
|
New Embedded Redemption Value – Group D |
|
1,000,000 |
|
— |
||
|
Ending Balance |
$ |
3,039,054 |
$ |
1,612,054 |
||
F-16
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
Fees Associated with Convertible Debt Raise
The fees associated with the convertible debt raise are legal and investment fees associated with the issuance of the convertible notes for Groups A, B, C & D. There were no related parties who received these fees. The fees are amortized over the life of the convertible note utilizing an interest rate of 10% for Group A and 6% for Groups B, C and D. The debt issuance liability is re-measured at each period end and is summarized in the table below.
|
As of |
As of |
|||||
|
Debt Issuance |
|
|
||||
|
Group A |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
||
|
Group B |
|
— |
|
253,420 |
||
|
Group C |
|
114,000 |
|
75,250 |
||
|
Group D |
|
196,588 |
|
— |
||
|
Total Net Debt Issuance |
$ |
310,588 |
$ |
328,670 |
||
Make-whole liability — Shares due Noble Capital
In March 2020, the Company signed a new advisory agreement with Noble Capital, in lieu of cash remuneration and the Company agreed to issue 4% of the Company shares, with an anti-dilution clause. The Make-whole liability represents the shares earned for the anti-dilution of their stock position over 2020 and 2021. The 2021 year-end had the Company owing total cumulative additional shares of 466,404, valued in the amount of $408,413, after issuing 400,000 shares in 2020. In 2021, the Company recorded an associated expense to Advisory Fees of $152,482, to recognize the share value earned on the anti-dilution compensation in 2021. In 2022, the Company set aside 141,248 cumulative additional shares to satisfy the anti-dilution clause. In 2022, the Company recorded an associated expense to Advisory Fees of $282,496, to recognize the share value earned on the anti-dilution compensation in the current year.
In addition, the Company owed officers, key employees, key advisors and directors cumulative shares of 740,000 shares of Class A common stock that has yet to be issued and is valued at $780,000 and included in this liability as follows:
|
Name |
Position |
# Shares |
Value |
Date Earned |
|||||
|
Gerald Commissiong |
Key Vendor |
30,000 |
$ |
30,000 |
6/4/2019 |
||||
|
John Hadden |
Key Vendor |
50,000 |
|
50,000 |
6/4/2019 |
||||
|
Christopher P. Acevedo |
Former Chief Financial Officer |
200,000 |
|
200,000 |
7/1/2020 |
||||
|
John Doll |
Employee |
100,000 |
|
100,000 |
6/1/2020 |
||||
|
Jutta Warner, Ph.D. |
Consultant |
200,000 |
|
200,000 |
9/8/2020 |
||||
|
Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D. |
Director |
40,000 |
|
40,000 |
1/1/2021 |
||||
|
John Ciccio |
Director |
40,000 |
|
40,000 |
1/1/2021 |
||||
|
Colin Goddard, Ph.D. |
Chairman of the Board |
40,000 |
|
40,000 |
1/1/2021 |
||||
|
Joacim Borg |
Director |
40,000 |
|
80,000 |
7/1/2022 |
||||
|
TOTAL |
740,000 |
$ |
780,000 |
||||||
Warrants for Placement Agent — Noble Capital
In March 2020, the Company signed a new advisory agreement with Noble Capital, in lieu of cash remuneration it was provided a 10% warrant fee, in addition to cash remuneration on debt raises from Noble procured investments. The terms of the warrants are five years at an exercise price that equates to the average price the Convertible Debt Holders paid in each debt raise round. The number of warrants earned in 2022 is 136,830,
F-17
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 4 — CONVERTIBLE DEBT (cont.)
valued at $273,670. The number of warrants earned in 2021 is 226,813, valued at $453,625. The total warrants earned as of December 31, 2022 was 771,143, after considering the 407,500 warrants earned in 2020 under the agreement. Warrants earned in 2022, 2021 and 2020 have been accounted for as a discount to the associated convertible debt with the discounts amortized over the term of the related debt. The Debt Discount Accretion expense on warrants in 2022 and 2021 are $217,820 and $441,120, respectively. The total unamortized discount of those warrants are $323,042 and $267,192 as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
NOTE 5 — TEDCO GRANT
In May of 2021, the Company received the first of two tranches from TEDCO’s Rural & Underserved Business Recovery from Impact of COVID-19 (RUBRIC) Grant in the amount of $50,000. A second tranche of $50,000 was received in October 2021 for a total reimbursable grant amount of $100,000. The Company is obligated to report on and pay to TEDCO 3% of their quarterly revenues for a five-year period following the reward date. Income from grants and investments are not considered revenues. Royalties due to TEDCO are capped at 150% of the amount of the award or $150,000 total. The Company has the option to eliminate the quarterly royalty obligation by making an advance payment prior to the end of the five-year period, in which case, the Company shall receive a 10% reduction of the royalty cap percentage for each year prior to the expiration of the five-year reimbursement period that the grant is repaid in full. If the Company ceases to meet eligibility requirements the reimbursement obligation shall become due to TEDCO immediately; however the discount for meeting the obligation shall still apply.
NOTE 6 — INCOME TAXES
Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows:
|
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||
|
Deferred tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Net operating loss carryforwards |
$ |
4,776,491 |
|
$ |
3,263,790 |
|
||
|
General Business Credit Carryover |
|
217,480 |
|
|
34,602 |
|
||
|
R&D Credit (available for payroll tax offset) |
|
509,475 |
|
|
285,518 |
|
||
|
Subtotal |
|
5,503,446 |
|
|
3,583,910 |
|
||
|
Valuation allowance |
|
(5,503,446 |
) |
|
(3,583,910 |
) |
||
|
Total deferred tax assets |
$ |
— |
|
$ |
— |
|
||
The federal income tax rate used for 2022 is 21%. The Maryland rate is 8.25%. For the years ending December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had federal net operating loss (“NOL”) of $16,453,174 and $11,509,196, respectively. The 2019 NOL carryforward of $292,144 will expire in tax years up through 2037. The NOLs generated in tax years 2020 and beyond will carry forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such federal net operating losses is limited. The Company has provided a valuation allowance to offset the deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of realizing the benefits of the net deferred tax asset.
The Company’s issuances of common stock may have likely resulted in ownership changes as defined by Section 382 of the Code; however, the Company has not conducted a Section 382 study to date. It is possible that a future analysis may result in the conclusion that a substantial portion, or perhaps substantially all of the Company’s NOL carryforwards and R&D tax credit carryforwards will expire due to the limitations of Sections 382 and 383 of the Code. As a result, the utilization of the carryforwards may be limited, and a portion of the carryforwards may expire unused. The Company is subject to U.S. federal tax examinations by tax authorities for the year 2022 due to the fact that NOL carryforwards exist going back to 2019 that may be utilized on a current or future year tax return.
F-18
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 7 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Rental Agreement
The Company has a rental agreement with BXP Shady Grove Lot 7 LLC, beginning in April 2022 and ending in March 2023. The payment term of the license agreement is $1,000 per month. Rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $10,312 and for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $3,305.
Employee Commitments
There are no employee commitments as the Company operates on at At-Will employment basis.
License Obligation and Manufacturing Agreements Advaxis
The Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with Advaxis, Inc in September 2018, as amended, pursuant to which it acquired the right to develop and commercialize Advaxis HER2 Construct, the Company’s product candidate and the use of Advaxis HER2 Construct patents. Per the agreement, monthly payments began April 30, 2020, and a total of $1,205,000 has been paid to ADVAXIS towards the License Commencement Payment by December 31, 2020, the grand total of which is $1,550,000. These payments have been recorded as licensing expenses in the accompanying statement of operations. Milestone 3 was updated to a $5,000,000 payment on April 23, 2021. No payments were due or made in 2022. A payment schedule is set for future milestones, as follows:
|
Milestone |
Milestone |
||||
|
1. |
OST has secured funding of at least Two Million Three Hundred Thirty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,337,500), in the aggregate (The Funding Milestone) (paid) |
|
License |
||
|
$ |
1,550,000 |
||||
|
2. |
The earlier to occur of: (A) OST having secured at least Eight Million US Dollars, in the aggregate or (B) Completion of the first Clinical Trial (with “Completion” meaning that the final patient has enrolled in first Clinical Trial). (paid) |
$ |
1,375,000 |
||
|
3. |
The earlier to occur of: (A) receipt of Regulatory Approval from the FDA for the First Indication of the first Licensed Product or (B) Initiation of the first Registrational Trial of the first Licensed Product in the Field |
$ |
5,000,000 |
||
|
4. |
Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of Twenty Million US Dollars ($20,000,000) |
$ |
1,500,000 |
||
|
5. |
Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of Fifty Million US Dollars ($50,000,000) Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in ex |
$ |
5,000,000 |
||
|
6. |
Cumulative Net Sales of all Licensed Products in excess of One Hundred Million US Dollars ($100,000,000) |
$ |
10,000,000 |
||
All milestone payments are non-creditable and non-refundable and shall be due and payable upon the occurrence of the corresponding date or Milestone, regardless of any failure by OST to provide the notice required by Section 6.4a of the licensing agreement. For clarity, each Milestone payment is payable only once. As of December 31, 2020, the first milestone had been achieved. As of January 7, 2021, the License Commencement payment was paid in full. As of May 21, 2021, the second milestone has been completed and paid in full.
On an aggregate basis across all Licensed Products under the licensing agreement and during the Royalty term, OST shall pay quarterly to Advaxis royalties on Net Sales of Licensed Products at a certain percentage rate with respect to all Net Sales in a given Calendar Quarter. No royalties were payable in 2022.
F-19
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 7 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (cont.)
BlinkBio
In July 2020, the Company entered into a Licensing Agreement with BlinkBio, Inc., to utilize their proprietary technology. As of August 2020, the $300,000 License fee was fully paid and recorded in license expense. These payments have been recorded in the Licensing expenses of the accompany statement of operation. No payments were due or made in 2022. A payment schedule is set for future milestones, is summarized below:
|
Milestone Bearing Event |
Milestone |
||||
|
1. |
License Fee to utilize proprietary technology (paid) |
|
$300,000 + $2.4 million Convertible Note |
||
|
2. |
Commencement of a toxicology study commented pursuant to Good Laboratory Practices (per 21 CFR Part 58) such that any resulting positive data would be admissible to applicable Regulatory Authorities to support an IND (commonly referred to as “GLP-Tox”) |
$ |
375,000 |
||
|
3. |
Completion of a Phase I Clinical Trial |
$ |
1,500,000 |
||
|
4. |
Completion of a Phase II Clinical Trial |
$ |
2,500,000 |
||
|
5. |
Filing of an NDA, BLA or MAA registration (or the equivalent in any other territory around the world) |
$ |
6,000,000 |
||
|
6. |
Regulatory Approval in the first of the United States, within the EU or within the UK |
$ |
12,000,000 |
||
The Company shall make the cash payments set forth in the table above by wire transfer of immediately available funds, to BlinkBio within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of each milestone set forth with respect to the first Product to attain each such milestone, except that the first Milestone above shall apply with respect to The Company’s first product candidate. During the Royalty Term, the Company will pay BlinkBio a royalty of six percent (6%) on Net Sales on a Product-by-Product and country-by-country basis during the Royalty Term, in a country in which no Valid Claim Covers the manufacture, use, or sale of a Product, the royalty on Net Sales of such Product in such country shall be reduced to three percent (3%). No royalties were due in 2022.
For the avoidance of doubt, each Milestone payment shall be payable only once, and the aggregate amount of Milestone payments payable hereunder shall not exceed $22,375,000. A Milestone may be achieved by The Company or a Commercial Sublicensee.
George Clinical Inc.
In June 2020, the Company entered into a Research Service Agreement with George Clinical Inc., to use their clinical research services for the Company’s study: “An Open Label, Phase 2 Study of Maintenance Therapy with OST-HER2 after Resection of Recurrent Osteosarcoma”. The study has seventeen patients and is expected to last for 28 months, or through September 2022. The Agreement budget totals $2,423,928. The total research and development expense recorded in the statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $928,059 and $555,724, respectively. The remainder is set up to be paid according to the service fee schedule below:
|
George Clinical Payment Schedule |
Payment |
||||
|
1. |
Service Fee Advance (paid 6/8/2020) |
$ |
49,989 |
||
|
2. |
Float – Service Fee Advance of 20% of $372,145.28 and PTC Advance Fee of 20% of $313,254 (Paid 11/4/2020) |
$ |
162,346 |
||
|
3. |
Statistics Fees – 10% on Commencement of Study |
$ |
13,640 |
||
|
4. |
Statistics Fees – 50% on Development of SAP tables |
$ |
68,200 |
||
|
5. |
Statistics Fees – 40% on Final Analysis |
$ |
54,560 |
||
|
6. |
Service Fees – Remainder Due |
|
Split Monthly |
||
F-20
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 7 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (cont.)
George Clinical will track and invoice the Company for the number of task units completed and pass through costs will be invoiced each month in arrears based on actual costs without mark-up. The PTC Advance Fee will be used to offset final pass through fees payable. As of December 31, 2022, the balance due to George Clinical was $170,990.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, the Company may be involved in disputes, including litigation, relating to claims arising out of operations in the normal course of business. Any of these claims could subject the Company to costly legal expenses and, while management generally believes that there will be adequate insurance to cover different liabilities at such time the Company becomes a public company and commences clinical trials, the Company’s future insurance carriers may deny coverage or policy limits may be inadequate to fully satisfy any damage awards or settlements. If this were to happen, the payment of any such awards could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial position. Additionally, any such claims, whether or not successful, could damage the Company’s reputation and business. The Company is currently not a party to any legal proceedings, the adverse outcome of which, in management’s opinion, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.
NOTE 8 — EQUITY
Common Stock
In 2021, the Company split Common Stock into two classes with fifty million shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Class A Common Stock”) designated and twenty million shares of Class B Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Class B Common Stock”). As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company has 9,980,000 and 9,980,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, respectively, and 0 shares of Class B Common Stock. Common Stock A has voting rights and Class B Common Stock has no voting rights.
Preferred Stock
In 2021, 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock were authorized, 1,400,000 was designated as Series A Preferred Stock, with 1,302,082 shares issued of Series A Preferred Stock. Series A Preferred Stock has 5% cumulative coupon and liquidation priority above all Common Shares. The coupon dividends are computed at 5% of the principal per annum and are recorded monthly. The dividend due as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $125,000 and $93,750, respectively for a total accrued dividend payable at December 31, 2022 of $218,750. The stock can be converted to common shares at a 1:1 ratio with a $0.001 par value.
The Series A Preferred Stock has the following rights and privileges:
Voting — Votes together with the Common Stock on all matters on an as-converted basis. Approval of a majority of the New Preferred Stock voting as a separate class will be required to, among other things: (i) adversely change rights of the New Preferred Stock, (ii) change the authorized number of shares of New Preferred Stock.
Conversion — Each share of New Preferred Stock is convertible into one share of Common Stock (subject to proportional adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and the like) at any time at the option of the holder. Conversion ratio will be subject to adjustment on a broad-based, weighted average basis in the event of subsequent issuances at a price less than the original issue price (as adjusted) subject to customary exceptions.
Liquidation — One times the original issue price of the New Preferred Stock plus declared but unpaid dividends on each share of New Preferred Stock (or, if greater, the amount that the New Preferred Stock would receive on an as-converted basis) will be paid first on each share of New Preferred Stock, and the balance of proceeds to be paid to Common Stock. A merger, reorganization or similar transaction (including a sale, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or its subsidiaries) will be treated as
F-21
OS Therapies Incorporated
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
NOTE 8 — EQUITY (cont.)
a liquidation, thereby triggering payment of the liquidation preference described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the liquidation preference is intended to provide the Investor (and its permitted assigns) with an aggregate liquidation payment of $2,500,000.
|
Total, as of |
Total, as of |
|||
|
Shares Issued to Investors |
1,302,082 |
1,302,082 |
||
|
Total Shares Issued |
1,302,082 |
1,302,082 |
NOTE 9 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
1. The Company has completed the A-3 round, as of January 20, 2023, it received $.125 million in new notes in 2023. These notes expire on May 31, 2024.
2. The Company granted 25,000 shares to its Chief Financial Officer in March 2023 of which 25% of such shares vested on March 1, 2023, 25% vest upon completion of our initial public offering, and 25% vest upon each of the three and six month anniversaries of the public offering closing date.
3. The Company has completed the A-4 round, as of March 31, 2023, it received $.6 million in new notes in 2023. These notes expire on November 15, 2023. In connection with these notes, the Company agreed to issue an aggregate of 75,000 shares of common stock to the investors of the new notes.
F-22
2,000,000 Shares

OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
Common Stock
_____________________________
Preliminary Prospectus
_____________________________
Boustead Securities, LLC
Through and including ______, 2023 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
__________, 2023
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission becomes effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
|
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED APRIL 13, 2023 |
537,098 Shares

OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the resale of 537,098 shares of common stock of OS Therapies Incorporated that will be issued before the effectiveness of this registration statement to the selling stockholders named in this prospectus upon the automatic conversion of convertible promissory notes acquired by them in our private placement commenced in November 2022. The notes will convert at a price of $2.46 per share. Consummation of the offering made by this prospectus is conditioned on consummation of the initial public offering of shares of common stock by OS Therapies Incorporated pursuant to the primary offering prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement.
Prior to our initial public offering, which will occur concurrently with the resale of shares by the selling stockholders, no public market has existed for our common stock. We intend to list our shares of common stock for trading on the NYSE American under the symbol “OSTX.” This listing is a condition to our initial public offering.
The shares of common stock offered hereby by the selling stockholders may be sold from time to time by such selling stockholders or by their permitted transferees. The distribution of shares of our common stock offered hereby may be effected in one or more transactions that may take place in ordinary brokers’ transactions, privately negotiated transactions or through sales to one or more dealers for resale of such shares as principals, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated price. Usual and customary or specifically negotiated brokerage fees or commissions may be paid by the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders have represented to us that they will not offer or sell their shares prior to the closing of the primary offering.
The selling stockholders, and intermediaries through whom such shares are sold, may be deemed underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the shares offered hereby, and any profits realized or commissions received may be deemed underwriting compensation. We have agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain liabilities, including liability under the Securities Act.
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.
On ______, 2023, a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to our initial public offering of 2,000,000 shares of our common stock was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. We received approximately $8.56 million in net proceeds from the offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) after payment of underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the offering.
Our business and investment in our common stock involves significant risks. These risks are described under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 13 of the primary offering prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is __________, 2023
Summary of the Resale Offering
|
Common stock offered |
537,098 shares. |
|
|
Common stock outstanding immediately before this offering |
10,745,000 shares.(1) |
|
|
Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering |
|
|
|
Use of proceeds |
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock held by the selling stockholders being registered in this prospectus. |
|
|
Risk Factors |
You should carefully read the “Risk Factors” section of the primary offering prospectus that forms a part of this registration statement for a discussion of factors that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. |
|
|
Proposed ticker symbol |
“OSTX” |
____________
(1) The number of shares outstanding immediately before this offering (as of April 13, 2023) excludes, and the number of shares of common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering includes, the issuance of the following shares which will occur before the effectiveness of this registration statement:
(i) 8,740,915 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of all outstanding convertible notes, including accrued interest, totaling approximately $14.2 million as of April 13, 2023 (at the public offering price of $5.00 per share in the primary offering);
(ii) 325,000 additional shares of common stock issuable to the noteholders in our private placement commenced in November 2022 upon the automatic conversion of their outstanding convertible notes; and
(iii) 1,302,082 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion, on a one-for-one basis, of all outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock outstanding.
Additionally, we currently have outstanding warrants to purchase up to 593,798 shares of common stock and expect to issue warrants to purchase up to 140,000 shares of common stock to the representative of the underwriters (up to 161,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) in connection with our initial public offering. These shares are not included in the common stock figures above.
Alt-1
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock held by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus.
Expenses expected to be incurred by us in connection with this prospectus are estimated at approximately $10,000. The selling stockholders are responsible for their own underwriting commissions and discounts and counsel fees and expenses.
Alt-2
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The shares of common stock being offered hereby by each selling stockholder will be issued before the effectiveness of this registration statement to such selling stockholder upon the automatic conversion of convertible promissory notes acquired by such selling stockholder in our private placement commenced in November 2022. The shares are being registered to satisfy a contractual obligation owed by us to the selling stockholders pursuant to a convertible note purchase agreement, dated November 15, 2022, providing for the registration of 50% of their conversion shares on their behalf.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the selling stockholders’ beneficial ownership of shares of common stock as of the date of this prospectus. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to our capital stock. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them.
Percentage of beneficial ownership before this offering is based on 21,112,997 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 13, 2023, which gives effect to the issuance of (i) 8,740,915 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of all outstanding convertible notes, including accrued interest, totaling approximately $14.2 million as of (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share); (ii) 325,000 additional shares of common stock the noteholders in our private placement commenced in November 2022 upon the automatic conversion of their outstanding convertible notes; and (iii) 1,302,082 shares of common stock upon the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock.
The selling stockholders may from time to time offer and sell any or all of the shares of common stock set forth below pursuant to this prospectus. Except for investing in our private placement commenced in November 2022, the selling stockholders have not had any material relationship with us within the past three years. None of the selling stockholders is affiliated with a registered broker-dealer.
The table below assumes that the selling stockholders will sell all of the shares offered for sale hereby. The selling stockholders, however, are under no obligation to sell any shares pursuant to this prospectus.
|
Names and addresses |
Number of |
Number of |
Number of |
Percentage of |
|||||
|
Adam Kent |
27,008 |
10,379 |
16,629 |
* |
|
||||
|
Burt Stangarone |
13,530 |
5,203 |
8,327 |
* |
|
||||
|
Christopher B. Warren(1) |
128,167 |
15,552 |
112,615 |
* |
|
||||
|
Robert Niecestro, Ph.D. |
27,055 |
10,403 |
16,652 |
* |
|
||||
|
H. Edward Dobroski |
222,022 |
5,217 |
216,805 |
* |
|
||||
|
Hackett Family Trust, 7/28/98(2) |
224,131 |
20,789 |
203,342 |
* |
|
||||
|
Howard Kent |
108,034 |
41,517 |
66,517 |
* |
|
||||
|
Ryan Malfitano |
46,862 |
10,353 |
36,509 |
* |
|
||||
|
Satterfield Vintage Investments, L.P.(3) |
1,017,930 |
20,842 |
997,088 |
4.3 |
% |
||||
|
Scott C. Rooney |
413,542 |
20,765 |
392,777 |
1.7 |
% |
||||
|
Einodmil LLC(4) |
934,894 |
350,570 |
584,324 |
2.5 |
% |
||||
|
T.J. Brown Living Trust(5) |
56,038 |
5,200 |
50,838 |
* |
|
||||
|
Mark Kutner |
91,644 |
20,308 |
71,336 |
* |
|
||||
____________
* Represents less than 1% shares outstanding.
(1) Includes 23,919 shares owned of record by IRAR Trust FBO Christopher Warren. Christopher B. Warren is the trustee of the IRAR Trust FBO Christopher Warren and holds sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares.
(2) Terry Hackett is the trustee of the Hackett Family Trust, 7/28/98, and holds sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares.
(3) Thomas A. Satterfield, Jr. is the President and sole shareholder of the general partner of Satterfield Vintage Investments, L.P., and may therefore be deemed to hold voting and dispositive power with respect to such shares.
(4) Shalom Auerbach is the managing member of Einodmil LLC and may therefore be deemed to hold voting and dispositive power with respect to such shares.
(5) T.J. Brown is the trustee of the T.J. Brown Living Trust and holds sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares.
Alt-3
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Since there is currently no public market established for our common stock, the selling stockholders have represented to us that they will not offer or sell their shares prior to the closing of the primary offering. After the primary offering closes, our common stock is listed on the NYSE American and there is an established market for the resale shares, the selling stockholders may sell the resale shares from time to time at the market price prevailing on the NYSE American at the time of offer and sale, or at prices related to such prevailing market prices or in negotiated transactions or a combination of such methods of sale directly or through brokers.
The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of shares or interests therein:
• ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
• block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
• purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;
• an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
• privately negotiated transactions;
• to cover short sales made after the date the registration statement of which this Resale Prospectus is a part is declared effective by the SEC;
• through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an option exchange or otherwise;
• broker-dealers may agree with the selling shareholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; and
• a combination of any such methods of sale.
The selling stockholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time, under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as a selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer the securities in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
In connection with the sale of our common stock or interests therein, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common stock and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of the common stock offered by them will be the purchase price of the common stock less discounts or commissions, if any. The selling stockholders reserve the right to accept and, together with their agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of common stock to be made directly or through agents. We will not receive any of the proceeds from this offering.
Alt-4
Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the selling stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchase of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The selling stockholders do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved, and in no case will the maximum compensation received by any broker-dealer exceed seven percent.
The selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of the shares in open market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of that rule.
Any underwriters, agents, or broker-dealers, and any selling stockholders who are affiliates of broker-dealers, that participate in the sale of the Common Stock or interests therein may be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profit they earn on any resale of the shares may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. The selling stockholders who are “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. We know of no existing arrangements between any of the selling stockholders and any other stockholder, broker, dealer, underwriter, or agent relating to the sale or distribution of the shares, nor can we presently estimate the amount, if any, of such compensation. See “Selling Stockholders” for description of any material relationship that a shareholder has with us and the description of such relationship.
To the extent required, shares of our common stock to be sold, the name of the selling stockholder, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agents, dealer or underwriter, any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.
In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the shares of common stock may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares of common stock may not be sold unless it has been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
We have advised the selling stockholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of shares in the market and to the activities of the selling stockholders and their affiliates. In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the selling stockholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The selling stockholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
Alt-5
The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, New York, New York.
Alt-6
537,098 Shares

OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
Common Stock
___________________________
Resale Prospectus
___________________________
You should rely only on the information contained in this Resale Prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give information that is not contained in this Resale Prospectus. This Resale Prospectus is not an offer to sell nor is it seeking an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information contained in this Resale Prospectus is correct only as of the date of this Resale Prospectus, regardless of the time of the delivery of this Resale Prospectus or the sale of these securities.
__________, 2023
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the registration of the common stock hereunder. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee.
|
Item |
Amount to |
||
|
SEC registration fee |
$ |
1,652 |
|
|
FINRA filing fee |
|
5,000 |
|
|
NYSE American listing fee |
|
60,000 |
|
|
Printing and mailing expenses |
|
8,000 |
|
|
Legal fees and expenses |
|
200,000 |
|
|
Accounting fees and expenses |
|
100,000 |
|
|
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses |
|
5,000 |
|
|
Miscellaneous expenses |
|
2,348 |
|
|
Total |
$ |
382,000 |
|
ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that they have served or are currently serving as a director or officer to a corporation. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys’ fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.
We have adopted provisions in our certificate of incorporation to be in effect upon the closing of this offering and bylaws to be in effect upon the effectiveness of this registration statement that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:
• any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;
• any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
• any unlawful payments related to dividends or unlawful stock purchases, redemptions or other distributions; or
• any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission.
II-1
In addition, our bylaws provide that:
• we will indemnify our directors, officers and, in the discretion of our board of directors, certain employees to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended; and
• we will advance reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to our directors and, in the discretion of our board of directors, to our officers and certain employees, in connection with legal proceedings relating to their service for or on behalf of us, subject to limited exceptions.
We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. These agreements provide that we will indemnify each of our directors, our executive officers and, at times, their affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We will advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees (but excluding judgments, fines and settlement amounts), to each indemnified director, executive officer or affiliate in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available and we will indemnify our directors and officers for any action or proceeding arising out of that person’s services as a director or officer brought on behalf of us or in furtherance of our rights. Additionally, certain of our directors or officers may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance provided by their affiliates or other third parties, which indemnification relates to and might apply to the same proceedings arising out of such director’s or officer’s services as a director referenced herein. Nonetheless, we will agree in the indemnification agreements that our obligations to those same directors or officers are primary and any obligation of such affiliates or other third parties to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the expenses or liabilities incurred by those directors are secondary.
We also maintain general liability insurance which covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
The underwriting agreement to be filed as an exhibit to this registration statement is expected to provide for indemnification of us and our directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Delaware Law
Section 102 of the DGCL permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.
Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or a person serving at the request of the corporation for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in related capacities against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, ending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification will be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person will have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court will deem proper.
Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
Our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which will be effective prior to effectiveness of this offering, will provide that we are authorized to provide indemnification and advancement of expenses to our directors, officers and certain other covered persons to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Our certificate of incorporation
II-2
will limit the personal liability of directors for breach of fiduciary duty to the maximum extent permitted by the DGCL and provides that no director will have personal liability to us or to our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty or other duty as a director. However, these provisions will not eliminate or limit the liability of any of our directors for:
• for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;
• for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
• for voting for or assenting to unlawful payments of dividends, stock repurchases or other distributions; or
• for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
In addition, our third amended and restated certificate of incorporation will also provide that we will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, other than an action by or in the right of us, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, general partner, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), against all expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
Indemnification Agreements
We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and officers for some expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by a director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of our directors or officers, or any of our subsidiaries or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request.
We intend to apply for a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on their acts or omissions committed in their capacities as directors or officers.
ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
In the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement, we have issued the following securities that were not registered under the Securities Act:
From July 2018 through November 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $1,154,000 (the “Group A Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors, including related parties, in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $1,154,000. The Group A Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 10% per annum and mature on March 31, 2024. The Group A Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% to 87.5% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to valuation ceilings that range from $5 million to $25 million. The Group A Convertible Notes will have a conversion price that ranges from $0.40 to $1.98 per share, depending on the applicable valuation ceiling of each note (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
From April 2020 through June 2021, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $5,154,000 (the “Group B Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $5,154,000. The Group B Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on March 31, 2024. The Group B Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $19 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group B Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $1.34 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
II-3
In connection with the private placement of Group B Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 421,941 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.34 per share (the “Group B Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group B Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group B Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
On August 19, 2020, we issued a convertible note with a principal amount of $2,400,000 (the “BlinkBio Convertible Note”) to BlinkBio, Inc., which is a related party based on Dr. Goddard being our Chairman and as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlinkBio, in exchange for the entry into the license agreement to utilize a group of patents described as silicon based drug conjugates and methods, along with silanol based therapeutic payloads. The BlinkBio Convertible Note bears interest at a rate of 10% per annum. On March 15, 2021, we issued 1,302,082 shares of Series A preferred stock to BlinkBio in exchange for the BlinkBio Convertible Note.
From June 2021 through January 2023, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $3,945,020 (the “Group C Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $3,945,020. The Group C Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on May 31, 2024. The Group C Convertible Notes will automatically convert into common stock at 80% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $50 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group C Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.70 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the private placement of Group C Convertible Notes, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 90,556 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.70 per share (the “Group C Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group C Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group C Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
In November 2022, we issued convertible notes with an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “November 2022 Convertible Notes”) to accredited investors in exchange for cash in an aggregate amount of $2,000,000. In March 2023, we issued two convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of $600,000 on the same terms as the November 2022 Convertible Notes (the “March 2023 Convertible Notes” and, together with the November 2022 Convertible Notes, the “Group D Convertible Notes”) to a holder of November 2022 Convertible Notes and a holder of the Group C Convertible Notes in exchange for cash in an amount of $600,000. The Group D Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6% per annum and mature on November 15, 2023. The Group D Convertible Notes automatically convert into common stock at 50% of the price per share in our Next Equity Financing (which is this initial public offering), subject to a valuation ceiling of $50 million. As a result of the valuation ceiling, the Group D Convertible Notes will have a conversion price of $2.46 per share (based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share).
In connection with the Group D Convertible Notes, we agreed to issue an additional 325,000 shares of Class A common stock to the Group D investors, pro-rated based on such investor’s investment amount, as an inducement for their investment in the Group D Convertible Notes. We will issue such shares upon the automatic conversion of the Group D Convertible Notes. Additionally, we issued to Noble Life Science Partners, a division of Noble Capital Markets, the placement agent for the offering, warrants to purchase 81,301 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.46 per share (the “Group D Warrants”), based on the initial public offering price of $5.00 per share. The Group D Warrants may, at the option of the holder, be exercised in whole or part on a cashless basis. The Group D Warrants expire five years after the effective date of this offering.
On June 5, 2019, we issued 1,000 shares of common stock to Paul A. Romness, MPH, our Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board, along with certain other members of our Board, officers and key advisors at a purchase price of $0.001 per share for an aggregate amount of $1.00. We expanded our share capitalization on April 23, 2020, and the 1,000 shares were exchanged for 10,000,000 shares in a forward 10,000:1 stock split. On May 19, 2021, we again recapitalized, and the 10,000,000 shares were exchanged for 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock. In 2020, 20,000 of these shares were returned and cancelled.
In March 2023, we granted 25,000 shares of our common stock to Alan A. Musso, our Chief Financial Officer, of which 25% of such shares vested on March 1, 2023, 25% vest upon completion of our initial public offering, and 25% vest upon each of the three and six month anniversaries of the public offering closing date.
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The issuances described in Item 15 were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 in reliance upon the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof and Regulation D promulgated thereunder, which exempts transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering. The recipients of securities in each such transaction represented their intention to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were affixed to the share certificates and other instruments issued in such transactions. All recipients either received adequate information about the registrant or had access, through employment or other relationships, to such information.
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
(a) Exhibits
____________
* Previously filed.
† Pursuant to Instruction 2 to Item 601 of Regulation S-K, the convertible notes are identical for all noteholders in the particular group except for face or principal amount, issuance date and the name of the payee.
+ Pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K, certain schedules and exhibits have been omitted. The registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule or exhibit to the SEC upon its request.
¥ Pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K, certain portions of this exhibit have been redacted. Redacted information is indicated by [***].
# Indicates a management contract or any compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.
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(b) Financial statements schedules
The financial statements filed as part of this registration statement are listed in the index to the financial statements immediately preceding such financial statements, which index to the financial statements is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which it offers or sells securities, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events which, individually or together represent a fundamental change in the information in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (Section 230.424(b) of this chapter) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.
(2) For determining liability under the Securities Act, treat each post-effective amendment as a new registration statement of the securities offered, and the offering of the securities as at that time to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) File a post-effective amendment to remove from registration any of the securities that remain unsold at the end of the offering.
(4) (i) For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A (230.430A of this chapter), shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (§230.424 of this chapter);
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
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(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(6) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the small business issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the small business issuer has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the small business issuer in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the small business issuer will, unless in the opinion of its counsel that matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(7) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that it will:
(i) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act that the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be a part of this registration statement as of the time the Commission declared it effective.
(ii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, that each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus as a new registration statement for the securities offered in the registration statement, and that offering of the securities at that time as the initial bona fide offering of those securities.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Rockville, Maryland, on the 13th day of April, 2023.
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OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED |
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By: |
/s/ Paul A. Romness, MPH |
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Name: |
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
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Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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Name |
Position |
Date |
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/s/ Paul A. Romness, MPH |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
April 13, 2023 |
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Paul A. Romness, MPH |
(principal executive officer) |
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/s/ Alan A. Musso |
Chief Financial Officer |
April 13, 2023 |
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Alan A. Musso |
(principal financial officer and principal accounting officer) |
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* |
Chairman of the Board |
April 13, 2023 |
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Colin Goddard, Ph.D. |
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* |
Director |
April 13, 2023 |
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Joacim Borg |
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* |
Director |
April 13, 2023 |
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John Ciccio |
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* |
Director |
April 13, 2023 |
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Theodore F. Search, Pharm.D. |
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* By: |
/s/ Paul A. Romness, MPH |
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Name: |
Paul A. Romness, MPH |
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Title: |
Attorney-in-Fact |
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Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2023
Boustead Securities, LLC
6 Venture, Suite 395
Irvine, CA 92618
As Representative of the several Underwriters
named on Schedule 1 attached hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Boustead Securities, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Shares.
1.1 Firm Shares.
1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Firm Shares.
(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell in the aggregate [●] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, an aggregate of [●] shares (“Firm Shares”) of the Common Stock.
(ii) The Firm Shares are to be offered together to the public at the offering price per one Firm Share as set forth on Schedule 2-A hereto (the “Purchase Price”). The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at the purchase price for one Firm Share of $[●] (or 93% of the Purchase Price).
1.1.2. Firm Shares Payment and Delivery.
(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of ArentFox Schiff LLP at 1717 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 (“Representative’s Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date.”
Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.
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1.2. Over-allotment Option.
1.2.1. Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to [●] additional shares of the Common Stock (the “Option Shares”, and along with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”), representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering, from the Company. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the price per Option Share set forth in Schedule 2-A. The Shares shall be issued directly by the Company and shall have the rights and privileges described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus referred to below. The offering and sale of the Shares is herein referred to as the “Offering.”
1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of written notice to the Company from the Representative, setting forth the number of the Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of Representative’s Counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Shares subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of the Option Shares specified in such notice and (ii) each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total number of the Option Shares then being purchased as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of such Underwriter.
1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC or via DWAC transfer) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Shares.
1.3 Representative’s Warrants.
1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, (“Representative’s Warrants”) five-year warrants for the purchase of a number of the Shares equal to 7.0% of the number of the Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, issued in the Offering, pursuant to a warrant in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, at an initial exercise price of $[●] (or 100% of the public offering price per Firm Share). The Representative’s Warrants and the Shares issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities.” The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representative’s Warrants and the underlying Shares during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the commencement of sales of the Offering, and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the commencement of sales of the Offering to anyone other than (i) a member of FINRA (as defined below) participating in the Offering, or (ii) an officer, partner, registered person or affiliate of the Representative or of any such member of FINRA; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions. The Representative understand and agrees that the Representative’s Warrants shall not be exercisable for more than five (5) years after the commencement of sales of the Offering.
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1.3.2. Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrants shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[●]), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Shares and the Representative’s Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus (as defined below) included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated [●], 2023, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
“Applicable Time” means [●]:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
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“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number [●]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Common Stock. The registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act has become effective on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2. Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants have been approved for listing on the NYSE American (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting of the Shares or the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any written notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.
2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any written order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.
(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information (as defined below).
(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, if any, does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, if any, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company in writing with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the information in the table set forth in the first paragraph of the “Underwriting” section, the disclosure set forth in the fourth paragraph of the “Underwriting” section and the disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” subsections “Discounts and Expenses” “Representative’s Warrants,” “Right of First Refusal,” “Tail Rights,” or “Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares of Common Stock” of the Prospectus (the “Underwriters’ Information”).
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(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.
2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder, except for any default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below). To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, except for any violation which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below).
2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. During the past three (3) years prior to the date of this Agreement, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and any Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.5. Changes after Dates in Registration Statement.
2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
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2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.6. Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, MaloneBailey, LLP (“Auditor”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.7. Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in all material respects in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its Common Stock or preferred stock (c) there has not been any change in the capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt. The Company represents that it has no direct or indirect subsidiaries other than those listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
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2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued Common Stock or any security convertible or exercisable into Common Stock, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Common Stock, preferred stock, and any other securities outstanding or to be outstanding upon consummation of the Offering conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Shares and Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Shares and Representative’s Warrants are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares and Representative’s Warrants has been duly and validly taken; the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when issued in accordance with such Representative’s Warrants, as the case may be, such Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Shares and the Representative’s Warrants conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws of the Company; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof; except with respect to (i) and (iii) above for any such breach, conflict, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.
2.13. No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or by-laws, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the cases of clause (ii) for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.
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2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency, the Exchange or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and the delivery of the Representative’s Warrants and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable Securities Act Regulations, state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
2.15. D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal shareholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24 below), provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.
2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director that is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which has not been disclosed.
2.17. Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.18. Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, (including, without limitation, as to directors and officers insurance coverage), with, to the Company’s knowledge, reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2. Payments within Six (6) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the six (6) months immediately prior to the original filing of the Registration Statement, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. To the Company’s knowledge, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representative’s Counsel, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Representative’s Counsel specifically for use by Representative’s Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
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2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.21. Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.22. Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.23. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Representative’s Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and certain owners of record of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock (or securities convertible or exercisable into Common Stock) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”) to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.25. Subsidiaries. All Subsidiaries of the Company are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required by the Securities Act Regulations.
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2.27. Board of Directors. Upon completion of the Offering, the Board of Directors of the Company will be comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.
2.28.1. Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.
2.28.2. Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and has taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.29. Accounting Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and, if applicable, with respect to such remedial actions disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company represents that it has taken all remedial actions set forth in such disclosure. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
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2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
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2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof, except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except for any such taxes that are currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
2.34. ERISA Compliance. The Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.
2.35. Compliance with Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and as could not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, each of the Company and each Subsidiary: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the services provided by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any other governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such material Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding that if brought would result in a Material Adverse Change; (E) has not received written notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity is considering such action ; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.
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2.36. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.37. Real Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of such leases or subleases, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, which would result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.38. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.
2.39. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.40. Industry Data; Forward-looking Statements. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.41. Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications and (ii) authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule 2-C hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.
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2.42. Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly in or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act.
2.43. Intentionally omitted.
2.44. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of the Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.45. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.
2.46. Lending Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Underwriters and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriters.
2.47. Smaller Reporting Company. The Company is a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2. Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Shares and Representative’s Warrants. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
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3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or Representative’s Counsel shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. Until three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act; provided that such provision shall not prevent a sale, merger or similar transaction involving the Company.
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Schedule 2-B. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
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3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
3.3. Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and upon request will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.4. Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement covering the issuance of the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the cessation of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the shares underlying the Representative’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
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3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company, at its expense, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information; provided that such provision shall not prevent a sale, merger or similar transaction involving the Company.
3.7. Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Shares and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrant on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement; provided that such provision shall not prevent a sale, merger or similar transaction involving the Company.
3.8. Intentionally omitted.
3.9. Reports to the Representative.
3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to furnish or make available to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also furnish or make available to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request; provided the Representative shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel in connection with the Representative’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1.
3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC; provided that such provision shall not prevent a sale, merger or similar transaction involving the Company. Vstock Transfer, LLC is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the Common Stock.
3.9.3. Trading Reports. For a period of six (6) months after the date hereof, during such time as the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Representative shall reasonably request; provided that such provision shall not prevent a sale, merger or similar transaction involving the Company.
3.10. Payment of Expenses
3.10.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Shares to be sold in the Offering (including the Over-allotment Option) with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors not to exceed $8,000; (e) fees and expenses of the Representative’s Counsel not to exceed $100,000; (f) the Underwriters’ due diligence and related reasonable expenses not to exceed $75,000; and (g) the Underwriters’ “road show” and related reasonable expenses for the Offering not to exceed $75,000, with all of the Underwriters’ actual out-of-pocket expenses under sub-sections 3.10.1(d)-(g) not to exceed $258,000. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters; provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
3.10.2. Non-accountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Representative, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Shares.
3.11. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
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3.12. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.13. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its employees, directors or shareholders has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
3.14. Internal Controls. Except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, the Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.15. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.
3.16. FINRA. For a period of ninety (90) days after the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, the Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the original Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.17. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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3.18. Company Lock-Up. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of six (6) months after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, change the terms of, or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 for employee benefit plans); or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The restrictions contained in this section shall not apply to (i) the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants and shares underlying the Representative’s Warrants to be sold hereunder; (ii) the issuance by the Company of Common Stock upon the exercise of an outstanding option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package; or (iii) the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s existing stock option or bonus plans as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package; provided the recipient of any such Common Stock or other securities issued or granted pursuant to clause (iii) of this Section 3.18 during the Lock-Up Period shall enter into a Lock-Up Agreement. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or allow the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.
3.19. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.20. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.21. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
4.1. Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.
4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. Exchange Share Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Firm Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), the Option Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2. Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, counsel to the Company, as to certain matters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Representative’s Counsel addressed to the Representative and stating that such opinion may be relied upon by Representative’s Counsel.
4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions of Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, counsel to the Company, as to certain matters, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in its opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3. Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representative, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Representative’s Counsel if requested.
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4.3. Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed the Representative shall have received a cold comfort letter containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.
4.4. Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, a Material Adverse Change.
4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and the Company’s Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors (and any pricing committee thereof) relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
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4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6. Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements.
4.6.2. Representative’s Warrants. On the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date (if any), the Company shall have delivered to the Representative an executed copy of the Representative’s Warrants.
4.7. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any), Representative’s Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative’s Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel.
5. Indemnification.
5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriters.
5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel, and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a “Claim”), arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in (A) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (C) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Shares and Representative’s Warrants under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; unless, with respect to each subsection (A) through (C), such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Shares to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all reasonable fees and expenses (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) (collectively, the “Expenses”), and further agrees wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Claim.
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5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party (which approval shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld)) and payment of actual expenses if an Underwriter Indemnified Party requests that the Company do so. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company and shall be advanced by the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to bear the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, and provided that the Company has timely honored its obligations under Section 5, the Underwriter Indemnified Party shall not enter into any settlement without the prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld) of the terms of any settlement by the Company. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters (which consent shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld), settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party, acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all liabilities, expenses and claims arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified Party.
5.2. Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) which arise out of or are based upon untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
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5.3. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Sections 5.1 or 5.2 hereof in respect of any liabilities and Expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such liabilities and Expenses, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds actually received by the Company from the Offering of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting Expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions actually received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 5.3. Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
5.4. Limitation. The Company also agrees that no Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Underwriter Indemnified Party pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted from such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s fraud, bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services or such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s breach of this Agreement or any obligations of confidentiality owed to the Company.
5.5. Survival & Third-Party Beneficiaries. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Underwriter Indemnified Party is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 5, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 5 as if such Underwriter Indemnified Party was a party to this Agreement.
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6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1. Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Shares or Option Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Option Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2. Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares or Option Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Shares or Option Shares on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 5 and 8.3 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Shares, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Shares; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3. Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Firm Shares or Option Shares.
7. Additional Covenants.
7.1. Right of First Refusal. During the period ending twelve (12) months after the Closing Date, if and only if the closing of the purchase of the Firm Shares hereunder actually occurs, the Company grants the Representative the right of first refusal to act as financial advisor, lead managing underwriter, book runner, placement agent, or to act as joint financial advisor, managing underwriter, book runner, or placement agent on at least equal economic terms, on any public or private financing (debt or equity), merger, business combination, recapitalization or sale of some or all of the equity or assets of the Company (collectively, “Future Services”). In the event the Company notifies the Representative of its intention to pursue an activity that would enable the Representative to exercise its right of first refusal to provide Future Services, the Representative shall notify the Company of its election to provide such Future Services, including notification of the compensation and other terms to which the Representative shall be entitled, within fifteen (15) days after written notice by the Company. In the event the Company engages the Representative to provide such Future Services, the Representative will be compensated consistent with the compensation in this Agreement, unless mutually agreed otherwise by the Company and the Representative.
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8. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.
8.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.
8.2. Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities as in the reasonable judgment of the Representative is material and adverse and would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Shares; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares or Option Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Shares; or (ix) in the event the Exchange refuses to initiate trading or ceases trading of the Company’s Common Stock in advance of settlement, the Representative shall have the right to terminate the Offering and return all funds invested in the Offering to the investors.
8.3. Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable up to the amounts set forth in Section 3.10.1 and upon demand the Company shall pay such amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
8.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
8.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.
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9. Miscellaneous.
9.1. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), emailed, personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Representative:
Boustead Securities, LLC
6 Venture, Suite 395
Irvine, CA 92618
Attention: Keith Moore
Email: keith@boustead1828.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
ArentFox Schiff LLP
1717 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Attention: Cavas S. Pavri, Esq.
Fax No: (202) 778-6460
If to the Company:
OS Therapies Incorporated
OS Therapies Incorporated
15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Attention: Paul A. Romness, MPH
Email: par@ostherapies.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
1325 Avenue of the Americas
15th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Spencer G. Feldman, Esq.
Email: sfeldman@olshanlaw.com
9.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
9.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that all other terms and conditions of that certain engagement letter between the Company and the Representative dated as of September 8, 2022 shall remain in full force and effect.
9.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.
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9.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York, New York, or in the United States District Court located in New York, New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
| Very truly yours, | |||
| OS Therapies Incorporated | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | Paul A. Romness | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:
| Boustead Securities, LLC | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | Keith Moore | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
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SCHEDULE 1
| Underwriter | Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | Number of Option Shares to be Purchased if the Over- Allotment Option is Fully Exercised | ||||||
| Boustead Securities, LLC | ||||||||
| TOTAL | ||||||||
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SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: [●]
Number of Option Shares: [●]
Public Offering Price per Firm Share: $[●]
Public Offering Price per Option Share: $[●]
Underwriting Discount per Firm Share: $[●]
Underwriting Discount per Option Share: $[●]
Non-accountable Expense Allowance per Firm Share: $[●]
Non-accountable Expense Allowance per Option Share: $[●]
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SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
[●]
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SCHEDULE 2-C
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
None
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SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
[●]
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EXHIBIT A
Form of Representative’s Warrant
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EXHIBIT B
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
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Exhibit 3.2
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
a Delaware corporation
OS Therapies Incorporated, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:
A. The name of the Corporation is OS Therapies Incorporated, which was originally formed on April 12, 2018 as a Delaware limited liability company under the name OS Therapies LLC and converted into a Delaware corporation on June 5, 2019. The Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation were each filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and effective on June 5, 2019, March 23, 2021 and May 19, 2021, respectively.
B. This Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation (as defined below) and as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, this “Certificate of Incorporation”) was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), and restates, integrates and further amends the provisions of the Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and has been duly approved by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
C. The text of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of OS Therapies Incorporated is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
ARTICLE I
The name of this corporation is OS Therapies Incorporated (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is to be located at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, County of New Castle. The registered agent at such address in charge thereof shall be National Registered Agents, Inc.
ARTICLE III
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any applicable successor act thereto, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).
ARTICLE IV
Section 4.1 Authorized Capital Stock. The aggregate number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is Fifty-Five Million (55,000,000) shares, consisting of (i) Fifty Million (50,000,000) shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) Five Million (5,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Immediately upon the filing and effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), automatically and without further action on the part of holders of capital stock of the Corporation, each share of (i) Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Old Class A Common Stock”), (ii) Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Old Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Old Class A Common Stock, the “Old Common Stock”) and (iii) Series A preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Old Preferred Stock” and, together with the Old Common Stock, the “Old Capital Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall automatically be reclassified and changed, or converted, whichever applicable, into one (1) validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of Common Stock (the “Recapitalization”). Each stock certificate or book-entry position that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of Old Capital Stock shall, from and after the Effective Time, automatically and without the necessity of presenting the same for exchange, represent that number of shares of Common Stock after the Effective Time into which the shares of Old Capital Stock have been reclassified or converted, as applicable, pursuant to this paragraph, until the same shall be surrendered to the Corporation. The Recapitalization shall also apply to any outstanding securities or rights convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Old Capital Stock of the Corporation and all references to the Old Capital Stock in agreements, arrangements, documents and plans relating thereto or any option or right to purchase or acquire shares of Old Capital Stock shall be deemed to be references to the Common Stock or options or rights to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock, as applicable.
Section 4.2 Increase or Decrease in Authorized Capital Stock. The number of authorized shares of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the class or classes the number of authorized shares of which are being increased or decreased, unless a vote by any holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock is required by the express terms of any series of Preferred Stock as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.3 of this Article IV.
Section 4.3 Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock from time to time in one or more series pursuant to a resolution or resolutions providing for such issuance duly adopted by the Board. The Board is further authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to file a certificate of designation pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (any such certificate, a “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each such series and the qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board with respect to each series shall include, but shall not be limited to and shall not require (unless otherwise required by applicable law), determination of the following:
(1) the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title;
(2) the number of shares of the series, which number the Board may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);
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(3) the amounts or rates at which dividends will be payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in respect of dividends, and whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative;
(4) the dates on which dividends, if any, shall be payable;
(5) the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;
(6) the terms and amount of any sinking fund, if any, provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;
(7) the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;
(8) whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series or such other security, the conversion or exchange price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible or exchangeable and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion or exchange may be made;
(9) restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or any other class or series;
(10) the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series; and
(11) any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such shares,
all as may be determined from time to time by the Board and stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such Preferred Stock.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.
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Section 4.4 Common Stock.
(a) Ranking. All preferences, voting powers, relative participating, optional, or other special rights and privileges, and qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of the Common Stock are expressly made are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.
(b) Voting. Each holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share of Common Stock so held upon each matter properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election and removal of directors and for all other purposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.
(c) Dividends. Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.
(d) Liquidation. Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock, shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution as provided under applicable law in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary. A liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, as such terms are used in this Section 4.4(d), shall not be deemed to be occasioned by or to include any consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other person or a sale, lease, exchange or conveyance of all or a part of its assets.
Section 4.5 No Preemptive Rights. No share of Common Stock or Preferred Stock shall entitle any holder thereof any preemptive right to subscribe for any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation whether now or hereafter authorized.
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ARTICLE V
Provisions for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation and provisions creating, defining, limiting, and regulating the powers of the Corporation, the Board, and the stockholders are as follows:
Section 5.1 General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. In addition to the powers and authority herein or by statute expressly conferred upon it, the Board is hereby expressly empowered to exercise all such powers and to do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation; subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the statutes of the State of Delaware and of this Certificate of Incorporation as they may be amended, altered, or changed from time to time, and to any bylaws from time to time made by the Board or stockholders; provided, however, that no bylaw so made shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such bylaw had not been made.
Section 5.2 Number of Directors; Election; Term.
(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of authorized directors constituting the Board shall be fixed solely by resolution of the Board.
(b) Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
(c) Election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot unless the bylaws so provide.
(d) No stockholder will be permitted to cumulate votes at any election of directors.
Section 5.3 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, and except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board. A person so elected by the Board to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified, or until such Director’s earlier death, resignation, or removal.
Section 5.4 Removal. Any director or the entire board of directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) in voting power of the stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote at an election of directors.
Section 5.5 Committees. Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), the Board may establish one or more committees to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board to the full extent permitted by law.
Section 5.6 No Action by Written Consent. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by the stockholders.
Section 5.7 Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders at any meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided in the bylaws.
Section 5.8 Special Meetings. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock or applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called by the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer and shall be called by the Corporation if requested by one or more record stockholders representing ownership of at least thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s stock entitled to vote and who has complied with the requirements set forth in the bylaws. A special meeting of stockholders may not be called by any other person.
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Section 5.9 Amendments to the Bylaws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board is hereby expressly authorized to adopt, alter, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation without the assent or vote of the stockholders, including without limitation the power to fix, from time to time, the number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board, subject to the right of the stockholders to alter, amend, or repeal the bylaws made by the Board.
Section 5.10 Submission of Contracts to Stockholder Vote. The Board in its discretion may submit any contract or act for approval or ratification at any annual meeting of the stockholders or at any meeting of the stockholders called for the purpose of considering any such contract or act, and any contract or act that shall be approved or be ratified by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation that is represented in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote thereat (provided that a lawful quorum of stockholders be there represented in person or by proxy) shall be as valid and as binding upon the Corporation and upon all the stockholders as though it had been approved or ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation, whether or not the contract or act would otherwise be open to legal attack because of directors’ interest or for any other reason.
ARTICLE VI
Section 6.1 Limitation of Personal Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL is amended after the effective date hereof to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this Article VI by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification or with respect to events occurring prior to such time.
Section 6.2 Indemnification.
(a) Each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (hereinafter, a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as such director, officer, employee, or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as such director, officer, employee, or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than the DGCL permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability, and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, other expenses and losses, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee, or agent, and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors, and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (B) hereof, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. The right to indemnification conferred in this Article VI shall be a contract right and shall include the right of a director or officer to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, which undertaking shall itself be sufficient without the need for further evaluation of any credit aspects of the undertaking or with respect to such advancement, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI or otherwise.
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(b) If a claim under paragraph (A) of this Article VI is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim, together with reasonable evidence as to the amount of such claim, has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses (including attorneys’ fees), in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim, and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall also be entitled to be paid the expense, including attorneys’ fees, of prosecuting such suit. It shall be a defense to any such suit, other than a suit brought to enforce a claim for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation, that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Board or a committee thereof, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Board or a committee thereof, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the suit or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by an indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VI or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
(c) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the certificate of incorporation, bylaw, agreement, or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
(d) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against any such expense, liability, or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability, or loss under the DGCL.
(e) In the case of a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses against the Corporation under this Article VI arising out of acts, events, or circumstances for which the claimant, who was at the relevant time serving as a director, officer, employee, or agent of any other entity at the request of the Corporation, may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to such other entity’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, or other governing document, or a contractual agreement between the claimant and such entity, the claimant seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder shall first seek indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to any such governing document or agreement. To the extent that amounts to be paid in indemnification or advancement to a claimant hereunder are paid by such other entity, the claimant’s right to indemnification and advancement of expenses hereunder shall be reduced.
(f) Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VI, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VI, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VI in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this Article VI, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.
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ARTICLE VII
Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under § 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under § 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.
ARTICLE VIII
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (3) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article VIII.
ARTICLE IX
The Corporation reserves the right to restate this Certificate of Incorporation and to amend, alter, change, or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation (including any rights, preferences or other designations of Preferred Stock) in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law, and all rights and powers conferred herein on stockholders, directors, and officers are subject to this reserved power. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, and in addition to any other vote that may be required by law or the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter or repeal, or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with the purpose and intent of, Section 4.3 of Article IV, Article V, Article VI or this Article IX (including, without limitation, any such Article as renumbered as a result of any amendment, alteration, change, repeal or adoption of any other Article).
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this Corporation on this ___ day of ________, 2023.
| By: | |||
| Name: | Paul A. Romness | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit 3.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
a Delaware corporation
ARTICLE I - BUSINESS AND PURPOSE
Section 1.1 Purpose. The Corporation is established to engage in any lawful business or enterprise. By way of example, and without limitation, the Corporation may engage in any lawful business.
Section 1.2 Powers. In the performance of its business, the Corporation shall have all powers granted by the DGCL. Specifically, and without limitation, the Corporation shall have the power to engage generally in any and all phases of the business of owning, holding, managing, controlling, acquiring, purchasing, disposing of, or otherwise dealing in or with any interest or rights in any real or personal property. The foregoing shall include but is not limited to the power to invest and trade in the securities markets including without limitation the right to buy, sell, trade, barter, or otherwise exchange, acquire, and dispose of stocks, bonds, commodities, futures, options, puts, calls (including naked puts and calls), or other vehicles of public or private companies, mutual funds, or other entities, whether such be for the Corporation’s own account or on the account of a customer or client of the Corporation; where the Corporation engages in such activities on behalf of a client or customer, said transactions may be conducted through banking or brokerage accounts in the Corporation’s own name or in the name of said client or customer. The business and purpose shall include the conducting and engaging in such activities as is necessary or useful in connection with the foregoing.
ARTICLE II - OFFICES
Section 2.1 Registered Office. The address of the registered office of the Corporation in Delaware shall be 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, County of New Castle. The registered agent at such address in charge thereof shall be National Registered Agents, Inc., all of which shall be subject to change from time to time as permitted by law.
Section 2.2 Other Offices. The Corporation may also have an office or offices or place or places of business within or without the State of Delaware as the Board may from time to time designate.
ARTICLE III - MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 3.1 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held at the principal place of business of the Corporation or at such other place within or outside of Delaware (or may not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication if so decided by the Board in its sole discretion), on such date and at such time as shall be determined from time to time by the Board, for the purpose of electing directors and for transacting other proper business.
Section 3.2 Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the stockholders for any purpose or purposes, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time by the Board, the Chairman of the Board, or the Chief Executive Officer and shall be called by the Corporation upon the request of the stockholders as set forth in Section 3.2(b) below. Except as set forth in this Section 3.2, no other person may call a special meeting of stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders shall be held at the principal place of business of the Corporation or at such other place within or outside of Delaware (or may not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication if so decided by the Board in its sole discretion), on such date and at such time as shall be determined from time to time by the Board, for the purpose set forth in the Corporations notice of meeting.
(b) A special meeting of the stockholders shall be called by the Corporation following the receipt by the Secretary of a written request for a special meeting of the stockholders (a “Special Meeting Request”) from one or more record stockholders representing ownership of at least thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) (the “Requisite Percentage”) of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s stock entitled to vote (the “Requisite Holders”) if such Special Meeting Request complies with the requirements set forth in this Section 3.2(b). A Special Meeting Request shall only be valid if it is signed and dated by each of the Requisite Holders (or their duly authorized agents) and if such request sets forth all information required in Section 3.3(a)(2). If a Special Meeting Request complies with this Section 3.2, the Board may fix a record date (in accordance with Section 3.5 herein), which shall not precede and shall not be more than ten (10) days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If the Board, within ten (10) days after the date on which a valid Special Meeting Request is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the record date, the record date shall be the close of business on the tenth (10th) day after the first date on which the Special Meeting Request is received by the Secretary. The Board shall also establish the place (if any), date and time of the special meeting of stockholders requested in such Special Meeting Request. The date of any such special meeting shall not be more than ninety (90) days after the Secretary’s receipt of the properly submitted Special Meeting Request; provided, however, that in the event that a Special Meeting Request is received after the expiration of the advance notice period set forth in Section 3.3(a)(2), but before the annual meeting of stockholders, the Board may use its discretion to set the date of a special meeting no more than ten (10) days following the annual meeting of stockholders. Only matters that are stated in the Special Meeting Request shall be brought before and acted upon during the special meeting of stockholders called according to the Special Meeting Request; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board from submitting any matters to the stockholders at any special meeting of stockholders called by the stockholders pursuant to this Section 3.2(b). Requisite Holders may revoke a Special Meeting Request by written revocation delivered to the Corporation at any time prior to the special meeting of stockholders; provided, however, the Board shall have the sole discretion to determine whether to proceed with the special meeting of stockholders following such written revocation. Additionally, a Requisite Holder whose signature (or authorized agent’s signature) appears on a Special Meeting Request may revoke such Requisite Holder’s participation in a Special Meeting Request at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary in the same manner as the Special Meeting Request and if, following any such revocation, the remaining Requisite Holders participating in the Special Meeting Request do not represent at least the Requisite Percentage, the Special Meeting Request shall be deemed revoked. Likewise, any reduction in percentage stock ownership of the Requisite Holders below the Requisite Percentage following delivery of the Special Meeting Request to the Secretary shall be deemed to be a revocation of the Special Meeting Request. If written revocations of requests for the special meeting have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that stockholders (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the date of the Special Meeting Request, entitled to cast less than the Requisite Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting to the Secretary, the Secretary shall refrain from mailing the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests a written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting or, if the notice of meeting has been mailed, the Secretary shall send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting a written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and of the Secretary’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting, and shall there thereafter revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting. A Special Meeting Request shall not be valid (and thus the special meeting of stockholders requested pursuant to the Special Meeting Request will not be held) if (i) the Special Meeting Request relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law; or (ii) the Special Meeting Request was made in a manner that involved a violation of Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, if none of the Requisite Holders appears or sends a representative to present the business or nomination submitted by the stockholders in the Special Meeting Request to be conducted at the special meeting of stockholders, the Corporation need not conduct any such business or nomination for a vote at such special meeting of stockholders.
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Section 3.3 Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.
(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.
(1) At an annual meeting of stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the Board of the Corporation and the proposal of other business must be brought (A) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (B) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof, or (C) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 3.3(a) is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting, and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.3(a). For the avoidance of doubt, clause (C) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations and submit other business (other than matters properly included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders a proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act) before an annual meeting of stockholders.
(2) For any nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (C) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 3.3, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation at the Corporation’s principal executive offices, and any such proposed business (other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board) must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action at such meeting. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day, nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day, prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than thirty (30) days prior to such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (i) the name, age, business address and residence address of such nominee, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee, (iii) the class or series and number of shares of stock that are owned beneficially and of record by such nominee as well as any derivative or synthetic instrument, convertible security, put, option, stock appreciation right, swap or similar contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding the value of or return on which is based on or linked to the value of or return on any shares of stock, (iv) a description of any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such nominee, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of stock, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such nominee with respect to securities of the Corporation, (v) all information relating to such nominee that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and (vi) such nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; (B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (iii) the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and (iv) any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and any beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of stock that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner as well as any derivative or synthetic instrument, convertible security, put, option, stock appreciation right, swap or similar contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding the value of or return on which is based on or linked to the value of or return on any shares of stock, (iii) a description of any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal between or among such stockholder and/or such beneficial owner, any of their respective affiliates or associates, and any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing, including, in the case of a nomination, the nominee, (iv) a description of any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of the stockholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder and such beneficial owners, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of stock, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or such beneficial owner, with respect to securities of the Corporation, (v) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination, (vi) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group that intends (I) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the outstanding stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (II) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination, and (vii) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(3) At the request of the Board, any person nominated by a stockholder for election or reelection as a director must furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation (A) that information required to be set forth in the stockholder’s notice of nomination of such person as a director as of a date subsequent to the date on which the notice of such person’s nomination was given and (B) such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director or audit committee financial expert of the corporation under applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation, or any publicly-disclosed corporate governance guideline or committee charter of the Corporation and (C) that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee; in the absence of the furnishing of such information if requested, such stockholder’s nomination shall not be considered in proper form pursuant to this Section 3.3.
(4) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (a)(2) of this Section 3.3 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of the Corporation at the annual meeting is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under paragraph (a)(2) of this Section 3.3, and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 3.3 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.
(b) Special Meeting of Stockholders.
(1) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (A) by or at the direction of the Board or (B) provided that the Board has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 3.3(b) is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and upon such election and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.3(b).
(2) In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder delivers a notice in the form as is required by paragraph (a)(2) of this Section 3.3 to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
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(c) General.
(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act, only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.3 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders to serve as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.3. Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty (A) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.3, and (B) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with this Section 3.3, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.3, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 3.3, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders, and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.
(2) A stockholder providing written notice required by this Section 3.3 shall update and supplement such notice in writing, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct in all material respects as of (i) the record date for the meeting and (ii) the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, ten (10) business days prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 3.3(c)(2), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (ii) of this Section 3.3(c)(2), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days prior to the date for the meeting, and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, five (5) business days prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting.
(3) For purposes of this Section 3.3, “public announcement” shall include disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, or other national news service, or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.3, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 3.3; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 3.3, and compliance with this Section 3.3 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than, as provided in the last sentence of (a)(1), business other than nominations brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, as may be amended from time to time). Nothing in this Section 3.3 shall be deemed to affect any rights (A) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals or nominations in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, or (B) of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the certificate of incorporation.
Section 3.4 Notice of Meetings. Notice of all stockholders’ meetings shall be given in writing by the Secretary or another officer of the Corporation authorized to give such notice, or in case of a special meeting duly requested by stockholders pursuant to Section 3.2 and for which the Secretary has refused to give notice, by the stockholders entitled to call such meeting. Notice of any stockholders’ meeting shall state the date and hour when and the place where it is to be held, if any (or, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting), the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting if such date is different from the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is called. Subject to Section 9.3, and unless otherwise required by law, not more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days prior to any such meeting, such notice shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, directed by United States mail, postage prepaid, to such stockholder’s address as it appears upon the records of the Corporation. Without limiting the manner by which notices of meetings otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any such notice may be given by electronic transmission in accordance with applicable law.
Section 3.5 Record Date. The Board may fix a date, which date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing such date is adopted by the Board and shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days preceding any meeting of stockholders, as the record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of such meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which such meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of Section 213 of the DGCL and this Section 3.5 at the adjourned meeting. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
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Section 3.6 List of Stockholders. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares of stock registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. A list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place, if any, of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 3.7 Voting. Except as may be otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, (a) every stockholder of record shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of stock held of record by such stockholder on the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote or act by written consent; (b) in all matters other than a contested election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of stock present in person or represented by proxy at a stockholders’ meeting having a quorum and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders; and (c) in a contested election of directors, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares of stock present in person or represented by proxy at a stockholders’ meeting having a quorum and entitled to vote on the election of directors. No stockholder will be permitted to cumulate votes at any election of directors.
Section 3.8 No Action by Written Consent. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by the stockholders.
Section 3.9 Proxies. At any meeting of the stockholders, any stockholder entitled to vote thereat may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A written proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the person.
Section 3.10 Quorum. Except as may be otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, at any meeting of the stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of shares of stock that would constitute a majority of the votes if all the issued and outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote at such meeting were present and voted shall be necessary to constitute a quorum; provided, however, that, where a separate vote by a class or series of stock is required, a quorum shall consist of the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of shares of stock that would constitute a majority of the votes of such class or series if all issued and outstanding shares of stock of such class or series entitled to vote at such meeting were present and voted. In the absence of a quorum and until a quorum is secured, either the chairman of the meeting or a majority of the votes cast at the meeting by stockholders who are present in person or by proxy may adjourn the meeting, from time to time, without further notice if the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. No business shall be transacted at any such adjourned meeting except such as might have been lawfully transacted at the original meeting.
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Section 3.11 Adjournment. Any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned at the meeting from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting, for an announced proper purpose, or by the stockholders, for any purpose, to reconvene at a later time and at the same or some other place, if any, and by the same or other means of remote communication, if any, and, unless otherwise required by law, notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, or the means of remote communication, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with the DGCL and Section 3.5 herein and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting. No business shall be transacted at any such adjourned meeting except such as might have been lawfully transacted at the original meeting.
Section 3.12 Organization of Meetings. Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the chairman of the meeting, who shall be one of the following, here listed in the order of preference: (a) the Chairman of the Board; or (b) in the Chairman’s absence, the Chief Executive Officer; or (c) in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence, the President; or (d) in the President’s absence, a Vice President; or (d) in the absence of the foregoing officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in such officer’s absence, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint a secretary of the meeting.
Section 3.13 Conduct of Meetings. Subject to and to the extent permitted by law, the Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with law or such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations, and procedures, and to do all such acts, as in the judgment of such chairman are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations, or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting and announcement of the date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting; (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders, their duly authorized proxies, or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; and (f) appointment of inspectors of election and other voting procedures, including those procedures set out in Section 231 of the DGCL. Unless and to the extent determined otherwise by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
Section 3.14 Joint Owners of Stock. If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for relief as provided in Section 217(b) of the DGCL. If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.
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ARTICLE IV - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 4.1 General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board may adopt such rules and procedures, not inconsistent with the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or applicable law, as it may deem proper for the conduct of its meetings and the management of the Corporation.
Section 4.2 Number. Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock, the entire Board shall consist of one (1) or more directors, the total number thereof shall be authorized first by the incorporator of the Corporation and thereafter from time to time solely by resolution of the Board. Each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her death, resignation, or removal. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.
Section 4.3 Resignations and Vacancies.
(a) Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation; provided, however, that if such notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the director. A resignation is effective when the resignation is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events. Acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. A resignation which is conditioned upon the director failing to receive a specified vote for reelection as a director may provide that it is irrevocable. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, when one or more directors resign from the Board, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective.
(b) Subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock with respect to the election of directors, and except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason and newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board. A person so elected by the Board to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been assigned by the Board and until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, or removal.
Section 4.4 Meetings. The Board may by resolution provide for regular meetings to be held at such times and places as it may determine, and such meetings may be held without further notice. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or by not less than a majority of the directors then in office. Subject to Section 9.3, notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be given by or at the direction of the person or persons calling the meeting, and shall be delivered personally, telephoned, or sent by electronic mail or facsimile, to each director at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the meeting, or sent by First Class United States mail, postage prepaid, to each director at such director’s address as shown on the records of the Corporation, in which case such notice shall be deposited in the United States mail no later than the fourth (4th) business day preceding the day of the meeting. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of a special meeting, any and all business may be transacted at such meeting. Meetings of the Board, both regular and special, may be held either within or outside the State of Delaware. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the board of directors, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
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Section 4.5 Action Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all the directors or all members of the committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writings or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee, as the case may be.
Section 4.6 Quorum. At any meeting of the Board, the presence of the greater of (x) a majority of the directors then in office and (y) one-third (1/3) of the total number of directors, shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any meeting of the Board there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice if the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
Section 4.7 Vote Necessary to Act and Participation by Conference Telephone. The vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may otherwise be provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws. Participation in a meeting by conference telephone or similar means by which all participating directors can hear each other shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 4.8 Fees and Compensation of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.
Section 4.9 Executive and Other Committees.
(a) The Board may by resolution designate an Executive Committee and/or one or more other committees, each committee to consist of two (2) or more directors, except that the Executive Committee, if any, shall consist of not less than (3) directors. Any such committee, to the extent provided in such resolution or in these Bylaws, shall have and may exercise the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, except in reference to powers or authority expressly forbidden such committee by law, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be fixed to all papers that may require it.
(b) During the intervals between meetings of the Board, the Executive Committee, unless restricted by resolution of the Board, shall possess and may exercise, under the control and direction of the Board, all of the powers of the Board in the management and control of the business of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law. All action taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported to the Board at its first meeting thereafter and shall be subject to revision or rescission by the Board; provided, however, that rights of third parties shall not be affected by any such action by the Board.
(c) If any member of any such committee other than the Executive Committee is absent or disqualified, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another director to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
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(d) Any such committee shall meet at stated times or on notice to all of its own number. It shall fix its own rules of procedure. A majority shall constitute a quorum, but the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole committee shall be necessary to act in every case.
Section 4.10 Removal. Except as prohibited by applicable law or as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) in voting power of the stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote at an election of directors.
Section 4.11 Chairman. The Board shall elect a Chairman from among the directors. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by resolution of the Board or as otherwise set forth in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
Section 5.1 Officers Generally. The Corporation shall have the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary and the Treasurer, all of whom shall be chosen by the Board. The Corporation may also have one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and other officers and agents as the Board may deem advisable, all of whom shall be chosen by the Board. The Board may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the Corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. All officers shall hold office for one (1) year and until their successors are selected and qualified, unless otherwise specified by the Board; provided, however, that any officer shall be subject to removal at any time by Board and the Board may fill any vacant officer position. The officers shall have such powers and shall perform such duties, executive or otherwise, as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board and, to the extent not so assigned, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board.
Section 5.2 Duties of Officers.
(a) Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board, unless the Chairman of the Board has been appointed and is present. Unless an officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation. To the extent that a Chief Executive Officer has been appointed and no President has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the President shall be deemed references to the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board shall designate from time to time.
(b) President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board (if a director), unless the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer has been appointed and is present. Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation. The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board shall designate from time to time.
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(c) Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board or the President. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board or the President shall designate from time to time. To the extent that a Chief Financial Officer has been appointed and no Treasurer has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the Treasurer shall be deemed references to the Chief Financial Officer. The President may direct the Treasurer, if any, or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board or the President shall designate from time to time.
(d) Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the Corporation. The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board shall designate from time to time. The President may direct any Assistant Secretary or other officer to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board or the President shall designate from time to time.
(e) Treasurer. Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation, the Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Corporation and shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, and, subject to the order of the Board, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President shall designate from time to time.
(f) Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, or, if the Chief Executive Officer has not been appointed or is absent, the President shall designate from time to time.
(g) Other Officers. Other officers of the Corporation shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Board.
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Section 5.3 Authority to Sign. The Board may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the Corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the Corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Corporation. All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the Corporation or in special accounts of the Corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board shall authorize so to do. Unless authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
Section 5.4 Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation. All stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the Corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.
Section 5.5 Duties of Officers May Be Delegated. In case any officer is absent, or for any other reason that the Board may deem sufficient, the Chief Executive Officer or the President or the Board may delegate for the time being the powers or duties of such officer to any other officer or to any director.
ARTICLE VI - INDEMNIFICATION
Section 6.1 Indemnification.
(a) Each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (hereinafter, a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as such director, officer, employee, or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as such director, officer, employee, or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than the DGCL permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability, and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, other expenses and losses, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee, or agent, and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors, and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (b) hereof, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 6.1 shall be a contract right and shall include the right of a director or officer to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, which undertaking shall itself be sufficient without the need for further evaluation of any credit aspects of the undertaking or with respect to such advancement, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 6.1 or otherwise.
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(b) If a claim under Section 6.1(a) is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim, together with reasonable evidence as to the amount of such claim, has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses (including attorneys’ fees), in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim, and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall also be entitled to be paid the expense, including attorneys’ fees, of prosecuting such suit. It shall be a defense to any such suit, other than a suit brought to enforce a claim for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation, that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Board or a committee thereof, independent legal counsel, or the stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Board or a committee thereof, independent legal counsel, or the stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the suit or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by an indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Section 6.1 or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
(c) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Section 6.1 shall not be exclusive of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw, agreement, or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
(d) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against any such expense, liability, or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability, or loss under the DGCL.
(e) In the case of a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses against the Corporation under this Section 6.1 arising out of acts, events, or circumstances for which the claimant, who was at the relevant time serving as a director, officer, employee, or agent of any other entity at the request of the Corporation, may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to such other entity’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, or other governing document, or a contractual agreement between the claimant and such entity, the claimant seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder shall first seek indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to any such governing document or agreement. To the extent that amounts to be paid in indemnification or advancement to a claimant hereunder are paid by such other entity, the claimant’s right to indemnification and advancement of expenses hereunder shall be reduced.
(f) Any amendment, repeal, or modification of this Article VI shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
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ARTICLE VII - SHARES OF STOCK
Section 7.1 Certificates. Shares of stock shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board may provide by resolution that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of record of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares of stock owned by such holder. Any of or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 7.2 Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates. A new certificate or certificates shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Section 7.3 Transfers. Transfers of record of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares. The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
Section 7.4 Registered Stockholders. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
ARTICLE VIII - DIVIDENDS
Section 8.1 Declaration of Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law, if any, may be declared by the Board pursuant to law at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.
Section 8.2 Dividend Reserve. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the Board may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
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ARTICLE IX - GENERAL MATTERS
Section 9.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation will end on December 31. Notwithstanding, the foregoing, the fiscal year shall be subject to change by the Board from time to time, subject to applicable law.
Section 9.2 Corporate Seal. The corporate seal, if any, shall be in such form as shall be prescribed and altered, from time to time, by the Board. The use of a seal or stamp by the Corporation on corporate documents is not necessary and the lack thereof shall not in any way affect the legality of a corporate document.
Section 9.3 Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors, and Committees. Any waiver of notice given by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, and does object, at the beginning of such meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors, or members of a committee of the Board need be specified in a waiver of notice.
Section 9.4 Books and Records. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be maintained on any information storage device, method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases); provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time, and, with respect to the stock ledger, the records so kept comply with Section 224 of the DGCL. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to applicable law.
Section 9.5 Forum for Adjudication of Disputes.
(a) Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for:
(1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation;
(2) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee, or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders;
(3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws (as either may be amended or restated) or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; or
(4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of this Section 9.5 is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to: (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce this Section 9.5 (an “Enforcement Action”); and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.5(a).
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(b) Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.5(b).
Section 9.6 Amendments to the Bylaws. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, any amendment or modification of Section 3.2, Section 3.3, Section 3.7, Section 3.8, Section 4.2, Section 4.3, Section 4.10, Section 6.1 and this Section 9.6 shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
ARTICLE X - CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINED TERMS
Section 10.1 Construction. As appropriate in context, whenever the singular number is used in these Bylaws, the same includes the plural, and whenever the plural number is used in these Bylaws, the same includes the singular. As used in these Bylaws, each of the neuter, masculine, and feminine genders includes the other two genders. As used in these Bylaws, “include,” “includes,” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation”.
Section 10.2 Defined Terms. As used in these Bylaws,
“Affiliates” and “associates” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Board” means the board of directors of the Corporation.
“Bylaws” means these bylaws of the Corporation, as the same may be amended from time to time.
“Certificate of Incorporation” means the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as the same may be amended from time to time.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Corporation, par value $0.001 per share.
“Corporation” means OS Therapies Incorporated.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same may be amended from time to time.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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APPROVED AND ADOPTED on __________, 2023.
| (Secretary Signature) |
18
Exhibit 4.1
NUMBER CERT |
OS Therapies Incorporated
Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Delaware
$0.001 Par value common stock |
SHARES
CUSIP 68764Y108 COMMON STOCK |
| THIS CERTIFIES THAT | IS THE OWNER OF |
| FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK |
OS Therapies Incorporated
Transferable on the books of the Corporation in person or by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.
| Dated: |
COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
VSTOCK TRANSFER, LLC
Transfer Agent and Registrar
| By: | |||
| AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE | Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 4.2
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN AND IN THE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC AND OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED, DATED AS OF [●] (THE “UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT”), AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING [●], 2023 (THE “EFFECTIVE DATE”) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC OR A MEMBER OF THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY, INC. (“FINRA”) PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING FOR WHICH THIS PURCHASE WARRANT WAS ISSUED TO THE UNDERWRITER OF SUCH OFFERING AS CONSIDERATION (THE “OFFERING”), OR (II) AN OFFICER, PARTNER, REGISTERED PERSON OR AFFILIATE OF BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC, EACH OF WHOM SHALL HAVE AGREED TO THE RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, THE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINRA RULE 5110(E)(1).
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
For the Purchase of [●] Shares of Common Stock
of
OS Therapies Incorporated
1. Purchase Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of Boustead Securities, LLC (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Purchase Warrant, to OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time beginning [●], 2023 (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, [●], 20281 (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [●] shares (the “Shares”) of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at $[●]2 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context.
2. Exercise.
2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.
2.2 Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment of cash or check payable to the order of the Company pursuant to Section 2.1 above, this Purchase Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = the FMV (as defined below) of one share of Common Stock;
(B) = the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
(X) = the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Purchase Warrant that would be issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Purchase Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.
If Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Purchase Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2.2.
| 1 | [Shall be the five-year anniversary of the commencement date of sales in the offering.] |
| 2 | [100% of the public offering price.] |
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2.2.
“FMV” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on such Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) (based on a trading day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, (b) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on OTCQB or OTCQX, if the OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the OTCQB or OTCQX on which the Common Stock is then quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a trading day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on a Trading Market or the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices) (“OTC Markets Group”), the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the Pink Sheets on which the Common Stock is then quoted as reported by OTC Markets Group (based on a trading day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Trading Market” means the NYSE American, or any of the following other markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
2.3 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”):
“The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘Act’), or applicable state law. Neither the securities nor any interest therein may be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act, or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state law which, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, is available.”
2.4 Resale of Shares. Holder and the Company acknowledge that as of the date hereof the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC has published Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 in the Securities Act Rules section thereof, stating that the holder of securities issued in connection with a public offering may not rely upon Rule 144 promulgated under the Act to establish an exemption from registration requirements under Section 4(a)(1) under the Act, but may nonetheless apply Rule 144 constructively for the resale of such shares in the following manner: (a) provided that six (6) months has elapsed since the last sale under the registration statement, an underwriter or finder may resell the securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144(c), (e), and (f), except for the notice requirement; (b) a purchaser of the shares from an underwriter receives restricted securities unless the sale is made with an appropriate, current prospectus, or unless the sale is made pursuant to the conditions contained in (a) above; (c) a purchaser of the shares from an underwriter who receives restricted securities may include the underwriter’s holding period, provided that the underwriter or finder is not an affiliate of the issuer; and (d) if an underwriter transfers the shares to its employees, the employees may tack the firm’s holding period for purposes of Rule 144(d), but they must aggregate sales of the distributed shares with those of other employees, as well as those of the underwriter or finder, for a six-month period from the date of the transfer to the employees. Holder and the Company also acknowledge that the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC has advised in various no-action letters that the holding period associated with securities issued without registration to a service provider commences upon the completion of the services, which the Company agrees and acknowledges shall be the final closing of the Offering, and that Rule 144(d)(3)(ii) provides that securities acquired from the issuer solely in exchange for other securities of the same issuer shall be deemed to have been acquired at the same time as the securities surrendered for conversion (which the Company agrees is the date of the initial issuance of this Purchase Warrant). In the event that following a reasonably-timed written request by Holder to transfer the Shares in accordance with Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 counsel for the Company in good faith concludes that Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 no longer may be relied upon as a result of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance, or as a result of judicial interpretations not known by the Company or its counsel on the date hereof, then the Company shall promptly, and in any event within five (5) business days following the request, provide written notice to Holder of such determination. As a condition to giving such notice, the parties shall negotiate in good faith a single demand registration right pursuant to an agreement in customary form reasonably acceptable to the parties; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall terminate on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date. In the absence of such conclusion by counsel for the Company, the Company shall, upon such a request of Holder given no earlier than six (6) months after the final closing of the Offering, instruct its transfer agent to permit the transfer of such shares in accordance with Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04, provided that Holder has provided such documentation as shall be reasonably be requested by the Company to establish compliance with the conditions of Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(B)-(D), the Holder shall not be entitled to more than one demand registration right hereunder and the duration of the registration rights hereunder shall not exceed five (5) years from the Effective Date.
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3. Transfer.
3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than: (i) Boustead Securities, LLC (“Boustead”) or a FINRA member participating in the Offering, or (ii) an officer, partner, registered person or affiliate of Boustead or of any such FINRA member, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). After 180 days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) business days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant or Purchase Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.
3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) if required by applicable law, the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Company that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state securities laws, or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.
4. Piggyback Registration Rights.
4.1 Grant of Right. Whenever the Company proposes to register any shares of Common Ctock under the Act (other than (i) a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or a transaction to which Rule 145 of the Act is applicable, or (ii) a registration statement on Form S-4, S-8 or any successor form thereto or another form not available for registering the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant for sale to the public, whether for its own account or for the account of one or more stockholders of the Company (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event no later than ten (10) business days prior to the filing of such registration statement) to the Holder of the Company’s intention to effect such a registration and, subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 4.1, shall include in such registration such number of Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant (the “Registrable Securities”) that the Holders have (within ten (10) business days of the respective Holder’s receipt of such notice) requested in writing (including such number) to be included within such registration. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter advises the Company that it has determined in good faith that marketing factors require a limit on the number of shares of Common Stock to be included in such registration, including all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant (if the Holder has elected to include such shares in such Piggyback Registration) and all other shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the number of shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell and (ii) second, the number of shares of Common Stock, if any, requested to be included therein by selling stockholders (including the Holder) allocated pro rata among all such persons on the basis of the number of shares of Common Stock then owned by each such person. If any Piggyback Registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, the Company shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date and (ii) the date that Rule 144 would allow the Holder to sell its Registrable Securities during any ninety (90) day period.
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4.2 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify Boustead contained in the Underwriting Agreement. The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which Boustead has agreed to indemnify the Company.
4.3 Exercise of Purchase Warrants. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Purchase Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
4.4 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the Piggyback Registration requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times, during normal business hours, as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
4.5 Underwriting Agreement. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to a Piggyback Registration. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and the amount and nature of their ownership thereof and their intended methods of distribution.
4.6 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s). Each of the Holder(s) participating in a Piggyback Registration shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.
4.7 Damages. Should the Company fail to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.
5. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.
5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
5.2 Lost Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, determined in the sole discretion of the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
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6. Adjustments.
6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
6.1.1 Stock Dividends; Split Ups. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or by a split up of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding shares of Common Stock, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased.
6.1.2 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Common Stock, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.
6.1.3 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock other than a change covered by Sections 6.1.1 or 6.1.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such shares of Common Stock, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Holder of this Purchase Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Purchase Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares obtainable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Sections 6.1.1 or 6.1.2, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and this Section 6.1.3. The provisions of this Section 6.1.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.
6.1.4 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
6.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding shares of Common Stock), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations or mergers.
6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
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7. Reservation. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants, such number of shares of Common Stock or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all shares of Common Stock and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive rights of any shareholder.
8. Certain Notice Requirements.
8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Purchase Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice relating to such events given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.
8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its shares of Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, or (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its shares of Common Stock any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor.
8.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price. The Company shall, promptly after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6 hereof, send notice to the Holders of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating same.
8.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered, or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Purchase Warrant, to the following address or to such other address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to the following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:
| If to the Holder: | |||
| Boustead Securities, LLC | |||
| 6 Venture, Suite 395 | |||
| Irvine, California 92618 | |||
| Attention: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
| with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | |||
| ArentFox Schiff LLP | |||
| 1717 K Street, NW | |||
| Washington, DC 20006 | |||
| Attention: | Cavas S. Pavri, Esq. | ||
| Fax No: | (202) 778-6460 | ||
| If to the Company: | |||
| OS Therapies Incorporated | |||
| OS Therapies Incorporated | |||
| 15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135 | |||
| Rockville, Maryland 20850 | |||
| Attention: | Paul A. Romness, MPH | ||
| Email: | par@ostherapies.com | ||
| with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | |||
| Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP | |||
| 1325 Avenue of the Americas | |||
| 15th Floor | |||
| New York, New York 10019 | |||
| Attention: | Spencer G. Feldman, Esq. | ||
| Email: | sfeldman@olshanlaw.com | ||
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9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Amendments. The Company and Boustead may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Boustead may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Boustead deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by (i) the Company and (ii) the Holder(s) of Purchase Warrants then-exercisable for at least a majority of the Shares then-exercisable pursuant to all then-outstanding Purchase Warrants.
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Purchase Warrant.
9.3. Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Purchase Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the courts located in New York, New York, or in the United States District Court located in New York, New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
9.7 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Purchase Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant by Holder, if the Company and Boustead enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Purchase Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the [●] day of [●], 2023.
| OS Therapies Incorporated | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]
Date: __________, 20___
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for ______ shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $____ (at the rate of $____ per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.
or
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase ___ Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for ______ Shares, as determined in accordance with the following formula:
dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = the FMV;
(B) = the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
(X) = the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Purchase Warrant that would be issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Purchase Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.
The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.
Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been converted.
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
| Name: |
(Print in Block Letters)
| Address: | ||
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Purchase Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
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[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to purchase shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.
Dated: __________, 20__
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Purchase Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
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Exhibit 5.1
April 13, 2023
OS Therapies Incorporated
15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135
Rockville, Maryland 20850
| Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-1 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel to OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with (a) the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-271034), originally filed on March 31, 2023 (as it may be amended, the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to (i) the offer and sale by the Company of 2,000,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 300,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any, (ii) the issuance by the Company to Boustead Securities, LLC, as representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters listed in the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below), of warrants (the “Representative’s Warrants”) to purchase up to 161,000 shares (the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock, (iii) the issuance by the Company to the Representative of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the Representative’s Warrants, and (iv) the offer and sale from time to time by the selling stockholders identified in the Registration Statement (the “Selling Stockholders”) of 537,098 shares (the “Resale Shares”) of Common Stock to be issued to the Selling Stockholders prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement upon the automatic conversion of convertible promissory notes held by such Selling Stockholders, and (b) the Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the Representative relating to the Shares, Representative’s Warrants, Warrant Shares and Resale Shares (the “Underwriting Agreement”).
We have examined the originals, or certified, conformed or reproduction copies, of all such records, agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed relevant or necessary as the basis for the opinion hereinafter expressed. In all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on originals or certified copies and the conformity to original or certified copies of all copies submitted to us as conformed or reproduction copies. As to various questions of fact relevant to such opinion, we have relied upon, and assumed the accuracy of, certificates and oral or written statements and other information of or from public officials, officers or representatives of the Company, and others.
Based upon the foregoing, and the laws of the State of Delaware, we are of the opinion that:
| 1. | The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and binding obligations of the Company under the laws of the State of Delaware. |
April 13, 2023
Page 2
| 2. | The Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought and (iv) that we express no opinion as to whether a state court outside of the State of New York or a federal court of the United States would give effect to the choice of New York law provided for in the Representative’s Warrants. |
| 3. | The Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for upon valid exercise in accordance with the terms of the Representative’s Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and binding obligations of the Company. |
| 4. | The Resale Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued to the Selling Stockholders prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement upon the automatic conversion of convertible notes held by such Selling Stockholders, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP | |
| OLSHAN FROME WOLOSKY LLP |
Exhibit 10.10
OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of _______________, 2023, and is between OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and _______________ (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
A. Indemnitee’s service to the Company substantially benefits the Company.
B. Individuals are reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations or in certain other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or indemnification against the risks of claims and actions against them arising out of such service.
C. Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Company’s governing documents and any insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as a director or officer without additional protection.
D. In order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee as permitted by applicable law.
E. This Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and this Agreement shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor shall this Agreement be deemed to limit, diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
The parties therefore agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
(a) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board Composition. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Company’s board of directors, and any new directors (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 1(a)(i), 1(a)(iii) or 1(a)(iv)) whose election by the board of directors or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Company’s board of directors;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; and
(v) Other Events. Any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement, except the completion of the Company’s initial public offering shall not be considered a Change in Control.
For purposes of this Section 1(a), the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(2) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; provided, however, that “Beneficial Owner” shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of (i) the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity or (ii) the Company’s board of directors approving a sale of securities by the Company to such Person.
(b) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise.
(c) “DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
(d) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(e) “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(f) “Expenses” include all reasonable and actually incurred attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees and costs of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes bond or other appeal bond or their equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 12(d), Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(g) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner or member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than as Independent Counsel with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(h) “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, including any appeal therefrom and including without limitation any such Proceeding pending as of the date of this Agreement, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, a potential party, a non-party witness or otherwise by reason of (i) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, (ii) any action taken by Indemnitee or any action or inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or (iii) the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(i) Reference to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
2. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
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3. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 3 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. To the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in and is successful (on the merits or otherwise) in defense of any Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. For purposes of this section, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. To the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
6. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 2, 3 or 4, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein.
(b) For purposes of Section 6(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL; and
(ii) the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
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7. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;
(b) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
(c) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
(d) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Company’s board of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) otherwise authorized in Section 12(d) or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; or
(e) if prohibited by applicable law.
8. Advances of Expenses. The Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding prior to its final disposition, and such advancement shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days, after the receipt by the Company of a written statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditure made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice). Advances shall be unsecured and interest free and made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay such advances. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay any advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 8 shall not apply to the extent advancement is prohibited by law and shall not apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) for which indemnity is not permitted under this Agreement, but shall apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) referenced in Section 7(b) or 7(c) prior to a determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
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9. Procedures for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include, in reasonable detail, a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights, except to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
(b) If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a Proceeding pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect that may be applicable to the Proceeding, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of the Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all commercially-reasonable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event the Company may be obligated to make any indemnity in connection with a Proceeding, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee for any fees or expenses of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding. Notwithstanding the Company’s assumption of the defense of any such Proceeding, the Company shall be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s separate counsel to the extent (i) the employment of separate counsel by Indemnitee is authorized by the Company, (ii) counsel for the Company or Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense such that Indemnitee needs to be separately represented, (iii) the Company is not financially or legally able to perform its indemnification obligations or (iv) the Company shall not have retained, or shall not continue to retain, counsel to defend such Proceeding. Regardless of any provision in this Agreement, Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in any Proceeding at Indemnitee’s personal expense. The Company shall not be entitled, without the consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Company.
(d) Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation in connection with the Proceeding as may be reasonably appropriate.
(e) The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee for any settlement of any Proceeding (or any part thereof) without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
(f) The Company shall not settle any Proceeding (or any part thereof) in a manner that imposes any penalty or liability on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
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10. Procedures upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) To obtain indemnification, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and as is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Proceeding. The Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the board of directors that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Any delay in providing the request will not relieve the Company from its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent such failure is prejudicial.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a), a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Company’s board of directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Company’s board of directors, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Company’s board of directors, (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Company’s board of directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (D) if so directed by the Company’s board of directors, by the stockholders of the Company. If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within thirty (30) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information that is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and that is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(c) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 10(b), the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 10(c). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company’s board of directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him or her of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Company’s board of directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of (i) submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) hereof and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding, the parties have not agreed upon an Independent Counsel, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court of Chancery for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 10(b) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement, the Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(d) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of any Independent Counsel.
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11. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, and the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith to the extent Indemnitee relied in good faith on (i) the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or its board of directors or counsel selected by any committee of the board of directors or (iv) information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant, an appraiser, investment banker or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise or its board of directors or any committee of the board of directors. The provisions of this Section 11(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(d) Neither the knowledge, actions nor failure to act of any other director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
12. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 12(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 or 12(d) of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after the later of the receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification or the final disposition of the Proceeding, (iv) payment of indemnification pursuant to this Agreement is not made (A) within twenty (20) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (B) with respect to indemnification pursuant to Sections 4, 5 and 12(d) of this Agreement, within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) the Company or any other person or entity takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court of Chancery of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication in accordance with this Agreement.
(b) Neither (i) the failure of the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the board of directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor (ii) an actual determination by the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the board of directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 12 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 12, the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
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(c) To the fullest extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 12 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 12, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statements not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses that are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to the extent Indemnitee is successful in such action, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days, after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
13. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amounts incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events and transactions giving rise to such Proceeding; and (ii) the relative fault of Indemnitee and the Company (and its other directors, officers, employees and agents) in connection with such events and transactions.
14. Non-exclusivity. The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change, subject to the restrictions expressly set forth herein or therein. Except as expressly set forth herein, no right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. Except as expressly set forth herein, the assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
15. Primary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges that Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by third parties (collectively, the “Secondary Indemnitor”). The Company agrees that, as between the Company and the Secondary Indemnitors, the Company is primarily responsible for amounts required to be indemnified or advanced under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement and any obligation of the Secondary Indemnitors to provide indemnification or advancement for the same amounts is secondary to those Company obligations. To the extent not in contravention of any insurance policy or policies providing liability or other insurance for the Company or any director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise, the Company waives any right of contribution or subrogation against the Secondary Indemnitors with respect to the liabilities for which the Company is primarily responsible under this Section 15. In the event of any payment by the Secondary Indemnitors of amounts otherwise required to be indemnified or advanced by the Company under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement, the Secondary Indemnitors shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement of expenses under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement or, to the extent such subrogation is unavailable and contribution is found to be the applicable remedy, shall have a right of contribution with respect to the amounts paid; provided, however, that the foregoing sentence will be deemed void if and to the extent that it would violate any applicable insurance policy. The Secondary Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 15.
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16. No Duplication of Payments. Subject to any subrogation rights set forth in Section 15, the Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment for such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
17. Insurance. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, trustees, general partners, managing members, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies to the same extent as the most favorably-insured persons under such policy or policies in a comparable position.
18. Subrogation. In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director or officer of the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another Enterprise, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation or is removed from such position. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law). This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that any employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) is at will, and Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason, with or without cause, with or without notice, except as may be otherwise expressly provided in any executed, written employment contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), any existing formal severance policies adopted by the Company’s board of directors or, with respect to service as a director or officer of the Company, the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or the DGCL. No such document shall be subject to any oral modification thereof.
20. Duration. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of any other Enterprise, as applicable; or (b) for as long as Indemnitee may be subject to any Proceeding, even after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of any other Enterprise, as applicable.
21. Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns, including any direct or indirect successor, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
22. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. The Company’s inability, pursuant to court order or other applicable law, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (ii) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (iii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
23. Enforcement. The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.
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24. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and applicable law.
25. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement shall adversely affect any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall constitute or be deemed a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
26. Notices. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, sent by electronic mail or otherwise delivered by hand, messenger or courier service addressed:
(a) if to Indemnitee, to Indemnitee’s address or electronic mail address as shown on the signature page of this Agreement or in the Company’s records, as may be updated in accordance with the provisions hereof; or
(b) if to the Company, to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company at OS Therapies Incorporated, 15825 Shady Grove Road, Suite 135, Rockville, Maryland 20850, or at such other current address as the Company shall have furnished to Indemnitee, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Spencer G. Feldman at Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 15th Floor, New York, New York 10019.
Each such notice or other communication shall for all purposes of this Agreement be treated as effective or having been given (i) if delivered by hand, messenger or courier service, when delivered (or if sent via a nationally-recognized overnight courier service, freight prepaid, specifying next-business-day delivery, one (1) business day after deposit with the courier), or (ii) if sent via mail, at the earlier of its receipt or five (5) days after the same has been deposited in a regularly-maintained receptacle for the deposit of the United States mail, addressed and mailed as aforesaid, or (iii) if sent via electronic mail, upon confirmation of delivery when directed to the relevant electronic mail address, if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, or if not sent during normal business hours of the recipient, then on the recipient’s next business day.
27. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, National Registered Agents, Inc. as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
28. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature and in counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
29. Captions. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
[Signature Page Follows]
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The parties are signing this Indemnification Agreement as of the date stated in the introductory sentence.
| OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED | |
| (Signature) | |
| (Print name) | |
| (Title) | |
| [INSERT INDEMNITEE NAME] | |
| (Signature) | |
| (Print name) | |
| (Street address) | |
| (City, State and ZIP) |
Exhibit 10.11
OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
2023 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
OS THERAPIES INCORPORATED
2023 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
1. Purpose., The purpose of the OS THERAPIES 2023 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN (the “Plan”) is to assist OS Therapies Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its Related Entities (as hereinafter defined) in attracting, motivating, retaining and rewarding high-quality executives and other employees, officers, directors, consultants and other persons who provide services to the Company or its Related Entities by enabling such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in the Company in order to strengthen the mutuality of interests between such persons and the Company’s shareholders, and providing such persons with performance incentives to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of shareholder value.
2. Definitions. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such terms defined in Section 1 hereof.
(a) “Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award, Share granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock-Based Award or Performance Award, together with any other right or interest, granted to a Participant under the Plan.
(b) “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted by the Committee hereunder.
(c) “Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust or trusts that have been designated by a Participant in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon such Participant’s death or to which Awards or other rights are transferred if and to the extent permitted under Section 10(b) hereof. If, upon a Participant’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term Beneficiary means the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.
(d) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.
(e) “Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors.
(f) “Cause” shall, with respect to any Participant have the meaning specified in the Award Agreement. In the absence of any definition in the Award Agreement, “Cause” shall have the equivalent meaning or the same meaning as “cause” or “for cause” set forth in any employment, consulting, or other agreement for the performance of services between the Participant and the Company or a Related Entity or, in the absence of any such agreement or any such definition in such agreement, such term shall mean (i) the failure by the Participant to perform, in a reasonable manner, his or her duties as assigned by the Company or a Related Entity, (ii) any violation or breach by the Participant of his or her employment, consulting or other similar agreement with the Company or a Related Entity, if any, (iii) any violation or breach by the Participant of any non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disclosure and/or other similar agreement with the Company or a Related Entity, (iv) any act by the Participant of dishonesty or bad faith with respect to the Company or a Related Entity, (v) use of alcohol, drugs or other similar substances in a manner that adversely affects the Participant’s work performance, or (vi) the commission by the Participant of any act, misdemeanor, or crime reflecting unfavorably upon the Participant or the Company or any Related Entity. The good faith determination by the Committee of whether the Participant’s Continuous Service was terminated by the Company for “Cause” shall be final and binding for all purposes hereunder.
(g) “Change in Control” means a Change in Control as defined with related terms in Section 9(b) of the Plan.
(h) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.
(i) “Committee” means a committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided, however, that if the Board fails to designate a committee or if there are no longer any members on the committee so designated by the Board, then the Board shall serve as the Committee. The Committee shall consist of at least two directors, and each member of the Committee shall be (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act, unless administration of the Plan by “non-employee directors” is not then required in order for exemptions under Rule 16b-3 to apply to transactions under the Plan, (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and (iii) “Independent.”
(j) “Consultant” means any person (other than an Employee or a Director, solely with respect to rendering services in such person’s capacity as a director) who is engaged by the Company or any Related Entity to render consulting or advisory services to the Company or such Related Entity.
(k) “Continuous Service” means the uninterrupted provision of services to the Company or any Related Entity in any capacity of Employee, Director, Consultant or other service provider. Continuous Service shall not be considered to be interrupted in the case of (i) any approved leave of absence, (ii) transfers among the Company, any Related Entities, or any successor entities, in any capacity of Employee, Director, Consultant or other service provider, or (iii) any change in status as long as the individual remains in the service of the Company or a Related Entity in any capacity of Employee, Director, Consultant or other service provider (except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement). An approved leave of absence shall include sick leave, military leave, or any other authorized personal leave.
(l) “Covered Employee” means an Eligible Person who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code, or any successor provision thereto.
(m) “Deferred Stock” means a right to receive Shares, including Restricted Stock, cash or a combination thereof, at the end of a specified deferral period.
(n) “Deferred Stock Award” means an Award of Deferred Stock granted to a Participant under Section 6(e) hereof.
(o) “Director” means a member of the Board or the board of directors of any Related Entity.
(p) “Disability” means a permanent and total disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e) of the Code), as determined by a medical doctor satisfactory to the Committee.
(q) “Discontinued Option” means any Option awarded under Section 6(b) hereof with an exercise price that is less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
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(r) “Discounted Stock Appreciation Right” means any Stock Appreciation Right awarded under Section 6(c) hereof with an exercise price that is less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
(s) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(g) hereof, to receive cash, Shares, other Awards or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of Shares, or other periodic payments.
(t) “Effective Date” means the effective date of the Plan, which shall be __________, 2023.
(u) “Eligible Person” means each officer, Director, Employee, Consultant and other person who provides services to the Company or any Related Entity. The foregoing notwithstanding, only Employees of the Company, or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company (as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively), shall be Eligible Persons for purposes of receiving any Incentive Stock Options. An Employee on leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or a Related Entity for purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.
(v) “Employee” means any person, including an officer or Director, who is an employee of the Company or any Related Entity. The payment of a director’s fee by the Company or a Related Entity shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.
(w) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.
(x) “Fair Market Value” means the fair market value of Shares, Awards or other property as determined by the Committee, or under procedures established by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of a Share as of any given date shall be the closing sale price per Share reported on a consolidated basis for stock listed on the principal stock exchange or market on which Shares are traded on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if there is no sale on that date, then on the last previous day on which a sale was reported.
(y) “Good Reason” shall, with respect to any Participant, have the meaning specified in the Award Agreement. In the absence of any definition in the Award Agreement, “Good Reason” shall have the equivalent meaning or the same meaning as “good reason” or “for good reason” set forth in any employment, consulting or other agreement for the performance of services between the Participant and the Company or a Related Entity or, in the absence of any such agreement or any such definition in such agreement, such term shall mean (i) the assignment to the Participant of any duties inconsistent in any material respect with the Participant’s position, authority, duties or responsibilities as assigned by the Company or a Related Entity, or any other action by the Company or a Related Entity which results in a material diminution in such position, authority, duties or responsibilities, excluding for this purpose any action not taken in bad faith and which is remedied by the Company or a Related Entity promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Participant, or any action taken with the consent of the Participant; or (ii) any material failure by the Company or a Related Entity to comply with its obligations to the Participant as agreed upon, other than any failure not occurring in bad faith and which is remedied by the Company or a Related Entity promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Participant.
(z) “Incentive Stock Option” means any Option intended to be designated as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
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(aa) “Independent,” when referring to either the Board or members of the Committee, shall have the same meaning as used in the rules of the NYSE American or any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Company are listed for trading and, if not quoted or listed for trading, by the rules of the NYSE American.
(bb) “Incumbent Board” means the Incumbent Board as defined in Section 9(b)(ii) of the Plan.
(cc) “Option” means a right granted to a Participant under Section 6(b) hereof, to purchase Shares or other Awards at a specified price during specified time periods.
(dd) “Optionee” means a person to whom an Option is granted under this Plan or any person who succeeds to the rights of such person under this Plan.
(ee) “Option Proceeds” means the cash actually received by the Company for the exercise price in connection with the exercise of Options that are exercised after the Effective Date of the Plan, plus the maximum tax benefit that could be realized by the Company as a result of the exercise of such Options, which tax benefit shall be determined by multiplying (i) the amount that is deductible for Federal income tax purposes as a result of any such option exercise (currently, equal to the amount upon which the Participant’s withholding tax obligation is calculated), times (ii) the maximum Federal corporate income tax rate for the year of exercise. With respect to Options, to the extent that a Participant pays the exercise price and/or withholding taxes with Shares, Option Proceeds shall not be calculated with respect to the amounts so paid in Shares.
(ff) “Other Stock-Based Awards” means Awards granted to a Participant under Section 6(i) hereof.
(gg) “Outside Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.
(hh) “Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under the Plan which remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.
(ii) “Performance Award” shall mean any Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units granted pursuant to Section 6(h).
(jj) “Performance Period” means that period established by the Committee at the time any Performance Award is granted or at any time thereafter during which any performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to such Award are to be measured.
(kk) “Performance Share” means any grant pursuant to Section 6(h) of a unit valued by reference to a designated number of Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.
(ll) “Performance Unit” means any grant pursuant to Section 6(h) of a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of property (including cash) other than Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.
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(mm) “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, and shall include a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.
(nn) “Related Entity” means any Subsidiary, and any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity designated by Board in which the Company or a Subsidiary holds a substantial ownership interest, directly or indirectly.
(oo) “Restricted Stock” means any Share issued with the restriction that the holder may not sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Share and with such risks of forfeiture and other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose (including any restriction on the right to vote such Share and the right to receive any dividends), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.
(pp) “Restricted Stock Award” means an Award granted to a Participant under Section 6(d) hereof.
(qq) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(rr) “Shareholder Approval Date” means the date on which this Plan is approved shareholders of the Company eligible to vote in the election of directors, by a vote sufficient to meet the requirements of Code Sections 162(m) (if applicable) and 422, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (if applicable), applicable requirements under the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may be listed on quoted, and other laws, regulations and obligations of the Company applicable to the Plan.
(ss) “Shares” means the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and such other securities as may be substituted (or resubstituted) for Shares pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.
(tt) “Stock Appreciation Right” means a right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.
(uu) “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more of the total combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or interests of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or in which the Company has the right to receive 50% or more of the distribution of profits or 50% or more of the assets on liquidation or dissolution.
(vv) “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any Related Entity or with which the Company or any Related Entity combines.
3. Administration.
(a) Authority of the Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, except to the extent the Board elects to administer the Plan, in which case the Plan shall be administered by only those directors who are Independent Directors, in which case references herein to the “Committee” shall be deemed to include references to the Independent members of the Board. The Committee shall have full and final authority, subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to select Eligible Persons to become Participants, grant Awards, determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards, prescribe Award Agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, construe and interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and correct defects, supply omissions or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and to make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. In exercising any discretion granted to the Committee under the Plan or pursuant to any Award, the Committee shall not be required to follow past practices, act in a manner consistent with past practices, or treat any Eligible Person or Participant in a manner consistent with the treatment of other Eligible Persons or Participants.
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(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. The Committee, and not the Board, shall exercise sole and exclusive discretion on any matter relating to a Participant then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to the Company to the extent necessary in order that transactions by such Participant shall be exempt under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its Related Entities, Participants, Beneficiaries, transferees under Section 10(b) hereof or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant, and shareholders. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any Related Entity, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions, including administrative functions as the Committee may determine to the extent that such delegation will not result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3(d)(1) for Awards granted to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company and will not cause Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) to fail to so qualify. The Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.
(c) Limitation of Liability. The Committee and the Board, and each member thereof, shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or Employee, the Company’s independent auditors, Consultants or any other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee and the Board, and any officer or Employee acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee or the Board, shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.
4. Shares Subject to Plan.
(a) Limitation on Overall Number of Shares Available for Delivery Under Plan. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c) hereof, the total number of Shares reserved and available for delivery under the Plan shall be 2,000,000, all of which may be Incentive Stock Options. Any Shares delivered under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.
(b) Application of Limitation to Grants of Award. No Award may be granted if the number of Shares to be delivered in connection with such an Award or, in the case of an Award relating to Shares but settled only in cash (such as cash-only Stock Appreciation Rights), the number of Shares to which such Award relates, exceeds the number of Shares remaining available for delivery under the Plan, minus the number of Shares deliverable in settlement of or relating to then outstanding Awards. The Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments if the number of Shares actually delivered differs from the number of Shares previously counted in connection with an Award.
(c) Availability of Shares Not Delivered Under Awards and Adjustments to Limits.
(i) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, expire or otherwise terminate without issuance of such Shares, or any Award is settled for cash or otherwise does not result in the issuance of all or a portion of the Shares subject to such Award or award, the Shares shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, termination, cash settlement or non-issuance, again be available for Awards under the Plan, subject to Section 4(c)(v) below.
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(ii) In the event that any Option or other Award granted hereunder is exercised through the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, or withholding tax liabilities arising from such option or other award are satisfied by the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, then only the number of Shares issued net of the Shares tendered or withheld shall be counted for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan.
(iii) Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market using Option Proceeds shall be available for Awards under the Plan. The increase in Shares available pursuant to the repurchase of Shares with Option Proceeds shall not be greater than the amount of such proceeds divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the Option giving rise to such Option Proceeds.
(iv) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any period. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Related Entity or with which the Company or any Related Entity combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for delivery pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for delivery under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.
(v) Any Shares that again become available for delivery pursuant to this Section 4(c) shall be added back as one (1) Share.
(vi) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4(c) to the contrary and solely for purposes of determining whether Shares are available for the delivery of Incentive Stock Options, the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be granted under this Plan shall be determined without regard to any Shares restored pursuant to this Section 4(c) that, if taken into account, would cause the Plan to fail the requirement under Code Section 422 that the Plan designate a maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued.
5. Eligibility; Per-Person Award Limitations. Awards may be granted under the Plan only to Eligible Persons. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c), in any fiscal year of the Company during any part of which the Plan is in effect, no Participant may be granted (i) Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with respect to more than 500,000 Shares or (ii) Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Performance Shares and/or Other Stock-Based Awards with respect to more than 500,000 Shares. In addition, the maximum dollar value payable to any one Participant with respect to Performance Units is (x) $750,000 with respect to any 12-month Performance Period, and (y) with respect to any Performance Period that is more than 12 months, $750,000 multiplied by the number of full years in the Performance Period.
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6. Specific Terms of Awards.
(a) General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 10(e)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award. The Committee shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive or modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under the Plan. Except in cases in which the Committee is authorized to require other forms of consideration under the Plan, or to the extent other forms of consideration must be paid to satisfy the requirements of applicable law, no consideration other than services may be required for the grant (but not the exercise) of any Award.
(b) Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to any Eligible Person on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Exercise Price. Other than in connection with Substitute Awards, the exercise price per Share purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that such exercise price shall not, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Option and shall not, in any event, be less than the par value of a Share on the date of grant of the Option. If an Employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such employee, the exercise price of such Incentive Stock Option (to the extent required by the Code at the time of grant) shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value a Share on the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.
(ii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which or the circumstances under which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the time or times at which Options shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of Continuous Service or upon other conditions, the methods by which the exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid (including in the discretion of the Committee a cashless exercise procedure), the form of such payment, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or a Related Entity, or other property (including notes or other contractual obligations of Participants to make payment on a deferred basis provided that such deferred payments are not in violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or any rule or regulation adopted thereunder or any other applicable law), and the methods by or forms in which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants.
(iii) Incentive Stock Options. The terms of any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of the Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options (including any Stock Appreciation Right issued in tandem therewith) shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted under the Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify either the Plan or any Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, unless the Participant has first requested, or consents to, the change that will result in such disqualification. Thus, if and to the extent required to comply with Section 422 of the Code, Options granted as Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to the following special terms and conditions:
(A) the Option shall not be exercisable more than ten years after the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted; provided, however, that if a Participant owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) and the Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Participant, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) for no more than five years from the date of grant; and
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(B) The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan and all other option plans of the Company (and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) during any calendar year exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year shall not (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) exceed $100,000.
(c) Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may grant Stock Appreciation Rights to any Eligible Person in conjunction with all or part of any Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option (a “Tandem Stock Appreciation Right”), or without regard to any Option (a “Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right”), in each case upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, including the following:
(i) Right to Payment. A Stock Appreciation Right shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over (B) the grant price of the Stock Appreciation Right as determined by the Committee. The grant price of a Stock Appreciation Right shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant, in the case of a Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right, or less than the associated Option exercise price, in the case of a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right.
(ii) Other Terms. The Committee shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which a Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the time or times at which Stock Appreciation Rights shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of Continuous Service or upon other conditions, the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not a Stock Appreciation Right shall be in tandem or in combination with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right.
(iii) Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights. Any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be granted at the same time as the related Option is granted or, for Options that are not Incentive Stock Options, at any time thereafter before exercise or expiration of such Option. Any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right related to an Option may be exercised only when the related Option would be exercisable and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the related Option exceeds the exercise price at which Shares can be acquired pursuant to the Option. In addition, if a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right exists with respect to less than the full number of Shares covered by a related Option, then an exercise or termination of such Option shall not reduce the number of Shares to which the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right applies until the number of Shares then exercisable under such Option equals the number of Shares to which the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right applies. Any Option related to a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised, and any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the related Option has been exercised.
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(d) Restricted Stock Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Awards to any Eligible Person on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Grant and Restrictions. Restricted Stock Awards shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose, or as otherwise provided in this Plan, covering a period of time specified by the Committee (the “Restriction Period”). The terms of any Restricted Stock Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan. The restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine at the date of grant or thereafter. Except to the extent restricted under the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Award, a Participant granted Restricted Stock shall have all of the rights of a shareholder, including the right to vote the Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirement imposed by the Committee). During the Restriction Period, subject to Section 10(b) below, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, margined or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.
(ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service during the applicable Restriction Period, the Participant’s Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to a risk of forfeiture that has not lapsed or otherwise been satisfied shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock Awards shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes.
(iii) Certificates for Stock. Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Committee may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, that the Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.
(iv) Dividends and Splits. As a condition to the grant of a Restricted Stock Award, the Committee may require or permit a Participant to elect that any cash dividends paid on a Share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional Shares of Restricted Stock or applied to the purchase of additional Awards under the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Shares distributed in connection with a stock split or stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Shares or other property have been distributed.
(e) Deferred Stock Award. The Committee is authorized to grant Deferred Stock Awards to any Eligible Person on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Award and Restrictions. Satisfaction of a Deferred Stock Award shall occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Deferred Stock Award by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). In addition, a Deferred Stock Award shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine. A Deferred Stock Award may be satisfied by delivery of Shares, cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the specified number of Shares covered by the Deferred Stock, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee at the date of grant or thereafter. Prior to satisfaction of a Deferred Stock Award, a Deferred Stock Award carries no voting or dividend or other rights associated with Share ownership.
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(ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award Agreement evidencing the Deferred Stock Award), the Participant’s Deferred Stock Award that is at that time subject to a risk of forfeiture that has not lapsed or otherwise been satisfied shall be forfeited; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that forfeiture conditions relating to a Deferred Stock Award shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of any Deferred Stock Award.
(iii) Dividend Equivalents. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at date of grant, any Dividend Equivalents that are granted with respect to any Deferred Stock Award shall be either (A) paid with respect to such Deferred Stock Award at the dividend payment date in cash or in Shares of unrestricted stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or (B) deferred with respect to such Deferred Stock Award and the amount or value thereof automatically deemed reinvested in additional Deferred Stock, other Awards or other investment vehicles, as the Committee shall determine or permit the Participant to elect.
(f) Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations. The Committee is authorized to grant Shares to any Eligible Persons as a bonus, or to grant Shares or other Awards in lieu of obligations to pay cash or deliver other property under the Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, provided that, in the case of Eligible Persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the amount of such grants remains within the discretion of the Committee to the extent necessary to ensure that acquisitions of Shares or other Awards are exempt from liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Shares or Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to such other terms as shall be determined by the Committee.
(g) Dividend Equivalents. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to any Eligible Person entitling the Eligible Person to receive cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property equal in value to the dividends paid with respect to a specified number of Shares, or other periodic payments. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares, Awards, or other investment vehicles, and subject to such restrictions on transferability and risks of forfeiture, as the Committee may specify.
(h) Performance Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Person payable in cash, Shares, or other Awards, on terms and conditions established by the Committee, subject to the provisions of Section 8 if and to the extent that the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, determine that an Award shall be subject to those provisions. The performance criteria to be achieved during any Performance Period and the length of the Performance Period shall be determined by the Committee upon the grant of each Performance Award. Except as provided in Section 9 or as may be provided in an Award Agreement, Performance Awards will be distributed only after the end of the relevant Performance Period. The performance goals to be achieved for each Performance Period shall be conclusively determined by the Committee and may be based upon the criteria set forth in Section 8(b), or in the case of an Award that the Committee determines shall not be subject to Section 8 hereof, any other criteria that the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine should be used for that purpose. The amount of the Award to be distributed shall be conclusively determined by the Committee. Performance Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the Performance Period or, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on a deferred basis.
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(i) Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to any Eligible Person such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Other Stock-Based Awards may be granted to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan, and such Other Stock-Based Awards shall also be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Shares delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(i) shall be purchased for such consideration (including, without limitation, loans from the Company or a Related Entity provided that such loans are not in violation of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, or any rule or regulation adopted thereunder or any other applicable law) paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, as the Committee shall determine.
7. Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.
(a) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem and Substitute Awards. Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, any other Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company, any Related Entity, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a Related Entity, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company or any Related Entity. Such additional, tandem, and substitute or exchange Awards may be granted at any time. If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award or award, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or award in consideration for the grant of the new Award. In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash amounts payable under other plans of the Company or any Related Entity, in which the value of Stock subject to the Award is equivalent in value to the cash compensation (for example, Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock), or in which the exercise price, grant price or purchase price of the Award in the nature of a right that may be exercised is equal to the Fair Market Value of the underlying Stock minus the value of the cash compensation surrendered (for example, Options or Stock Appreciation Right granted with an exercise price or grant price “discounted” by the amount of the cash compensation surrendered).
(b) Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided that in no event shall the term of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right exceed a period of ten years (or in the case of an Incentive Stock Option such shorter term as may be required under Section 422 of the Code).
(c) Form and Timing of Payment Under Awards; Deferrals. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a Related Entity upon the exercise of an Option or other Award or settlement of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis. Any installment or deferral provided for in the preceding sentence shall, however, be subject to the Company’s compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the rules and regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and all applicable rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market or any national securities exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed for trading and, if not listed for trading on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or a national securities exchange, then the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. The settlement of any Award may be accelerated, and cash paid in lieu of Shares in connection with such settlement, in the discretion of the Committee or upon occurrence of one or more specified events (in addition to a Change in Control). Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee (subject to Section 10(e) of the Plan, including the consent provisions thereof in the case of any deferral of an outstanding Award not provided for in the original Award Agreement) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of a reasonable interest rate on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Shares.
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(d) Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability. It is the intent of the Company that the grant of any Awards to or other transaction by a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be exempt from Section 16 pursuant to an applicable exemption (except for transactions acknowledged in writing to be non-exempt by such Participant). Accordingly, if any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 then applicable to any such transaction, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 so that such Participant shall avoid liability under Section 16(b).
8. Code Section 162(m) Provisions.
(a) Covered Employees. The Committee, in its discretion, may determine at the time an Award is granted to an Eligible Person who is, or is likely to be, as of the end of the tax year in which the Company would claim a tax deduction in connection with such Award, a Covered Employee, that the provisions of this Section 8 shall be applicable to such Award.
(b) Performance Criteria. If an Award is subject to this Section 8, then the lapsing of restrictions thereon and the distribution of cash, Shares or other property pursuant thereto, as applicable, shall be contingent upon achievement of one or more objective performance goals. Performance goals shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being “substantially uncertain.” One or more of the following business criteria for the Company, on a consolidated basis, and/or for Related Entities, or for business or geographical units of the Company and/or a Related Entity (except with respect to the total shareholder return and earnings per share criteria), shall be used by the Committee in establishing performance goals for such Awards: (1) earnings per share; (2) revenues or margins; (3) cash flow; (4) operating margin; (5) return on net assets, investment, capital, or equity; (6) economic value added; (7) direct contribution; (8) net income; pretax earnings; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; earnings after interest expense and before extraordinary or special items; operating income; income before interest income or expense, unusual items and income taxes, local, state or federal and excluding budgeted and actual bonuses which might be paid under any ongoing bonus plans of the Company; (9) working capital; (10) management of fixed costs or variable costs; (11) identification or consummation of investment opportunities or completion of specified projects in accordance with corporate business plans, including strategic mergers, acquisitions or divestitures; (12) total shareholder return; and (13) debt reduction. Any of the above goals may be determined on an absolute or relative basis or as compared to the performance of a published or special index deemed applicable by the Committee including, but not limited to, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index or a group of companies that are comparable to the Company. The Committee may exclude the impact of an event or occurrence which the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including without limitation (i) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring charges, (ii) an event either not directly related to the operations of the Company or not within the reasonable control of the Company’s management, or (iii) a change in accounting standards required by generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) Performance Period; Timing For Establishing Performance Goals. Achievement of performance goals in respect of such Performance Awards shall be measured over a Performance Period no shorter than 12 months and no longer than five years, as specified by the Committee. Performance goals shall be established not later than 90 days after the beginning of any Performance Period applicable to such Performance Awards, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).
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(d) Adjustments. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with Awards subject to this Section 8, but may not exercise discretion to increase any such amount payable to a Covered Employee in respect of an Award subject to this Section 8. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of Continuous Service by the Participant prior to the end of a Performance Period or settlement of Awards.
(e) Committee Certification. No Participant shall receive any payment under the Plan unless the Committee has certified, by resolution or other appropriate action in writing, that the performance criteria and any other material terms previously established by the Committee or set forth in the Plan, have been satisfied to the extent necessary to qualify as “performance based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).
9. Change in Control.
(a) Effect of “Change in Control.” Subject to Section 9(a)(iv), and if and only to the extent provided in the Award Agreement, or to the extent otherwise determined by the Committee, upon the occurrence of a “Change in Control,” as defined in Section 9(b):
(i) Any Option or Stock Appreciation Right that was not previously vested and exercisable as of the time of the Change in Control, shall become immediately vested and exercisable, subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof.
(ii) Any restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to a Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or an Other Stock-Based Award subject only to future service requirements granted under the Plan shall lapse and such Awards shall be deemed fully vested as of the time of the Change in Control, except to the extent of any waiver by the Participant and subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof.
(iii) With respect to any outstanding Award subject to achievement of performance goals and conditions under the Plan, the Committee may, in its discretion, deem such performance goals and conditions as having been met as of the date of the Change in Control.
(iv) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the event of a Change in Control the successor company assumes or substitutes for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or Other Stock-Based Award, then each outstanding Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or Other Stock-Based Award shall not be accelerated as described in Sections 9(a)(i), (ii) and (iii). For the purposes of this Section 9(a)(iv), an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or Other Stock-Based Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if following the Change in Control the award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or Other Stock-Based Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control by holders of Shares for each Share held on the effective date of such transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary, provide that the consideration to be received upon the exercise or vesting of an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Deferred Stock Award or Other Stock-Based Award, for each Share subject thereto, will be solely common stock of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary substantially equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Shares in the transaction constituting a Change in Control. The determination of such substantial equality of value of consideration shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion and its determination shall be conclusive and binding.
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(b) Definition of “Change in Control.” Unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) The acquisition by any Person of Beneficial Ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of more than fifty percent (50%) of either (A) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities) (the foregoing Beneficial Ownership hereinafter being referred to as a “Controlling Interest”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 9(b), the following acquisitions shall not constitute or result in a Change of Control: (v) any acquisition directly from the Company; (w) any acquisition by the Company; (x) any acquisition by any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest; (y) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary; or (z) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of subsection (iii) below; or
(ii) During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the Effective Date) individuals who constitute the Board on the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or
(iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (C) at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or
(iv) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
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10. General Provisions.
(a) Compliance With Legal and Other Requirements. The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee, postpone the issuance or delivery of Shares or payment of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or qualification of such Shares or other required action under any federal or state law, rule or regulation, listing or other required action with respect to any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares or other Company securities are listed or quoted, or compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee, may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Shares or payment of other benefits in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other obligations.
(b) Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries. No Award or other right or interest granted under the Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation or liability of such Participant to any party, or assigned or transferred by such Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and such Awards or rights that may be exercisable shall be exercised during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his or her guardian or legal representative, except that Awards and other rights (other than Incentive Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights in tandem therewith) may be transferred to one or more Beneficiaries or other transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and may be exercised by such transferees in accordance with the terms of such Award, but only if and to the extent such transfers are permitted by the Committee pursuant to the express terms of an Award Agreement (subject to any terms and conditions which the Committee may impose thereon). A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.
(c) Adjustments.
(i) Adjustments to Awards. In the event that any extraordinary dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares and/or such other securities of the Company or any other issuer such that a substitution, exchange, or adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, substitute, exchange or adjust any or all of (A) the number and kind of Shares which may be delivered in connection with Awards granted thereafter, (B) the number and kind of Shares by which annual per-person Award limitations are measured under Section 5 hereof, (C) the number and kind of Shares subject to or deliverable in respect of outstanding Awards, (D) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award and/or make provision for payment of cash or other property in respect of any outstanding Award, and (E) any other aspect of any Award that the Committee determines to be appropriate.
(ii) Adjustments in Case of Certain Corporate Transactions. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other reorganization in which the Company does not survive, or in the event of any Change in Control, any outstanding Awards may be dealt with in accordance with any of the following approaches, as determined by the agreement effectuating the transaction or, if and to the extent not so determined, as determined by the Committee: (a) the continuation of the outstanding Awards by the Company, if the Company is a surviving corporation, (b) the assumption or substitution for, as those terms are defined in Section 9(b)(iv) hereof, the outstanding Awards by the surviving corporation or its parent or subsidiary, (c) full exercisability or vesting and accelerated expiration of the outstanding Awards, or (d) settlement of the value of the outstanding Awards in cash or cash equivalents or other property followed by cancellation of such Awards (which value, in the case of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, shall be measured by the amount, if any, by which the Fair Market Value of a Share exceeds the exercise or grant price of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right as of the effective date of the transaction). The Committee shall give written notice of any proposed transaction referred to in this Section 10(c)(ii) a reasonable period of time prior to the closing date for such transaction (which notice may be given either before or after the approval of such transaction), in order that Participants may have a reasonable period of time prior to the closing date of such transaction within which to exercise any Awards that are then exercisable (including any Awards that may become exercisable upon the closing date of such transaction). A Participant may condition his exercise of any Awards upon the consummation of the transaction.
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(iii) Other Adjustments. The Committee (and the Board if and only to the extent such authority is not required to be exercised by the Committee to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code) is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including Performance Awards, or performance goals relating thereto) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Company, any Related Entity or any business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or any Related Entity, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committee’s assessment of the business strategy of the Company, any Related Entity or business unit thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business conditions, personal performance of a Participant, and any other circumstances deemed relevant; provided that no such adjustment shall be authorized or made if and to the extent that such authority or the making of such adjustment would cause Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Awards granted pursuant to Section 8(b) hereof to Participants designated by the Committee as Covered Employees and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder to otherwise fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder.
(d) Taxes. The Company and any Related Entity are authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under the Plan, including from a distribution of Shares, or any payroll or other payment to a Participant, amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company or any Related Entity and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Shares or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participant’s tax obligations, either on a mandatory or elective basis in the discretion of the Committee.
(e) Changes to the Plan and Awards. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan, or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under the Plan, without the consent of shareholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders not later than the annual meeting next following such Board action if such shareholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation (including, without limitation, Rule 16b-3 or Code Section 162(m)) or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may then be listed or quoted), and the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such changes to the Plan to shareholders for approval; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any Award Agreement relating thereto, except as otherwise provided in the Plan; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee or the Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under such Award.
(f) Limitation on Rights Conferred Under Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or a Related Entity; (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or a Related Entity to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s Continuous Service at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and Employees, or (iv) conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred Shares in accordance with the terms of an Award.
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(g) Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant or obligation to deliver Shares pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts and deposit therein cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan. Such trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant. The trustee of such trusts may be authorized to dispose of trust assets and reinvest the proceeds in alternative investments, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may specify and in accordance with applicable law.
(h) Code Section 409A. It is intended that any amounts payable under this Plan shall either be exempt from Section 409A of the Code or shall comply with Section 409A (including Treasury regulations and other published guidance related thereto) so as not to subject the Employee to payment of any other additional tax, penalty or interest imposed under Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of this Plan shall be construed and interpreted to avoid the imputation of any such additional tax, penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code yet preserve (to the nearest extent reasonably possible) the intended benefit payable to the Employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations regarding the tax treatment of any payments hereunder, and the Employee shall be responsible for any and all applicable taxes on the severance payments provided by the Plan.
(i) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable including incentive arrangements and awards which do not qualify under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(j) Payments in the Event of Forfeitures; Fractional Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event of a forfeiture of an Award with respect to which a Participant paid cash or other consideration, the Participant shall be repaid the amount of such cash or other consideration. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
(k) Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan, and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws, and applicable federal law.
(l) Non-U.S. Laws. The Committee shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate to assure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Participants performing services in such countries and to meet the objectives of the Plan.
(m) Plan Effective Date and Shareholder Approval; Termination of Plan. The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date, subject to subsequent approval, within 12 months of its adoption by the Board, by shareholders of the Company eligible to vote in the election of directors, by a vote sufficient to meet the requirements of Code Sections 162(m) (if applicable) and 422, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (if applicable), applicable requirements under the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may be listed or quoted, and other laws, regulations, and obligations of the Company applicable to the Plan. Awards may be granted subject to shareholder approval, but may not be exercised or otherwise settled in the event the shareholder approval is not obtained. The Plan shall terminate at the earliest of (a) such time as no Shares remain available for issuance under the Plan, (b) termination of this Plan by the Board, or (c) the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Awards outstanding upon expiration of the Plan shall remain in effect until they have been exercised or terminated, or have expired.
Adopted ________ 2023
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