8-K
false 0001609809 0001609809 2020-08-12 2020-08-12

 

 

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): August 12, 2020

 

 

SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-37465   27-4326290

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

200 Sidney Street

Cambridge, MA

  02139
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (617) 945-9626

Not Applicable

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

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):

 

 

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

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common stock, par value $0.001 per share   MCRB   The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in 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.

Underwriting Agreement

On August 12, 2020, Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Cowen and Company, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (collectively, the “Underwriters”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company in a public offering of 10,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a public offering price of $21.50 per share, less underwriting discounts and commissions, pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-244401) and a related prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” and such public offering, the “offering”). Under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company has also granted the Underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,575,000 shares of its common stock at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, which the underwriters have exercised in full. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about August 17, 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company, customary conditions to closing, indemnification obligations of the Company and the Underwriters, including for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions.

The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Current Report”) and is incorporated by reference herein.

Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Company, has issued an opinion to the Company, dated August 13, 2020, 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.

Securities Purchase Agreement

On August 12, 2020, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. (“Nestlé”) for the sale by the Company of 959,002 shares of the Company’s common stock at a purchase price of $20.855 per share (the “concurrent placement”). The consummation of the concurrent placement is contingent upon the closing of the offering and the satisfaction of certain other customary conditions. The shares are being offered and sold to Nestlé pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237033) and a related prospectus supplement. The concurrent placement may have two closings, the first of which may occur on or within two business days of the closing of the offering for a number of shares equal to the maximum number (not to exceed $16.0 million of shares) of shares that Nestlé may purchase without clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR clearance”). Contingent on the requirement for HSR clearance, all $20.0 million of shares may be sold in one of these closings.

The foregoing description of the Securities Purchase Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Securities Purchase Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated by reference herein.

Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Company, has issued an opinion to the Company, dated August 13, 2020, regarding the validity of the shares of common stock to be issued and sold in the concurrent placement. A copy of the opinion is filed as Exhibit 5.2 to this Current Report.

Use of Proceeds

The Company expects to receive net proceeds from the offering and the concurrent placement of approximately $232.2 million, or approximately $264.0 million if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering and the concurrent placement to advance the clinical development of its product candidates, for commercialization and manufacturing activities and for other general corporate and working capital purposes. The Company believes that its cash, cash equivalents and investments, together with the net proceeds from the offering and the concurrent placement, will fund its operations into the first half of 2022.


Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This Current Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this Current Report that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation references to the completion of the offering and the concurrent placement, the expected net proceeds therefrom and the use of such proceeds. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Company’s 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, the following: the risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions relating to the offering. These and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 28, 2020, under the caption “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplements relating to the offering and the concurrent placement, and the Company’s other reports filed with the SEC could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this Current Report. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this Current Report. While the Company may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause its management’s views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this Current Report.


Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.
   Description
  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated August 12, 2020, between the Company and Cowen and Company, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
  5.2    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
10.1    Securities Purchase Agreement, dated August 12, 2020, between the Company and Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2).
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the inline XBRL document).


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.

 

    SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Date: August 14, 2020         By:  

/s/ Thomas J. DesRosier

        Name:   Thomas J. DesRosier
        Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.

10,500,000 Shares of Common Stock

Underwriting Agreement

(this “Agreement”)

August 12, 2020

Cowen and Company, LLC

Piper Sandler & Co.

As Representatives of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

c/o Piper Sandler & Co.

345 Park Avenue, Suite 1200

New York, New York 10154

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Seres Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 10,500,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 1,575,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”.

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), an automatic registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-244401), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became

 

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effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated August 11, 2020 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

“Applicable Time” means 8:30 P.M., New York City time, on August 12, 2020.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share (the “Purchase Price”) of $20.21.

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.

 

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If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth (10th) full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two (2) business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Ropes & Gray LLP, Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02199 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on August 17, 2020, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth (5th) business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and each time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as an “Additional Closing Date”.

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the

 

3


offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to an Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared,

 

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used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to an Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(d) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(e) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3ASR under the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of

 

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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; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to an Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated, and for the periods indicated therein, subject in the case of unaudited financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(h) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants or the vesting of awards, in each case described

 

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as outstanding in, the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, or the repurchase of shares of capital stock by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each of clauses (i)-(iii) as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. The subsidiaries listed on Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company.

(j) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of Capital Stock”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights that have not been duly waived or satisfied; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments

 

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convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; and the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(k) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

(l) Due Authorization. The Company has full corporate right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all corporate action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(n) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will

 

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conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been waived.

(o) Descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(p) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any material term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(q) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or for official listing on Nasdaq and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.

 

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(s) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(t) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(u) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are material to the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Intellectual Property Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries own or have valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights under the patents and patent applications, copyrights, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, trade names, service names and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for, or used in the conduct, or the proposed conduct, of their respective businesses in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Company Intellectual Property”); the intellectual property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries is free and clear of all material liens or encumbrances; to the knowledge of the Company,

 

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the patents, trademarks and copyrights included within the Company Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable and subsisting; other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is obligated to pay a material royalty, grant a license, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Company Intellectual Property, (ii) no action, suit, claim or other proceeding is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, alleging that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is infringing, misappropriating, diluting or otherwise violating any rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ product candidates, processes or intellectual property, (iii) no action, suit, claim or other proceeding is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened, challenging the validity, enforceability, scope, registration, ownership or use of any of the patents or patent applications included in the Company Intellectual Property (iv) the Company has not received written notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries products, proposed products, processes or Company Intellectual Property, (v) to the knowledge of the Company, the development, sale, and any currently proposed use of any of the products, proposed products or processes of the Company or its subsidiaries referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in the current or proposed conduct of the business of the Company in the manner and to the extent described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, do not currently, and would not, if commercialized as of the date hereof, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe any right or valid patent claim of any third party, (vi) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Company Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company or its subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Company Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries, other than any licensor to the Company or its subsidiaries of such Company Intellectual Property, and (vii) the Company has taken reasonable measures to protect its confidential information and trade secrets and to maintain and safeguard the Company Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements.

(w) Patents and Patent Applications. All patents and patent applications owned by or licensed to the Company or its subsidiaries or under which the Company or its subsidiaries has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and maintained; to the knowledge of the Company, the parties prosecuting such applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) in connection with such applications; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO that were not disclosed to the USPTO and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or could form the basis of a finding of unenforceability with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications.

(x) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) the

 

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Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same, and (iii) the Company and its 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 Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

(y) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or, to the Company’s knowledge, indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(z) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(aa) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all material federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all material federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except for taxes being contested in good faith and for which reserves in accordance with GAAP have been taken; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Permits”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the businesses now operated by them, except where their failure to

 

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possess such Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Permits and all of the Permits are valid and in full force and effect, except, in each case, where the failure so to comply or where the invalidity of such Permits or the failure of such Permits to be in full force and effect would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or material modification of any such Permits, except where such revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(dd) Compliance with and Liability under Environmental Laws. The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all, and have not violated any, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any regulatory authority, including without limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) has not received notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of either (i) or (ii) above where the failure to comply or the potential liability or obligation would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a regulatory authority is also a party and (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any non-compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, in the case of clause (A) or (B) that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ee) Compliance with ERISA. Except, in each case, for any such matters as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section

 

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414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that could not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period); (iv) to the extent applicable to a Plan, the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (vi) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (vii) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur; (x) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its subsidiaries in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (y) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year.

(ff) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow

 

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timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

(gg) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that have been designed to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (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 and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s auditors and the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

(hh) eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(ii) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are generally maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar business and which the Company and its subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or

 

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necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) 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 at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(jj) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

(kk) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(ll) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers, or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the

 

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U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan and the Crimea region of Ukraine (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of any Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Since their respective inceptions, none of the Company or its subsidiaries has knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

(mm) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(nn) No Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares. Any person having such a right has waived such right to register securities in connection with the Shares.

(oo) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(pp) Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

(qq) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

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(rr) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(ss) Pre-Clinical Studies and Clinical Trials. The pre-clinical and clinical studies conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, on behalf of the Company were and, if still pending are being, conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures, and controls and applicable local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and its applicable implementing regulations, or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (the “FDAs”) exercise of enforcement discretion thereto, as applicable; the descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Pricing Prospectus of the results of such studies, tests, and trials are accurate and fairly represent the data derived from such studies in all material respects; the Company is not aware of any studies, tests, or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study results described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Pricing Prospectus; and the Company has operated and currently is in compliance in all respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the FDA or any other comparable governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties (the “Regulatory Authorities”), except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notice from the Regulatory Authorities requiring the termination or suspension of any studies conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, on behalf of the Company

(tt) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(uu) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee required under the rules and regulations of the Commission for the amount registered under the Registration Statement.

 

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(vv) No Ratings. There are (and prior to the Closing Date, will be) no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

(ww) Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits); provided the Company will be deemed to have delivered the Registration Statement and such exhibits, consents, and documents to the Representatives in accordance with (i) and (ii) above to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”), and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration

 

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Statement becomes effective, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (i) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (A) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (B) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly, but in any event, within one (1) business day, notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or

 

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supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (ii) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (A) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (B) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with applicable law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement, it being understood and agreed that such earning statement shall be deemed to have been made available by the Company if the Company is in compliance with its reporting obligations pursuant to the Exchange Act, if such compliance satisfies the conditions of Rule 158, and if such earnings statement is made available on EDGAR.

(h) Clear Market. For a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge,

 

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disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) grants of awards pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans, (c) any shares of Common Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise or vesting of awards granted in accordance with (b), (d) issuances of securities under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, or (e) shares of Common Stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock issued in connection with a joint venture, marketing or distribution arrangement, collaboration agreement, intellectual property license agreement, or any acquisition of assets or not less than a majority or controlling portion of the equity of another entity, provided that (x) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock issued pursuant to this clause (e) shall not exceed 5.0% of the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this agreement, and (y) the recipient of any such shares of Common Stock and securities issued pursuant to this clause (e) during the 90-day restricted period referred to in this section shall execute and deliver to the Representatives an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto prior to such issuance.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on Nasdaq.

(l) Reports. During a period of three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as commercially reasonable after the date they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any current, periodic, or annual reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on EDGAR.

(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

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(n) Emerging Growth Company. To promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 90-day restricted period referred to in Section 4(h) hereof.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

 

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shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(d) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(e) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above.

(e) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three (3) business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

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(f) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(g) Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for the Company. Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C., special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Ropes & Gray LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.

(j) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance.

(l) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

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(m) Principal Financial and Accounting Officer Certificate. The Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the date hereof and the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that are caused by (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information

 

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relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph, the information relating to stabilizing transactions appearing in the thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs and the information regarding electronic and internet distribution appearing in the seventeenth paragraph, in each case under the caption “Underwriting”.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify

 

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each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than thirty (30) days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such

 

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Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies, which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT or the Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

10. Defaulting Underwriter.

(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within thirty-six (36) hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five (5) full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be

 

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necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to the Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company and the Underwriters will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate

 

30


and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters not to exceed $10,000); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters not to exceed $20,000); (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on Nasdaq.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the affiliates, officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

15. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

31


(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(c) For purposes of this Section 15, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

16. Miscellaneous.

(a) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives Cowen and Company, LLC, Attention: Head of Equity Capital Markets, Fax: 646-562-1249 with a copy to the General Counsel, Fax: 646-562-1124; Piper Sandler & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: General Counsel, legalcapmarkets@psc.com, and, in each case, with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to Ropes & Gray LLP, Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199 (fax: (617) 235-0392), Attention: Patrick O’Brien, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Seres Therapeutics, Inc., 200 Sidney Street, 4th Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (fax: (617) 945-9626); Attention: Secretary, with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to Latham & Watkins LLP 200 Clarendon Street, 27th Floor, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Peter N. Handrinos, Esq.

(b) Patriot Act Notice. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L, 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their clients, which may include the name and address of their clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their clients.

(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.

 

32


(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

33


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,
SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:   /s/ Eric Shaff
  Name: Eric Shaff
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted: August 12, 2020

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:   /s/ Bill Follis
  Name: Bill Follis
  Title: Managing Director

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted: August 12, 2020

PIPER SANDLER & CO.

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:   /s/ Paul Scansaroli
  Name: Paul Scansaroli
  Title: Managing Director

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Number of Shares  

Cowen and Company, LLC

     4,095,000  

Piper Sandler & Co.

     3,570,000  

Canaccord Genuity LLC

     1,785,000  

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

     1,050,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

     10,500,000  


Schedule 2

Significant Subsidiaries

 

1.

Seres Therapeutics Securities Corporation

 

2.

Seres Therapeutics UK Limited

 

3.

Seres Therapeutics Netherlands B.V.

 

A-1


Annex A

 

a.

Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

Public offering price: $21.50 per share

Number of Shares: 10,500,000

Option Shares: 1,575,000

 

b.

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

The free writing prospectuses filed by the Company on August 12, 2020.

 

A-2


Annex B

Pricing Term Sheet

None.

 

B-1


Exhibit A

Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

Lock-Up Agreement

        , 2020

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

PIPER SANDLER & CO.

As Representatives of

the several Underwriters to be named in

Schedule 1 to the Underwriting

Agreement referred to below

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

c/o Piper Sandler & Co.

345 Park Avenue, Suite 1200

New York, New York 10154

Re: Seres Therapeutics, Inc. Lock-Up Agreement

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Cowen and Company, LLC, and Piper Sandler & Co. as representatives (collectively, the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) on behalf of the several Underwriters to be named in Schedule I to such agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”), with Seres Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for a public offering of shares of Common Stock (as defined below) of the Company (the “Shares”) pursuant to a prospectus supplement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) relating to the Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (No. 333-244401) (the “Prospectus”) filed on August 11, 2020.

In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the Shares, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, lend, or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Common Stock of the Company, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the undersigned (including

 

1


holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the undersigned has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the SEC (collectively the “Undersigned’s Shares”), (ii) engage in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition (whether by the undersigned or someone other than the undersigned), or transfer of any of the economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of the Undersigned’s Shares, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) described in clause (i) or (ii) above would be settled by delivery of Shares of the Company or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any such sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of economic consequences, a “Transfer”) or (iii) otherwise publicly announce any intention to engage in or cause any action or activity described in clause (i) above or transaction or arrangement described in clause (ii) above. The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned is not, and has not caused or directed any of its affiliates to be or become, currently a party to any agreement or arrangement that provides for, is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in any Transfer during the Lock-Up Period. The undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares the undersigned may purchase in the offering. The foregoing restriction shall not preclude the undersigned from exercising an option or other award granted under a stock incentive plan or stock purchase plan of the Company described in the Prospectus, from converting or exercising a warrant of the Company described in the Prospectus or from converting any convertible security of the Company described in the Prospectus, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise or conversion shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement.

The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this letter agreement (this “Lock-Up Agreement”) and continue for 90 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus (the “Prospectus”) used to sell the Shares (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Shares (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or any trust or other legal entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (iii) by will or intestacy, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (iv) to the Company upon the vesting or exercise of an option or other award granted under a stock incentive plan or stock purchase plan of the Company described in the Prospectus or the conversion or exercise of a warrant of the Company described in the Prospectus (in each case, by way of “net” exercise in accordance with their terms, and/or to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise, but for the avoidance of doubt, excluding all manners of exercise that would involve a sale to a third party of any securities, whether to cover the applicable aggregate exercise price, withholding tax obligations or otherwise), provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such vesting or exercise shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, (v) pursuant to

 

2


Section 10(a) of the Company’s 2012 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof, provided that any transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (vi) with the prior written consent of each of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, (vii) acquired in open market transactions on or after the Public Offering Date, (viii) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition by the undersigned to its limited or general partners, members, stockholders or affiliates (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act), provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein and that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (ix) pursuant to any contractual arrangement described in the Prospectus in effect on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement that provides for the repurchase of the Undersigned’s Shares by the Company in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment or other service relationship with the Company or the undersigned’s failure to meet certain conditions set out upon receipt of such Shares, (x) pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction involving a Change of Control of the Company and approved by the Company’s board of directors, provided that, in the event that such Change of Control is not completed, the Undersigned’s Shares shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement and title to the Undersigned’s Shares shall remain with the undersigned, and (xi) transfers of Common Stock by the Undersigned pursuant to any trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the date hereof for the transfer of Common Stock (a “10b5-1 Plan”), which 10b5-1 Plan shall not be amended during the Lock-Up Period but may be terminated during the Lock-Up Period. In addition, (A) with respect to clauses (i), (ii), (v), (vii), and (viii) above, it shall be a condition to such transfer that no filing under the Exchange Act nor any other public filing or disclosure of such transfer by or on behalf of the undersigned, in each case reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Common Stock, shall be required or voluntarily made during the Lock-Up Period; (B) with respect to clause (iv), if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in the undersigned’s beneficial ownership of the Company’s securities as a result of a disposition to satisfy tax withholding obligations, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that the filing relates to the satisfaction of tax withholding obligations of the undersigned as a result of the exercise or vesting of equity awards of the Company held by the undersigned; and (C) with respect to clause (xi), if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in the undersigned’s beneficial ownership of the Company’s securities as a result of sales made under the undersigned’s 10b5-1 Plan, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that such sales are being made pursuant to the undersigned’s 10b5-1 Plan established prior to the date hereof. Furthermore, nothing in this Lock-Up Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the undersigned from establishing a 10b5-1 Plan, provided that (x) such 10b5-1 Plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period and (y) no filing under the Exchange Act nor any other public filing or disclosure of any such action shall be required or voluntarily made by any person during the Lock-Up Period.

For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, domestic partnership, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. For the purposes of clause (x), “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold all of the

 

3


outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity). The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated by clauses (i) through (xi) above, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the Undersigned’s Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims whatsoever, except those arising under securities laws. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Undersigned’s Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns.

This Lock-Up Agreement (and for the avoidance of doubt, the Lock-Up Period described herein) and related restrictions shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, advising the other in writing prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement that they have or it has determined not to proceed with the public offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) the registration statement filed with the SEC with respect to the public offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement is withdrawn, (iii) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) before the sale of any Shares to the Underwriters or (iv) on August 24, 2020 in the event the closing of the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred prior to such date.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

4


Very truly yours,

 

Name of Stockholder (Print exact name)
By:  

 

  Signature
If signing on behalf of an entity:

 

Name of Authorized Signatory (Print)

 

Title of Authorized Signatory (Print)
EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

LOGO

 

August 14, 2020

  LOGO

Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

200 Sidney Street – 4th Floor

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

 

  Re:

Registration Statement No. 333-244401; 12,075,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Seres Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of up to 12,075,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), including up to 1,575,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares (the “Shares”). The 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 August 11, 2020 (Registration No. 333–244401) (the “Registration Statement”), and are being offered pursuant to a base prospectus dated August 11, 2020 (the “Base Prospectus”) and a prospectus supplement dated August 12, 2020 filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). 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 the Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the 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 General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer


August 14, 2020

Page 2

 

agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers, and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the form of underwriting agreement most recently filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, 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 Delaware General Corporation Law.

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 Form 8-K dated August 12, 2020, 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.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

EX-5.2

Exhibit 5.2

 

 

LOGO

 

August 14, 2020

  LOGO

Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

200 Sidney Street – 4th Floor

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (333-237033); 959,002 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Seres Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of up to 959,002 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock of the Company, $0.001 par value per share (the “Commons Stock”). The 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 March 9, 2020 (Registration No. 333-237033) (the “Registration Statement”), and are being offered pursuant to a base prospectus dated March 18, 2020 (the “Base Prospectus”) and a prospectus supplement dated August 12, 2020 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Shares are being sold pursuant to a securities purchase agreement dated August 12, 2020 by and among the Company and the investors party thereto (the “Securities 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 the Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the 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 Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, 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 purchasers, and have been issued by


August 14, 2020

Page 2

 

the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the Securities 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.

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 Form 8-K dated August 12, 2020, 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.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Copy

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of August 12, 2020 by and between Seres Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., a société anonyme organized under the laws of Switzerland (the “Investor”).

RECITALS

A. The Investor wishes to purchase from the Company, and the Company wishes to sell and issue to the Investor, upon the terms and subject to the conditions stated in this Agreement, shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”);

B. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, an automatic registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237033) (the “Registration Statement”); and

C. The Company intends to offer, issue and sell shares of Common Stock in an offering to the public (the “Public Offering”), and the Company and the Investor will consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement concurrently with, and contingent upon, a portion of the Public Offering.

In consideration of the mutual promises made herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Definitions. For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is controlled by, or is under common Control with, such Person.

Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

Control” (including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” or “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

HSR” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.


HSR Clearance” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

HSR Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

HSR Filings” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.

HSR Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

Initial Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

Initial Closing Number” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (i) the assets, liabilities, results of operations, financial condition or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) the legality or enforceability of any of this Agreement or (iii) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that in no event shall any of the following occurring after the date hereof, alone or in combination, be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred: (i) any change in the Company’s stock price or trading volume, or (ii) any effect caused by the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the identity of any Investor or any of its Affiliates as the purchaser in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Material Contract” means any contract, instrument or other agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound which is material to the business of the Company, including those that have been filed as an exhibit to the SEC Filings pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K.

Nasdaq” means The Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, business trust, association, joint stock company, joint venture, sole proprietorship, unincorporated organization, governmental authority or any other form of entity not specifically listed herein.

Public Offering” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Purchase Price” means 97% of the price per share to the public of the shares of Common Stock sold in the Public Offering.

Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

SEC Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6.

SEC Filings” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.

Shares” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

2


Subscription Amount” means, as to the Investor, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Shares purchased hereunder by the Investor in U.S. Dollars and in immediately available funds.

Subsidiaries” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

Total Share Number” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

1933 Act” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

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

2. Purchase and Sale of the Shares. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell, and the Investor agrees to purchase and sell the number of Shares equal to the result obtained by dividing $20.0 million by the Purchase Price, rounded down to the nearest whole share of Common Stock, at a price per share equal to the Purchase Price.

3. Closing.

3.1. The initial closing of the purchase and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement (the “Initial Closing”) shall occur on the second business day following the closing of the Public Offering. The subsequent closing of the purchase and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement (the “HSR Closing” and, together with the Initial Closing, the “Closings”) shall occur on the second business day following the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act relating to the sale of such Shares to be sold in the HSR Closing (the “HSR Clearance”); provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent that the underwriters in the Public Offering exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option”), and the Investor could purchase an incremental number of Shares on the closing date for the Option without HSR Clearance that together with the Initial Closing Number would equal the Total Share Number, then the HSR Closing shall occur on the closing date of the Option.

3.2. In the Closings, the Investor shall collectively purchase a number of Shares equal to $20.0 million divided by the Purchase Price (such quotient, the “Total Share Number”). At the Initial Closing, the Investor shall purchase, and the Company shall issue and sell, the maximum number of Shares (not greater than the Total Share Number) that may be purchased by the Investor without requiring HSR Clearance (such number of shares, the “Initial Closing Number”) for a price per share equal to the Purchase Price, which shall be paid by the Investor by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to wire instructions delivered to the Investor by the Company; provided that the aggregate portion of the Purchase Price to be paid by Investor at the Initial Closing shall not exceed $16.0 million. At the HSR Closing, the Investor shall purchase, and the Company shall issue and sell, a number of Shares equal to the Total Share Number less the Initial Closing Number (the “HSR Shares”), for a price per share equal to the Purchase Price, which shall be paid by the Investor by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to wire instructions delivered to the Investor by the Company. In the event that the Investor determines in its reasonable discretion that it is unable to acquire any Shares at the Initial Closing without first obtaining HSR Clearance, it shall pay the entire Purchase Price at the HSR Closing, and the Total Share Number will be issued to it at that HSR Closing.

 

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3.3. At the Initial Closing and the HSR Closing, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Investor the Shares to be purchased by the Investor at the applicable closing. The Shares shall be issued in book entry form or, upon request by the Investor, certificated form.

4. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Investor that, except as otherwise described in the Company’s filings pursuant to the 1934 Act (collectively, the “SEC Filings”), which qualify these representations and warranties in their entirety, as of the date hereof:

4.1. Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. The Company is an entity duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with the requisite corporate power and authority to own or lease and use its properties and assets, to execute and deliver this Agreement, to carry out the provisions of this Agreement, to issue and sell the Shares and to carry on its business as presently conducted as described in the SEC Filings. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K in an exhibit to its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “Subsidiaries”) is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, as applicable, and has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business and to own and use its properties. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation or default in any material respect of any of the provisions of its respective articles of association, charter, certificate of incorporation, bylaws, limited partnership agreement or other organizational or constitutive documents. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent any failure to so qualify has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.2. Authorization. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority and has taken all requisite corporate action necessary for, and no further action on the part of the Company, its officers, directors and stockholders is necessary for, (i) the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement, (ii) the authorization of the performance of all obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, and (iii) the authorization, issuance and delivery of the Shares. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Investor, constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except (a) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights, (b) general principles of equity that restrict the availability of equitable remedies and (c) to the extent that the enforceability of indemnification provisions may be limited by applicable laws.

 

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4.3. Valid Issuance. The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and paid for pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and shall be free and clear of all security interests, liens, other encumbrances and restrictions (other than those created by the Investor), except for restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement or imposed by applicable securities laws.

4.4. Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the offer, issuance and sale of the Shares require no consent of, action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Person, governmental body, agency, or official other than filings that have been made pursuant to applicable state securities laws and post-sale filings pursuant to applicable state and federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of Nasdaq, which the Company undertakes to file within the applicable time periods and the filings contemplated by Section 7 and the HSR Clearance.

4.5. No Conflict, Breach, Violation or Default. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the issuance and sale of the Shares in accordance with the provisions thereof will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of (a) any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Amended and Restated Bylaws, both as in effect on the date hereof (true and complete copies of which have been made available to the Investors through the EDGAR system), or (b) assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties in Section 5, any applicable statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any of their assets or properties, 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, encumbrance or other adverse claim upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any Material Contract except, in the case of clauses (i)(b) and (ii) only, for such conflicts, breaches, violations and defaults as have not and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.6. SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has filed in a timely manner all documents that the Company was required to file with the SEC under Sections 13, 14(a) and 15(d) of the 1934 Act, since becoming subject to the requirements of the 1934 Act. As of their respective filing dates (or, if amended prior to the date of this Agreement, when amended), all documents filed by the Company with the SEC (the “SEC Documents”) complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder. None of the SEC Documents as of their respective dates contained any untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”) present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company on a consolidated basis as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1934 Act and have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein).

 

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4.7. Compliance with Nasdaq Continued Listing Requirements. The Company is in compliance with applicable Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC continued listing requirements. There are no proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company relating to the continued listing of the Common Stock on Nasdaq and the Company has not received any notice of, nor to the Company’s knowledge is there any reasonable basis for, the delisting of the Common Stock from Nasdaq.

4.8. Capitalization. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and none of such shares were issued in violation of any pre-emptive rights and such shares were issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable state and federal securities law and any rights of third parties. Except as described in the SEC Filings, no Person is entitled to pre-emptive or similar statutory or contractual rights with respect to the issuance by the Company of any securities of the Company. Except as described in the SEC Filings, there are no outstanding warrants, options, convertible securities or other rights, agreements or arrangements of any character under which the Company is or may be obligated to issue any equity securities of any kind and except as contemplated by this Agreement and by the Public Offering.

5. Representations and Warranties of the Investor. The Investor hereby represents and warrants to the Company that:

5.1. Organization and Existence. The Investor is a validly existing société anonyme, organized under the laws of Switzerland and has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and to invest in the Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

5.2. Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by such Investor of this Agreement to which such Investor is a party have been duly authorized and each has been duly executed and when delivered will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Investor, enforceable against such Investor in accordance with their respective 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.

5.3. No Government Recommendation or Approval. Such Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency, or similar agency of any other country, has reviewed, approved, passed upon, or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Company or the purchase of the Shares.

5.4. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Investor of this Agreement and the consummation by such Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Investor or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment,

 

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acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Investor is a party, or (iii) assuming HSR Clearance, result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Investor, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Investor to perform its obligations hereunder.

6. Conditions to Closing.

6.1. Conditions to the Investor’s Obligations to Initial Closing. The obligation of the Investor to purchase Shares at the Initial Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Investor’s satisfaction of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by the Investor:

(a) The Public Offering shall have closed or will close concurrently with the Initial Closing.

(b) The Shares to be purchased by the Investor in the Initial Closing shall have been registered under the Registration Statement.

(c) The representations and warranties made by the Company in Section 4 hereof shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Initial Closing, except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. The Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations and covenants herein required to be performed by it on or prior to the Initial Closing.

(d) The Company shall have obtained any and all consents, permits, approvals, registrations and waivers necessary for consummation of the purchase and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, all of which shall be in full force and effect.

(e) No judgment, writ, order, injunction, award or decree of or by any court, or judge, justice or magistrate, including any bankruptcy court or judge, or any order of or by any governmental authority, shall have been issued, and no action or proceeding shall have been instituted by any governmental authority, enjoining or preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(f) No stop order or suspension of trading shall have been imposed by Nasdaq, the SEC or any other governmental or regulatory body with respect to public trading in the Common Stock.

6.2. Conditions to the Investor’s Obligations to HSR Closing. The obligation of the Investor to purchase Shares at the HSR Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Investor’s satisfaction of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by the Investor:

(a) The HSR Clearance shall have occurred.

 

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(b) The Shares to be purchased by the Investor in the HSR Closing shall have been registered under the Registration Statement.

(c) The representations and warranties made by the Company in Section 4 hereof shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the HSR Closing, except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. The Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations and covenants herein required to be performed by it on or prior to the HSR Closing.

(d) The Company shall have obtained any and all consents, permits, approvals, registrations and waivers necessary for consummation of the purchase and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, all of which shall be in full force and effect.

(e) No judgment, writ, order, injunction, award or decree of or by any court, or judge, justice or magistrate, including any bankruptcy court or judge, or any order of or by any governmental authority, shall have been issued, and no action or proceeding shall have been instituted by any governmental authority, enjoining or preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(f) No stop order or suspension of trading shall have been imposed by Nasdaq, the SEC or any other governmental or regulatory body with respect to public trading in the Common Stock.

6.3. Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The Company’s obligation to sell and issue Shares at each Closing is subject to the fulfillment to the satisfaction of the Company on or prior to the applicable Closing of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by the Company:

(a) The Public Offering shall have closed or will close concurrently with the Closing.

(b) The representations and warranties made by the Investors in Section 5 hereof shall be true and correct in all material respects when made, and shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the applicable Closing with the same force and effect as if they had been made on and as of said date. The Investors shall have performed in all material respects all obligations and covenants herein required to be performed by them on or prior to the applicable Closing.

(c) The Investor shall have paid in full its Subscription Amount to the Company for the Shares to be purchased by the Investor as such Closing.

6.4. Termination of Obligations to Effect Closing; Effects.

(a) The obligations of the Company, on the one hand, and the Investor, on the other hand, under this Agreement shall terminate as follows:

 

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(i) On September 1, 2020, if the Public Offering has not closed by such date;

(ii) If the HSR Clearance has not occurred within 90 days of submission of the HSR Filings;

(iii) Upon the mutual written consent of the Company and Investor;

(iv) By the Company if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.2 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Company; or

(v) By the Investor if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Investor;

provided, however, that, except in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv) above, the party seeking to terminate its obligation to effect a Closing shall not then be in breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement if such breach has resulted in the circumstances giving rise to such party’s seeking to terminate its obligation to effect such Closing.

(b) Nothing in this Section 6.3 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any breach by such party of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement.

7. HSR Filing. The Company and the Investor shall cooperate with each other and use their reasonable best efforts to make, as soon as reasonably practical after the date hereof but no later than five (5) business days following the date of this Agreement, all necessary filings and submissions that may be required (the “HSR Filings”) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”). Each of the parties hereto agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to furnish or cause to be furnished, as promptly as practicable, all information and documents requested with respect to the HSR Act and shall otherwise cooperate with the applicable governmental body in order to comply with the HSR Act. Each of the parties hereto shall consult, subject to applicable law and redaction where necessary, and share drafts of any filings or substantive communications, a reasonable period of time in advance with respect to and consider in good faith the comments and views of the other party in connection with any filing, communication, defense, litigation, negotiation or strategy and any final decisions with respect thereto in each case relating to the HSR Act or any antitrust or unfair competition law regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby, to the extent reasonably practicable and to the extent permitted by applicable law, and shall give the other party and its representatives a reasonable advance opportunity to attend and participate in any substantive in-person or telephonic meeting or conference with any governmental authority or, in connection with any litigation by a private party, relating to the HSR Act or any antitrust or unfair competition law regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby, and shall provide concurrent copies to the other party of any substantive material written communications or filings with respect thereto. Each of the parties hereto shall use reasonable commercial efforts to resolve such objections, if any, as any governmental body may assert with respect to this Agreement and the transactions

 

9


contemplated hereby in connection with the HSR Act or any antitrust or unfair competition law. Subject to applicable laws and redaction where necessary, each party shall, upon request by any other party, furnish the other parties with all information concerning itself, its subsidiaries, directors, officers and stockholders and such other matters as may reasonably be necessary or advisable in connection with any statement, filing, ruling request, notice or application made by or on behalf of the parties or any of their respective subsidiaries to any third party and/or any governmental body with respect to the HSR Act or any antitrust or unfair competition law. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 7 or this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Section 7 or this Agreement shall require, or be deemed to require, the Company or the Investor (a) to propose, negotiate, offer to, commit to or effect any sale, divestiture, or disposition of assets or businesses, or licenses, (b) to agree to hold separate any assets or agree to any similar arrangements or to commit to restrict the dominion or control of its business or to conduct its business in a specified manner or (c) to agree to any other remedy in order to secure the HSR Clearance.

8. Miscellaneous.

8.1. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by a party hereto without the prior written consent of the Company or the Investor, as applicable; provided, however, that the Investor may assign its rights and delegate its duties hereunder in whole or in part to an Affiliate without the prior written consent of the Company, provided such assignee agrees in writing to be bound by the provisions hereof that apply to the Investor. The provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective permitted successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

8.2. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

8.3. Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

8.4. Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon the earlier of actual receipt, or (a) personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent, if sent by electronic mail or facsimile during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not sent during normal business hours, then on the recipient’s next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) business day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, freight prepaid, specifying next business day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the respective parties at their address as set forth below, or to such e-mail address, facsimile number or address as subsequently modified by written notice given in accordance with this Section 8.4.

 

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If to the Company:

Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

200 Sidney Street – 4th Floor

Cambridge, MA 20139

Attention: General Counsel

Email: tdesrosier@serestherapeutics.com

With a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

200 Clarendon Street

Boston, MA 02116

Facsimile: (617) 948-6001

Attention: Peter N. Handrinos; Wesley C. Holmes

If to the Investor:

to the contact information set forth on the signature pages hereto.

8.5. Expenses. The parties hereto shall pay their own costs and expenses in connection herewith regardless of whether the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated.

8.6. Amendments and Waivers. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company and the Investor.

8.7. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof but shall be interpreted as if it were written so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the parties hereby waive any provision of law which renders any provision hereof prohibited or unenforceable in any respect.

8.8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including the signature pages hereto, constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereof with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

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8.9. Further Assurances. The parties shall execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents and take all such other actions as may reasonably be required to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and to evidence the fulfillment of the agreements herein contained.

8.10. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the choice of law principles thereof (other than Sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the General Obligations Law) that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in New York County and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on each party hereto anywhere in the world by the same methods as are specified for the giving of notices under this Agreement, or in the case of the Investor, by serving the registered agent of Nestlé USA, Inc. in the state of Delaware. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit, action or proceeding and to the laying of venue in such court. Each party hereto irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT AND REPRESENTS THAT COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSULTED SPECIFICALLY AS TO THIS WAIVER.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

COMPANY:

SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Eric D. Shaff

 

Name:

 

Eric D. Shaff

 

Title:

 

President and Chief Executive

Officer

[Seres Therapeutics, Inc. – Securities Purchase Agreement – Signature Page]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

INVESTOR:

SOCIÉTÉ DES PRODUITS NESTLÉ S.A.

By:  

/s/ Claudio Kuoni

  Name:  

Claudio Kuoni

  Title:  

General Counsel

 

   

Investor Information

         
  Entity Name:    Société des Produits Nestle S.A.   
  Contact Person:    Claudio Kuoni   
  Address:    Avenue Nestlé 55   
  City:    Vevey   
  Country:    Switzerland   
  Zip Code:    1800   
  Telephone:    +41 21 924 4228   
  Facsimile:      
  Email:    Claudio.kuoni@nestle.com   
  Tax ID # or Social Security #:    Not Applicable   
  Name in which Shares should be issued:    Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.   

[Seres Therapeutics, Inc. – Securities Purchase Agreement – Signature Page]