8-K
false 0001434647 0001434647 2023-11-20 2023-11-20

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 20, 2023

 

 

Zevra Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-36913   20-5894398

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

1180 Celebration Boulevard, Suite 103,

Celebration, FL 34747

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(321) 939-3416

(Registrant’s telephone number, include area code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbols

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share   ZVRA  

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

(Nasdaq Global Select Market)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Contingent Value Rights Agreement

On November 17, 2023, in connection with the consummation of the Merger (as defined below), Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Zevra,” or the “Company”), entered into a Contingent Value Rights Agreement (the “CVR Agreement”) with Computershare, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its affiliate Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company, jointly as rights agent.

Pursuant to the CVR Agreement, a holder of a contingent value right (“CVR”) is entitled to receive cash payments (each a “Milestone Payment”) from Zevra upon the achievement of up to four annual net sales milestones, up to three regulatory milestones and two other milestones by November 17, 2035 (the “Milestone Period”), net of the amount payable, if any, to SWK Funding LLC. If applicable, each Milestone Payment would be paid only once, upon first achievement of the corresponding milestone, regardless of the number of times such event is achieved. Zevra will use diligent efforts to achieve the milestones.

There are up to four potential annual net sales milestones based on the annual net sales of OLPRUVA® during the milestone period. Such milestones, if achieved, and the associated the Milestone Payments are as follows:

 

   

If annual net sales of OLPRUVA® equal or exceed $35.0 million, a $7.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

 

   

If annual net sales of OLPRUVA® equal or exceed $50.0 million, a $7.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

 

   

If annual net sales of OLPRUVA® equal or exceed $100 million, a $10.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

 

   

If annual net sales of OLPRUVA® equal or exceed $200 million, a $10.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

There are up to three potential regulatory milestones based on certain FDA approvals during the Milestone Period. Such milestones, if achieved, and the associated the Milestone Payments and are as follows:

 

   

If the FDA approves a supplemental new drug application for OLPRUVA® for the treatment of Maple Syrup Urine Disease as a second indication to the label for OLPRUVA®, a $12.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

 

   

If the FDA approves OLPRUVA® for any indication other than treatment of urea cycle disorders or Maple Syrup Urine Disease, a $10.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

 

   

If the FDA approves EDSIVO (celiprolol) for the treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in patients with a confirmed type III collagen mutation, a $20.0 million Milestone Payment is triggered.

The are two other potential milestones, and those milestones and associated Milestone Payments are as follows:

 

   

If, during the Milestone Period, (x) Zevra receives funding of at least $20.0 million from a governmental entity for the development of ACER-2820 for the treatment of any indication, and within three years of such funding, Zevra grants a license to a third party for the purpose of developing and commercializing ACER-2820, or sells the ACER-2820 intellectual property to a third party or (y) Zevra or an affiliate obtains FDA approval for the use of ACER-2820 for treatment of any indication, then a Milestone Payment equal to the greater of (a) 10% of the total cash consideration paid to the Zevra for the license or sale of the ACER-2820 intellectual property or (b) $5.0 million, is triggered.

 

   

If, during the Milestone Period, the FDA issues a priority review voucher (“PRV”) to Zevra for approval of ACER-2820, and Zevra thereafter sells that PRV, then a Milestone Payment equal to 25% of the total cash consideration paid to Zevra for the PRV is triggered.


For purposes of the CVR Agreement:

 

   

OLPRUVA® means the pharmaceutical product comprising sodium phenylbutyrate for oral suspension for the treatment of diseases, including Urea Cycle Disorders involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate sythetase, ornithine transcarbamylase, or argininosuccinic acid synthetase as described in new drug application No. 214860 and approved by the FDA on December 22, 2022;

 

   

EDSIVO means the pharmaceutical product for the treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome with confirmed COL3A1 mutation comprising celiprolol as the sole active pharmaceutical ingredient, as described in IND No. 127365, which has been under development (including clinical development) prior to the date of the CVR Agreement; and

 

   

ACER-2820 means the pharmaceutical product for the treatment of certain viral infections comprising emetine as the active pharmaceutical ingredient.

The CVRs will not be evidenced by a certificate or any other instrument. The CVRs will not have any voting or dividend rights, and interest will not accrue on any amounts payable in respect of the CVRs. The CVRs will not represent any equity or ownership interest in Zevra, any constituent company to the Merger, or any of their affiliates.

The foregoing description of the CVR Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the CVR Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 2.01.

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

On November 17, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), Zevra completed the previously announced acquisition of Acer Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Acer”), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated August 30, 2023, by and among Zevra, Aspen Z Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Zevra (“Merger Sub”), and Acer.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, Merger Sub was merged with and into Acer (the “Merger”), with Acer continuing as the surviving corporation of the Merger and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. At the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each share of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share of Acer, that was outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (excluding cancelled shares and any shares held by holders who have exercised their appraisal rights), was automatically converted into the right to receive (A) 0.1210 validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Zevra common stock, $0.0001 par value per share(the “Stock Consideration”), and (B) one CVR (together with the Stock Consideration, the “Merger Consideration”) representing the right to receive one or more contingent payments, if any, upon the achievement of certain milestones, as set forth in the CVR Agreement.

In addition, effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, all of the outstanding and unexercised Acer stock options were automatically canceled and ceased to exist without any cash or other consideration being paid or provided in respect thereof.

The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 7.01.

Regulation FD Disclosure

On November 20, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the Merger and the pricing of the Registered Direct Offering (as defined below). A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The information contained in Item 7.01 of this Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly provided by specific reference in such a filing.


Item 8.01.

Other Events

Securities Purchase Agreement

On November 20, 2023, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with a healthcare focused investment fund (the “Investor”), pursuant to which the Company in a registered direct offering conducted without an underwriter or placement agent (the “Registered Direct Offering”) agreed to (i) issue and sell, and the Investor agreed to purchase, an aggregate of 1,382,489 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and accompanying warrants to purchase up to 1,382,489 shares of Common Stock (the “Warrants”) at a combined purchase price of $4.34 per Share and accompanying Warrant, for gross proceeds of approximately $6.0 million, and (ii) issue 917,934 shares of the Company’s common stock in exchange for the cancellation of a warrant held by the Investor to purchase 2,920,306 shares of common stock of Acer. The Registered Direct Offering was conducted pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-257661), which was filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 2, 2021 and became effective on July 12, 2021, and the prospectus contained therein, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC. The Warrants are immediately exercisable and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The Registered Direct Offering is expected to close on or about November 22, 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes.

The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company, customary conditions to closing and indemnification obligations customary for transactions of this type. The provisions of the Purchase Agreement, including the representations and warranties contained therein, are not for the benefit of any party other than the parties to such agreements and are not intended as a document for investors and the public to obtain factual information about the current state of affairs of the Company. Rather, investors and the public should look to other disclosures contained in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

The foregoing descriptions of the Purchase Agreement and the form of Warrant are summaries of their material terms, do not purport to be complete, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to each of the Purchase Agreement and the form of Warrant, copies of which are being filed as Exhibits 99.2 and 4.1, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Company, has issued an opinion to the Company, dated November 20, 2023, regarding the validity of the shares of common stock to be issued and sold in the offering. A copy of the opinion is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this communication that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statement regarding: the anticipated amount of net proceeds from the Registered Direct Offering and the intended use of such proceeds, our anticipated financial performance, our industry, business strategy, plans, goals and expectations concerning our market position, future operations and other financial and operating information. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These and other important factors are discussed under the caption “Risk FactorsRisks Related to the Merger” and “ —Risks Related to the Combined Company Following the Merger” in a definitive proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC on October 10, 2023, under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 7, 2023, as updated by our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 7, 2023, and in our other filings with the SEC could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made herein. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s beliefs as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.


Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)    Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

The Company expects to provide the financial statements required by Item 9.01(a) on Form 8-K by amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than the 71st calendar day after the required filing date for this Current Report on Form 8-K.

(b)    Pro forma Financial Information.

The Company expects to provide the pro forma financial statements required by Item 9.01(b) on Form 8-K by amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than the 71st calendar day after the required filing date for this Current Report on Form 8-K.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

No.

   Description
  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of August 30, 2023 by and among Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., Aspen Z Merger Sub, Inc., and Acer Therapeutics Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Zevra’s Report on Form 8-K filed on August 31, 2023)*
  4.1    Form of Warrant
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
10.1    Contingent Value Rights Agreement, dated as of November 17, 2023, by and among Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., Computershare, Inc., and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. 
23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
99.1    Press Release, dated November 20, 2023
99.2    Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 20, 2023, by and between Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. and the Investor
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded with the Inline XBRL document)

 

*

Pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K, schedules and similar attachments have been omitted. The registrant hereby agrees to furnish a copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachment to the SEC upon request.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    Zevra Therapeutics, Inc.
Date: November 20, 2023     By:  

/s/ R. LaDuane Clifton

      R. LaDuane Clifton, CPA
     

Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and

Treasurer

EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

Warrant Shares: 1,382,489   

Issue Date: November 22, 2023

THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd. or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on November 22, 2028 (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to 1,382,489 shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

Section 1.    Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Bid Price” 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 bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the 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)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”,

 

1


“non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-257661).

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

Transfer Agent” means Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the current transfer agent of the Company, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

VWAP” 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 daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest

 

2


preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

Warrants” means this Warrant and other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.

Section 2.    Exercise.

a)    Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Business Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee of the Holder, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

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b)    Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $4.34, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

c)    Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this 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 Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

  (A) =

as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

  (B) =

the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

  (X) =

the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

If Warrant 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 Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).

 

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d)    Mechanics of Exercise.

i.    Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. To the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), the Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

ii.    Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

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iii.    Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

iv.    Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

v.    No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise

 

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be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

vi.    Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that, in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

vii.    Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

e)    Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is

 

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solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

Section 3.    Certain Adjustments.

a)    Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of

 

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Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

b)    Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, that, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

c)    Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such

 

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record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

d)    Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock or 50% or more of the voting power of the common equity of the Company, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, merger or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires 50% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or 50% or more of the voting power of the common equity of the Company (in each case, not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the

 

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Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction, subject to any restrictions under applicable law. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value (as defined below) of the remaining unexercised portion of this Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, that, if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company’s control, including not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction; provided, further, that if holders of Common Stock of the Company are not offered or paid any consideration in such Fundamental Transaction, such holders of Common Stock will be deemed to have received common stock of the Successor Entity (which Entity may be the Company following such Fundamental Transaction) in such Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg (determined utilizing a 365 day annualization factor) as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the highest VWAP during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately preceding the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction (or the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, if earlier) and ending on the Trading Day of the Holder’s request pursuant to this Section 3(d) and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date and (E) a zero cost of borrow. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds (or such other consideration) within five Business Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the date of consummation of the Fundamental

 

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Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall be deemed the “Company” under this Warrant (so that from and after the occurrence or consummation of such Fundamental Transaction, each and every provision of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and the Successor Entity may exercise every right and power of the Company prior thereto and the Successor Entity shall assume all of the obligations of the Company prior thereto under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. For the avoidance of doubt, the Holder shall be entitled to the benefits of the provisions of this Section 3(d) regardless of whether the Company has sufficient authorized shares of Common Stock for the issuance of Warrant Shares.

e)    Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

f)    Notice to Holder.

i.    Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

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ii.    Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its Subsidiaries) is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of its assets, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by email to the Holder at its last email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided by the Company in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

g)    Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Trading Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.    Transfer of Warrant.

a)    Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such

 

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surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

b)    New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

c)    Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

Section 5.    Miscellaneous.

a)    No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to Section 2(c) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) and Section 2(d)(iv) herein, in no event shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.

b)    Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

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c)    Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

d)    Authorized Shares.

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith carry out the provisions of this Warrant and take any action as reasonably required to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

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Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof to effect such action.

e)    Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

f)    Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

g)    Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by such party in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

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h)    Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 1180 Celebration Blvd. Suite 103, Celebration, FL 34747 Attention: [***], email address: [***], or such other email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided by the Company hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

i)    Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company to the extent permitted under applicable law.

j)    Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

k)    Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

l)    Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding, on the other hand.

 

17


m)    Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

n)    Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

********************

(Signature Page Follows)

 

18


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:  

/s/ R. LaDuane Clifton

Name:   R. LaDuane Clifton
Title:   Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer

 

19


NOTICE OF EXERCISE

TO:    ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(1)    The undersigned hereby elects to purchase                      Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

(2)    Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

[    ] in lawful money of the United States; or

[    ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

(3)    Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

                                                              

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

                                                              

 

                                                              

 

                                                              

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity:                                                                                                                                                                                              
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:                                                                                                                                                 
Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                                                                                                                     
Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                                                                                                                       
Date:                                                                                                                                                                                                                               


ASSIGNMENT FORM

  (To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:   

 

     (Please Print)
Address:   

 

   (Please Print)
Phone Number:   

 

Email Address:   

 

Dated:                                      ,                    
Holder’s Signature:                                                               
Holder’s Address:                                                                 
EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

  

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10020-1401

Tel: +1.212.906.1200 Fax: +1.212.751.4864

www.lw.com

LOGO   

 

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

 

November 20, 2023

  

Austin

Beijing

Boston

Brussels

Century City

Chicago

Dubai

Düsseldorf

Frankfurt

Hamburg

Hong Kong

Houston

London

Los Angeles

Madrid

 

Milan

Munich

New York

Orange County

Paris

Riyadh

San Diego

San Francisco

Seoul

Silicon Valley

Singapore

Tel Aviv

Tokyo

Washington, D.C.

 

Zevra Therapeutics, Inc.

1180 Celebration Blvd., Suite 103

Celebration, FL 34747

    

 

Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-3

To the addressee set forth above:

We have acted as special counsel to Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of (x) 2,300,423 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (y) warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to 1,382,489 shares (the “Underlying Shares”) of Common Stock. The Shares, the Warrants and the Underlying Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 2, 2021 (Registration No. 333-257661) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), a base prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective (the “Base Prospectus”), a prospectus supplement dated November 20, 2023 to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Shares and the Warrants are being issued pursuant to a securities purchase agreement dated November 20, 2023 between the Company and the purchaser named therein (the “Purchase Agreement”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Shares, the Warrants and the Underlying Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.


November 20, 2023

Page 2

 

LOGO

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof:

1. When the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchaser, and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the DGCL.

2. When the Warrants have been issued by the Company against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the issue and sale of the Warrants will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Warrants will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

3. When the Underlying Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the Warrant holder, and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the Warrants, the issue of the Underlying Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Underlying Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that (i) the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the DGCL and (ii) upon the issue of any of the Underlying Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by the board of directors of the Company in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement.

With your consent, we have assumed that the status of the Warrants as legally valid and binding obligations of the Company is not affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.

Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) (a) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and (c) the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. We express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty; (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration,


November 20, 2023

Page 3

 

LOGO

remedies, or judicial relief; (c) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (d) other applicable exceptions; and (e) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 20, 2023 and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Sincerely,
/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP
EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and between

ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

and

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

and COMPUTERSHARE INC., collectively, as Rights Agent

Dated as of November 17, 2023


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL  APPLICATION      1  
              

SECTION 1.1 Definitions

     1  
ARTICLE 2 CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS      6  
 

SECTION 2.1 CVRs; Holders of CVRs

     6  
 

SECTION 2.2 Nontransferable

     6  
 

SECTION 2.3 No Certificate; Registration; Registration of Transfer; Change of  Address

     6  
 

SECTION 2.4 Payment Terms

     7  
 

SECTION 2.5 Withholding

     8  
 

SECTION 2.6 No Voting, Dividends or Interest; No Equity or Ownership Interest

     9  
 

SECTION 2.7 Enforcement of Rights of Holders

     9  
 

SECTION 2.8 Ability to Abandon CVRs

     9  
ARTICLE 3 THE RIGHTS AGENT      9  
 

SECTION 3.1 Certain Duties and Responsibilities

     9  
 

SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of the Rights Agent

     9  
 

SECTION 3.3 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     12  
 

SECTION 3.4 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     13  
ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS      13  
 

SECTION 4.1 List of Holders

     13  
 

SECTION 4.2 Payment of Milestone Payments

     14  
 

SECTION 4.3 Audits

     15  
 

SECTION 4.4 Product Transfer

     16  
 

SECTION 4.5 Diligent Efforts

     16  
 

SECTION 4.6 Non-Use of Name

     16  
 

SECTION 4.7 Tax Reporting

     16  
ARTICLE 5 AMENDMENTS      17  
 

SECTION 5.1 Amendments Without Consent of Holders

     17  
 

SECTION 5.2 Amendments with Consent of Acting Holders

     17  
 

SECTION 5.3 Execution of Amendments

     17  
 

SECTION 5.4 Effect of Amendments; Notice to Holders

     18  
ARTICLE 6 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE      18  
 

SECTION 6.1 Successor Person Substituted

     18  
ARTICLE 7 MISCELLANEOUS      19  
 

SECTION 7.1 Notices.

     19  
 

SECTION 7.2 Notices to the Rights Agent and the Parent

     19  
 

SECTION 7.3 Construction

     20  
 

SECTION 7.4 Benefits of Agreement

     20  

 

i


              

SECTION 7.5 Governing Law

     20  
 

SECTION 7.6 Legal Holidays

     21  
 

SECTION 7.7 Separability Clause

     21  
 

SECTION 7.8 No Recourse Against Others

     22  
 

SECTION 7.9 Counterparts

     22  
 

SECTION 7.10 Entire Agreement

     22  
 

SECTION 7.11 Termination

     22  

 

ii


THIS CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of November 17, 2023 (this “CVR Agreement”), by and among Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”) and Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation, (“Computershare”) and its affiliate Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company, jointly as rights agent (collectively, the “Rights Agent”), in favor of each person who from time to time holds one or more Contingent Value Rights (“CVRs” and, each individually, a “CVR”) to receive cash payments in the amounts and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, this CVR Agreement is entered into pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 30, 2023 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Parent, Aspen Z Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent (“Merger Sub”), and Acer Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Target”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub shall merge with and into Target (the “Merger”), with Target being the surviving corporation in the Merger and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent; and

WHEREAS, the CVRs shall be issued in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 1.1 Definitions. For all purposes of this CVR Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) all words used herein will be construed to be in the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all capitalized terms used in this CVR Agreement without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement; and

(c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this CVR Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

Accounting Standards” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied.

ACER-2820” means the pharmaceutical product for the treatment of certain viral infections comprising emetine as the active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Acting Holders” means, at the time of determination, Holders of not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the outstanding CVRs as set forth in the CVR Register, excluding, in any event, the following Holders (with such exclusion to be from status as Acting Holders as well as the total Holders against which the applicable percentage is measured): (i) Parent and (ii) any Affiliate of Parent.

 

 

1


Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA” means the total amounts billed or invoiced on sales of OLPRUVA during any particular calendar year by a Selling Entity to Third Parties (including wholesalers or distributors), in bona fide arm’s length transactions, less the following deductions, in each case related specifically to OLPRUVA for the amounts accrued and subsequently adjusted for actual amounts allowed and taken by such Third Parties and not otherwise recovered by or reimbursed to a Selling Entity:

 

  (a)

trade, cash and quantity discounts;

 

  (b)

discounts, price reductions, chargebacks or rebates, retroactive or otherwise, imposed by, negotiated with or otherwise paid to a Governmental Entity or other payees;

 

  (c)

Taxes on sales (such as sales, use value added, or other similar Taxes) to the extent added to the sale price and set forth separately as such in the total amount invoiced;

 

  (d)

amounts repaid or credited by reason of rejections, defects, return goods allowance, recalls or returns, or because of retroactive price reductions;

 

  (e)

the portion of administrative fees paid during the relevant time period to group purchasing organizations, pharmaceutical benefit managers or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans relating to OLPRUVA;

 

  (f)

tariffs, import/export duties, customs duties, and other imposts;

 

  (g)

freight, insurance, import/export, and other transportation charges included in the total amount invoiced;

 

  (h)

losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) paid or incurred arising out of or resulting from any claim or demand asserted by any Person claiming a contractual right to compensation arising out of, in connection with, or resulting from the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Person in such Person’s capacity as

 

2


  a securityholder or employee of, or a financial advisor (as identified in the Merger Agreement) to, Target), so long as Parent is exercising or has exercised reasonable best efforts to defend against any such claim or demand; and

 

  (i)

bad debts relating to sales of OLPRUVA.

Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA shall not include transfers or dispositions for charitable, promotional, pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory, or governmental purposes. Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA shall include the amount of fair market value of all other consideration received by a Selling Entity in respect of OLPRUVA, whether such consideration is in cash, payment in kind, exchange, or other form. Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA shall be calculated in accordance with the Accounting Standards, including the accounting methods for translating activity denominated in foreign currencies into United States dollar amounts, as historically and consistently applied by the Parent and its Affiliates. If OLPRUVA is sold in combination with any one or more other pharmaceutical products, and if OLPRUVA is also sold separately on a commercial basis, then the Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA attributable to sales of OLPRUVA in any bundle of product sales shall be determined according to the ratio of (I) the price at which OLPRUVA is sold separately to (II) the invoiced amount of any combination of pharmaceutical products sold in which OLPRUVA is included.

Back-End Date” means the date which is twelve (12) years after the date of this CVR Agreement.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Parent or any other body performing similar functions, or any duly authorized committee of that board.

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer of the Parent or the Secretary to the Board of Directors, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Rights Agent.

Business Day” means any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banking institutions in the city of New York, New York are not authorized or obligated by Law or executive order to close.

Derivative Payment” means, with respect to each Milestone Payment, any amount payable to any former holders of warrants to acquire shares of the Target’s common stock prior to the effectiveness of the Merger, if applicable, to the extent expressly provided on Appendix 1 attached hereto.

Diligent Efforts” means using such efforts and resources normally used by Persons in the pharmaceutical business similar in size and resources to the Parent, in the exercise of their reasonable business discretion, relating to development of, seeking regulatory approval of or commercializing, as applicable, a similar product, that is of similar market potential and at a similar development stage, regulatory stage or commercialization stage, taking into account issues of market exclusivity (including patent coverage, regulatory and other exclusivity), product profile, including efficacy, safety, tolerability, methods of administration, product labeling (including anticipated product labeling), other product candidates, the competitiveness of alternative products

 

3


in the marketplace or under development, the regulatory environment and the expected profitability of the applicable product (including development costs, pricing and reimbursement, cost of goods and all other costs associated with the applicable product (including direct regulatory required support and medical affairs costs (REMS)), direct intellectual property defense costs, and direct distribution and logistics costs), and other relevant commercial, financial, technical, legal, scientific and/or medical factors. For clarity, “Diligent Efforts” does not mean that the Parent guarantees that it will actually achieve any Milestone, whether at all or by a specific date.

EDSIVO” means the pharmaceutical product for the treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) with confirmed COL3A1 mutation comprising celiprolol as the sole active pharmaceutical ingredient, as described in IND No. 127365, which has been under development (including clinical development) prior to the date of this CVR Agreement.

EMETINE License Milestone” means, with respect to ACER-2820, no later than the Back-End Date, the first occurrence of either (a) a sublicense or asset sale within three (3) years following receipt of initial funding by a government program of at least $20,000,000 or (b) FDA approval of any indication.

EMETINE Sale Milestone” means, with respect to ACER-2820, no later than the Back-End Date, the first occurrence of a sale of the Medical Counter Measure Priority Review Voucher.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

FDA” means the United States Food and Drug Administration or any successor agency.

FDA Approval” means the approval by the FDA to commercial and manufacture or have manufactured for commercial use, in the United States, a pharmaceutical product.

Governmental Entity” means any domestic (federal or state), or foreign court, commission, governmental body, regulatory or administrative agency or other political subdivision thereof.

Holder” means a Person in whose name a CVR is registered in the CVR Register.

Law” means any foreign, federal, state, local or municipal laws, rules, judgments, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decisions, injunctions, decrees, international treaties and conventions or requirements of any Governmental Entity.

Net Milestone Payment” shall mean, with respect to each Milestone Payment, such Milestone Payment less any applicable Derivative Payment.

Officer’s Certificate” when used with respect to the Parent means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, a president or any vice president, the Chief Financial Officer or any other person duly authorized to act on behalf of the Parent for such purpose or for any general purpose.

OLPRUVA” means the pharmaceutical product comprising sodium phenylbutyrate for oral suspension for the treatment of diseases, including Urea Cycle Disorders involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate sythetase, ornithine transcarbamylase, or argininosuccinic acid synthetase as described in NDA No. 214860 and approved by the FDA on December 22, 2022.

 

4


Party” shall mean the Rights Agent, the Parent and/or Holder(s), as applicable.

Permitted Transfer” means a transfer of CVRs (a) upon death by will or intestacy; (b) by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust in which the CVRs are to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustee; (c) pursuant to a court order; (d) by operation of law (including by consolidation or merger) or without consideration in connection with the dissolution, liquidation or termination of any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity; or (e) in the case of CVRs payable to a nominee, from a nominee to a beneficial owner (and, if applicable, through an intermediary) or from such nominee to another nominee for the same beneficial owner, in each case to the extent allowable by The Depository Trust Company.

Per Share Milestone Payment” shall mean, with respect to each Milestone, the Net Milestone Payment divided by the Total Number of CVRs.

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Products” means, collectively, OLPRUVA, EDSIVO, and ACER-2820.

Rights Agent” means the Person named as the “Rights Agent” in the preamble of this CVR Agreement, until a successor Rights Agent shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this CVR Agreement, and thereafter “Rights Agent” shall mean such successor Rights Agent.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Selling Entity” means the Parent, its Affiliates and their respective licensees and sublicensees with respect to rights to develop or commercialize any OLPRUVA (but not a distributor of OLPRUVA acting solely in the capacity of a distributor so long as a sale of OLPRUVA for Net Sales purposes is not thereby avoided).

Shortfall Interest Rate” means a per annum rate equal to the prime rate of interest quoted by Bloomberg, or similar reputable data source, plus two percent (2%), calculated daily on the basis of a three hundred sixty-five (365) day year or, if lower, the highest rate permitted under applicable Law.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of shares of voting securities is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by: (a) such Person; (b) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (c) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Total Number of CVRs” means the total number of CVRs issued and outstanding under this CVR Agreement as of the Effective Time, as such total may be reduced from time to time in accordance with this CVR Agreement.

 

5


Termination Date” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Back-End Date or (b) the date on which the payment by the Rights Agent to each Holder of the last of the Milestone Payments required to be paid under the terms of this CVR Agreement is made.

SECTION 1.2 Appointment of the Rights Agent. The Parent hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as Rights Agent for the Parent in accordance with the express terms and conditions set forth in this CVR Agreement (and no implied terms and conditions), and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.

ARTICLE 2

CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS

SECTION 2.1 CVRs; Holders of CVRs. The CVRs represent the rights of Holders to receive contingent cash payments pursuant to this CVR Agreement. The initial Holders shall be the holders of Shares1 (other than (i) Excluded Shares and (ii) any Dissenting Shares) immediately prior to the Effective Time, and a list of the initial Holders shall be furnished to the Rights Agent by or on behalf of Parent in accordance with Section 4.1.

SECTION 2.2 Nontransferable. The CVRs may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, encumbered or in any other manner transferred or disposed of, in whole or in part, other than through a Permitted Transfer. Any attempted transfer, in whole or in part, that is not a Permitted Transfer, will be void ab initio and of no effect.

SECTION 2.3 No Certificate; Registration; Registration of Transfer; Change of Address.

(a) The CVRs shall be issued in book-entry form only and shall not be evidenced by a certificate or other instrument.

(b) Subject to Section 4.1, the Rights Agent shall keep a register (the “CVR Register”) for the registration of CVRs in a book-entry position for each Holder. The CVR Register shall set forth the name and address of each Holder, the number of CVRs held by such Holder, and the U.S. federal tax identification number of each Holder. The CVR Register will initially show one position for Cede & Co. representing Shares held by DTC on behalf of the street holders of Shares held by such holders as of immediately prior to the Effective Time. The Rights Agent will have no responsibility whatsoever directly to the street name holders with respect to transfers of CVRs. With respect to any payments or issuances to be made under Section 2.4 below, the Rights Agent will accomplish the payment to any former street name holders of Shares by sending one lump sum payment or issuance to The Depository Trust Company. The Parent may receive and inspect a copy of the CVR Register, from time to time, upon written request made to the CVR Registrar. As soon as practicable after receipt of such request, the CVR Registrar shall deliver a copy of the CVR Register, as then in effect, to the Parent at the address set forth in Section 7.2. The Rights Agent is hereby initially appointed “CVR Registrar” for the purpose of registering CVRs and transfers of CVRs as herein provided.

(c) Subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in Section 2.2, every request made to transfer a CVR must be in writing and accompanied by a written instrument of transfer and other

 

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KDW Note: “Shares” is not defined herein, please define.

 

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requested documentation in form reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent pursuant to its customary policies and guidelines, including a guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, duly executed by the Holder thereof, the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, the Holder’s personal representative or the Holder’s survivor, and setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances relating to the transfer. Upon receipt of such written notice, the Rights Agent shall, subject to its reasonable determination that the transfer instrument is in proper form and the transfer otherwise complies with the other terms and conditions of this CVR Agreement (including the provisions of Section 2.2), register the transfer of the CVRs in the CVR Register. Any transfer of CVRs will be without charge (other than the cost of any Tax) to the applicable Holder. Parent and the Rights Agent may require evidence of payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp, documentary, registration or other Tax or governmental charge that is imposed in connection with any such registration of transfer. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any action under any Section of this CVR Agreement that requires the payment by a Holder of a CVR of Taxes or other charges unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all such Taxes or charges have been paid. All duly transferred CVRs registered in the CVR Register shall be the valid obligations of the Parent and shall entitle the transferee to the same benefits and rights under this CVR Agreement as those held immediately prior to the transfer by the transferor. No transfer of a CVR shall be valid until registered in the CVR Register.

(d) A Holder may make a written request to the Rights Agent to change such Holder’s address of record in the CVR Register. The written request must be duly executed by the Holder. Upon receipt of such written notice, the Rights Agent shall, subject to its reasonable determination that the written notice is in proper form, promptly record the change of address in the CVR Register.

SECTION 2.4 Payment Terms.

(a) From and after the Effective Time, the Parent shall not be permitted to issue any CVRs that have the right to receive any portion of the Milestone Payments, except as provided in, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of, the Merger Agreement.

(b) On each Milestone Payment Date,

(i) the Parent shall:

(A) deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate of the Parent certifying the applicable Per Share Milestone Payment, along with any letter of instruction reasonably required by the Rights Agent;

(B) pay to the Rights Agent, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account designated by the Rights Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to such Milestone Payment Date, the aggregate amount to be paid by the Rights Agent to holders of CVRs received with respect to Shares pursuant to Section 2.4(b)(ii);

(C) pay to the Rights Agent, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account designated by the Rights Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to such Milestone Payment Date, the aggregate amount of any Derivative Payment associated with the Milestone Payment Date; and

 

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(ii) the Rights Agent shall as soon as practicable (but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days) pay to (A) each Holder of record, as of the close of business in New York City, three (3) Business Days prior to the Milestone Payment Date (the Record Date), of CVRs received with respect to the Shares, an amount equal to the product of (i) the applicable Per Share Milestone Payment multiplied by (ii) the number of CVRs held by each such Holder as of the Record Date, and (B) each intended recipient of any applicable Derivative Payment (as expressly set forth on Appendix 1 attached hereto) the applicable portion of such Derivative Payment.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Parent be required to pay any Milestone Payment more than once.

(c) No interest or dividends shall accrue on any amounts payable in respect of the CVRs.

(d) Except as provided in this CVR Agreement, none of the Parent or any of its Affiliates shall have any right to set off any amounts owed or claimed to be owed by any Holder to any of them against such Holder’s Milestone Payment or other amount payable to such Holder in respect of the CVRs.

SECTION 2.5 Withholding.

(a)    Notwithstanding any provision hereof to the contrary, the Parent and the Rights Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any consideration otherwise payable under the terms of this CVR Agreement such amounts as the Parent or the Rights Agent are required to deduct and withhold pursuant to any provision of Law relating to Taxes. Any amount so withheld shall be treated for all purposes of this CVR Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made. Prior to making any such withholdings or causing any such withholdings to be made with respect to any Holder’s Milestone Payment, Parent or the Rights Agent, if instructed by Parent,, as applicable, shall request IRS Form W-9 or applicable IRS Form W-8, or any other appropriate documentation, from Holders within a reasonable amount of time in order to provide the opportunity for the Holder to provide such forms (or any other necessary documentation) in order to mitigate or reduce such withholding.

(b)    Neither Parent, the Rights Agent nor any of their Affiliates shall be liable to any Holder for any such Holder’s Milestone Payment delivered to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or other similar Laws. If, despite Parent’s and the Rights Agent’s commercially reasonable efforts to deliver a Milestone Payment to the applicable Holder, such Milestone Payment has not been paid immediately prior to the date on which such Milestone Payment would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental Entity, such Milestone Payment shall become, to the extent permitted by applicable Laws, the property of Parent or its designee, free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto. In addition to and not in limitation of any other indemnity obligation herein, Parent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Rights Agent with respect to any liability, penalty, reasonable out-of-pocket cost or expense the Rights Agent may incur or be subject to in connection with transferring such property to Parent.

 

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SECTION 2.6 No Voting, Dividends or Interest; No Equity or Ownership Interest.

(a) CVRs will not have any voting or dividend rights, and interest will not accrue on any amounts payable in respect of CVRs.

(b) CVRs will not represent any equity or ownership interest in the Parent or in any constituent party to the Merger Agreement or any of their respective Affiliates.

SECTION 2.7 Enforcement of Rights of Holders. Except for the rights of the Rights Agent set forth herein, the Acting Holders will have the sole right, on behalf of all Holders, by virtue of or under any provision of this CVR Agreement, to institute any action or proceeding at law or in equity with respect to this CVR Agreement, and no individual Holder or other group of Holders will be entitled to exercise such rights.

SECTION 2.8 Ability to Abandon CVRs. A Holder may at any time, at such Holder’s option, abandon all of such Holder’s remaining rights in a CVR by transferring such CVR to the Parent without consideration therefor. Nothing in this CVR Agreement shall prohibit the Parent or any of its Affiliates from offering to acquire or acquiring any CVRs for consideration from the Holders, in private transactions or otherwise, in its sole discretion. Any CVRs acquired by the Parent or any of its Affiliates shall be automatically deemed extinguished and no longer outstanding for purposes of the definitions of Acting Holders, Article 5, Section 2.7 and Section 4.3 hereunder, with the Rights Agent being promptly notified in writing by the Parent of such transfer and cancellation; provided; however, such abandoned CVRs or CVRs acquired by the Parent or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed outstanding as of the applicable Record Date for purposes of calculating the applicable Per Share Milestone Payment and no payment shall be made with respect to such abandoned or acquired CVRs.

ARTICLE 3

THE RIGHTS AGENT

SECTION 3.1 Certain Duties and Responsibilities. The Rights Agent shall not have any liability for any actions taken, suffered or omitted to be taken in connection with this CVR Agreement, except to the extent of its gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment). Notwithstanding anything in this CVR Agreement to the contrary, any liability of the Rights Agent under this CVR Agreement will be limited to the amount of annual fees paid by the Parent to the Rights Agent during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights Agent is being sought. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damages, and regardless of the form of action.

SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this CVR Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this CVR Agreement against the Rights Agent. In addition:

 

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(a) the Rights Agent may rely and shall be protected and held harmless by the Parent in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order or other paper or document believed by it in the absence of bad faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Party or Parties;

(b) whenever the Rights Agent shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Rights Agent may rely upon an Officer’s Certificate, which certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall, in the absence of bad faith on its part, incur no liability and be held harmless by the Parent for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this CVR Agreement in reliance upon such certificate;

(c) the Rights Agent may engage and consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any opinion of counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall be held harmless by the Parent in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in the absence of bad faith and in reliance thereon;

(d) the permissive rights of the Rights Agent to do things enumerated in this CVR Agreement shall not be construed as a duty;

(e) the Rights Agent shall not be required to give any note or surety in respect of the execution of such powers;

(f) the Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of, and shall be held harmless by the Parent with respect to any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this CVR Agreement or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Parent only;

(g) the Rights Agent shall have no liability and shall be held harmless by the Parent in respect of the validity of this CVR Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent and the enforceability of this CVR Agreement against the Rights Agent assuming the due execution and delivery hereof by the Parent), nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Parent of any covenant or condition contained in this CVR Agreement;

(h) the Parent agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and hold the Rights Agent harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, claim, judgment, fine, cost, penalty, demands, suits or expense (each, a “Loss”) suffered or incurred by the Rights Agent and arising out of or in connection with Rights Agent’s exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of defending the Rights Agent against any claim, charge, demand, action, suit or loss arising out of or in connection in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this CVR Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly, or enforcing its rights hereunder, except to the extent such Loss has been determined by a final non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the Rights Agent’s gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct;

 

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(i) the Parent agrees (i) to pay the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent in connection with this CVR Agreement as agreed upon in writing by the Rights Agent and the Parent on or prior to the date hereof, and (ii) without limiting the foregoing (i), to reimburse the Rights Agent for all Taxes imposed on the Rights Agent and governmental charges, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and other charges of any kind and nature incurred by the Rights Agent in the preparation, delivery, negotiation, amendment, administration and execution of this CVR Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including stamp and transfer Taxes (other than Taxes imposed on or measured by the Rights Agent’s net income and franchise or similar Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes)); and

(j) no provision of this CVR Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it;

(k) the Rights Agent will not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice hereunder but has not received written notice of such event, and the Rights Agent will not incur any liability for failing to take action in connection therewith, in each case, unless and until it has received such notice in writing;

(l) subject to applicable Law, (i) the Rights Agent and any shareholder, Affiliate, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any securities of Parent or become peculiarly interested in any transaction in which such parties may be interested, or contract with or lend money to such parties or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this CVR Agreement, and (ii) nothing herein will preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for Parent or for any other Person;

(m) the Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorney or agents and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorney or agents or for any loss to Parent resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence (each as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) in the selection and continued employment thereof;

(n) the Rights Agent shall act hereunder solely as agent for Parent and shall not assume any obligations or relationship of agency or trust with any of the owners or holders of the CVRs. The Rights Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case of the receipt of any written demand from any Holders with respect to any action or default by Parent, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise or to make any demand upon Parent;

(o) the Rights Agent shall not be liable or responsible for any failure of Parent to comply with any of its obligations relating to any registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or this CVR Agreement, including without limitation obligations under applicable regulation or law;

 

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(p) the Rights Agent may rely on and be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon (i) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program in addition to, or in substitution for, the foregoing; or (ii) any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the same even though such law, act, or regulation may thereafter have been altered, changed, amended or repealed;

(q) the Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Parent, any holders of CVRs, any holders of Shares or any other Person for interest or earnings on any moneys held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this CVR Agreement;

(r) the Rights Agent shall not be subject to, nor be required to comply with, or determine if any Person has complied with, the Merger Agreement or any other agreement between or among any the Parent, the Target or the Holders, even though reference thereto may be made in this CVR Agreement, or to comply with any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document other than as expressly set forth in this CVR Agreement;

(s) all funds received by Computershare under this CVR Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by Computershare in the performance of services (the “Funds”) shall be held by Computershare as agent for the Parent and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by Computershare in its name as agent for the Parent. Until paid pursuant to this CVR Agreement, Computershare may hold or invest the Funds through such accounts in: (a) funds backed by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America; (b) debt or commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by S&P Global Inc. (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), respectively; (c) Government and Treasury backed AAA-rated Fixed NAV money market funds that comply with Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; or (d) short term certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements, and bank accounts with commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion, or with an investment grade rating by S&P (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Moody’s (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P.). The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit or investment made by Computershare in accordance with this paragraph, including any losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. Computershare may from time to time receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits or investments. Computershare shall not be obligated to pay such interest, dividends or earnings to the Parent, any holder or any other party; and

(t) the obligations of Parent and the rights of the Rights Agent under this Section 3.2, Section 3.1 and Section 2.4 shall survive the expiration of the CVRs and the termination of this CVR Agreement and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent.

SECTION 3.3 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) The Rights Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Parent specifying a date when such resignation shall take effect, which notice shall be sent at least thirty (30) days prior to the date so specified, and such resignation will be effective on the earlier of (i) the date so specified and (ii) the appointment of a successor Rights Agent. The Parent has the right,

 

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if acting in good faith, to remove the Rights Agent at any time by a Board Resolution specifying a date when such removal shall take effect, but no such removal shall become effective until the earlier of (i) the date so specified and (ii) the appointment of a successor Rights Agent. Notice of such removal shall be given by the Parent to the Rights Agent, which notice shall be sent at least thirty (30) days prior to the date so specified.

(b) If the Rights Agent provides notice of its intent to resign, is removed or becomes incapable of acting, the Parent, by a Board Resolution, shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, appoint in good faith a qualified successor Rights Agent who shall be a stock transfer agent of national reputation or the corporate trust department of a commercial bank. The successor Rights Agent so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with Section 3.4, become the successor Rights Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Parent fails to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent, then any Holder may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.

(c) The Parent shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of a Rights Agent and each appointment of a successor Rights Agent by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail to the Holders as their names and addresses appear in the CVR Register. Each notice shall include the name and address of the successor Rights Agent. If the Parent fails to send such notice within ten (10) Business Days after acceptance of appointment by a successor Rights Agent, the successor Rights Agent shall cause the notice to be mailed at the expense of the Parent.

(d) The Rights Agent will cooperate with the Parent and any successor Rights Agent in connection with the transition of the duties and responsibilities of the Rights Agent to the successor Rights Agent, including transferring the CVR Register to the successor Rights Agent; provided that, the predecessor Rights Agent shall not be required to make any additional expenditure or assume any additional liability in connection with the foregoing.

SECTION 3.4 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor Rights Agent appointed hereunder shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Parent and to the retiring Rights Agent an instrument accepting such appointment and a counterpart of this CVR Agreement, and thereupon such successor Rights Agent, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Rights Agent. On request of the Parent or the successor Rights Agent, the retiring Rights Agent shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to the successor Rights Agent all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Rights Agent.

ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

SECTION 4.1 List of Holders. The Parent shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Rights Agent, promptly after the Effective Time and in no event later than ten (10) Business Days following the Effective Time, in such form as the Parent receives from the transfer agent (or other agent performing similar services in the Merger), the names and addresses of the Holders.

 

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SECTION 4.2 Payment of Milestone Payments. With respect to each of the following milestones (each a “Milestone”) that is achieved in accordance with the terms and limitations applicable to such Milestone, the Parent will duly deposit or cause to be deposited with the Rights Agent, the applicable milestone payment (each a “Milestone Payment”) on or prior to the date upon which such Milestone Payment is due, as set out below (each a “Milestone Payment Date”), to be made to the Holders in accordance with the terms of this CVR Agreement:

(a) Annual Net Sales Milestones:

 

Milestones

   Milestone
Payments
Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA equal or exceed $35,000,000, on or before the Back-End Date    $7,000,000
Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA equal or exceed $50,000,000, on or before the Back-End Date    $7,000,000
Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA equal or exceed $100,000,000, on or before the Back-End Date    $10,000,000
Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA equal or exceed $200,000,000, on or before the Back-End Date    $10,000,000

With respect to each calendar year occurring after the Closing and until the earlier of the Back-End Date or the date upon which all Milestones payable in respect of Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA have been paid, the Parent shall provide to each holder of at least 5% of the CVRs outstanding a written statement setting forth with reasonable detail the Annual Net Sales of OLPRUVA during such calendar year. The Milestone Payment due upon achievement of each of the Milestones described in this Section 4.2(a) shall be paid on or before last day of the second full calendar quarter following the end of the calendar year in respect of which achievement of such Milestone was first reported on such written statement.

(b) Regulatory Milestones:

 

Milestones

   Milestone
Payments
FDA Approval of a supplemental NDA for OLPRUVA for the addition of treatment of Maple Syrup Urine Disease as a second indication to the label for OLPRUVA, on or before the Back-End Date    $12,000,000
FDA Approval of OLPRUVA for any indication other than treatment of urea cycle disorders or Maple Syrup Urine Disease, on or before the Back-End Date    $10,000,000
FDA Approval of EDSIVO for the treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in patients with a confirmed type III collagen mutation, on or before the Back-End Date    $20,000,000

 

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The Milestone Payment due upon achievement of each of the Milestones described in this Section 4.2(b) shall be paid within sixty (60) days following the date of the achievement of the corresponding Milestone by or on behalf of Parent or its Affiliates.

(c) Other Milestones:

(i) if on or before the Back-End Date, Parent (A) receives funding of at least twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) from a Governmental Entity for development of ACER-2820 for the treatment of any indication or indications (the “ACER-2820 Development Funding”) and, within three (3) years of the date of the ACER-2820 Development Funding, Parent or its Affiliate either (x) grants a license to a third party under the intellectual property assets owned by Target relating to ACER-2820 (including U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2022/0177469, any patent issuing from such application and any subsequently filed patent application claiming priority to such patent application) (the “ACER-2820 IP Assets”) for purposes of developing and commercializing ACER-2820 or (y) sells such ACER-2820 IP Assets to a third party or (B) Parent or its Affiliate obtains FDA Approval for use of ACER-2820 for treatment of any indication, then a Milestone Payment equal to the greater of (x) 10% of the total cash consideration paid to the Parent or its Affiliate for the license or sale of the ACER-2820 IP Assets or (y) $5,000,000 shall be payable in respect of such Milestone.

(ii) if, on or before the Back-End Date, the FDA issues a priority review voucher to Parent or its Affiliate under 21 U.S.C. Section 360bbb-4a in respect of FDA Approval of an NDA filed by Parent or its Affiliate for approval of ACER-2820 (an “ACER-2820 Material Threat Countermeasure PRV”), and Parent or its Affiliate thereafter sells such ACER-2820 Material Threat Countermeasure PRV prior to the Back-End Date, then a Milestone Payment equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cash consideration paid to the Parent for such ACER-2820 Material Threat Countermeasure PRV shall be payable in respect of such Milestone.

The Milestone Payment due upon achievement of each of the Milestones described in this Section 4.2(c) shall be paid within sixty (60) days following the date of the achievement of the corresponding Milestone by or on behalf of Parent or its Affiliates.

(d) Additional Terms for Milestone Payments.

Each Milestone Payment shall be paid only once, upon first achievement of the corresponding Milestone, regardless of the number of times such event is achieved, and only if such Milestone occurs on or before the date specified above. Milestone Payments due under this Section 4.2 shall be considered paid on the Milestone Payment Date if on such date the Rights Agent has received in accordance with this CVR Agreement money sufficient to pay all such amounts then due.

SECTION 4.3 Audits. Upon the written request of the Acting Holders, Parent shall permit an independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing selected by the Acting Holders and reasonably acceptable to the Parent (the “Auditor”), which Auditor shall be paid at the Acting Holders’ expense, to have access upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours to such records of the Parent as are reasonably necessary to confirm compliance with its obligations to make Milestone Payments pursuant to Section 4.2. No such request may be

 

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made to the Parent more than once during any twelve (12) month period. The Auditor shall enter into a reasonable and mutually satisfactory confidentiality agreement with the Parent obligating the Auditor to keep all confidential information disclosed to such Auditor in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Auditor shall serve solely as a consultant to the Acting Holders and shall have no authority to make any determinations (binding or otherwise) as to whether Parent has complied with such obligations.

SECTION 4.4 Product Transfer. Unless and until a Product Transfer occurs, the Parent shall remain responsible for paying any and all Milestone Payments in accordance with Section 2.4 and Section 4.2 upon the achievement of the corresponding Milestone, if achieved by the Parent or any of its Affiliates or any of their licensees or sublicensees to which Parent or any of its Affiliates have granted rights to perform the applicable activities, on or before the date specified for the applicable Milestone. Without limiting the foregoing, so long as any of the CVRs remain outstanding, in the event that the Parent or, after a transaction permitted and undertaken pursuant to this Section 4.4, any of its respective successors, assignees or transferees: (a) consolidates or merges with or into any other Person and is not the continuing or surviving entity of such consolidation or merger; or (b) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person or otherwise transfers or conveys any of the Products or any rights thereto (any such consolidation, merger, transfer or conveyance, a “Product Transfer”), then, and in each such case, the Parent shall either (i) ensure that each such successor, assignee or transferee (A) has the financial wherewithal at the time of the Product Transfer to perform the Parent’s obligations under this CVR Agreement and (B) agrees to assume and perform all obligations of the Parent, including payment of all Milestone Payments applicable to such Product, set forth in this CVR Agreement (in each instance as though such successor, assignee or transferee had been named herein) or (ii) the Parent shall agree to remain subject to its obligations hereunder, including payment of all Milestone Payments.

SECTION 4.5 Diligent Efforts. Commencing promptly following the Closing, Parent shall use Diligent Efforts to achieve the Milestones.

SECTION 4.6 Non-Use of Name. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Holders shall use the name, trademark, trade name or logo of the Parent, its Affiliates, or their respective employees in any publicity or news release relating to this CVR Agreement or its subject matter, without the prior express written permission of the Parent, except if and to the extent that the Rights Agent or any Holders is required to make any public disclosure or filing regarding the subject matter of this CVR Agreement (i) by applicable Law, (ii) pursuant to any rules or regulations of any securities exchange of which the securities of such party or any of its affiliates are listed or traded, or (iii) with respect to a dispute pursuant to this CVR Agreement between any of the Holders, the Rights Agent, Parent or its Affiliates.

SECTION 4.7 Tax Reporting. The Rights Agent shall comply with all applicable Laws regarding Tax reporting with respect to any Milestone Payments made pursuant to this CVR Agreement.

SECTION 4.8 Further Assurances. Parent shall perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this CVR Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 5

AMENDMENTS

SECTION 5.1 Amendments Without Consent of Holders. The Parent, at any time and from time to time, may (without the consent of any Person, other than the Rights Agent, which such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed) enter into one or more amendments hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person as a successor Rights Agent and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants and obligations of the Rights Agent herein;

(b) to add to the covenants of the Parent such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Parent shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders, provided that, in each case, such provisions do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders;

(c) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this CVR Agreement, provided that, in each case, such provisions do not materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders;

(d) as may be necessary or appropriate to ensure that the CVRs are not subject to registration under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws;

(e) to reduce the number of CVRs, in the event any Holder agrees to renounce such Holder’s rights under this CVR Agreement in accordance with the terms of this CVR Agreement;

(f) subject to the terms of this CVR Agreement, to evidence the succession of another Person to the Parent and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Parent contained herein;

(g) to evidence the assignment of this CVR Agreement by the Parent as provided herein; or

(h) any other amendment to this CVR Agreement that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this CVR Agreement of any such Holder.

SECTION 5.2 Amendments with Consent of Acting Holders. Subject to Section 5.1 (which amendments pursuant to Section 5.1 may be made by the Parent without the consent of the Holders), with the consent of the Acting Holders, acting on behalf of all Holders, the Parent and the Rights Agent may enter into one or more amendments hereto for the purpose of adding, eliminating or changing any provisions of this CVR Agreement, even if such addition, elimination or change is adverse to the interests of the Holders.

SECTION 5.3 Execution of Amendments. In executing any amendment permitted by this Article 5, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an opinion of counsel for the Parent or any of its Affiliates stating that the execution of such

 

17


amendment is authorized or permitted by this CVR Agreement. Each amendment to this CVR Agreement shall be evidenced by a writing signed by the Rights Agent and Parent. The Rights Agent may, but is not obligated to, enter into any such amendment that affects the Rights Agent’s own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under this CVR Agreement or otherwise.

SECTION 5.4 Effect of Amendments; Notice to Holders.

(a) Upon the execution of any amendment under this Article 5, this CVR Agreement shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such amendment shall form a part of this CVR Agreement for all purposes; and every Holder shall be bound thereby. No supplement or amendment to this CVR Agreement shall be effective unless duly executed by the Rights Agent.

(b) Promptly after the execution by the Parent and the Rights Agent of any amendment pursuant to the provisions of this Article 5, the Parent shall mail (or cause the Rights Agent to mail) a notice thereof by first-class mail to the Holders at their addresses as they shall appear on the CVR Register, setting forth in general terms the substance of such amendment. Any failure of the Parent to mail (or cause the Rights Agent to mail) such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amendment.

ARTICLE 6

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

SECTION 6.1 Successor Person Substituted.

(a) All covenants, provisions and agreements in this CVR Agreement by or for the benefit of the Parent, the Rights Agent or the Holders shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors, assignees, heirs and personal representatives, whether so expressed or not. The Parent may assign this CVR Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties to this CVR Agreement in connection with the transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Parent related to the Products, or in the event of the Parent’s merger or consolidation, in accordance with Section 4.4; provided that, (i) any such successor Person or assignee shall expressly assume the Parent’s obligations under this CVR Agreement, including payment of amounts on all CVRs in accordance with the applicable terms; and (ii) the Parent shall delivered to the Rights Agent an Officer’s Certificate, stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease complies with this Article 6. Any attempted assignment of this CVR Agreement or any such rights in violation of this Section 6.1 shall be void and of no effect.

(b) In case of a consolidation or merger with a wholly-owned Subsidiary or any other Person, or a transfer or sale to a Person of all or substantially all of the assets or business of Parent related to the Products, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Parent with the same effect as if it had been named herein.

(c) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock transfer or other shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this CVR Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided

 

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that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 3.3. The purchase of all or substantially all of the Rights Agent’s assets employed in the performance of transfer agent activities shall be deemed a merger or consolidation for purposes of this Section 6.1.

ARTICLE 7

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 7.1 Notices.

(a) Where this CVR Agreement provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the Holder’s address as it appears in the CVR Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this CVR Agreement provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Rights Agent, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

(b) In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impracticable to mail notice of any event as required by any provision of this CVR Agreement, then any method of giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Rights Agent shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.

SECTION 7.2 Notices to the Rights Agent and the Parent. All notices, requests, instructions, demands, waivers and other communications or documents required or permitted to be given under this CVR Agreement by any party hereto to any other party hereto shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when on the date sent when delivered personally or sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, by facsimile, electronic mail (except in the case of the Rights Agent) or overnight courier to such party, in the case of mail or overnight courier, with a copy sent via electronic mail, at the following addresses:

If to the Parent:

Zevra Therapeutics, Inc.

[***]

[***]

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Email: [***]

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: [***]

 

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with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

[***]

[***]

Attention: Stephanie Hosler

Phone: [***]

E-mail: [***]

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

[***]

[***]

Attention: Nathan Ajiashvili

E-mail: [***]

If to the Rights Agent:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.,

Computershare Inc.

[***]

[***]

Attention: Client Services

Facsimile: [***]

SECTION 7.3 Construction.

(a) The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

(b) All financial references herein are in United States Dollars.

SECTION 7.4 Benefits of Agreement. Nothing in this CVR Agreement, express or implied, shall give to any Person (other than the Rights Agent and Parent and their respective permitted successors and assigns hereunder, and the Holders) any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this CVR Agreement or under any covenant or provision herein contained, all such covenants and provisions being for sole benefit of the Rights Agent and Parent and their respective permitted successors and assigns hereunder, and of the Holders. The Holders will have no rights hereunder except as are expressly set forth herein.

SECTION 7.5 Governing Law. THIS CVR AGREEMENT AND ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THE CVRS, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF. EACH OF THE PARENT, THE RIGHTS AGENT AND

 

20


EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE CVRS, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY STATE COURT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND THE APPELLATE COURTS THEREOF, IN RESPECT OF ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THE CVRS HEREUNDER, AND IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH OF THE PARENT AND THE RIGHTS AGENT AGREES THAT PROCESS MAY BE SERVED UPON THEM IF NOTICE IS GIVEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH Section 7.2 OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EACH OF THE PARENT AND THE RIGHTS AGENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT, BY WAY OF MOTION, AS A DEFENSE, COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHERWISE, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT (A) THE DEFENSE OF SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY, (B) ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE ABOVE-NAMED COURTS FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN THE FAILURE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS Section 7.5, (C) THAT IT OR ITS PROPERTY IS EXEMPT OR IMMUNE FROM JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT OR FROM ANY LEGAL PROCESS COMMENCED IN SUCH COURTS (WHETHER THROUGH SERVICE OF NOTICE, ATTACHMENT PRIOR TO JUDGMENT, ATTACHMENT IN AID OF EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT, EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT OR OTHERWISE), AND (D) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW THAT (I) THE SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH COURT IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM, (II) THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER AND (III) THIS CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF, MAY NOT BE ENFORCED IN OR BY SUCH COURTS.

SECTION 7.6 Legal Holidays; Interpretation. In the event that a Milestone Payment Date shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any provision of this CVR Agreement to the contrary) payment on the CVRs need not be made on such date, but may be made, without the accrual of any interest thereon, on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Milestone Payment Date. When used herein, the word “including” shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation.”

SECTION 7.7 Separability Clause. In the event any provision in this CVR Agreement or in the CVRs shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, so long as either the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. If the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction declares that any provision in this CVR Agreement or in the CVRs is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this CVR Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible; provided, however, that if an excluded provision shall affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to Parent.

 

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SECTION 7.8 No Recourse Against Others. No current or former director, officer or employee, as such, of Parent or the Rights Agent or of their respective Affiliates shall have any liability for any obligations of Parent or the Rights Agent under the CVRs or this CVR Agreement or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a CVR, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the CVRs.

SECTION 7.9 Counterparts. This CVR Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if the signatures to each counterpart were upon a single instrument, and all such counterparts together shall be deemed an original of this CVR Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this CVR Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission, including by email attachment, shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this CVR Agreement.

SECTION 7.10 Entire Agreement. As between the Rights Agent and the other parties hereto, this CVR Agreement (including the schedules, annexes and exhibits hereto and the documents and instruments referred to herein) contain the entire understanding of the parties hereto and thereto with reference to the transactions and matters contemplated hereby and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, among the parties with respect hereto and thereto. If and to the extent that any provision of this CVR Agreement is inconsistent or conflicts with the Merger Agreement, this CVR Agreement will govern and be controlling.

SECTION 7.11 Termination. This CVR Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect, and the parties hereto shall have no liability hereunder, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Termination Date, provided that if any Milestone has been achieved on or prior to the Termination Date, but the associated Milestone Payment has not been paid on or prior to the Termination Date, this CVR Agreement shall not terminate to the extent related to such Milestone Payment until such Milestone Payment has been paid in full in accordance with the terms of this CVR Agreement; and provided further that no termination of this CVR Agreement shall be deemed to affect the rights of the parties to bring suit in the case of a material breach occurring prior to such Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such termination shall affect any rights or obligations accrued prior to the effective date of such termination.

SECTION 7.12 Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent will not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, epidemic, pandemic, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this CVR Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

By:

 

/s/ R. LaDuane Clifton

Name:

  R. LaDuane Clifton, MBA, CPA

Title:

  Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer

[Signature Page to Contingent Value Rights Agreement]


COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. and COMPUTERSHARE INC.,
as the Rights Agent
On behalf of both entities

By:

 

/s/ Collin Ekeogu

Name:

  Collin Ekeogu

Title:

  Manager, Corporate Actions

[Signature Page to Contingent Value Rights Agreement]


Appendix 1

Schedule of Derivative Payments

The following Derivative Payments shall be payable to SWK Funding LLC (“SWK”) in full satisfaction of all warrants issued to SWK by Target (i.e., a “First Warrant” for 500,000 shares with an exercise price of $1.00 per share, a “Second Warrant” for 100,000 shares with an exercise price of $1.51 per share, a “Third Warrant” for 250,000 shares with an exercise price of $2.39 per share, and a “Fourth Warrant” for 150,000 shares with an exercise price of $2.46 per share):

 

  1.

Until such time as the cumulative Milestone Payments exceed $9,463,726 (i.e., an amount representing the sum of (i) the product of (x) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) multiplied by (y) $1.00 (i.e., the per share exercise price of the First Warrant), minus (ii) $15 million (i.e., the value of the shares of Zevra common stock paid as upfront consideration to the holders of Acer Common Stock in respect of the Merger), there shall be no Derivative Payments.

 

  2.

With respect to cumulative Milestone Payments to the extent in excess of $9,463,726 but less than or equal to $22,695,226 (i.e., an amount representing the sum of (i) the product of (x) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant (i.e., 500,000) multiplied by (y) $1.51 (i.e., the per share exercise price of the Second Warrant), minus (ii) $15 million (i.e., the value of the shares of Zevra common stock paid as upfront consideration to the holders of Acer Common Stock in respect of the Merger), SWK shall receive a portion of such Milestone Payments equal to the fraction represented by (I) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant (i.e., 500,000) divided by (II) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant (i.e., 500,000).

 

  3.

With respect to cumulative Milestone Payments to the extent in excess of $22,695,226 but less than or equal to $44,902,305 (i.e., an amount representing the sum of (i) the product of (x) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant and the Second Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000) multiplied by (y) $2.39 (i.e., the per share exercise price of the Third Warrant), minus (ii) $15 million (i.e., the value of the shares of Zevra common stock paid as upfront consideration to the holders of Acer Common Stock in respect of the Merger), SWK shall receive a portion of such Milestone Payments equal to the fraction represented by (I) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000) divided by (II) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000).


  4.

With respect to cumulative Milestone Payments to the extent in excess of $44,902,305 but less than or equal to $47,271,766 (i.e., an amount representing the sum of (i) the product of (x) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant, the Second Warrant and the Third Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000 plus 250,000) multiplied by (y) $2.46 (i.e., the per share exercise price of the Fourth Warrant), minus (ii) $15 million (i.e., the value of the shares of Zevra common stock paid as upfront consideration to the holders of Acer Common Stock in respect of the Merger), SWK shall receive a portion of such Milestone Payments equal to the fraction represented by (I) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant plus the Third Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000 plus 250,000) divided by (II) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant plus the Third Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000 plus 250,000).

 

  5.

With respect to cumulative Milestone Payments to the extent in excess of $47,271,766, SWK shall receive a portion of such Milestone Payments equal to the fraction represented by (I) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant plus the Third Warrant plus the Fourth Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000 plus 250,000 plus 150,000) divided by (II) the sum of (A) the number of shares of Acer Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time (i.e., 24,463,726) plus (B) the number of shares subject to the First Warrant plus the Second Warrant plus the Third Warrant plus the Fourth Warrant (i.e., 500,000 plus 100,000 plus 250,000 plus 150,000).

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

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Zevra Therapeutics Completes Acquisition of Acer Therapeutics in its Journey to Become a Leading Rare Disease Company

Acquisition includes OLPRUVA®, an FDA-approved treatment for urea cycle disorders (UCDs), which propels Zevra into commercial stage, diversifying its revenue and providing scale

Settlement of Acer’s warrant obligations through direct transaction with a healthcare focused investment fund adds quality healthcare investor to Zevra’s shareholder base

Celebration, FL – November 20, 2023 – Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NasdaqGS: ZVRA) (Zevra, or, the Company), a rare disease therapeutics company, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Acer Therapeutics Inc. (Acer) which marks a significant step forward in executing Zevra’s strategy to become a leader in developing and commercializing treatments for rare diseases and furthers the Company’s commitment to supporting patient communities with limited or no existing therapeutic options. As previously announced on August 31, 2023, the capital-efficient transaction included approximately 2.96 million shares of Zevra stock and contingent value rights (CVRs) issued in exchange for all outstanding shares of Acer. The CVRs represent the right to receive up to $76 million payable upon the achievement of certain regulatory and net sales milestones, net of the amount payable, if any, to SWK Funding LLC, a former warrantholder of Acer. In addition, immediately prior to the signing and announcement of the merger agreement, Zevra purchased Acer’s senior secured debt for a combination of cash, Zevra stock and notes valued at $28.5 million as a condition of entering into the merger agreement with Acer.

“Today’s acquisition marks an exciting milestone for Zevra as we advance our mission to deliver therapies to the rare disease community,” said Neil F. McFarlane, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zevra. “With our combined resources, expanded portfolio, and expert capabilities, we have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact on the lives of people with serious rare diseases. We are excited about the opportunities ahead for patients and remain focused on executing our strategic priorities to create long-term shareholder value.”

The acquisition of Acer brings multiple rare disease assets and increases Zevra’s revenue potential with the addition of OLPRUVA®, which is indicated for the treatment of certain urea cycle disorders (UCDs), expands Zevra’s clinical portfolio with EDSIVO, currently in Phase 3 for vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS). The acquisition brings complementary assets and bolsters Zevra’s commercial and development capabilities with the addition of key Acer personnel and existing commercial systems.


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“The integration of Acer’s programs, capabilities and accomplished team complements and enhances Zevra’s portfolio, and advances our mission to bring life-changing therapies to patients with rare diseases,” said Joshua Schafer, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Development of Zevra. “Acer’s programs and capabilities are an excellent fit for Zevra, particularly OLPRUVA for UCDs, which is a serious rare genetic metabolic disorder. There is a high degree of overlap between the diagnosing physicians and Centers of Excellence where patients with UCDs and Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) are treated. We believe this overlap will allow us to realize synergies and scale to efficiently commercialize both programs.”

Subsequent to the closing of the Acer transaction, Zevra announced that it has agreed to sell an aggregate of 1,382,489 shares of its common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase up to 1,382,489 shares of common stock at a price of $4.34 per share to a healthcare focused investment fund (the “Investor”) for gross proceeds of approximately $6.0 million and an aggregate of 917,934 shares of its common stock to cancel a warrant held by the Investor to purchase 2,920,306 shares of common stock of Acer (the “Transaction”). The shares of common stock and the warrants were offered and sold to the Investor in a registered direct offering conducted without an underwriter or placement agent. The Transaction is expected to close on or about November 22, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

The securities described above are being sold by Zevra pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-257661), which was filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 2, 2021, and became effective on July 12, 2021, and the prospectus contained therein, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC. The securities will be sold only by means of a prospectus, forming a part of the effective registration statement. Electronic copies of the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, by visiting the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, nor shall there be any sales of the securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP served as legal advisor to Zevra, and Canaccord Genuity LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Zevra for the merger transactions. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP served as legal advisor to Acer, and William Blair & Company, LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Acer.


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About Urea Cycle Disorders:

Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of rare, genetic disorders that can cause harmful ammonia build-up in the blood, potentially resulting in brain damage and neurocognitive impairments, if ammonia levels are not controlled.i Any increase in ammonia over time is serious. Therefore, it is important to adhere to any dietary protein restrictions and have alternative medication options to help control ammonia levels.

About OLPRUVA®:

ACER-001 (sodium phenylbutyrate) was approved for the treatment of certain UCDs in December 2022 and has recently been marketed under the brand name, OLPRUVA®. OLPRUVA (sodium phenylbutyrate) for oral suspension is a prescription medicine indicated as adjunctive therapy to standard of care, which includes dietary management, for the chronic management of adult and pediatric patients weighing 20 kg (44 pounds) or greater and with a body surface area (BSA) of 1.2 m2 or greater, with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate synthetase (CPS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), or argininosuccinic acid synthetase (AS). Please see Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.

Important Safety Information:

Certain medicines may increase the level of ammonia in your blood or cause serious side effects when taken during treatment with OLPRUVA. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you or your child take, especially corticosteroids, valproic acid, haloperidol, and/or probenecid.

OLPRUVA can cause serious side effects, including: 1) nervous system problems (neurotoxicity); symptoms include sleepiness, tiredness, lightheadedness, vomiting, nausea, headache, confusion; 2) low potassium levels in your blood (hypokalemia) and 3) conditions related to swelling (edema). OLPRUVA contains salt (sodium), which can cause swelling from salt and water retention. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child experience any of these symptoms. Your doctor may do certain blood tests to check for side effects during treatment with OLPRUVA. If you have certain medical conditions such as heart, liver or kidney problems, are pregnant/planning to get pregnant or breast-feeding, your doctor will decide if OLPRUVA is right for you.

The most common side effects of OLPRUVA include absent or irregular menstrual periods, decreased appetite, body odor, bad taste or avoiding foods you ate prior to getting sick (taste aversion). These are not all of the possible side effects of OLPRUVA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

About Zevra Therapeutics:

Zevra Therapeutics is a rare disease company melding science, data, and patient need to create transformational therapies for diseases with limited or no treatment options. With unique, data-driven clinical, regulatory, and commercialization strategies, the Company is overcoming complex drug development challenges to bring much-needed therapies to patients. With both regulatory and clinical-stage product candidates, the Company is building its commercial capability to make new therapies available to the rare disease community.


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Expanded access programs are made available by Zevra Therapeutics and its affiliates and are subject to the Company’s Expanded Access Program (EAP) policy as published on its website at www.zevra.com. Participation in these programs is subject to the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction under which each respective program is operated. Eligibility for participation in any such program is at the treating physician’s discretion.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and which can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “should,” “continue,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “predict,” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements include without limitation statements regarding the benefits of, and synergies related to the merger transaction, the financial and operating performance of the combined company following the merger, potential strategic implications as a result of the merger transaction, Zevra’s path to profitability, Zevra’s strategic and product development objectives, including with respect to becoming a leading, commercially-focused rare disease company, Zevra’s plans to build out commercial teams for products or product candidates, Zevra’s commercial infrastructure investments and the impact of the transaction on them, Zevra’s industry, plans, goals and expectations concerning market position, future operations and other financial and operating information, and the potential for achievement of the milestones that would trigger cash payments pursuant to the CVRs issued to the Acer stockholders. Forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Zevra and its current plans or expectations, and are subject to several known and unknown uncertainties, risks, and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, uncertainties involving the following: responses of competitors to the combined company resulting from the transaction; unexpected costs, charges or expenses of the combined company following the completion of the transaction; the ability of Zevra to successfully integrate Acer’s operations, products, product candidates and technology; the ability of Zevra to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Acer’s business after the completion of the transaction and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation; the ability of Zevra to realize the anticipated synergies and related benefits from the transaction in the anticipated amounts or within the anticipated timeframes or at all; and the ability to maintain relationships with Zevra’s and Acer’s respective employees, customers, other business partners and governmental authorities. These and other important factors are described in detail in the “Risk Factors” section of Zevra’s and Acer’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as updated in Zevra’s and Acer’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, and Zevra’s and Acer’s other filings with the Securities


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and Exchange Commission. While Zevra may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law, even if subsequent events cause their respective views to change. Although Zevra believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will prove correct. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Zevra’s views as of any date after the date of this press release.

# # #

Zevra Contacts:

Nichol Ochsner

+1 (732) 754-2545

nochsner@zevra.com

Janine Bogris

+1 (201) 245-6838

Janine.bogris@canalecomm.com

 

 

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Ah Mew N, et al. Urea cycle disorders overview [updated June 22, 2017]. In: Adam MP, Ardinger HH, Pagon RA, et al, eds. GeneReviews® [Internet]. University of Washington; 1993-2022. Accessed March 20, 2022.

EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of November 20, 2023, between Zevra Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”). To the extent there is only one purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto, any reference in this Agreement to Purchasers in the plural shall be deemed to be to Purchaser in the singular.

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act (as defined below), the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

1.1     Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.5.

Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York are generally open for use by customers on such day.

Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

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Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date hereof.

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

Common Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Common Warrants shall be exercisable immediately and have a term of exercise equal to five (5) years after the initial exercise date, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

Common Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Common Warrants.

Company Counsel” means Latham & Watkins LLP, with offices located at 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

Disclosure Time” means, (i) if this Agreement is signed on a day that is not a Trading Day or after 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) and before midnight (New York City time) on any Trading Day, 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Purchaser, and (ii) if this Agreement is signed between midnight (New York City time) and 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, no later than 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Purchaser.

Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(s).

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock, restricted stock units or options to employees, officers or directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (b)

 

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securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder, warrants to the Purchaser in connection with the transactions pursuant to this Agreement and any securities upon exercise of warrants to the Purchaser and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities carry no registration rights that require the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.11(a) herein, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, and (d) issuances that the Company has the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a majority in interest of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants to consummate.

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

FDA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

FDCA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).

Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(n).

Merger Closing 8-K” shall mean the Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed on November 20, 2023, regarding the completion of the previously announced acquisition of Acer Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Per Share Purchase Price” equals $4.34, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement, provided that the purchase price per Pre-Funded Warrant shall be the Per Share Purchase Price minus $0.0001.

 

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Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

Pharmaceutical Product” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(hh).

Pre-Funded Warrants” means, collectively, the pre-funded Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Pre-Funded Warrants shall be exercisable immediately and shall expire when exercised in full, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.

Pre-Funded Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed for the Registration Statement.

Prospectus Supplement” means the supplement to the Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that is filed with the Commission and delivered by the Company to each Purchaser at the Closing.

Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.8.

Registration Statement” means the effective registration statement filed with Commission (file No. 333-257661), including all information, documents and exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference into such registration statement, which registers the sale of the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares to the Purchasers, and includes any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” means any registration statement prepared by the Company registering additional Securities, which was filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof and became automatically effective pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

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SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

Securities” means the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include locating and/or borrowing shares of Common Stock).

Subscription Amount” means, as to the Purchasers, collectively, an aggregate amount of $6,000,002.26 to be paid for Shares and Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds (minus, if applicable, a Purchaser’s aggregate exercise price of the Pre-Funded Warrants, which amounts shall be paid as and when such Pre-Funded Warrants are exercised).

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the Pink Open Market, OTCQB or the OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Warrants, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

Transfer Agent” means Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 144 Fernwood Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

Warrants” means, collectively, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Common Warrants.

 

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Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE AND SALE

2.1    Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers agree to purchase, an aggregate of 1,382,489 Shares and Common Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,382,489 shares of Common Stock for aggregate cash consideration of $6,000,002.26, and (ii) the Company agrees to issue the Purchaser 917,934 shares of Common Stock (the “Exchange Shares”) in exchange for the cancellation of the warrant (the “Acer Warrant”) to purchase 2,920,306 shares of common stock of Acer Therapeutics Inc. held by the Purchaser; provided, however, that, to the extent that a Purchaser determines, in its sole discretion, that such Purchaser (together with such Purchaser’s Affiliates, and any Person acting as a group together with such Purchaser or any of such Purchaser’s Affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, or as such Purchaser may otherwise choose, in lieu of purchasing Shares such Purchaser may elect to purchase Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu of Shares in such manner to result in the same aggregate purchase price being paid by such Purchaser to the Company. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, at the election of the Purchaser at Closing, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities on the Closing Date. Each Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser shall be made available for “Delivery Versus Payment” (“DVP”) settlement with the Company or its designee. The Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Shares, a Pre-Funded Warrant, if applicable, and a Warrant as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at such other location as the parties shall mutually agree take place remotely by electronic transfer of the Closing documentation. Unless otherwise directed by the Purchaser, settlement of the Shares shall occur via DVP (i.e., on the Closing Date, the Company shall issue the Shares registered in the Purchasers’ names and addresses and released by the Transfer Agent directly to the account(s) identified by each Purchaser; upon receipt of such Shares, the Company shall promptly electronically deliver such Shares to the applicable Purchaser. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time on or after the time of execution of this Agreement by the Company and an applicable Purchaser, through, and including the time immediately prior to the Closing (the “Pre-Settlement Period”), such Purchaser sells to any Person all, or any portion, of the Shares to be issued hereunder to such Purchaser at the Closing (collectively, the “Pre-Settlement Shares”), such Purchaser shall, automatically hereunder (without any additional required actions by such Purchaser or the Company), be deemed to be unconditionally bound to purchase such Pre-Settlement Shares at the Closing; provided, that the Company shall not be required to deliver any Pre-Settlement Shares to such Purchaser prior to the Company’s receipt of the purchase price of such Pre-Settlement Shares hereunder; and provided further that the Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that the forgoing shall not constitute a representation or covenant by such Purchaser as to whether or not during the Pre-Settlement Period such Purchaser shall sell any shares of Common Stock to any Person and that any such decision to sell any shares of Common Stock by such Purchaser shall solely be made at the time such Purchaser elects to effect any such sale, if any.

 

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2.2    Deliveries.

(a)    On or prior to the Closing Date (except as indicated below), the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Purchasers the following:

(i)    this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

(ii)    a legal opinion of Company Counsel, directed to the Purchasers, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Purchasers;

(iii)    subject to Section 2.1, the Company shall have provided each Purchaser with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer;

(iv)    subject to Section 2.1, a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent instructing the Transfer Agent to deliver on an expedited basis via The Depository Trust Company’s Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) Shares in the aggregate equal to (x) 1,382,489 (minus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Purchaser’s Pre-Funded Warrant, if applicable), plus (y) the Exchange Shares, in each case registered in the name of such Purchaser;

(v)    a Common Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase an aggregate of 1,382,489 shares of Common Stock, with an exercise price equal to $4.34, subject to adjustment therein;

(vi)    to the extent Pre-Funded Warrants will be issued pursuant to Section 2.1, a Pre-Funded Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the portion of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount applicable to Pre-Funded Warrant divided by the Per Share Purchase Price minus $0.0001, with an exercise price equal to $0.0001, subject to adjustment therein;

(vii)    the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus (which may be delivered in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).

(b)    On or prior to the Closing Date, the Purchasers shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

(i)    this Agreement duly executed by each Purchaser;

(ii)    the aggregate Subscription Amount (less the aggregate exercise price of the Pre-Funded Warrants issuable to such Purchaser hereunder, if applicable), which shall be made available for DVP settlement with the Company or its designee; and

 

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(iii)    the Acer Warrant, which, upon delivery, shall be deemed to be immediately canceled with no further action required by the Company or the Purchaser.

2.3    Closing Conditions.

(a)    The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

(i)    the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality, in all respects) on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality, in all respects) as of such date);

(ii)    all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

(iii)    the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

(b)    The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

(i)    the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such date);

(ii)    all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

(iii)    the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

(iv)    there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect from the date hereof to the Closing Date with respect to the Company; and

(v)    from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market, and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose

 

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trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.

ARTICLE III.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

3.1    Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

(a)    Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are disclosed in the SEC Reports. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.

(b)    Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

(c)    Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This

 

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Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

(d)    No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(e)    Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Shares and Warrant Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

(f)    Issuance of the Securities; Registration. The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Warrant Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Warrants. The Company has prepared and filed the Registration Statement in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, which became effective on July 12, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), including the Prospectus, and

 

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such amendments and supplements thereto as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus Supplement or the Final Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission. The Company, if required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, shall file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). At the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not 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 not misleading; and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus, as applicable, or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain 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. The Company was at the time of the filing of the Registration Statement eligible to use Form S-3. The Company is eligible to use Form S-3 under the Securities Act and it meets the transaction requirements with respect to the aggregate market value of securities being sold pursuant to this offering and during the twelve (12) months prior to this offering, as set forth in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3.

(g)    Capitalization. The SEC Reports, taken as a whole, accurately reflect the capitalization of the Company as of the date hereof. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than as disclosed in the SEC Reports, pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock in connection with the Company’s acquisition of Acer Therapeutics Inc., the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities and as disclosed in the SEC Reports, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers). The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities.

 

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(h)    SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Prospectus Supplement, and together with the Merger Closing 8-K, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports, unless stated therein to the contrary, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, year-end audit adjustments.

(i)    Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information.

(j)    Litigation. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”). None of the Actions disclosed in the SEC

 

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Reports, if any,, (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

(k)    Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(l)    Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(m)    Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing,

 

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distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(n)    Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.

(o)    Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

(p)    Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement, except where such expiration, termination or abandonment would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(q)    Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

(r)    Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the SEC reports , none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

(s)    Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in material compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and

 

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procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(t)    Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

(u)    Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(v)    Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, no Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.

(w)    Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Common Stock is currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

(x)    Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.

 

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(y)    Disclosure. Except as set forth in SEC Reports and with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, is true and correct in all material respects and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

(z)    No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchaser’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

(aa)    Solvency. The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.

(bb)    Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

(cc)    Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.

 

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(dd)    Accountants. The Company’s accounting firm is set forth in the SEC Reports. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023.

(ee)     Acknowledgment Regarding Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

(ff)    Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.14 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Warrant Shares deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

(gg)    Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the placement agent, if any, in connection with the placement of the Securities.

 

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(hh)    FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (“FDCA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each such product, a “Pharmaceutical Product”), such Pharmaceutical Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Pharmaceutical Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Pharmaceutical Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.

(ii)    Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no material security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, individually

 

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or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

(jj)    Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

(kk)    Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

(ll)    U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

(mm)    Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

(nn)    Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

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3.2    Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):

(a)    Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

(b)    Understandings or Arrangements. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.

(c)    Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants, it will be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12), or (a)(13) under the Securities Act.

(d)    Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

(e)    Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports and has been afforded, (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial

 

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condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment.

(f)    Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first became aware of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

4.1    Warrant Shares. If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the issuance or resale of the Warrant Shares or if the Warrant is exercised via cashless exercise, the Warrant Shares issued pursuant to any such exercise shall be issued free of all legends, to the extent permitted by the Securities Act. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement (or any subsequent registration statement registering the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares) is not effective or is not otherwise available for the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Warrants in writing that such registration statement is not then effective and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the registration statement is effective again and available for

 

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the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Company to issue, or any Purchaser to sell, any of the Warrant Shares in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Company shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to keep a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) registering the issuance or resale of the Warrant Shares effective during the term of the Warrants.

4.2    Furnishing of Information. Until the earlier of the time that (i) no Purchaser owns Securities or (ii) the Warrants have expired, the Company covenants to use its reasonable best efforts timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act.

4.3    Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

4.4    Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall (a) by the Disclosure Time, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto, with the Commission within the time required by the Exchange Act. From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company represents to the Purchasers that it will take the view that it shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the issuance of such press release, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, on the one hand, and any of the Purchasers or any of their Affiliates on the other hand, shall terminate and be of no further force or effect. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading

 

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Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b) and reasonably cooperate with such Purchaser regarding such disclosure.

4.5    Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.

4.6    Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, which shall be disclosed pursuant to Section 4.4, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have consented in writing to the receipt of such information and agreed in writing with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates delivers any material, non-public information to a Purchaser without such Purchaser’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Purchaser shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, or a duty to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Purchaser shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided by the Company pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously with the delivery of such notice file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

4.7    Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

4.8    Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims,

 

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contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a material breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.8 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

4.9    Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Shares pursuant to this Agreement and Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Warrants.

4.10    Listing of Common Stock. The Company hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market on which it is currently listed, and concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall apply to list or quote all of the Shares and Warrant Shares on such Trading Market and promptly secure the listing of all of the Shares and Warrant Shares on such Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other Trading Market, it

 

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will then include in such application all of the Shares and Warrant Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares and Warrant Shares to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

4.11    Subsequent Equity Sales.

(a)    From the date hereof until ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall (i) issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or (ii) file any registration statement or amendment or supplement thereto, other than the Prospectus Supplement or filing a registration statement on Form S-8 in connection with any employee benefit plan.

(b)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.11 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.

4.12    [Reserved.].

4.13    Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Transaction Documents (other than as disclosed to its legal and other representatives). Notwithstanding the foregoing and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality or duty not to trade in the securities of the Company to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates, or agent, after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed

 

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investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

4.14    Capital Changes. Until the Closing Date, the Company shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of the Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a majority in interest of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants, other than a reverse stock split that is required, in the good faith determination of the Board of Directors, to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Trading Market.

4.15    Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and shall deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

4.16    Acer Warrant. The Purchaser represents that it is the holder of the Acer Warrant and, upon delivery of the Acer Warrant to the Company in accordance with Section 2.2 and receipt of the Exchange Shares, the Purchaser agrees the Acer warrant will be cancelled and the Purchaser waives any and all other rights with respect to the Acer Warrant and releases and discharges the Company from any and all claims, whether now known or unknown, the Purchaser may now have, or may have in the future, arising out of, or related to, the Acer Warrant.

ARTICLE V.

MISCELLANEOUS

5.1    Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by the Purchaser by written notice to the Company, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date hereof.

5.2    Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers.

 

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5.3    Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Prospectus, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

5.4    Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

5.5    Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and Purchasers which purchased at least 50.1% in interest of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants based on the initial Subscription Amounts hereunder (or, prior to the Closing, the Company and each Purchaser) or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Purchaser (or group of Purchasers), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Purchaser (or group of Purchasers) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Purchaser relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Purchasers shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Purchaser. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company.

5.6    Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

5.7    Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

5.8    No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8 and this Section 5.8.

 

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5.9    Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.8, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

5.10    Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.

5.11    Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

5.12    Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

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5.13    Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided, however, that, in the case of a rescission of an exercise of a Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common Stock subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

5.14    Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or other instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

5.15    Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

5.16    Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

5.17    Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing

 

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contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

5.18    Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

5.19    Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

5.20    Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

5.21    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.    Address for Notice:
   [***]
   [***]
   [***]
   [***]

 

By:   /s/ R. LaDuane Clifton, MBA, CPA  
  Name:   R. LaDuane Clifton   E-Mail: [***]
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer  

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO ZEVRA SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd.

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser: /s/ Steven Boyd

Name of Authorized Signatory: Steven Boyd

Title of Authorized Signatory: CIO of Armistice Capital, LLC, the Investment Manager

Email Address of Authorized Signatory: [***]

Address for Notice to Purchaser:

c/o Armistice Capital, LLC

[***]

[***]

Address for Delivery of Warrants to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

c/o Armistice Capital, LLC

Attention: Ying Wu

[***]

[***]

Subscription Amount: $ $6,000,002.26 @ $4.34/unit

Shares: 1,382,489                                            

 

Pre-Funded Warrant Shares: N/A       Beneficial Ownership Blocker ☐ 4.99% or ☐ 9.99%
Common Warrant Shares: 1,382,489       Beneficial Ownership Blocker ☐ 4.99% or ☐ 9.99%

EIN Number: [***]

☐ Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, by checking this box (i) the obligations of the above-signed to purchase the securities set forth in this Agreement to be purchased from the Company by the above-signed, and the obligations of the Company to sell such securities to the above-signed, shall be unconditional and all conditions to Closing shall be disregarded, (ii) the Closing shall occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of this Agreement and (iii) any condition to Closing contemplated by this Agreement (but prior to being disregarded by clause (i) above) that required delivery by the Company or the above-signed of any agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) shall no longer be a condition and shall instead be an unconditional obligation of the Company or the above-signed (as applicable) to deliver such agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) to such other party on the Closing Date.

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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