Amended and Restated Employment and Retention Agreement, dated July 7, 2008



 Exhibit 10.44 
 

 
 June 1, 2008 
 VIA
HAND DELIVERY 
 Richard Brewer 
 5 Bird Hill Lane 
 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 
 Re: Amended and Restated Employment and Retention
Agreement 
 Dear Dick: 
 ARCA biopharma, Inc. (the
“Company”) is pleased to offer you the following agreement regarding your employment as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and certain severance benefits (the “Agreement”). This Agreement
amends, supersedes and terminates any and all prior agreements, representations or understandings with respect to your employment terms and severance benefits, including that certain letter agreement dated November 2, 2006. 
 1. Employment. The Company hereby agrees to employ you and you hereby accept such employment upon the terms and conditions set forth herein and
agree to perform such duties as are commensurate with your office as prescribed by the Board of Directors of the Company. Your appointment to the Company’s Board of Directors at the inception of your employment shall be a condition to your
employment under this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon commencement of your employment with the Company, which shall occur on or before November 2, 2006 (the “Start Date”). You agree to tender your
resignation as a director of the Company effective on the date your employment with the Company terminates for any reason. 
 2. Duties.
You shall render services to the Company as its President and Chief Executive Officer and shall report to the Company’s Board of Directors. During the term of your employment hereunder, you shall devote to the Company so much of your
business time, skill and attention as are reasonably required for the performance of your duties. The Company will permit you to continue to serve on a maximum of four outside corporate board of directors; provided that such service does not
interfere with your duties as President and Chief Executive Officer, or conflict with your fiduciary obligations to the Company; and further provided, that the Board of Directors may review the impact of your outside activities on your duties to the
Company at any time. 







 3. Compensation. 
 (a) For all services rendered and to be rendered hereunder, and for the other agreements by you contained herein, the Company agrees to pay you, and you agree to accept a salary of $25,000.00 per month,
$300,000 annualized, payable bi-weekly. Your salary will be subject to review and adjustment on an annual basis in accordance with the procedures set forth by the Company’s Board of Directors or Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
Any such salary shall be payable pursuant to the Company’s payroll procedures which may be changed by the Company from time to time and shall be subject to such deductions or withholdings as the Company is required to make pursuant to law, or
by further agreement with you. In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible to receive a bonus pursuant to an employee bonus plan as approved by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion. You will also be eligible to participate in the
Company’s benefit plans based on the eligibility criteria for each of those plans as they become available, which plans will remain subject to change from time to time at the Company’s discretion; provided, that you and the Company have
agreed that you will maintain your own health insurance for yourself and your dependents and that you will not participate in any Company-provided or sponsored health insurance plan. 
 (b) At the first meeting of the Company’s Board of Directors on or after the Start Date you will be granted the option to purchase nine
hundred, ninety two thousand (992,000) shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Initial Option”), such grant being equal to approximately eight percent (8%) of the outstanding securities of the Company on the date of
grant, calculated on a fully diluted basis. The exercise price for the Initial Option shall be equal to the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock at the time of grant as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Initial
Option shall be fully vested upon grant; provided, however, that a portion of any shares you purchase prior to the fourth anniversary of the Start Date by means of the exercise of the Initial Option may be subject to repurchase by the Company, at
the price you paid for such shares, as set forth in subsection (d), below. The Initial Option will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) in effect at the time of grant, and a
Stock Option Agreement between you and the Company governing this grant. The Initial Option is contingent upon approval by the Company’s Board of Directors and your execution of the Stock Option Agreement. 
 (c) In addition to the Initial Option, at the first meeting of the Company’s Board of Directors after the Start Date you will be issued five
hundred thousand (500,000) shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Restricted Stock”) upon payment by you of a per share purchase price equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of issuance as determined
by the Company’s Board of Directors, which is currently $0.15 per share. The shares of Restricted Stock will be subject to repurchase rights of the Company with respect to unvested shares, and to the other terms and conditions set forth in a
Restricted Stock Agreement between you and the Company, and of the Plan. The Restricted Stock Agreement will provide, among other things, that: 
 (i) Two hundred, fifty thousand (250,000) shares of the Restricted Stock shall vest, and the Company’s repurchase right shall lapse with respect to such shares, on the earlier of (A) if the
Company’s common stock is listed on a 








 
national exchange, then the date on which the average market capitalization of the Company, as reported by such exchange over the immediately preceding ten
business days, is at least two hundred, fifty million dollars ($250,000,000), or (B) the closing date or effective date of a Corporate Transaction in which the total consideration paid by the acquirer in the Corporate Transaction is at least
two hundred, fifty million dollars ($250,000,000); 
 (ii) Two hundred, fifty thousand (250,000) shares of the Restricted
Stock shall vest, and the Company’s repurchase right shall lapse with respect to such shares, on the earlier of (A) if the Company’s common stock is listed on a national exchange, then the date on which the average market
capitalization of the Company, as reported by such exchange over the immediately preceding ten business days, is at least five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000), or (B) the closing date or effective date of a Corporate Transaction in which
the total consideration paid by the acquirer in the Corporate Transaction is at least five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000). 
 Upon
issuance of the shares of Restricted Stock, you agree to enter into the Company’s Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement and Voting Agreement. Upon the termination of your employment with the Company for any reason, any shares of
Restricted Stock held by you that have not vested shall be subject to repurchase by the Company. In addition, any shares of Restricted Stock that have not vested pursuant to the foregoing provisions on or prior to the ten year anniversary date of
the date of issuance shall be subject to repurchase by the Company. 
 (d) In the event that either you voluntarily resign from the
Company or your employment is terminated by the Company for “Cause” as defined in Section 4(c), or upon your death or disability as defined in Section 4(a) below (any of the foregoing being defined as a “Termination
Event”), the Company shall have the right to repurchase shares previously purchased by you as the result of the exercise of options granted to you as Initial Option (the “Initial Option Shares”), at the price paid by you for such
shares, as follows: Upon a Termination Event prior to the first anniversary of the Start Date, the Company shall have the right to repurchase seventy five percent (75%) of any Initial Option Shares, and after the first anniversary, the
Company’s right to repurchase Initial Option Shares shall be reduced by six and one-quarter percent (6.25%) at the end of each subsequent quarter. The Company’s right to repurchase shares purchased by you as the result of your
exercise of any portion of the Initial Option shall lapse upon the earlier of a “Corporate Transaction” as defined below or upon your termination by the Company other than for “Cause” or for death or disability (including,
without limitation, termination by you for “Good Reason” as defined below). 
 (e) The Initial Option shall, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, be considered an Incentive Stock Option. 
 (f) For as long as you remain employed by the Company, the
Company will reimburse you for the reasonable additional travel and housing expenses that you and 








 
your spouse incur as a result of commuting from California or other U.S. location outside Colorado to the Company’s offices in Colorado, and also for
the reasonable Company business travel expenses that you incur, such reimbursements in total not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) during each year period, beginning from the Start Date, that you remain employed under this
Agreement. You agree to provide reasonable documentation of these expenses. 
 4. Termination. Subject to the terms and conditions of
this letter agreement, you and the Company each acknowledge that your employment relationship with the Company is at-will and that either party has the right to terminate your employment with the Company at any time for any reason whatsoever, with
or without cause or advance notice pursuant to the following provisions: 
 (a) Termination by Death or Disability. In the event you
shall die during the period of your employment hereunder or become permanently disabled, which shall mean you are unable to perform each of the essential duties of your position by reason of a medically determined physical or mental impairment which
is permanent or which lasts for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, your employment and the Company’s obligation to make payments hereunder shall terminate on the date of your death, or the date upon which, in the
reasonable determination of the Board of Directors, you are determined to be permanently disabled. The Company’s ability to terminate you as a result of any disability shall be to the extent permitted by state and/or federal law. 
 (b) Voluntary Resignation. In the event you voluntarily resign from your employment with the Company (other than for Good Reason as defined
below), the Company’s obligation to make payments hereunder shall cease upon such resignation, and you shall not be entitled to any severance pay, accelerated vesting, pay in lieu of notice or any other such compensation, except the Company
shall pay you (i) any salary earned but unpaid prior to the resignation and all accrued but unused vacation, and (ii) any business expenses incurred by you in connection with your performance of your duties, according to the policies of
the Company, that were incurred but not reimbursed as of the date of resignation. 
 (c) Termination for Cause. In the event you are
terminated by the Company for Cause (as defined below), the Company’s obligation to make payments hereunder shall cease upon the date of receipt by you of written notice and explanation of such termination (the “Date of
Termination”), and you shall not be entitled to any severance pay, pay in lieu of notice or any other such compensation, except the Company shall pay you: (i) any salary earned but unpaid prior to the Date of Termination and all
accrued but unused vacation, and (ii) any business expenses incurred by you in connection with your performance of your duties, according to the policies of the Company, that were incurred but not reimbursed as of the Date of Termination.

 (d) Termination by the Company Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
the Company will provide you with Severance Benefits (as defined below) if (i) the Company terminates your employment without Cause or (ii) you resign your employment for Good Reason. You will not be entitled to receive any Severance
Benefits if (A) the Company terminates 








 
your employment for Cause, (B) you resign from your employment with the Company other than for Good Reason, or (C) in the event of your death or
permanent disability. In addition, to the extent that any federal, state or local laws, including, without limitation, so-called “plant closing” laws, require the Company to give advance notice or make a payment of any kind to you because
of your involuntary termination due to a layoff, reduction in force, plant or facility closing, sale of business, change of control, or any other similar event or reason, the Severance Benefits payable under this Agreement shall either be reduced
proportionately or eliminated, such that the total amounts paid to you do not exceed the amounts specified herein. The Severance Benefits provided under this Agreement are intended to satisfy any and all statutory obligations that may arise out of
your involuntary termination of employment for the foregoing reasons. 
 5. Description of Severance Benefits. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Severance Benefits” are defined as: 
 (a) Severance pay (the “Severance Pay”) equivalent
to: (A) twelve (12) months of your Base Salary (as defined below) in effect as of your last day of employment with the Company in accordance with this Agreement (i) if a Notice Date (as defined below) occurs (a) on the same day
as a Corporate Transaction or (b) within thirteen (13) months after the effective date of a Corporate Transaction or (ii) if a Corporate Transaction has not occurred on or before the Notice Date; and (B) a pro rata portion of any
bonus compensation under any employee bonus plan that has been approved by the Board of Directors (“Bonus Pay”) payable to you for the fiscal year in which your employment terminated to be paid at the same time that such incentive
bonus would have been paid if such termination has not occurred. Your pro rata portion of any Bonus Pay shall be based upon the number of days in such calendar year elapsed through the Notice Date so such termination as a proportion of 365.

 The date you are notified that your employment with the Company is being terminated without Cause or the date you notify the Company that
you are terminating your employment for Good Reason, shall be referred to herein as the “Notice Date.” The Severance Pay shall be payable in equal installments over the applicable number of months (the “Initial Severance
Period”) in accordance with the Company’s then applicable payroll policies, beginning no earlier than seven (7) days after the effective date of the release described below, and will be subject to standard payroll deductions and
withholdings; provided, however, that any Bonus Pay shall not be payable to you until such time as bonus compensation under the applicable employee bonus plan is paid to other employees of the Company. 
 To receive any of the Severance Benefits, you must first sign and date a general release of claims in favor of the Company in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A (the “Release”). Such Release shall not be signed or dated until the Notice Date, and, except as otherwise required by applicable law, is not valid (and will not entitle you to Severance Benefits) unless signed and
delivered to the Company within three (3) days after such Notice Date. 







 (b) The Company may elect, in its sole discretion, to pay you the equivalent of up to twelve
(12) months of your Base Salary in effect as of your last day of employment with the Company in accordance with this Agreement, which additional payment shall extend your covenants and obligations set forth in Article IV of the Employee
Intellectual Property, Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement for such additional period. If the Company elects to make such additional payment to you, the Company shall make such payments in equal installments over the applicable number of
months following the Initial Severance Period in accordance with the Company’s then applicable payroll policies, or in the sole discretion of the Company as designated by the Company in writing within seven (7) days after the Notice Date,
in a single lump sum cash payment, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings, and such additional amounts shall be deemed to be “Severance Pay” and to be part of the “Severance Benefits” for purposes of this
Agreement. 
 6. Parachute Payments. 
 (a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit you would receive pursuant to a Corporate Transaction from the Company or otherwise (“Payment”)
(i) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and (ii) but for this sentence, would be subject to the excise tax
imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment shall be equal to the Reduced Amount (as defined below). For the avoidance of doubt, a Payment shall not be considered a parachute payment for purposes
of this paragraph if such Payment is approved by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with the procedures set forth in Sections 280G(b)(5)(A)(ii) and (B) of the Code and the regulations thereunder, and at the time of such shareholder
approval, no stock of the Company is readily tradeable on an established securities market or otherwise (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(5)(A)(ii)(I) of the Code) (“280G Shareholder Approval”). The “Reduced
Amount” shall be either (i) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax, or (ii) the Payment or a portion thereof after payment of the applicable Excise Tax,
whichever amount after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on an after-tax bases, of the
greatest amount of the Payment to you. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting “parachute payments” is necessary so that the Payment equals the Reduced Amount, reduction shall occur in the following order unless you elect in
writing a different order (provided, however, that such election shall be subject to Company approval if made on or after the date on which the event that triggers the Payment occurs): reduction of cash payments; reduction of employee
benefits. 
 (b) The accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of
the event giving rise to the Payment (“Payment Event”) shall perform the foregoing calculations. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determination by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder.








 (c) The accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder shall provide its
calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and you within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which your right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Company or you) or such other
time as requested by the Company or you. If the accounting firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable with respect to a Payment, either before or after the application of the Reduced Amount, it shall furnish the Company and you with an opinion
reasonably acceptable to you that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to such Payment. The Company shall be entitled to rely upon the accounting firm’s determinations, which shall be final and binding. 
 7. Compliance with Revenue Code Section 409A. To the extent any Severance Benefits are paid from the date of termination of your employment
through March 15 of the calendar year following such termination, such Severance Benefits are intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations and thus payable pursuant to the
“short-term deferral” rule set forth in Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations; (b) are paid following said March 15, such Severance Benefits are intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of
Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations made upon an involuntary separation from service and payable pursuant to Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations, to the maximum extent permitted by said provision, and
(c) are in excess of the amounts specified in clauses (a) and (b) of this paragraph, shall (unless otherwise exempt under Treasury Regulations) be considered separate payments subject to the distribution requirements of
Section 409A(a)(2)(A) of the Code, including, without limitation, the requirement of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code that payments or benefits be delayed until 6 months after your separation from service (if the Company is publicly
traded and you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of the aforesaid section of the Code at the time of such separation from service). In the event that a six-month delay of any such separation payments or benefits is required, on
the first regularly scheduled pay date following the conclusion of the delay period you shall receive a lump sum payment or benefit in an amount equal to the separation payments and benefits that were so delayed, and any remaining separation
payments or benefits shall be paid on the same basis and at the same time as otherwise specified pursuant to this Agreement (subject to applicable tax withholdings and deductions). 
 8. Description of Corporate Transaction. For purposes of this Agreement, “Corporate Transaction” is defined as: (i) a sale
of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (ii) a merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Company if, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or reorganization, the stockholders of the
Company immediately prior thereto do not own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger,
consolidation or reorganization or (B) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding 








 
voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction; or (iii) any transaction (including without
limitation a merger or reorganization in which the Company is the surviving entity) which results in any person or entity (other than persons who are stockholders or affiliates of the Company immediately prior to the transaction) owning fifty
percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, other than the sale by the Company of stock in transactions the primary purpose of which is to raise capital for the Company’s operations and
activities. 
 9. Salary and Accrued PTO/Vacation. On your last date of employment with the Company, the Company will pay to you all
of your accrued salary and all of your accrued but unused paid time off (“PTO”) or vacation as the case may be earned through your last day of employment. 
 10. Definition of Base Salary. For purposes of this Agreement, “Base Salary” means your base salary in effect as of your last day of full-time employment with the Company, excluding the
following: any type of commissions, incentive payments or any other similar remuneration paid directly to you, or any other income received in connection with stock options, contribution made by the Company under any employee benefit plan, or
similar items of compensation. 
 11. Definition of Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means that you
have committed or engaged in: (i) willful misconduct, gross negligence, theft, fraud, or other illegal or dishonest conduct, any of which are considered to be materially harmful to the Company; (ii) refusal, unwillingness, failure, or
inability to perform material job duties or habitual absenteeism; or (iii) violation of the fiduciary duty, violation of any duty of loyalty, or material breach of any material term of this Agreement or of your Employee Intellectual Property,
Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement (a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B) (the “Employee Intellectual Property Agreement”) or any other contract between you and the Company. In the event you are terminated
for Cause you will not be entitled to the Severance Benefits, pay in lieu of notice, vesting of any shares under any option plan, vesting of any unrestricted shares, or any other such compensation set forth herein and you shall immediately forfeit
all rights to any options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (including vested options) and such options shall immediately expire, but you will be entitled to all other compensation (including commissions rightfully earned),
benefits and unreimbursed expenses accrued through the Date of Termination. 
 12. Definition of Good Reason. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean (i) a material decrease in your then current base salary other than any such decrease resulting from a general reduction by the Company in the base salary of all Company executive officers;
(ii) a material diminution in your authority or your reporting relationship (i.e., from the Board of Directors to an officer), (iii) failure of the Company’s shareholders to elect you to the Board of Directors of the Company,
(iv) a move of the Company’s headquarters of more than 60 miles from its current location in Denver, Colorado, (v) resignation on your part within 90 days after a Corporate 








 
Transaction, or (vi) the Company unilaterally makes significant detrimental reductions in your job responsibilities; provided, that you shall
give written notice to the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors setting forth your intent to resign for Good Reason and the facts in support of your claim that Good Reason exists within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of
any of the foregoing conditions; and the Company shall have thirty (30) days after the applicable party has received such notice to take such action, if any, as the Company may deem appropriate to eliminate such claimed Good Reason (without
thereby admitting that such Good Reason had occurred); and your final separation from service occurs within two (2) years of the initial existence of any of the foregoing conditions. If the Company acts to eliminate such claimed Good Reason
within the thirty (30) day period after receipt of your notice, then you shall not be deemed to be resigning for Good Reason under such facts. 
 13. At-Will Employment. Nothing in this Agreement alters the at-will nature of your employment relationship with the Company. Any contrary representations or agreements, which may have been made to you, are superseded by this
Agreement. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, either you or the Company may terminate your employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause or advance notice.  
 14. Employee Intellectual Property Agreement. 
 (a) Execution and Compliance. You acknowledge that you are a member of the Company’s executive and management personnel and that, as such, you have been and will be privy to extremely sensitive, confidential and valuable
commercial information, which constitutes trade secrets of the Company, the disclosure of which would greatly harm the Company. Your work for the Company is conditioned on your execution of and continued compliance with the Employee Intellectual
Property Agreement. 
 (b) Extension of Time. In the event that you breach any covenant, obligation or duty in the Employee
Intellectual Property Agreement or its subparts, any such duty, obligation or covenants to which you and the Company agreed by the Employee Intellectual Property Agreement and its subparts shall automatically toll from the date of the first breach,
and all subsequent breaches, until the resolution of the breach through private settlement, judicial or other action, including all appeals. The duration and length of your duties and obligations as agreed by the Employee Intellectual Property
Agreement and its subparts shall continue upon the effective date of any such settlement, or judicial or other resolution. 
 15.
Miscellaneous. Except as specifically set forth herein, this Agreement and the Employee Intellectual Property Agreement constitute the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to
your employment terms and Severance Benefits. This Agreement and the Employee Intellectual Property Agreement are entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, or other than those expressly contained herein and
therein, and supersede any other such promises, warranties or representations. This Agreement 








 
may not be modified or amended except in writing signed by you and a duly authorized officer of the Company. This Agreement will be deemed to have been
entered into and will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado as applied to contracts made and to be performed entirely within Colorado. 
 Please sign below to indicate your understanding and acceptance of this Agreement and return the signed original to me at your earliest convenience. 
  

							
	Very truly yours,	  	 	 	 
			
	ARCA biopharma, Inc.	  		 	
				
	By:	 	 /s/ Michael Bristow, M.D.
	  		 	
	Name:	 	 Michael Bristow, M.D.
	  		 	
	Title:	 	 Chairman and Chief Science and Medical Officer
	  		 	
			
	Understood and Agreed:	  		 	
			
	 /s/ Richard Brewer
	  	 July 7, 2008
	 	
	Richard Brewer	  	Date	 	








 EXHIBIT A 
 RELEASE 
 In exchange for the Severance Benefits provided under the foregoing
Employment and Retention Agreement with ARCA biopharma, Inc. (the “Company”), dated [                    ], and except as set forth
in this release, I hereby release, acquit and forever discharge the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and their officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, successors, assigns and affiliates, of and from any and all claims,
liabilities, demands, causes of action, costs, expenses, attorneys fees, damages, indemnities and obligations of every kind and nature, in law, equity, or otherwise, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed (other than
any claim for indemnification I may have as a result of any third party action against me based on my employment with the Company), arising out of or in any way related to agreements, events, acts or conduct at any time prior to the date I execute
this release, including, but not limited to: all such claims and demands directly or indirectly arising out of or in any way connected with my employment with the Company or the termination of that employment, including but not limited to, claims of
intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, any and all tort claims for personal injury, claims or demands related to salary, bonuses, commissions, stock, stock options, or any other ownership interests in the Company, vacation pay,
fringe benefits, expense reimbursements, severance pay, or any other form of compensation; all claims for breach of contract and wrongful termination; claims pursuant to any federal, state or local law or cause of action including, but not limited
to, the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; Colorado anti-discrimination statutes, including the Colorado Civil
Rights Act (as amended); tort law; contract law; wrongful discharge; discrimination; fraud; defamation; emotional distress; and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph
shall be construed in any way to release the Company from its existing obligations to indemnify me pursuant to any agreement or applicable law. 
 I also hereby acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (“ADEA”). I also acknowledge that the
consideration given for the release in the preceding paragraph hereof is in addition to anything of value to which I was already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised by this writing, as required by the ADEA, that: 
 (a) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that arise on or after the date I execute this release; 
 (b) I have the right to consult with an attorney prior to executing this release; 
 (c) I have twenty-one (21) days to consider this release (although I may choose to voluntarily execute this release earlier); 







 (d) I have seven (7) days following my execution of this release to revoke the release; and

 (e) this release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth day after I
execute this release. 
 This Release constitutes the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire agreement between the Company
and me with regard to the subject matter hereof. I am not relying on any promise or representation by the Company that is not expressly stated herein. This Release may only be modified by a writing signed by both me and a duly authorized officer of
the Company. This Release will be deemed to have been entered into and will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado as applied to contracts made and to be performed entirely within Colorado. This Release shall
be effective on the date set forth in paragraph (e) above, provided that the Company has also signed it. 
 I accept and agree to the terms and
conditions stated above. 
  

			
	  

	[Name]
		
	Date:	 	  

	
	ARCA BIOPHARMA, INC.
		
	By:	 	  

	Name:	 	  

	Title:	 	  










 EXHIBIT B 
 EMPLOYEE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT 
 [Omitted]