nvus-ex45_320.htm



 

Exhibit 4.5

 

DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

The following description of our capital stock is intended as a summary only and therefore is not a complete description of our capital stock. This description is based upon, and is qualified by reference to, our certificate of incorporation, our by-laws and applicable provisions of Delaware corporate law. You should read our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, which are filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, to which this exhibit is also appended.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 200,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock. 

Common Stock

Annual Meeting. Annual meetings of our stockholders are held on the date designated in accordance with our by-laws. Written notice must be mailed to each stockholder entitled to vote not less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting. The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of a majority of our issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at such meeting constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders may be called for any purpose only by the board of directors, and business transacted at any special meetings of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of such meeting. Except as may be otherwise provided by applicable law, our restated certificate of incorporation or our by-laws, all elections shall be decided by a plurality, and all other questions shall be decided by a majority, of the votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote thereon at a duly held meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present.

Voting Rights. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders.

Dividends. The holders of common stock, after any preferences of holders of any preferred stock, are entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

Liquidation and Dissolution. If we are liquidated or dissolved, the holders of the common stock will be entitled to share in our assets available for distribution to stockholders in proportion to the amount of common stock they own. The amount available for common stockholders is calculated after payment of liabilities. Holders of any preferred stock may be entitled to receive a preferential share of our assets before the holders of the common stock receive any assets.

Other Rights. Holders of the common stock have no right to:


	
 
	
•
	
convert the stock into any other security;




 


	
 
	
•
	
have the stock redeemed;




 


	
 
	
•
	
purchase additional stock; or




 


	
 
	
•
	
maintain their proportionate ownership interest.




The common stock does not have cumulative voting rights. Holders of shares of the common stock are not required to make additional capital contributions.

Transfer Agent and Registrar. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is transfer agent and registrar for the common stock.

Preferred Stock

 



 

We are authorized to issue “blank check” preferred stock, which may be issued in one or more series upon authorization of our board of directors. Our board of directors is authorized to fix the designation of the series, the number of authorized shares of the series, dividend rights and terms, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights and terms, liquidation preferences and any other rights, powers, preferences and limitations applicable to each series of preferred stock. The authorized shares of our preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed. If the approval of our stockholders is not required for the issuance of shares of our preferred stock, our board may determine not to seek stockholder approval.

A series of our preferred stock could, depending on the terms of such series, impede the completion of a merger, tender offer or other takeover attempt. Our board of directors will make any determination to issue preferred shares based upon its judgment as to the best interests of our stockholders. Our directors, in so acting, could issue preferred stock having terms that could discourage an acquisition attempt through which an acquirer may be able to change the composition of our board of directors, including a tender offer or other transaction that some, or a majority, of our stockholders might believe to be in their best interests or in which stockholders might receive a premium for their stock over the then-current market price of the stock.

Series X and Series X1 Convertible Preferred Stock

Each share of Series X Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series X Preferred Stock”) and the Series X1 Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series X1 Preferred Stock,” and together with the Series X Preferred Stock, the “Convertible Preferred Stock”), is convertible into 55.5555556 shares of Common Stock at the option of the holder at any time; subject to certain limitations, including, that the holder will be prohibited from converting the Convertible Preferred Stock into Common Stock if, as a result of such conversion, the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own a number of shares of Common Stock above a conversion blocker, which is initially set at 9.99% or 9.9% of the total Common Stock then issued and outstanding immediately following the conversion of such shares of Series X Preferred Stock or Series X1 Preferred Stock, respectively. In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of the Convertible Preferred Stock will participate pari passu with any distribution of proceeds to holders of Common Stock. Holders of the Convertible Preferred Stock are entitled to receive dividends on shares of the Convertible Preferred Stock, on an as-if-converted-to-Common-Stock basis (without regard to any beneficial ownership limitations), and in the same form as dividends actually paid on shares of the Common Stock. Shares of the Convertible Preferred Stock will generally have no voting rights, except as required by law and except that the consent of a majority of the holders of either series of outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock will be required to amend the terms of the such series. 

As long as any shares of the Convertible Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Company will not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of either series of the Convertible Preferred Stock, as applicable, (a) alter or change adversely the powers, preferences or rights given to either series of the Convertible Preferred Stock, (b) alter or amend the Certificate of Designation for either series of the Convertible Preferred Stock (c) amend its certificate of incorporation or other charter documents in any manner that adversely affects any rights of the holders of either series of the Convertible Preferred Stock, (d) increase the number of authorized shares of either series of the Convertible Preferred Stock, or (e) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing. The Convertible Preferred Stock does not have a preference upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company.

Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws and Delaware Law That May Have Anti-Takeover Effects

Staggered Board; Removal of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws divide our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms. In addition, a director is only able to be removed for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the votes that all of our stockholders would be entitled to cast in an annual election of directors. Any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may only be filled by vote of a majority of our directors then in office. The classification of our board of 

 



 

directors and the limitations on the removal of directors and filling of vacancies could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, control of our company.

Stockholder Action by Written Consent; Special Meetings

Our certificate of incorporation provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders. Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws also provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of our stockholders can only be called by our board of directors.

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals

Our by-laws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting may only consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our board of directors or by a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has delivered timely written notice in proper form to our secretary of the stockholder’s intention to bring such business before the meeting. These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholder meeting stockholder actions that are favored by the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities.

Delaware Business Combination Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Subject to certain exceptions, Section 203 prevents a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for three years following the date that the person became an interested stockholder, unless the interested stockholder attained such status with the approval of our board of directors or unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger or consolidation involving us and the “interested stockholder” and the sale of more than 10% of our assets. In general, an “interested stockholder” is any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws

The Delaware General Corporation Law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our by-laws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the votes that all of our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the votes that all of our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors is required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our certificate of incorporation described above under “-Staggered Board; Removal of Directors” and “-Stockholder Action by Written Consent; Special Meetings.”