# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001651311
**File Stem:** 0001193125-25-316841
**Filing Date:** 2025-12
**Character Count:** 30797
**Document Hash:** f40c47fa9afab24c45ac8253a0ce4cae
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-25-316841.hdr.sgml**: 20251212

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-25-316841

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 13

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20251212

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Changes in Control of Registrant

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20251212

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251212

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Merus N.V.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001651311
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 03 Life Sciences
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** P7
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-37773
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251566589

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** YALELAAN 62
- **CITY:** 3584 CM UTRECHT
- **STATE:** DE
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 31 030 253 8800

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** YALELAAN 62
- **CITY:** 3584 CM UTRECHT
- **STATE:** DE

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** Merus B.V.
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20150819

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? 8-K

### UNITED STATES

### SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

#### Washington, D.C. 20549

### FORM 8-K

#### CURRENT REPORT

#### Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

#### of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

#### Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): December 12, 2025

## MERUS N.V.

#### (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **The Netherlands** | **001-37773** | **Not Applicable** |
| **(State or other jurisdiction of**<br> **incorporation or organization)** | **(Commission**<br> **File Number)** | **(I.R.S. Employer**<br> **Identification No.)** |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Uppsalalaan 17** |
| **3584 CT Utrecht** |
| **The Netherlands** |
| **(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)** |

---

#### +31 85 016 2500

#### (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

#### N/A

#### (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Title of each class** | **Trading<br>Symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange**<br> **on which registered** |
| Common Shares, €0.09 nominal value per share | MRUS | The Nasdaq Global Market |

---

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter)

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 2.01** | **Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.**  |

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As previously disclosed by Merus N.V. (the "Company"), a Dutch public limited liability company (*naamloze vennootschap*) organized under the laws of The Netherlands, on September 29, 2025, the Company entered into a Transaction Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Transaction Agreement") with Genmab A/S, a public limited liability company (*Aktieselskab*) organized under the laws of Denmark ("Parent"), and Genmab Holding II B.V., a private limited liability company (*besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid*) organized under the laws of The Netherlands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Purchaser"), to purchase all of the issued and outstanding common shares, nominal value €0.09 per share, of the Company (the "Common Shares"), in exchange for $97.00 per Common Share in cash (the "Offer Consideration"), without interest and subject to any applicable tax withholding, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase, dated October 21, 2025 (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase"), and in the related letter of transmittal (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Letter of Transmittal" and, together with the Offer to Purchase, the "Offer").

The Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 11, 2025 (the "Expiration Time"), at which time all conditions to the Offer were satisfied or waived. Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, the depositary for the Offer (the "Depositary"), advised Parent and Purchaser that, as of the Expiration Time, 71,463,077 Common Shares, representing approximately 94.2% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the Company (calculated in accordance with the Transaction Agreement), were validly tendered pursuant to the Offer and not properly withdrawn. The number of Common Shares tendered satisfied the minimum tender condition for the Offer. On December 12, 2025, Purchaser accepted for payment all Common Shares validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer prior to the Expiration Time and promptly thereafter paid (by delivery of funds to the Depositary) the Offer Consideration for such Common Shares in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Agreement (the "Closing").

Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, at the Closing, each outstanding and unexercised option to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (each, a "Merus Option") that was outstanding immediately prior to the Closing, whether or not fully vested and exercisable and whether or not then subject to any performance or other conditions, (i) vested in full at the Acceptance Time (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) and (ii) was canceled immediately prior to the Closing and converted automatically into the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (a) the amount by which the Offer Consideration exceeded the applicable exercise price per Common Share of such Merus Option and (b) the aggregate number of Common Shares underlying such Merus Option.

Following the Expiration Time, in accordance with the Transaction Agreement, Purchaser commenced a subsequent offering period (the "Subsequent Offering Period") in accordance with Rule 14d-11 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on December 12, 2025. Common Shares validly tendered during the Subsequent Offering Period will be promptly paid for by Purchaser pursuant to the terms of the Offer. The Subsequent Offering Period will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 29, 2025.

The foregoing description of the Transaction Agreement is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Transaction Agreement, which is incorporated by reference as Exhibit 2.1 hereto.

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---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 3.03** | **Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.**  |

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The information set forth under Item 2.01 and Item 5.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 5.01** | **Changes in Control of Registrant.**  |

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On December 12, 2025, as of the Closing, Purchaser owned a total of 71,463,077 Common Shares, collectively representing approximately 94.2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, resulting in a change of control. The total aggregate consideration paid in the Offer was approximately $6.9 billion.

The information set forth under Item 2.01 and Item 5.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.01.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 5.02** | **Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.**  |

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Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement and the voting results of the Company's extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, as of the Closing, the following directors ceased to be directors of the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") and members of all committees of the Board on which such directors previously served: Sven (Bill) Ante Lundberg, M.D., Mark Iwicki, Len Kanavy, Paolo Pucci, Victor Sandor, M.D.C.M. and Jason Haddock. Maxine Gowen, Ph.D. and Anand Mehra, M.D. remain as directors of the Board and any committees of the Board for which they serve.

In addition, effective as of the Closing, each of Sven (Bill) Ante Lundberg, M.D. and Peter Silverman ceased to be an executive officer of the Company. Information about the severance benefits to which each of Dr. Lundberg and Mr. Silverman is entitled is set forth under the caption "Golden Parachute Compensation" beginning on page 135 of the Company's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on November 12, 2025 and is incorporated herein by reference.

On December 12, 2025, as of the Closing, Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Greg Mueller, Anthony Pagano and Martine van Vugt, Ph.D. were appointed as directors of the Company, with Mr. Muller, Mr. Pagano and Dr. van Vugt serving as non-executive directors and Dr. van de Winkel serving as executive director. In addition, effective as of the Closing, Dr. van de Winkel became the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Biographical information about Dr. van de Winkel, Mr. Mueller, Mr. Pagano and Dr. van Vugt is set forth under the caption "Board of Directors and Corporate Governance" beginning on page 154 of the Company's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2025 and is incorporated herein by reference.

On December 11, 2025, the Company entered into agreements with each of Sven (Bill) Ante Lundberg, M.D., Peter Silverman, Gregory Perry and Fabian Zohren, M.D, Ph.D., providing that, in the event that the applicable executive receives any payments or benefits that are subject to an excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, such executive will receive a payment from the Company that puts such executive in the same after-tax position as though such tax did not apply. The foregoing description of the agreements is qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of Gross-Up Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 herewith and is incorporated by reference herein.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 9.01** | **Financial Statements and Exhibits.**  |

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(d) Exhibits

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit**<br>**No.** | **Description** |
| 2.1 | [Transaction Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2025, by and among Genmab A/S, Genmab Holding II B.V. and Merus N.V. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on September 29, 2025)](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1651311/000119312525221801/d94293dex21.htm) |
| 10.1 | [Form of Gross-Up Agreement](d29730dex101.htm) |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |

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#### SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **MERUS N.V.** | **MERUS N.V.** |
| Dated: December 12, 2025 | By: | /s/ Jan G. J. van de Winkel |
|  | Name: | Jan G. J. van de Winkel |
|  | Title: | Chief Executive Officer |

---

## Exhibit 10.1

**Exhibit 10.1** 

***Agreed Form***

**GROSS-UP AGREEMENT** 

In connection with the Transaction Agreement, dated September 29, 2025 (the "***Transaction Agreement***") by and between Genmab A/S, a public limited liability company (*Aktieselskab*) organized under the laws of Denmark ("***Parent***"), Genmab Holding II B.V., a private limited liability company (*besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid*) organized under the laws of the Netherlands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("***Purchaser***") and Merus N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (*naamloze vennootschap*) organized under the laws of the Netherlands (the "***Company***"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the Gross-Up Payment (defined below) as described herein. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this agreement (the "***Gross-Up Agreement***") shall be as set forth in the Transaction Agreement.

Contingent upon the occurrence of the Closing, this Gross-Up Agreement shall entirely replace and supersede all provisions previously included in any agreements and promises made to you by the Company, if applicable, whether written or oral, on the subject matter herein, including any provisions in any Company benefit or compensation plan, or employment agreement or arrangement providing for different treatment with respect to payments subject to Section 280G or Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and guidance issued thereunder (the "***Code***"). If the Transaction Agreement is terminated prior to consummation of the Transactions, you will not be eligible to receive a Gross-Up Payment and this Gross-Up Agreement will automatically and without further action terminate without becoming effective.

1. <u>Indemnification for Golden Parachute Excise Taxes</u> 

If you receive a payment or benefit that would (a) constitute a "parachute payment" within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (b) be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (such payment, a "***Payment***" and such tax, the "***Excise Tax***"), then the Company shall pay, and you shall be entitled to receive, an additional payment (the "***Gross-Up Payment***") from the Company in an amount such that, after the payment of all taxes (including, without limitation, (i) any local, state or federal income or employment taxes, including Social Security and Medicare taxes, (ii) any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes, and (iii) any additional excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, but excluding any taxes and penalties imposed pursuant to Section 409A of the Code) on the Gross-Up Payment, you shall retain (on an after tax basis), an amount equal to the Excise Tax.

Your receipt of the Gross-Up Payment is conditioned on your continued employment with the Company and its subsidiaries as of immediately prior to the closing of the Merger.

2. <u>Calculation</u> <u> </u> <u>and</u> <u> </u> <u>Payment</u> <u> </u> <u>of</u> <u> </u> <u>the</u> <u>Gross</u> <u>-Up</u> <u> </u> <u>Payment</u> 

All determinations required to be made under this Gross-Up Agreement, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by Ernst & Young LLP (the "***Advisory Firm***"). The Advisory Firm will make its determinations in consultation with counsel for the Company, and such determination shall take into account whether a payment or

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benefit constitutes reasonable compensation within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder. You agree to provide such information and documents as the Advisory Firm (or the Company on its behalf) reasonably requests in making such determinations, including making yourself reasonably available for interviews.

The Company will withhold and pay over to you, or to the Internal Revenue Service ("***IRS***") and any state or local taxing authority (together with the IRS, a "***Taxing Authority***") on your behalf, as applicable, an amount equal to the Gross-Up Payment in addition to any other amounts required to be withheld and paid over to any Taxing Authority in respect of any Payments, in each case as permitted under the applicable Treasury Regulations. Any Gross-Up Payment, as determined pursuant to this Gross-Up Agreement, shall be paid by the Company within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the Advisory Firm's determination; <u>provided</u> that the Gross-Up Payment shall in all events be paid no later than the end of your taxable year next following your taxable year in which the Excise Tax (and any income or other related taxes or interest or penalties thereon) on a Payment are remitted to the IRS or any other applicable Taxing Authority or, in the case of amounts relating to a claim or audit described below that does not result in the remittance of any federal, state, local, and foreign income, excise, social security, and other taxes, the calendar year in which the claim is finally settled or otherwise resolved.

If the initial determination of the Advisory Firm is later determined by any Taxing Authority to be incorrect, the Excise Tax will be redetermined by the Advisory Firm in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and the amount of the Gross-Up Payment payable to you or to any Taxing Authority on your behalf will be redetermined by the Advisory Firm. In such event, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall pay to you or to the relevant Taxing Authority on your behalf any resulting underpayment, or you shall return to the Company any resulting overpayment that is paid to you thereafter by any Taxing Authority (together with any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). Except as hereinafter set forth in the case of a claim made by a Taxing Authority, any determination (or redetermination, if applicable) by the Advisory Firm of the amount of the Gross-Up Payment shall be binding upon the Company and you, and you agree that you shall file all tax returns in respect of the relevant tax years consistently with such determination (or redetermination, if applicable).

3. <u>Certain Assumptions</u> 

For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, you shall be deemed to have: (a) paid federal income and employment taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income and employment taxation applicable to you for the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made, and (b) paid applicable state and local income and employment taxes at the highest rate of taxation applicable to you for the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made (based on the state in which you reside at the relevant time), net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes.

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4. <u>Maximum Amount of the Gross-Up Payments</u> 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Gross-Up Agreement, the maximum aggregate amount of the Gross-Up Payment(s) payable to you and any other service providers of the Company or any of its affiliates who are selected by the Company prior to the consummation of the Transactions and who are eligible for tax gross-up payments with respect to Excise Taxes in connection with the Transactions (collectively, such payments, the "***Total Gross-Up Payments***" and such persons, the "***participants***") shall not exceed $9,300,000 (the "***Aggregate Cap***"). Any Gross-Up Payment (whether payable to you or any other participant) shall be payable and counted against the Aggregate Cap on a "first come, first served" basis. You will not be entitled to receive any additional Gross-Up Payment(s) on or after the date the Total Gross-Up Payments equal or exceed the Aggregate Cap. In the event that the Total Gross-Up Payments exceed the Aggregate Cap, the Gross-Up Payment(s) payable to you pursuant to this Agreement will be cut back to the extent required to avoid the Total Gross-Up Payments exceeding the Aggregate Cap. In the event that all or a portion of the Total Gross-Up Payments becomes payable at the same time to you and other participants, such that the portion of Total Gross-Up Payments payable to you and the other participants exceeds the Aggregate Cap, the Gross-Up Payments will be cut back on a pro rata basis to the extent required to avoid the Total Gross-Up Payments exceeding the Aggregate Cap.

5. <u>If You Are Audited</u> 

You are required to notify the Company or its successor of any written claim by any Taxing Authority that, if successful, would require you to pay an initial or any additional Excise Tax and/or other taxes on any Gross-Up Payment such that your aggregate liability for all Excise Taxes together with all other taxes on any Gross-Up Payment would exceed any Gross-Up Payment previously determined by the Advisory Firm to be due and that was paid to you or to any Taxing Authority on your behalf. Such notification shall be given to the Company as soon as practicable, but in any event no later than twenty (20) business days after you are given notice in writing of such claim by the Taxing Authority. You are required to provide the Company a copy of the notice of claim by the Taxing Authority and the date set forth in the claim that the Taxing Authority specifies as the due date for payment of such claim. You may not pay such claim prior to the expiration of the thirty (30)-day period following the date on which you give such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company does not notify you in writing prior to the expiration of such thirty (30)-day period that the Company desires to contest such claim, the Company shall, within fifteen (15) business days after the expiration of such thirty (30)-day period, pay to you or to any Taxing Authority on your behalf the amount claimed to be due by the Taxing Authority, grossed up as an additional Gross-Up Payment in accordance with the methodology applicable to the determination of the initial Gross-Up Payment set forth above, such that, on an after-tax basis you are held harmless for any Excise Tax or any other tax (including interest or penalties thereon) imposed with respect to the payment required to be made by the Company to you or to any Taxing Authority on your behalf pursuant to this sentence, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

If the Company notifies you in writing prior to the expiration of such thirty (30)-day period that the Company desires that you contest such claim with the Taxing Authority, you must (i) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such claim, (ii) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time, (iii) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order to effectively contest such claim and (iv) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such claim; *provided, however*, that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs

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and expenses (including additional taxes, interest and penalties and reasonable professional fees) incurred in connection with such contest, and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or any other tax (including interest or penalties thereon) imposed and any such costs and expenses incurred by you as a result of such contest but only to the extent that such Gross-Up Payment would otherwise be due pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

Without limitation of the foregoing provisions of this Gross-Up Agreement, the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest, and, at its sole discretion, may pursue or forgo any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with the Taxing Authority in respect of such claim and may, at its sole discretion, either direct you to pay the tax claimed and sue for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner, and you agree to prosecute such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; *provided, however,* that (A) if the Company directs you to pay such claim and sue for a refund, the Company shall advance the amount of such payment to you, on an interest-free basis, and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income or employment tax (including interest or penalties thereon) imposed with respect to such advance, including any forgiveness thereof, or with respect to any imputed income in connection with such advance to the extent that a Gross-Up Payment would otherwise be due pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth herein and (B) if such contest directed by the Company pursuant to clause (A) results in any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for your taxable year with respect to which such contested amount is claimed to be due, such extension must be limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company's control of the contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which the Gross-Up Payment would be payable hereunder, and you are entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other issue raised by the Taxing Authority.

To the extent not addressed above, the Company or its successor shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including reasonable professional fees) incurred by you in connection with any written claim by any Taxing Authority with respect to the 2025 and/or 2026 taxable years; *provided*, *however*, that (i) if such audit is solely with respect to matters unrelated to any payments made by the Company to you, then this provision shall not apply and instead you shall be responsible for all of your costs and expenses related to such audit and (ii) if such audit is with respect to both matters related to payments made by the Company to you and other unrelated matters, then you shall be responsible for the portion of your costs and expenses related to the audit attributable to such unrelated matters (and this provision shall apply solely with respect to the cost and expenses incurred in connection with the audit attributable to the Company payments). In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, you shall remain liable for any payments to the Taxing Authority resulting from such audit except as otherwise set forth in this Section 5.

6. <u>Refunds</u> 

If, after your receipt of an amount advanced by the Company pursuant to this Gross-Up Agreement, you become entitled to receive any refund with respect to such claim, you must (subject to the other provisions of this Gross-Up Agreement) promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund received (together with any interest paid or credited thereon by the Taxing Authority after taxes applicable thereto). If, after your receipt of an amount advanced by

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the Company pursuant to this Gross-Up Agreement, a determination is made that you are not entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify you in writing of its desire that you contest such denial of refund prior to the expiration of the thirty (30)-day period after such determination, then you shall not be required to repay any amount of such advance or any taxes paid by the Company with respect thereto.

You hereby agree to reasonably cooperate with the Company and Parent with respect to any actions that the Company may reasonably request to mitigate the amount of any Excise Tax that may be applicable to you.

7. <u>409A</u> 

It is intended that the Gross-Up Payment satisfy the exemption from the application of Section 409A of the Code provided for under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4).

8. <u>Successors and Assigns</u>

This Gross-Up Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and the Company, and any surviving entity resulting from the consummation of the Transactions and upon any other person or entity who is a successor by merger, acquisition, consolidation or otherwise to the business formerly carried on by the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, without regard to whether or not such person actively assumes any rights or duties hereunder; *provided, however,* that you may not assign any duties hereunder and may not assign any rights hereunder (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution) without the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably. This Gross-Up Agreement will remain in place and may not be terminated by the Company or any successor thereto, until all statutes of limitations with respect to the Excise Tax have expired in their entirety.

9. <u>Governing Law</u> 

This Gross-Up Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof.

10. <u>Severability</u> 

If any provision of this Gross-Up Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall be adjusted rather than voided, to achieve the intent of the parties to the extent possible, and the remainder of the Gross-Up Agreement shall be enforced to the maximum extent possible.

[*Signature Page Follows*]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Gross-Up Agreement on the respective dates set forth below.

Dated:_______________________    <br> [__________]

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **MERUS N.V.** |
|  Dated:_______________________ | By: |
|  | Name: [__________] |
|  | Title: [__________] |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **MERUS US, INC.** |
|  Dated:_______________________ | By: |
|  | Name: [__________] |
|  | Title: [__________] |

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[*Signature Page to 280G Gross-Up Agreement*]