EX-4.1


   

  EXHIBIT 4.1

  PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT 

  GERON CORPORATION

   

  Warrant Shares:             

  Date of Issuance:                , 2023 (such date, the “Issue Date”)
Warrant No.: PF-[        ]

  THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions set forth herein, at any time on or after the Issue Date, to subscribe for and purchase from Geron Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to                shares (the “Warrant Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant is one of the Pre-Funded Common Stock Purchase Warrants issued in connection with the transactions contemplated by (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of                , 2023, by and between the Company and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as the representative of the several underwriters named therein, (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-269111) (the “Registration Statement”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus supplement dated                , 2023 to the base prospectus (the “Prospectus Supplement”) contained in the Registration Statement dated January 6, 2023.  

  Section 1. Definitions.  For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 

  a) “Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

  b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Issue Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of Common Stock would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) or Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage (as defined in Section 2(e)).

  c) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.

  d) “Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day that is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close. 

  e) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.

  f) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof. 

  g) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Trading Market. 

  h) “Trading Market” means the principal securities exchange or securities market, including an over-the-counter market, on which the Common Stock is then traded in the United States. 

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  i) “Weighted Average Price” means, for any security as of any date, the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Trading Market during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time, and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg through its “Volume at Price” function or, if the foregoing does not apply, the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time, and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no dollar volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets”  published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices). If the Weighted Average Price cannot be calculated for such security on such date on any of the foregoing bases, the Weighted Average Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved pursuant to Section 5(n) with the term “Weighted Average Price” being substituted for the term “Exercise Price.” All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other similar transaction during such period.

  Section 2. Exercise. 

  a) Exercise of Warrant. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be exercised, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Issue Date by delivery (whether via facsimile or otherwise) to the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company) of a duly executed copy of the Notice of Exercise form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”) and by payment to the Company of an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Warrant Shares thereby purchased by wire transfer (or by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined below)). No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. The Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days after the date the Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof. 

  b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $0.001, subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Exercise Price”). 

  c) Mechanics of Exercise. 

  i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. Certificates for shares purchased hereunder shall be transmitted to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s prime broker with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) system if the Company is then a participant in such system and otherwise by physical delivery to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the receipt by the Company of the Notice of Exercise (provided that payment of the Exercise Price (or notification of Cashless Exercise, if applicable) has then been received by the Company) (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). This Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised upon proper delivery of the Notice of Exercise and payment of the Exercise Price (or notification of Cashless Exercise). The Warrant Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and the Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised.  The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable.

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  ii. Delivery of New Warrant Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the certificate or certificates representing Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant. 

  iii. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise.  In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(c)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date  (other than a failure caused by incorrect or incomplete information provided by the Holder to the Company), and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall either (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, or (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of this Warrant with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. In connection with the foregoing, the Holder shall (i) use its reasonable efforts to notify the Company in advance of any pending exercise of this Warrant in order to enable to the Company to deliver the Warrant Shares by the Warrant Share Delivery Date and (ii) provide the Company written notice within three (3) Business Days after the occurrence of a Buy-In, indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss.  Subject to Section 5(i), nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

  iv.  No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round (up or down) to the nearest whole share. 

  v. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of certificates for Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event certificates for Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. 

  vi. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant pursuant to the terms hereof. 

  d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Holder may exercise this Warrant, whether in whole or in part, and in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Exercise Price, by effecting a cashless exercise of this Warrant pursuant to which the Holder shall receive upon such cashless exercise the “Net Number” of Warrant Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):

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  Net Number =	   (A x B) - (A x C)   
			B

  For purposes of the foregoing formula:

  A =	the total number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised.

  B =	the Weighted Average Price of the shares of Common Stock on the date immediately preceding the date of the Notice of Exercise.

  C =	the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise.

  If Warrant Shares are issued in such a Cashless Exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the 1933 Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrant being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrant being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(d).

  e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that immediately prior to or after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 9.99% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 2(e). For purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock the Holder may acquire upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives a Notice of Exercise from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 2(e), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be purchased pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such purchase is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as 

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  reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the Holder, the Company shall within five (5) Business Days confirm orally and in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Common Stock to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage (not in excess of 19.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant if exceeding that limit would result in a change of control under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(b) or any successor rule) as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 2(e) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

  Section 3. Certain Adjustments. 

  a) Subdivision or Combination of Common Stock. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company  subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 3(a) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.  

  b) Subsequent Rights Offerings.  In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if during such time as this Warrant is outstanding the Company grants, issues or sells any rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property, in each case pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, Section 2(e) hereof) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a 

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  result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage). 

  c) Pro Rata Distributions.  During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to all holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, Section 2(e) hereof) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder's right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage).  

  d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include a license or other agreement granting rights to intellectual property), (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (together, the “Alternate Consideration”), if any, receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Any such payment of such amount of such Alternative Consideration shall be made in the same form of consideration (whether securities, cash or property) as is given to the holders of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and if multiple forms of consideration are given, the consideration shall be paid to the Holder in the same proportion as such consideration is paid to the holders of Common Stock. The terms of any 

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  agreement pursuant to which a Fundamental Transaction is effected shall include terms requiring any such successor or surviving entity to comply with the provisions of this Section 3(d) and insuring that this Warrant (or any such replacement security) will be similarly adjusted upon any subsequent Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 2(e) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 3(d) to permit a Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant.

  d) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest whole share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall not include treasury shares, if any. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3, no adjustment in the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in such price; provided however, that any adjustments which by reason of the immediately preceding sentence are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. In any case in which this Section 3 shall require that an adjustment in the Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, if Holder exercises this Warrant after such record date, the Company may elect to defer, until the occurrence of such event, the issuance of the shares of Common Stock and other capital stock of the Company in excess of the shares of Common Stock and other capital stock of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that in such case the Company shall deliver to the Holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing the Holder’s right to receive such additional shares and/or other capital securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.  

  e) Par Value. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Warrant, in no event shall the Exercise Price be reduced below the par value of the Company’s Common Stock. 

  Section 4. Transfer of Warrant. 

  a) Transferability. Subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws, this Warrant and all rights hereunder  are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company (or other designated agent), together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued. 

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  b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company (or other designated agent), together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the Issue Date set forth on the first page of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto. 

  c) Warrant Register. The Company shall initially serve as warrant agent under this Warrant. The Company shall register ownership of this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder (which shall include the initial Holder or, as the case may be, any assignee to which this Warrant is assigned hereunder) from time to time. Upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder’s last address as shown on the Warrant Register.  The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary. 

  Section 5. Miscellaneous. 

  a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2. 

  b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it, and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate. 

  c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day. 

  d) Authorized Shares. The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise contained herein). The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue). Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, in each case to avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the 

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  rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

  e) Governing Law. This Warrant shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof. 

  f) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of the Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder. 

  g) Notices. 

  i. Notice Procedures.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email or facsimile at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email or facsimile on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or by International Federal Express, (d) the third (3rd) Trading Day following the date of mailing if sent by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, or (e) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such communications shall be:

  If to the Company:

  Geron Corporation

  919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Suite 250

  Foster City, California 94404

  Fax:  (650) 473-7700 

  Attention: Pamela Smith

  Email: psmith@geron.com

  With copy to:

  Cooley LLP

  3 Embarcadero Center, 20th Floor

  San Francisco, CA 94111

  Fax:  (415) 693-2222

  Attention:  Chadwick L. Mills, Esq.

  Email:  cmills@cooley.com

  If to the Holder:

  To the address, email address or facsimile number set forth in the Warrant Register, or as otherwise provided by the Holder to the Company in accordance with this Section 5(g)(i).

  ii. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price or number of Warrant Shares is adjusted pursuant to any provision of Section 3, the Company shall promptly provide the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price 

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  and number of Warrant Shares after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment. 

  iii. Notice to Allow Exercise by the Holder. After the Issue Date if (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include a license or other agreement granting rights to intellectual property), or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein. 

  h) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. 

  i) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else herein to the contrary, if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall have no obligation to pay to the Holder any cash or other consideration or otherwise “net cash settle” this Warrant.

  j) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of the Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares. 

  k) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder. 

  l) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant. 

  m) Confidentiality. The Holder agrees to keep confidential any proprietary information relating to the Company delivered by the Company hereunder; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the Holder from disclosing such information: (i) to any holder of Warrants or Warrant Shares, (ii) to any Affiliate of any holder of Warrants or 

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  Warrant Shares or any actual or potential transferee of the rights or obligations hereunder that agrees to be bound by this Section 5(m), (iii) upon order, subpoena, or other process of any court or administrative agency or otherwise required by law, (iv) upon the request or demand of any regulatory agency or authority having jurisdiction over such party, (v) which has been publicly disclosed without breach of any obligation to the Company, (vi) which has been obtained from any Person that is not a party hereto or an Affiliate of any such party without any breach of any obligation to the Company, (vii) in connection with the exercise of any remedy, or the resolution of any dispute hereunder, (viii) to the legal counsel or certified public accountants for any holder of Warrants or Warrant Shares, or (ix) as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not provide material, non-public information or confidential or proprietary information to the Holder without such Holder’s written consent. 

  n) Dispute Resolution. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Notice of Exercise giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile (i) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (ii) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error. The expenses of the investment bank and accountant will be borne by the Company unless the investment bank or accountant determines that the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares by the Holder was incorrect, in which case the expenses of the investment bank and accountant will be borne by the Holder. 

  o) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant. 

  ******************** 

  (Signature Pages Follow) 

   

   

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  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated. 

  			
	 
	 
	 

	GERON CORPORATION

	 
	 

	By:
	 
	 

	Name:
	 
	 

	Title:
	 
	 



   

   

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  NOTICE OF EXERCISE 

  TO: GERON CORPORATION 

  (1) The undersigned holder of Warrant No. PF-                 hereby elects to purchase                               Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any. 

  (2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

     Cash Exercise:  lawful money of the United States; or

     Cashless Exercise: the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in Section 2(d), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in Section 2(d). 

  (3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below: 

  			
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 



  (4) By its delivery of this Notice of Exercise, the undersigned represents and warrants to the Company that in giving effect to the exercise evidenced hereby the Holder will not beneficially own in excess of the number of shares of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) permitted to be owned under Section 2(e) of the Warrant to which this notice relates.

  The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number or by physical delivery of a certificate to: 

  			
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 
	 



  [SIGNATURE OF HOLDER] 

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Name of Investing Entity:
	 
	 



   

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:
	 
	 



   

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Name of Authorized Signatory:
	 
	 



   

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Title of Authorized Signatory:
	 
	 



   

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Date:
	 
	 



   

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  ASSIGNMENT FORM 

  (To assign the foregoing warrant, execute 

  this form and supply required information. 

  Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.) 

  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, [         ] all of or [           ] shares of the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to 

  							
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	whose address is
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	.
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 



   

  			
	 
	 
	 

	Dated: , 



   

  							
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	Holder’s Signature:
	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	Holder’s Address:
	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 
	 



  NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. 

   

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