Exhibit


Exhibit 10.16




 STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT 
GLOBAL 


ACUCELA INC. 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 


You have been granted an Option by Acucela Inc. (the "Company") under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") to purchase Shares (the "Option"), subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the "Notice") and this Stock Option Agreement (the "Agreement"). Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement or the Notice, any capitalized terms used herein will have the meaning ascribed to them in Plan.
 
1.     Grant of Option.  You have been granted an Option for the number of Shares set forth in the Notice at the exercise price per Share in U.S. Dollars set forth in the Notice (the exercise price). In the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail. If designated in the Notice as an Incentive Stock Option (ISO), this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code. However, if this Option is intended to be an ISO, to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section 422(d) it shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option (NSO). 


2.     Termination Period


(a)     General Rule. If your Service terminates for any reason except death or Disability, and other than for Cause, then this Option will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date three months after your termination date. If your Service is terminated for Cause, this Option will expire upon the date of such termination. The Company determines when your Service terminates for all purposes under this Agreement. 


(b)     Death; Disability. If you die before your Service terminates, then this Option will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date 12 months after the date of death. If your Service terminates because of your Disability, then this Option will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date 12 months after your termination date. 


(c)     No Notice. You are responsible for keeping track of these exercise periods following your termination of Service for any reason. The Company will not provide further notice of such periods. In no event shall this Option be exercised later than the Expiration Date set forth in the Notice. 


(d)     Termination. For purposes of this Option, your Service will be considered terminated as of the date you are no longer providing services to the Company, its Parent or one of its Subsidiaries (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any)(the Termination Date). The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when you are no longer actively providing services for purposes of your Option (including whether you may still be considered to be providing services while on an approved leave of absence). Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement or determined by the Company, your right to vest in this Option under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of the Termination Date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., your period of services would not include any contractual notice period or any period of garden leave or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any). Following the Termination Date, you may exercise the Option only as set forth in the Notice and this Section, provided that the period (if any) during which you may exercise the Option after the Termination Date, if any, will commence on the date you cease to provide services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or terms of your employment agreement, if any. If you do not exercise this Option within the Termination Period set forth in the Notice or the termination periods set forth below, the Option shall terminate in its entirety. In no event, may any Option be exercised after the Expiration Date of the Option as set forth in the Notice. 







Exhibit 10.16




3.     Exercise of Option


(a)     Right to Exercise.   This Option is exercisable during its term in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Notice and the applicable provisions of the Plan and this Agreement. In the event of your death, Disability, or other cessation of Service, the exercisability of the Option is governed by the applicable provisions of the Plan, the Notice and this Agreement. This Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. 


(b)     Method of Exercise.  This Option is exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice in a form specified by the Company (the Exercise Notice), which shall state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the Exercised Shares), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise Notice shall be delivered in person, by mail, via electronic mail or facsimile or by other authorized method to the Secretary of the Company or other person designated by the Company. The Exercise Notice shall be accompanied by payment of the aggregate exercise price as to all Exercised Shares together with any Tax Related Items (as defined in Section 7 below). This Option shall be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of a fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate exercise price and any applicable tax withholding due upon exercise of the Option. No Shares will be issued pursuant to the exercise of this Option unless such issuance and exercise complies with all relevant provisions of law and the requirements of any stock exchange or quotation service upon which the Shares are then listed. Assuming such compliance, for income tax purposes the Exercised Shares will be considered transferred to you on the date the Option is exercised with respect to such Exercised Shares. 


(c)     Exercise by Another.  If another person wants to exercise this Option after it has been transferred to him or her, that person must prove to the Company’s satisfaction that he or she is entitled to exercise this Option. That person must also complete the proper Exercise Notice form (as described above) and pay the exercise price (as described below) and any applicable tax withholding due upon exercise of the Option (as described below). 


4.     Method of Payment     Payment of the aggregate exercise price shall be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at your election: 


(a)     your personal check, wire transfer, or a cashier’s check;     


(b)     certificates for shares of Company stock that you own, along with any forms needed to effect a transfer of those shares to the Company; the value of the shares, determined as of the effective date of the Option exercise, will be applied to the Option exercise price. Instead of surrendering shares of Company stock, you may attest to the ownership of those shares on a form provided by the Company and have the same number of shares subtracted from the Option shares issued to you. However, you may not surrender, or attest to the ownership of, shares of Company stock in payment of the exercise price of your Option if your action would cause the Company to recognize compensation expense (or additional compensation expense) with respect to this Option for financial reporting purposes; 


(c)     cashless exercise through irrevocable directions to a securities broker approved by the Company to sell all or part of the Shares covered by this Option and to deliver to the Company from the sale proceeds an amount sufficient to pay the Option exercise price and any withholding taxes. The balance of the sale proceeds, if any, will be delivered to you. The directions must be given by signing a special notice of exercise form provided by the Company; or 


(d)     other method authorized by the Company. 


5.     Non-Transferability of Option.   In general, except as provided below, only you may exercise this Option prior to your death. You may not transfer or assign this Option, except as provided below. For instance, you may not sell this Option or use it as security for a loan. If you attempt to do any of these things, this Option will immediately become invalid. You may, however, dispose of this Option in your will or in a beneficiary designation. 





Exhibit 10.16


However, if this Option is designated as a NSO in the Notice, then the Committee may, in its sole discretion, allow you to transfer this Option as a gift to one or more family members. For purposes of this Agreement, family member means a child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in- law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law (including adoptive relationships), any individual sharing your household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which one or more of these individuals have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which you or one or more of these persons control the management of assets, and any entity in which you or one or more of these persons own more than 50% of the voting interest. In addition, if this Option is designated as a NSO in the Notice, then the Committee may, in its sole discretion, allow you to transfer this Option to your spouse or former spouse pursuant to a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights. The Committee will allow you to transfer this Option only if both you and the transferee(s) execute the forms prescribed by the Committee, which include the consent of the transferee(s) to be bound by this Agreement. This Option may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, or otherwise disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution or court order and may be exercised during the lifetime of you only by you, your guardian, or legal representative, as permitted in the Plan. The terms of the Plan and this Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, heirs, successors and assigns of you. 


6.     Term of Option.  This Option shall in any event expire on the expiration date set forth in the Notice, which date is 10 years after the Date of Grant (five years after the grant date if this Option is designated as an ISO in the Notice and Section 5.3 of the Plan applies). 


7.     Tax Consequences.  You should consult a tax advisor for tax consequences relating to this Option in the jurisdiction in which you are subject to tax. You acknowledge that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, your employer (the Employer) the ultimate liability for all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (Tax-Related Items), is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. You further acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (a) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends; and (b) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction. YOU SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED IN THE COUNTRY OR COUNTRIES IN WHICH YOU RESIDE OR ARE SUBJECT TO TAXATION BEFORE EXERCISING THE OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES. 


8.     Withholding Taxes and Stock Withholding. 


(a)     Exercising the Option.  Regardless of any action the Company or the Employertakes with respect to any or all Tax Related Items, you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by you is and remains your responsibility and that the Company and/or the Employer (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Option grant, including the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items. 


Prior to exercise of the Option, you shall pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all withholding and payment on account obligations of the Company and/or the Employer. In this regard, you authorize the Company and/or the Employer to withhold all applicable Tax-Related Items legally payable by you from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Employer. 





Exhibit 10.16


With the Company’s consent, these arrangements may also include, if permissible under local law, (i) withholding Shares that otherwise would be issued to you when you exercise this Option, provided that the Company only withholds the amount of Shares necessary to satisfy the minimum statutory withholding amount, (ii) having the Company withhold taxes from the proceeds of the sale of the Shares, either through a voluntary sale or through a mandatory sale arranged by the Company (on your behalf pursuant to this authorization), or (iii) any other arrangement approved by the Company.The Fair Market Value of these Shares, determined as of the effective date of the Option exercise, will be applied as a credit against the withholding taxes. Finally, you shall pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold as a result of your participation in the Plan or your purchase of Shares that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver the Shares if you fail to comply with your obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items as described in this Section. 


Depending on the withholding method, the Company may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum statutory withholding amounts or other applicable withholding rates, including maximum applicable rates, in which case you will receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash and will have no entitlement to the Common Stock equivalent. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding in Shares, for tax purposes, you are deemed to have been issued the full member of Shares issued upon exercise of the Options; notwithstanding that a member of the Shares are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items. The Fair Market Value of these Shares, determined as of the effective date of the Option exercise, will be applied as a credit against the Tax-Related Items withholding. 


(b)     Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares.   For U.S. taxpayers, if you sell or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to an ISO on or before the later of (i) two years after the grant date, or (ii) one year after the exercise date, you will immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. You agree that you may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized from such early disposition of ISO Shares by payment in cash or out of the current earnings paid to the Company. 


9.     Acknowledgment.   The Company and you agree that the Option is granted under and governed by the Notice, this Agreement and by the provisions of the Plan (incorporated herein by reference). You: (a) acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Plan and the Plan prospectus, (b) represent that you have carefully read and is familiar with their provisions, and (c) hereby accept the Option subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth herein and those set forth in the Plan and the Notice. You hereby agree to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Committee upon any questions relating to the Plan, the Notice and the Agreement. 


10.     Appendix.    Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement, the Option grant shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the Appendix to this Agreement for your country (the Appendix) set forth as an attachment to this Agreement. Moreover, if you relocate to one of the countries included in the Appendix, the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to you, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Appendix constitutes part of this Agreement.


11.    Consent to Electronic Delivery of All Plan Documents and Disclosures; Language. 
By your acceptance of this Option, you consent to the electronic delivery of the Notice, this Agreement, the Plan, account statements, Plan prospectuses required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. financial reports of the Company, and all other documents that the Company is required to deliver to its security holders (including, without limitation, annual reports and proxy statements) or other communications or information related to the Option. Electronic delivery may include the delivery of a link to a Company intranet or the internet site of a third party involved in administering the Plan, the delivery of the document via e-mail or such other delivery determined at the Company’s discretion. You acknowledge that you may receive from the Company a paper copy of any documents delivered electronically at no cost if you contact the Company by telephone, through a postal service or electronic mail at shareinfo@acucela.com. You further acknowledge that you will be provided with a paper copy of any documents delivered electronically if electronic delivery fails; similarly, you understand that you must provide 





Exhibit 10.16


on request to the Company or any designated third party a paper copy of any documents delivered electronically if electronic delivery fails. Also, you understand that your consent may be revoked or changed, including any change in the electronic mail address to which documents are delivered (if you have provided an electronic mail address), at any time by notifying the Company of such revised or revoked consent by telephone, postal service or electronic mail at shareinfo@acucela.com. Finally, you understand that you are not required to consent to electronic delivery. To the extent you have been provided with a copy of this Agreement, Plan prospectuses required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other documents relating to the grant in a language other than English, the English language documents will prevail in case of any ambiguities or divergences as a result of translation. 


12.     Compliance with Laws and Regulations. The Company will not permit anyone to exercise this Option if the issuance of shares at that time would violate any law or regulation, including without limitation all applicable state, federal and foreign laws and regulations and all applicable requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Company’s Common Stock may be listed or quoted at the time of such issuance. 


13.     Imposition of Other Requirements.  The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on your participation in the Plan, on the Option and on any Shares purchased upon exercise of the Option, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. 


14.     No Rights as Employee, Director or Consultant.  Nothing in this Agreement shall affect in any manner whatsoever the right or power of the Company, or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, to terminate your Service, for any reason, with or without cause. 
    
15.     Adjustment.  In the event of a stock split, a stock dividend or a similar change in Company stock, the number of Shares covered by this Option and the exercise price per Share may be adjusted pursuant to the Plan. 
    
16.     Lock-Up Agreement.  In connection with the initial public offering of the Company’s securities and upon request of the Company or the underwriters managing any underwritten offering of the Company’s securities, you hereby agree not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any Option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company however and whenever acquired (other than those included in the registration) without the prior written consent of the Company or such underwriters, as the case may be, for such period of time (not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days) from the effective date of such registration as may be requested by the Company or such managing underwriters and to execute an agreement reflecting the foregoing as may be requested by the underwriters at the time of the public offering; provided however that, if during the last seventeen (17) days of the restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or prior to the expiration of the restricted period the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the sixteen (16)-day period beginning on the last day of the restricted period, then, upon the request of the managing underwriter, to the extent required by any FINRA rules, the restrictions imposed by this Section shall continue to apply until the end of the third trading day following the expiration of the fifteen (15)-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. In no event will the restricted period extend beyond two hundred sixteen (216) days after the effective date of the registration statement. 
    
17.     Data Privacy. 


(a)     You hereby explicitly and unambiguously consent to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of your personal data as described in this Agreement and any other Option grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer, the Company and its Parent, and Subsidiaries for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan (Data). 


(b)     You understand that the Company and the Employer may hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance 





Exhibit 10.16


number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares of stock or directorships held in the Company, details of all Options or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor, for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan. 


(c)     You understand that Data may be transferred to a Company-designated Plan broker or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. You understand that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipient’s country (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than your country. You understand that you may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting your local human resources representative. You authorize the Company, its designated Plan broker and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purposes of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan. You understand that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the Plan. You understand that you may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing your local human resources representative. Further, you understand that you are providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If you do not consent, or if you later seek to revoke your consent, your employment status or service and career with the Employer will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing your consent is that the Company would not be able to grant you options or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, you understand that refusing or withdrawing your consent may affect your ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of your refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, you understand that you may contact your local human resources representative. 


18.     Nature of Grant.  In accepting the Option, you acknowledge, understand and agree that: 


(a)     the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature, and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, to the extent permitted by the Plan or applicable law; 


(b)     the grant of the Option is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted in the past; 


(c)     all decisions with respect to future Option or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company; 


(d)     the Option grant and your participation in the Plan shall not create a right to employment or be interpreted as forming an employment or service contract with the Company, the Employer or any Parent, or Subsidiary, and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company, the Employer or any Parent, or Subsidiary, as applicable, to terminate Your employment or service relationship (if any); 


(e)     you are voluntarily participating in the Plan; 


(f)     the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation; 


(g)     the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments; 







Exhibit 10.16


(h)     the future value of the Shares underlying the Option is unknown, indeterminable, and cannot be predicted with certainty; 


(i)     if the underlying Shares do not increase in value, the Option will have no value; 


(j)     if you exercise the Option and acquire Shares, the value of such Shares may increase or decrease in value, even below the exercise price; 


(k)     no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Option resulting from you ceasing to provide employment or other services to the Company or the Employer (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or the terms of your employment agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Option to which you are otherwise not entitled, you irrevocably agree never to institute any claim against the Company, its Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or the Employer, waive your ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and release the Company, its Parent, Subsidiaries and the Employer from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, you shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agree to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim; 


(l)     unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Option and the benefits evidenced by this Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Option or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; 


(m)     the Option and the Shares subject to the Option are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose; and 


(n)     you acknowledge and agree that neither the Company, the Employer nor any Parent, or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Option or of any amounts due to you pursuant to the exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon exercise. 


19.     Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Plan and the Notice constitute the entire agreement and understanding of the parties relating to the subject matter herein and supersede all prior discussions between them. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations concerning the purchase of the Shares hereunder are superseded. No modification of or amendment to this Option Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Option Agreement, will be effective unless in writing and signed by the parties to this Option Agreement. The failure by either party to enforce any rights under this Option Agreement will not be construed as a waiver of any rights of such party. 


20.     Governing Law; Venue; Severability. If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, the parties agree to renegotiate such provision in good faith. In the event that the parties cannot reach a mutually agreeable and enforceable replacement for such provision, then (a) such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement, (b) the balance of this Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and (c) the balance of this Agreement shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms. This Agreement and all acts and transactions pursuant hereto and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law. Any and all disputes relating to, concerning or arising from this Option Agreement, or relating to, concerning or arising from the relationship between the parties evidenced by the Plan or this Option Agreement, will be brought and heard exclusively in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Each of the parties hereby represents and agrees that such party is subject to the personal jurisdiction of said courts; hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts in any legal or equitable proceedings related to, concerning or arising from such dispute, and waives, to the fullest 





Exhibit 10.16


extent permitted by law, any objection which such party may now or hereafter have that the laying of the venue of any legal or equitable proceedings related to, concerning or arising from such dispute which is brought in such courts is improper or that such proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient forum. 


BY ACCEPTING THIS OPTION, YOU AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN THE PLAN.