ex41.htm


Exhibit 4.1




CARDIMA, INC.


2007 STOCK OPTION PLAN


(Adopted by the Board of Directors’ on September 14, 2007)


(Approved by Shareholders on September 8, 2008)

















I.           PURPOSES OF THE PLAN







This 2007 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to promote the interests of Cardima, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), by providing a method whereby eligible individuals who provide valuable services to the Corporation (or its parent or subsidiary corporations) may be offered incentives and rewards which will encourage them to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in the Corporation and continue to render services to the Corporation (or its parent or subsidiary corporations).







For purposes of the Plan, the following provisions shall be applicable in determining the parent and subsidiary corporations of the Corporation:


 


 (i)           Any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation shall be considered to be a parent corporation of the Corporation (a “Parent”), provided each such corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.







(ii)           Each corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation shall be considered to be a subsidiary of the Corporation (a “Subsidiary”), provided each such corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns, at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.







II.           ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN







A.           A committee comprised of non-employee members of the Board of Directors who satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) as it is then in effect to exempt stock awards made hereunder from the short-swing profit recovery rules of Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act (the “Primary Committee”) and who satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code shall have sole and exclusive authority to administer the Plan with respect to Section 16 Insiders.


 


B.           Administration of the Plan with respect to all other persons eligible to participate in the Plan may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), be vested in the Primary Committee or a second committee comprised of one or more Board members (the “Secondary Committee” and, with the Primary Committee, the “Committee”), or the Board may retain the power to administer the Plan with respect to all such persons. The members of the Secondary Committee may be individuals who are employees eligible to receive option grants under the Plan or any stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus or other stock plan of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) or who have any other business relationship with the Corporation outside their roles as members of the Board. The Board, any Primary Committee or any Secondary Committee charged with the administration of the Plan are referred to hereinafter as the “Plan Administrator.”







C.           Members of the Primary Committee or any Secondary Committee shall serve for such period of time as the Board may determine and may be removed by the Board at any time.  The Board may also at any time terminate the functions of any Secondary Committee and reassume all powers and authority previously delegated to such committee.







D.           Each Plan Administrator shall, within the scope of its administrative functions under the Plan, have full power and authority (subject to the provisions of the Plan) to establish such rules and regulations as it may deem appropriate for proper administration of the Plan and to make such determinations under, and issue such interpretations of, the provisions of the Plan and any outstanding options thereunder as it may deem necessary or advisable.  Decisions of the Plan Administrator within the scope of its administrative functions under the Plan shall be final and binding on all parties who have an interest in the Plan under its jurisdiction or any option thereunder.


 


E.           Service on the Primary Committee or the Secondary Committee shall constitute service as a Board member, and members of each such committee shall accordingly be entitled to full indemnification and reimbursement as Board members for their service on such committee.  No member of the Primary Committee or the Secondary Committee shall be liable for any act or omission made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any grants under the Plan.


 


 


 




  





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III.           ELIGIBILITY FOR OPTION GRANTS







The persons eligible to receive option grants under the Plan are as follows:







(i)           common law employees who are on the payroll of the Corporation, including officers and directors who are employed by the Corporation, its Parent or its Subsidiary (“Employees”);







(ii)           the non-employee members of the Board or the non-employee members of the board of directors of any Parent or Subsidiary; and







(iii)           those consultants, who are natural persons, who provide valuable services to the Corporation (or its Parent or Subsidiary).







The Plan Administrator shall have full authority to determine which eligible individuals are to receive option grants under the Plan, the number of shares to be covered by each such grant, whether the granted option is to be an incentive stock option (“Incentive Option”) which satisfies the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code or a non-statutory option not intended to meet such requirements, the time or times at which each such option is to become exercisable, and the maximum term for which the option is to remain outstanding.


 


IV.           STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN







A.           The stock issuable under the Plan shall be shares of the Corporation's authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock.  The aggregate number of shares which may be issued over the term of the Plan shall not exceed 30,000,000 shares. The total number of shares issuable under the Plan shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Section IV.


 


B.           No one person participating in the Plan may receive options for more than 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock per calendar year, beginning with the 2007 calendar year.


 


C.           Shares subject to outstanding options shall be available for subsequent option grants under the Plan to the extent options expire or terminate for any reason prior to exercise in full. Shares repurchased by the Corporation pursuant to its repurchase rights under the Plan shall not be available for subsequent option grants.


 


D.           In the event any change is made to the Common Stock issuable under the Plan by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without receipt of consideration, proportionate adjustments shall be made to (I) the aggregate number and/or class of shares issuable under the Plan and (II) the aggregate number and/or class of shares and the option price per share in effect under each outstanding option in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits thereunder.  The adjustments determined by the Plan Administrator shall be final, binding and conclusive.







E.           During such period that the Plan is subject to the requirements of Section 25110 of the California Corporations Code, any amendment to increase the share reserve of the Plan shall not increase the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all outstanding options and the total number of shares of Common Stock provided for under any stock bonus or similar plan of the Corporation, to exceed 30% of the number of outstanding total number of shares of Common Stock (such term to include any convertible preferred and convertible senior common shares of the Corporation) at the time of any such increase, unless a percentage higher than 30% is approved by at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote.







V.           TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS







A.           Options granted pursuant to the Plan shall be authorized by action of the Plan Administrator and may, at the Plan Administrator's discretion, be either Incentive Options or non-statutory options.  Individuals who are not Employees may only be granted non-statutory options. Each granted option shall be evidenced by one or more instruments in the form approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that each such instrument shall comply with and incorporate the terms and conditions specified below. Each instrument evidencing an Incentive Option shall, in addition, be subject to the applicable provisions of Section VI.


 


B.           Option Price.







1.           The option price per share shall be fixed by the Plan Administrator.  In no event, however, shall the option price per share be less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of the option grant or, in the case of an option granted to the owner of stock (as determined under Section 424(d) of the Internal Revenue Code) possessing ten percent (10%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any one of its Parent or Subsidiary corporations (such person to be herein referred to as a “10% Stockholder”), the option price per share shall not be less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the grant date.


 


 


 




  





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2.           The option price shall become immediately due upon exercise of the option and shall, subject to the provisions of Section IX and the instrument evidencing the grant, be payable in one or more of the forms specified below:


 


 (i)           cash or check drawn to the Corporation's order;







(ii)           in shares of Common Stock held by the optionee for the requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation's earnings for financial reporting purposes and valued at fair market value on the Exercise Date; or







(iii)           to the extent not prohibited by applicable law and to the extent the option is exercised for vested shares, through a sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the optionee is to provide irrevocable written instructions (I) to a Corporation-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, an amount sufficient to cover the aggregate option price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable Federal and State income and employment taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such purchase and (II) to the Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to effect the sale transaction.







For purposes of this subparagraph B, the Exercise Date shall be the first date on which there shall have been delivered to the Corporation both written notice of the exercise of the option and, except to the extent such sale and remittance procedure is utilized, payment of the option price for the purchased shares.


 


3.           The fair market value of a share of Common Stock on any relevant date under subparagraph 1 above (and for all other valuation purposes under the Plan) shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:


 


(i)           If the Common Stock is not at the time listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange but is traded on the Nasdaq National Market System or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the fair market value shall be the closing selling price of one share of Common Stock on the date in question, as such price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers through its Nasdaq system or any successor system. If there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists shall be determinative of fair market value.







(ii)           If the Common Stock is at the time listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange, then the fair market value shall be the closing selling price per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the stock exchange determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on such exchange.  If there is no reported sale of Common Stock on such exchange on the date in question, then the fair market value shall be the closing selling price on the exchange on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.







(iii)           If the Common Stock at the time is neither listed nor admitted to trading on any stock exchange nor traded in the over-the-counter market, or if the Plan Administrator determines that the value determined pursuant to subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above does not accurately reflect the fair market value of the Common Stock, then such fair market value shall be determined by the Plan Administrator after taking into account such factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate, including one or more independent professional appraisals.







C.           Term and Exercise of Options.







Each option granted under the Plan shall be exercisable at such time or times, during such period, and for such number of shares as shall be determined by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the instrument evidencing such option. During such time that the Plan is subject to the requirements of Section 25110 of the California Code of Corporations, an Option granted to an individual other than an officer of the Corporation, a member of the Board or a consultant to the Corporation shall become exercisable at a rate of at least 20% of the underlying Shares per year over 5 years from the date of grant of the Option. No such option, however, shall have a maximum term in excess of ten (10) years from the grant date and no Incentive Option granted to a 10% Stockholder shall have a maximum term in excess of five (5) years from the grant date.  During the lifetime of the optionee, the option shall be exercisable only by the optionee and shall not be assignable or transferable by the optionee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.


 


D.           Effect of Termination of Employment.







1.           Except to the extent otherwise provided pursuant to subparagraph 3 below, the following provisions shall govern the exercise period applicable to any options held by the optionee at the time of death or cessation of Service. For the purposes of this Plan, the term “Service” shall mean service to the Corporation, or a Parent or Subsidiary, by an individual as an Employee, a non-employee member of the Board of Directors or a consultant.


 


 (i)           Should the optionee cease to remain in Service for any reason other than death or Disability (as hereinafter defined), then the period during which each outstanding option held by such optionee is to remain exercisable shall be limited to the three (3)-month period following the date of such cessation of Service.







(ii)           In the event such Service terminates by reason of Disability, then the period during which each outstanding option held by the optionee is to remain exercisable shall be limited to the six (6)-month period following the date of such cessation of Service. “Disability” shall mean the inability of an individual to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment and shall be determined by the Plan Administrator on the basis of such medical evidence as the Plan Administrator deems warranted under the circumstances.







(iii)           Should the optionee die while holding one or more outstanding options, then the period during which each such option is to remain exercisable shall be limited to the twelve (12)-month period following the date of the optionee's death.  During such limited period, the option may be exercised by the personal representative of the optionee's estate or by the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the optionee's will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution.







(iv)           Each such option shall, during such limited exercise period, be exercisable for any or all of the shares for which the option is exercisable on the date of the optionee's cessation of Service. Upon the expiration of such limited exercise period or (if earlier) upon the expiration of the option term, the option shall terminate and cease to be exercisable.


 


 


 




  





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2.           Under no circumstances shall any option be exercisable after the specified expiration date of the option term.


 


3.           The optionee shall be considered to be an Employee for so long as such individual remains in the employ of the Corporation or one or more of its Parent or Subsidiary corporations, subject to the control and direction of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance.







4.           The Board shall have full power and authority to extend the period of time for which the option is to remain exercisable following the optionee's termination of Service from the three (3)-month (six (6) months in the case of Disability) or shorter period set forth in the option agreement to such greater period of time as the Board shall deem appropriate; provided, that in no event shall such option be exercisable after the specified expiration date of the option term.


 


E.           Stockholder Rights.  An optionee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the shares subject to the option until such individual shall have exercised the option and paid the option price.







F.           Repurchase Rights.  The shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of options granted under the Plan may be subject to one or more repurchase rights of the Corporation in accordance with the following provisions:







1.           The Plan Administrator may in its discretion determine that it shall be a term and condition of one or more options exercised under the Plan that the Corporation (or its assignees) shall have the right, exercisable upon the optionee's cessation of Service, to repurchase at the option price all or (at the discretion of the Corporation and with the consent of the optionee) part of the unvested shares of Common Stock at the time held by the optionee.  Any such repurchase right shall be exercisable by the Corporation (or its assignees) upon such terms and conditions (including the establishment of the appropriate vesting schedule and other provision for the expiration of such right in one or more installments over the optionee's period of Service) as the Plan Administrator may specify in the instrument evidencing such right. During such time that the Plan is subject to the requirements of Section 25110 of the California Code of Corporations, if a right of repurchase of the Corporation is exercised upon termination of employment of an optionee, the repurchase price shall be set at not less than the original purchase price of the Shares, provided that the right to repurchase shall lapse at a rate of 20% of the Shares per year over 5 years from the date the option was granted. The right to repurchase shall be exercised for cash or cancellation of purchase money indebtedness for the securities within ninety (90) days of termination of employment.







2.           All of the Corporation's outstanding repurchase rights shall automatically terminate upon the occurrence of any Corporate Transaction under Section VII.


 


VI.           INCENTIVE OPTIONS







The terms and conditions specified below shall be applicable to all Incentive Options granted under the Plan.  Incentive Options may only be granted to individuals who are Employees of the Corporation.  Options which are specifically designated as “non-statutory” options when issued under the Plan shall not be subject to such terms and conditions.


 


A.           Option Price.  The option price per share of the Common Stock subject to an Incentive Option shall in no event be  less than one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. If the individual to whom the option is granted is a 10% Stockholder, then the option price per share shall not be less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the grant date.







B.           Dollar Limitation.  The aggregate fair market value (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of the Common Stock for which one or more options granted to any Employee under this Plan (or any other option plan of the Corporation or its Parent or Subsidiary) may for the first time become exercisable as incentive stock options under the Federal tax laws during any one calendar year shall not exceed the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000).  To the extent the Employee holds two or more such options which become exercisable for the first time in the same calendar year, the foregoing limitation on the exercisability thereof as incentive stock options under the Federal tax laws shall be applied on the basis of the order in which such options are granted.







Except as modified by the preceding provisions of this Section VI, all the provisions of the Plan shall be applicable to the Incentive Options granted hereunder.


 


VII.           CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS







A.           In the event of (i) a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Corporation is not the surviving entity (except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the State of Corporation’s incorporation) or (iii) a reverse merger in which the Corporation is the surviving entity but in which all of the Corporation’s outstanding voting stock immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger or transferred to the acquiring entity or its wholly-owned Subsidiary (individually, a “Corporate Transaction”), then any surviving entity or acquiring entity shall assume any outstanding options under the Plan or shall substitute similar options.   Notwithstanding the assumption or substitution of any portion of any outstanding option under the Plan by the surviving entity or acquiring entity, in the event of a Corporate Transaction the vesting and exercisability of each outstanding option under the Plan shall accelerate so that each option shall become vested and exercisable immediately prior to the Corporate Transaction for twice the number of vested shares of Common Stock subject to such option immediately prior to such acceleration, up to 100% of the shares of Common Stock subject to such option. In the event the surviving entity or acquiring entity refuses to assume such options or to substitute similar options for those outstanding under the Plan, then the vesting and exercisability of each option outstanding under the Plan shall automatically accelerate in full so that each option shall, immediately prior to the Corporate Transaction, become fully exercisable for all of the shares of Common Stock at the time subject to such option and may be exercised for any or all of those shares or fully vested shares of Common Stock.


 


 


 




  





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B.           Immediately following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, all outstanding options shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the surviving entity or acquiring entity (or Parent thereof).


 


C.           Each outstanding option which is assumed in connection with the Corporate Transaction or is otherwise to continue in effect shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such Corporate Transaction, to apply and pertain to the number and class of securities which would be issuable, in consummation of such Corporate Transaction, to an actual holder of the same number of shares of Common Stock as are subject to such option immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the option price payable per share, provided the aggregate option price payable for such securities shall remain the same.  Appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the class and number of securities available for issuance under the Plan following the consummation of such Corporate Transaction.


 


D.           The portion of any Incentive Option accelerated in connection with a Corporate Transaction shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Option only to the extent the applicable One Hundred Thousand Dollar limitation is not exceeded.  To the extent such dollar limitation is exceeded, the accelerated portion of such option shall be exercisable as a Non-Statutory Option under the Federal tax laws.


 


E.           The grant of options under this Plan shall in no way affect the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.


 


VIII.           TAX WITHHOLDING







A.           The Corporation's obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or upon the vesting of such shares under the Plan shall be subject to the satisfaction of all applicable Federal, state and local income and employment tax withholding requirements.


 


B.           The Plan Administrator may, in its discretion, provide any or all holders of Non-Statutory Options or unvested shares of Common Stock under the Plan with the right to use shares of Common Stock in satisfaction of all or part of the taxes incurred by such holders in connection with the exercise of their options.  Such right may be provided to any such holder in either or both of the following forma


 


 (i)           Stock Withholding.  The election to have the Corporation withhold, from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon the exercise of such Non-Statutory Option or the vesting of such shares, a portion of those shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the taxes (not to exceed one hundred percent (100%)) designated by the holder.







(ii)           Stock Delivery.  The election to deliver to the Corporation, at the time the Non-Statutory Option is exercised or the shares vest, one or more shares of Common Stock previously acquired by such holder (other than in connection with the option exercise or share vesting triggering the taxes) with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the taxes (not to exceed one hundred percent (100%)) designated by the holder.







IX.           LOANS







A.           To the extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Plan Administrator may assist any optionee (including an optionee who is an officer or director of the Corporation) in the exercise of one or more options granted to such optionee, including the satisfaction of any Federal and State income and employment tax obligations arising therefrom, by (i) authorizing the extension of a loan from the Corporation to such optionee, or (ii) permitting the optionee to pay the option price for the purchased Common Stock in installments over a period of years.


 


B.           The terms of any loan or installment method of payment (including the interest rate and terms of repayment) shall be established by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.  Loans or installment payments may be granted with or without security or collateral.  However, any loan made to a consultant or other non-employee advisor must be secured by property other than the purchased shares of Common Stock.  In all events, the maximum credit available to each optionee may not exceed the sum of (i) the aggregate option price payable for the purchased shares (less the par value) plus (ii) any Federal and State income and employment tax liability incurred by the optionee in connection with such exercise.







C.           The Plan Administrator may, in its absolute discretion, determine that one or more loans extended under the financial assistance program shall be subject to forgiveness by the Corporation in whole or in part upon such terms and conditions as the Board in its discretion deems appropriate.


 


X.           NO EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE RIGHTS







A.           Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon the optionee any right to continue in the service or employ of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation employing or retaining such optionee) for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation employing or retaining such optionee) or of the optionee, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate the Service of the optionee at any time for any reason, with or without cause.


 


 




  





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XI.           AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN







A.           The Board shall have complete and exclusive power and authority to amend or modify the Plan in any or all respects whatsoever; provided, however, that no such amendment or modification shall, without the consent of the Corporation’s stockholders, adversely affect the rights and obligations with respect to options at the time outstanding under the Plan; and provided, further that any amendment or modification by the Board to (i) increase the maximum number of shares issuable under the Plan or the maximum number of shares for which any person may be granted options per calendar year, except for permissible adjustments under Section IV or (ii) materially modify the eligibility requirements for the grant of options under the Plan, shall not be effective without the approval of the Corporation's stockholders within one year of such amendment or modification to the Plan.







B.           Options may be granted under this Plan to purchase shares of Common Stock in excess of the number of shares then available for issuance under the Plan, provided (i) an amendment to increase the maximum number of shares issuable under the Plan is adopted by the Board prior to the initial grant of any such option and within one year thereafter such amendment is approved by the Corporation's stockholders and (ii) each option granted is not to become exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the obtaining of such stockholder approval.







XII.           EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN







A.           The Plan became effective when adopted by the Board on September 14, 2007, subject to approval by the Corporation's stockholders.







B.           Unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section VII, the Plan shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) September 14, 2017 or (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the Plan shall have been issued pursuant to the exercise or surrender of options granted hereunder.  If the date of termination is determined under clause (i) above, then options outstanding on such date shall thereafter continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the instruments evidencing such options.


 


 


XIII.           USE OF PROCEEDS







Any cash proceeds received by the Corporation from the sale of shares pursuant to options granted under the Plan shall be used for general corporate purposes.


 


XIV.           INFORMATION OBLIGATION







During such time that the Plan is subject to the requirements of Section 25110 of the California Code of Corporations, the Corporation shall provide the Participants with financial statements at least annually. This Section XIV shall not apply to key Employees whose duties in connection with the Corporation assure them access to equivalent information.


 


XV.           REGULATORY APPROVALS







The implementation of the Plan, the granting of any option hereunder, and the issuance of stock upon the exercise or surrender of any such option shall be subject to the procurement by the Corporation of all approvals and permits required by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Plan, the options granted under it and the stock issued pursuant to it.




 


 


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