Certificate Of Designations Of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock



 Exhibit 4.1 
  

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS 
  
 of 
  
 SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK 
  
 of 
  
 ACLARA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. 
  
 (Pursuant to Section 151 of the 

Delaware General Corporation Law) 
  

  
 ACLARA BioSciences, Inc., a corporation organized
and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by
Section 151 of the General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on March 16, 2001. 
  
 RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board of
Directors” or the “Board”) in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
“Preferred Stock”), of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, powers and preferences, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof as follows: 

 
 (i) Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 1,500,000. Such number of shares may be increased
or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock. 
  
 (ii) Dividends and Distributions. 
  
 a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of
any class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $0.001
per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking junior to the Series A 







 Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect
to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares
of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. 

 
 b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section 2 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. 
  
 c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue
of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall
begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at
the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of 
  

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 Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. 
  
 (iii) Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

  
 a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater
or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. 

 
 b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of
Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting
rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation. 
  
 c) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent
shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action. 
  
 (iv) Certain Restrictions. 
  
 a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not: 
  
 1. declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; 
  

2. declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except 
  

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 dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; 
  
 3. redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation
ranking junior (both as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or 
  
 4. redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a
parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

  
 b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

  
 (v) Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a
series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law. 
  
 (vi) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share (the “Series
A Liquidation Preference”) equal to $100 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for 
  

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 adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to
holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the
Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to such event. 
  
 (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any,
that rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in
proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. 
  
 (C)
Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6. 
  
 (vii)
Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any
other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying
such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event. 
  

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 (viii) No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the
Company. 
  
 (ix) Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall
rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, except to the extent that any such other
series specifically provides that it shall rank on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock. 
  
 (x) Amendment. At any time any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be
amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class. 
  
 (xi) Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock. 
  
 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its President and Chief Executive Officer this
19th day of March, 2001. 
  

	
	 /s/ Joseph M. Limber


	 Joseph M. Limber

	 President and Chief Executive Officer



  

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