bioc-ex101_11.htm



Exhibit 10.1

 



 

April 25, 2016

 

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

 

 

Michael W. Nall

President & Chief Executive Officer

Biocept, Inc.
5810 Nancy Ridge Drive
San Diego, CA 92121

 

Dear Mr. Nall:

 

This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Biocept, Inc. (the “Company”) and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”) that Wainwright shall serve as the exclusive placement agent in an offering (the “Offering”) of securities of the Company (“Securities”) during the Term (as defined below) of this Agreement.   The terms of the Offering and the Securities issued in connection therewith shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and Wainwright and nothing herein implies that Wainwright would have the power or authority to bind the Company and nothing herein implies that the Company shall have an obligation to issue any Securities.  It is understood that Wainwright’s assistance in the Offering will be subject to the satisfactory completion of such investigation and inquiry into the affairs of the Company as Wainwright deems appropriate under the circumstances and to the receipt of all internal approvals of Wainwright in connection with the transaction.  The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Wainwright’s involvement in the Offering is strictly on a reasonable best efforts basis and that the consummation of the Offering will be subject to, among other things, market conditions.  The execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Wainwright to purchase the Securities and does not ensure a successful Offering of the Securities or the success of Wainwright with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company.  Wainwright may retain other brokers, dealers, agents or underwriters on its behalf in connection with an Offering.

 

A.Compensation; Reimbursement.  At the closing of the Offering (the “Closing”), the Company shall pay the following compensation:

 

1.Cash Fee.  The Company shall pay to Wainwright a cash fee equal to 7% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Offering multiplied by 80% (the “Wainwright Cash Fee”). In addition, the Company shall pay to ROTH Capital Partners, LLC a cash fee equal to 7% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Offering multiplied by 20% (the “Roth Cash Fee”), which shall be payable for advisory services to be provided to the Company in connection with the Offering.  

 

2.Expense Allowance.  Out of the proceeds of the Closing, the Company also agrees to pay Wainwright a non-accountable expense allowance equal to the greater of (i) 1 % of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Offering or (ii) $75,000 (provided, however, that such reimbursement amount in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement).  

 

3.Right of First Refusal.  If within the 6-month period following consummation of the Offering, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) decides to finance or refinance any indebtedness using a manager or agent, Wainwright (or any affiliate designated by Wainwright) shall have the right to act as exclusive lead manager, exclusive lead placement agent or exclusive lead agent with respect to such financing or refinancing; or (ii) decides to raise funds by means of a public offering or a private placement of equity or debt securities using an underwriter or placement agent, Wainwright (or any affiliate designated by Wainwright) shall have the right to act as underwriter or placement agent for such financing, as applicable, with a minimum economic allocation of 25% of all cash and non-cash compensation paid by the Company in such financing. 

 

B.Term and Termination of Engagement; Exclusivity.  The term of Wainwright’s exclusive engagement will begin on the date hereof and end 14 days after the date hereof (the “Term”).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary 



430 Park Avenue  |  New York, New York 10022  |  212.356.0500  |  www.hcwco.com

Member: FINRA/SIPC

 



 

contained herein, the Company agrees that the provisions relating to the payment of fees, reimbursement of expenses, indemnification and contribution, confidentiality, conflicts, independent contractor and waiver of the right to trial by jury will survive any termination of this Agreement.  During Wainwright’s engagement hereunder: (i) the Company will not, and will not permit its representatives to, other than in coordination with Wainwright, contact or solicit institutions, corporations or other entities or individuals as potential purchasers of the Securities and (ii) the Company will not pursue any financing transaction which would be in lieu of the Offering. Furthermore, the Company agrees that during Wainwright’s engagement hereunder, all inquiries, whether direct or indirect, from prospective investors will be referred to Wainwright and will be deemed to have been contacted by Wainwright in connection with the Offering. 

 

C.Information; Reliance.  The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Wainwright all information reasonably requested by Wainwright for the purpose of rendering services hereunder (all such information being the “Information”).  In addition, the Company agrees to make reasonably available to Wainwright upon request from time to time the officers, directors, accountants, counsel and other advisors of the Company. The Company recognizes and confirms that Wainwright (a) will use and rely on the Information, including any documents provided to investors in the Offering (the “Offering Documents” which shall include any Purchase Agreements (as defined below)), and on information publically disclosed by the Company in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same; (b) does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Offering Documents or the Information and such other publically disclosed information; and (c) will not make an appraisal of any of the assets or liabilities of the Company.  Upon reasonable request, the Company will meet with Wainwright or its representatives to discuss all information relevant for disclosure in the Offering Documents and will use commercially reasonably efforts to cooperate in any investigation undertaken by Wainwright thereof, including any document included or incorporated by reference therein.  At the Offering, at the request of Wainwright, the Company shall deliver such legal letters, comfort letters and officer’s certificates, all in form and substance satisfactory to Wainwright and its counsel, and the Company and its counsel, as is customary for such Offering.  Wainwright shall be a third party beneficiary of any representations, warranties, covenants and closing conditions made by the Company in any Offering Documents, including representations, warranties, covenants and closing conditions made to any investor in the Offering.

 

D.Related Agreements.  At the Offering, the Company shall enter into the following additional agreements:

 

1.Purchase Agreement.  The sale of Securities to the investors in the Offering will be evidenced by a purchase agreement (“Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and such investors in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and Wainwright.  Prior to the signing of any Purchase Agreement, officers of the Company with responsibility for financial affairs will be available to answer inquiries from prospective investors.

 

2.Escrow and Settlement.  The Company and Wainwright shall enter into an escrow agreement with a third party escrow agent, which may also be Wainwright’s clearing agent, pursuant to which the Wainwright Cash Fee, the Roth Cash Fee and expenses shall be paid from the gross proceeds of the Securities sold.  If the Offering is settled in whole or in part via delivery versus payment (“DVP”), Wainwright shall arrange for its clearing agent to provide the funds to facilitate such settlement. The Company shall bear the cost of the escrow agent and shall reimburse Wainwright for the actual out of pocket cost of such clearing agent settlement and financing, if any, in an amount not to exceed $10,000.

 

3.FINRA Amendments.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that Wainwright determines that any of the terms provided for hereunder shall not comply with a FINRA rule, including but not limited to FINRA Rule 5110, then the Company shall agree to amend this Agreement in writing upon the request of Wainwright to comply with any such rules; provided that any such amendments shall not provide for terms that are less favorable to the Company.

 

E.Confidentiality.  In the event of the consummation or public announcement of the Offering, Wainwright shall have the right to disclose its participation in the Offering, including, without limitation, the Offering at its cost of “tombstone” advertisements in financial and other newspapers and journals.

 

F.Indemnity.

 

1.In connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright as Offering agent, the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Wainwright and its affiliates, and the respective controlling persons, 

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directors, officers, members, shareholders, agents and employees of any of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnified Persons”), from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (including those of shareholders), damages, liabilities and expenses incurred by any of them (including the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel), as incurred, (collectively a “Claim”), that are (A) related to or arise out of (i) any actions taken or omitted to be taken (including any untrue statements made or any statements omitted to be made) by the Company, or (ii) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any Indemnified Person in connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright, or (B) otherwise relate to or arise out of Wainwright’s activities on the Company’s behalf under Wainwright’s engagement, and the Company shall reimburse any Indemnified Person for all expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel) as incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation in which any Indemnified Person is a party.  The Company will not, however, be responsible for any Claim that is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Wainwright or any other person seeking indemnification for such Claim.  The Company further agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability to the Company for or in connection with the Company’s engagement of Wainwright except for any Claim incurred by the Company as a result of Wainwright’s or such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. 

 

2.The Company further agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of Wainwright, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened Claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such Claim), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional, irrevocable release of each Indemnified Person from any and all liability arising out of such Claim.

 

3.Promptly upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of any complaint or the assertion or institution of any Claim with respect to which indemnification is being sought hereunder, such Indemnified Person shall notify the Company in writing of such complaint or of such assertion or institution but failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have hereunder, except and only to the extent such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses.  If the Company so elects or is requested by such Indemnified Person, the Company will assume the defense of such Claim, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person and the payment of the fees and expenses of such counsel. In the event, however, that legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably determines that having common counsel would present such counsel with a conflict of interest or if the defendant in, or target of, any such Claim, includes an Indemnified Person and the Company, and legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably concludes that there may be legal defenses available to it or other Indemnified Persons different from or in addition to those available to the Company, then such Indemnified Person may employ its own separate counsel to represent or defend him, her or it in any such Claim and the Company shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Company fails timely or diligently to defend, contest, or otherwise protect against any Claim, the relevant Indemnified Party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to defend, contest, compromise, settle, assert crossclaims, or counterclaims or otherwise protect against the same, and shall be fully indemnified by the Company therefor, including without limitation, for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of its counsel and all amounts paid as a result of such Claim or the compromise or settlement thereof.  In addition, with respect to any Claim in which the Company assumes the defense, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to participate in such Claim and to retain his, her or its own counsel therefor at his, her or its own expense.

 

4.The Company agrees that if any indemnity sought by an Indemnified Person hereunder is held by a court to be unavailable for any reason then (whether or not Wainwright is the Indemnified Person), the Company and Wainwright shall contribute to the Claim for which such indemnity is held unavailable in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Wainwright on the other, in connection with Wainwright’s engagement referred to above, subject to the limitation that in no event shall the amount of Wainwright’s contribution to such Claim exceed the amount of fees actually received by Wainwright from the Company pursuant to Wainwright’s engagement.  The Company hereby agrees that the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Wainwright on the other, with respect to Wainwright’s engagement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (a) the total value paid or proposed to be paid or received by the Company pursuant to the Offering (whether or not consummated) for which Wainwright is 

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engaged to render services bears to (b) the fee paid or proposed to be paid to Wainwright in connection with such engagement. 

 

5.The Company’s indemnity, reimbursement and contribution obligations under this Agreement (a) shall be in addition to, and shall in no way limit or otherwise adversely affect any rights that any Indemnified Party may have at law or at equity and (b) shall be effective whether or not the Company is at fault in any way.

 

G.Limitation of Engagement to the Company.  The Company acknowledges that Wainwright has been retained only by the Company, that Wainwright is providing services hereunder as an independent contractor (and not in any fiduciary or agency capacity) and that the Company’s engagement of Wainwright is not deemed to be on behalf of, and is not intended to confer rights upon, any shareholder, owner or partner of the Company or any other person not a party hereto as against Wainwright or any of its affiliates, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), employees or agents.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by Wainwright, no one other than the Company is authorized to rely upon this Agreement or any other statements or conduct of Wainwright, and no one other than the Company is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement.  The Company acknowledges that any recommendation or advice, written or oral, given by Wainwright to the Company in connection with Wainwright’s engagement is intended solely for the benefit and use of the Company’s management and directors in considering a possible Offering, and any such recommendation or advice is not on behalf of, and shall not confer any rights or remedies upon, any other person or be used or relied upon for any other purpose.  Wainwright shall not have the authority to make any commitment binding on the Company.  The Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to reject any investor introduced to it by Wainwright.

 

H.Limitation of Wainwright’s Liability to the Company.  Wainwright and the Company further agree that neither Wainwright nor any of its affiliates or any of its their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), employees or agents shall have any liability to the Company, its security holders or creditors, or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in the right of the Company (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort, for an act of negligence or otherwise) for any losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses or equitable relief arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the services rendered hereunder, except for losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses that arise out of or are based on any action of or failure to act by Wainwright and that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Wainwright.

 

I.Governing Law.  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 fully performed therein.  Any disputes that arise under this Agreement, even after the termination of this Agreement, will be heard only in the state or federal courts located in the City of New York, State of New York.  The parties hereto expressly agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the foregoing courts in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly waive any rights they may have to contest the jurisdiction, venue or authority of any court sitting in the City and State of New York.  In the event Wainwright or any Indemnified Person is successful in any action, or suit against the Company, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the final judgment or award entered shall be entitled to have and recover from the Company the costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, including its reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees.  Any rights to trial by jury with respect to any such action, proceeding or suit are hereby waived by Wainwright and the Company.  

 

J.Notices.  All notices hereunder will be in writing and sent by certified mail, hand delivery, overnight delivery or fax, if sent to Wainwright, to H. C. Wainwright & Co. LLC, at the address set forth on the first page hereof, e-mail: notices@hcwco.com, Attention: Head of Investment Banking, and if sent to the Company, to the address set forth on the first page hereof, fax number 858.320.8225, Attention: Chief Executive Officer.  Notices sent by certified mail shall be deemed received five days thereafter, notices sent by hand delivery or overnight delivery shall be deemed received on the date of the relevant written record of receipt, and notices delivered by fax shall be deemed received as of the date and time printed thereon by the fax machine.

 

K.Conflicts.  The Company acknowledges that Wainwright and its affiliates may have and may continue to have investment banking and other relationships with parties other than the Company pursuant to which Wainwright may acquire information of interest to the Company. Wainwright shall have no obligation to disclose such information to the Company or to use such information in connection with any contemplated transaction.

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L.Anti-Money Laundering.  To help the United States government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, the federal laws of the United States requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person with whom they do business. This means we must ask the Company for certain identifying information, including a government-issued identification number (e.g., a U.S. taxpayer identification number) and such other information or documents that we consider appropriate to verify the Company’s identity, such as certified certificate of incorporation, a government-issued business license, a partnership agreement or a trust instrument.

 

M.Miscellaneous.  The Company and Wainwright each represents and warrants to the other that it has all requisite power and authority to enter into and carry out the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not breach or conflict with any agreement, document or instrument to which it is a party or bound.  This Agreement shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by Wainwright and the Company.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of both Wainwright and the Company and their respective assigns, successors, and legal representatives.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of Wainwright and the Company with respect to the Offering and supersedes any prior agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect, and the remainder of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (including facsimile counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

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In acknowledgment that the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding reached by Wainwright and the Company, please sign in the space provided below, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding Agreement as of the date indicated above.


Very truly yours,

 


	
 
	
 
	
 

	
H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 
	
/s/ Mark W. Viklund

	
 
	
 
	
Mark W. Viklund

	
 
	
 
	
CEO




Accepted and Agreed:


	
 

 
	
 
	
 

	
BIOCEPT, INC.

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 
	
/s/ Michael W. Nall

	
 
	
 
	
Michael W. Nall

	
 
	
 
	
President & Chief Executive Officer




 

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