Form of Stock Option Agreement



 Exhibit 10.3 
 VOLCANO CORPORATION 
 AMENDED AND RESTATED 
 2005 EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN 
 OPTION AGREEMENT 
 (INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION OR NONSTATUTORY STOCK
OPTION) 
 Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice (“Grant Notice”) and this
Option Agreement, Volcano Corporation (the “Company”) has granted you an option under its Amended and Restated 2005 Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase the number of shares of the
Company’s Common Stock indicated in your Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice. Defined terms not explicitly defined in this Option Agreement but defined in the Plan shall have the same definitions as in the Plan.

 The details of your option are as follows: 
 1.     VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your option will vest as provided in your Grant Notice, provided that vesting will cease upon
the termination of your Continuous Service. 
 2.     NUMBER OF
SHARES AND EXERCISE PRICE. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share referenced in your Grant Notice may be adjusted from time to
time for Capitalization Adjustments. 
 3.     EXERCISE RESTRICTION
FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES. In the event that you are an Employee eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (i.e., a
“Non-Exempt Employee”), you may not exercise your option until you have completed at least six (6) months of Continuous Service measured from the Date of Grant specified in your Grant Notice, notwithstanding any other
provision of your option. 
 4.     METHOD OF
PAYMENT. Payment of the exercise price is due in full upon exercise of all or any part of your option. You may elect to make payment of the exercise price in cash or by check or in any other manner permitted by your Grant
Notice, which may include one or more of the following: 
 (a) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common
Stock is publicly traded, pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of
irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds. 
 (b) Provided that
at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of already-owned shares of Common Stock that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security
interests, and that are valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. “Delivery” for these purposes, in the sole discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, shall

  

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include delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may not exercise your option
by tender to the Company of Common Stock to the extent such tender would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock. 
 (c) If the Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, subject to the consent of the Company at the time of exercise, by a
“net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate
exercise price; provided, however, that the Company shall accept a cash or other payment from you to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued;
provided further, however, that shares of Common Stock will no longer be outstanding under your option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that (1) shares are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net
exercise,” (2) shares are delivered to you as a result of such exercise, and (3) shares are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations. 
 5.     WHOLE SHARES. You may exercise your option only for whole shares of Common Stock. 
 6.     SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained herein, you may not exercise your option unless the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise are then registered under the Securities Act or, if such shares of Common Stock are not then so registered, the Company has
determined that such exercise and issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The exercise of your option also must comply with other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, and you may not
exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations. 
 7.     TERM. You may not exercise your option before the commencement of its term or after its term expires. The term of your option commences on the Date of Grant and expires upon the
earliest of the following: 
 (a) immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause; 
 (b) three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, Disability or death,
provided that if during any part of such three (3)-month period you may not exercise your option solely because of the condition set forth in the preceding paragraph relating to “Securities Law Compliance,” your option shall not expire
until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it shall have been exercisable for an aggregate period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service; 
 (c) twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability; 
  

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 (d) twelve (12) months after your death if you die either during your Continuous
Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than Cause; 
 (e)
the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or 
 (f) the day before the seventh (7th) anniversary of the
Date of Grant. 
 If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, note that, to obtain the federal income tax advantages associated
with an Incentive Stock Option, the Code requires that at all times beginning on the date of grant of your option and ending on the day three (3) months before the date of your option’s exercise, you must be an employee of the Company or
an Affiliate, except in the event of your death or Disability. The Company has provided for extended exercisability of your option under certain circumstances for your benefit but cannot guarantee that your option will necessarily be treated as an
Incentive Stock Option if you continue to provide services to the Company or an Affiliate as a Consultant or Director after your employment terminates or if you otherwise exercise your option more than three (3) months after the date your
employment terminates. 
  

	 	8.	EXERCISE. 

 (a) You may exercise the vested portion of your option (and the unvested portion of your option if your Grant Notice so permits) during its term by delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) together with
the exercise price to the Secretary of the Company, or to such other person as the Company may designate, during regular business hours, together with such additional documents as the Company may then require. 
 (b) By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter
into an arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax withholding obligation of the Company arising by reason of (1) the exercise of your option, (2) the lapse of any substantial risk of forfeiture to which the
shares of Common Stock are subject at the time of exercise, or (3) the disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise. 
 (c) If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, by exercising your option you agree that you will notify the Company in writing within fifteen (15) days after the date of any disposition of
any of the shares of the Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option that occurs within two (2) years after the date of your option grant or within one (1) year after such shares of Common Stock are transferred upon exercise of your
option. 
 9.     TRANSFERABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in this
Section 9, your option is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you. 
 (a)     Certain Trusts. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may transfer your option to a trust if you are considered to
be the sole beneficial owner (determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law) while the option is held in the trust, provided that you and the trustee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company.

  

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 (b)     Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written
permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your option pursuant to a domestic relations order that
contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this option with the Company prior to finalizing the domestic relations order to help ensure the
required information is contained within the domestic relations order. If this option is an Incentive Stock Option, this option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer. 
 (c)     Beneficiary Designation. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized
designee, you may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form provided by or otherwise satisfactory to the Company and any broker designated by the Company to effect option exercises, designate a third party who, in the event of your
death, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise this option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, your executor or administrator of your estate shall be entitled to
exercise this option and receive, on behalf of your estate, the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. 
 10.     OPTION NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT. Your option is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in your option shall be
deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your employment. In addition, nothing in your option shall obligate the
Company or an Affiliate, their respective stockholders, Boards of Directors, Officers or Employees to continue any relationship that you might have as a Director or Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate. 
  

	 	11.	WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS. 

 (a) At the time you exercise your option, in whole or in part, or at any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to
you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for (including by means of a “cashless exercise” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent permitted by the Company),
any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise of your option. 
 (b) Upon your request and subject to approval by the Company, in its sole discretion, and compliance with any applicable legal
conditions or restrictions, the Company may withhold from fully vested shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to you upon the exercise of your option a number of whole shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value, determined by the Company
as of the date of exercise, not in excess of the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lower amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting purposes). If the date of

  

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determination of any tax withholding obligation is deferred to a date later than the date of exercise of your option, share withholding pursuant to the preceding sentence shall not be permitted
unless you make a proper and timely election under Section 83(b) of the Code, covering the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise with respect to which such determination is otherwise deferred, to accelerate the
determination of such tax withholding obligation to the date of exercise of your option. Notwithstanding the filing of such election, shares of Common Stock shall be withheld solely from fully vested shares of Common Stock determined as of the date
of exercise of your option that are otherwise issuable to you upon such exercise. Any adverse consequences to you arising in connection with such share withholding procedure shall be your sole responsibility. 
 (c) You may not exercise your option unless the tax withholding obligations of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied.
Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your option when desired even though your option is vested, and the Company shall have no obligation to issue a certificate for such shares of Common Stock or release such shares of Common Stock from any
escrow provided for herein unless such obligations are satisfied. 
 12.     TAX
CONSEQUENCES. You hereby agree that the Company does not have a duty to design or administer the Plan or its other compensation programs in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities. You shall not make any claim
against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from your option or your other compensation. In particular, you acknowledge that this option is exempt from Section 409A of the
Code only if the exercise price per share specified in the Grant Notice is at least equal to the “fair market value” per share of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated
with the option. 
 13.     NOTICES. Any notices provided for in your option or
the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you
at the last address you provided to the Company. 
 14.     GOVERNING
PLAN DOCUMENT. Your option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and
regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control. 
  

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